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How To Make Giant Cardboard Christmas Ornaments

It’s quite embarrassing the number of cardboard boxes that keep on arriving at our home. I decided to put some of it into good use by upcycling it into giant cardboard Christmas ornaments.

I’ve already made some 3D cardboard decorations for the Christmas tree, but this didn’t really make much of a dent into the cardboard mountain.

This time I went large, with these fun bright giant Christmas baubles for the wall.

There is no missing these cardboard ornaments on the wall. They make an impact and are a bit of a talking point.

large cardboard box

Making Giant Cardboard Christmas Baubles Out of Boxes

I have a bit of an obsession with vintage dimple baubles like those made by Shiny-Brite. I love the mid-century look and bright colours of these Christmas ornaments.

I’m still kicking myself for not buying a box when I spotted them at a vintage market. The hunt for some of these classic ornaments goes on.

In the meantime, I have used the style of these vintage Christmas baubles for the design inspiration of these giant cardboard Christmas decorations.

Besides their dramatic look, the best thing about these cardboard ornaments is that they have very little impact on the environment. Upcycling materials you already have to make your Christmas decorations is much kinder to the environment than buying something new.

Shiny brite vintage baubles

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What You Need To Make Cardboard Christmas Ornaments

How To Make Giant Baubles

1.. First, cut open the cardboard box so that it lays flat. Then lay a large round plate or tray onto one of the cardboard sizes and draw around it.

Try and use the largest round tray that you can find that will fit onto the cardboard piece.

drawing around the cardboard

2. To make a teardrop-shaped Christmas decoration, extend the pencil circle to a point at the bottom of the circle. At the top of the teardrop draw a bauble cap.

Giant bauble drawing

3. Next, with a cardboard cutting knife, cut out the bauble shape. Then paint it white or cream. Use a water-based mat paint that will allow you to paint easily on top of the white paint.

painting white

4. Next, when the white paint has dried on the Christmas cardboard decoration, draw a smaller circle in the center of the ornament. Use masking tape to add a stripe above and below the center circle.

Drawing the center of the bauble
marked up bauble

5. Then, in the center circle draw the dimple shape with a pencil. Divide up the circle into segments and pencil in the segments, so they look a bit like an orange cut in half. Don’t worry about this being too neat.

Drawing the dimple in the ornament

6. Now, the Christmas cardboard decoration is ready to paint. First, paint the bauble cap a greyish colour.

painting the bauble cap

7. Next, paint the center dimple. I used a mixture of yellow paints in two similar shades. A lighter shade for the segments, which I then outlined with a darker shade of yellow. Again there is no need to be too neat with this painting as that is not the effect I was looking for.

Top tip: I watered down my paints so that I could achieve a more watery washed effect.

Painting the dimple

8. Next, paint the rest of the cardboard bauble red. Again water down the paint to achieve a slight washed effect.

When the paint is dry, remove the masking tape to reveal the white stripes.

removing the masking tape
cardboard Christmas ornaments

Finally, simply hang the cardboard Christmas ornaments on your wall. These baubles are very light. All you need is some ribbon and a pushpin to hang them.

Giant Christmas cardboard ornaments

I managed to make 3 repurposed giant Christmas wall bauble from the same cardboard box.

Giant repurposed cardboard baubles

hanging all three giant Christmas ornaments together on the wall looks great. I will be making more in different colours. As I still have plenty of cardboard boxes.

Cardboard Christmas ornaments

I’m a big fan of oversized Christmas wall decorations. In the past, I upcycled a tabletop with Marimekko paper napkins for a giant Christmas wall decoration, which I loved so much it stays on the wall all year round.

If you like to upcycle cardboard packaging, then you should also check out my gingerbread house garland and this cute cardboard suitcase storage.

upcycled cardboard Christmas decorations

You’ll find more thrifty craft ideas here.

Julie

Sunday 20th of December 2020

I love these, I need something for our windows and was thinking I might try making something with our cardboard mountain. I don't think I have time now this year but I'm bookmarking this idea in my brain in the hope I can rustle something up next year (on a more practical level I will pin them too, rather than relying on my brain!)

Claire Armstrong

Monday 21st of December 2020

Thank you, Julie, I like the idea of cardboard mountains. They shouldn't take too long and you can keep them up all winter and not just for Christmas.

Cherelle | The Inspired Prairie

Tuesday 15th of December 2020

What a fun project!! These would be super cute with tons of glitter also! I think I'll have to add this to my list of projects :)

Thanks for sharing with us on the Embracing Home and Family linkup party! -Cherelle

Claire Armstrong

Wednesday 16th of December 2020

Thank you, so much I love the glitter idea.

Michelle Leslie

Sunday 13th of December 2020

Those look so cool Claire. What a great way to make a Christmassy statement

Claire Armstrong

Monday 14th of December 2020

Thank you so much, Michelle. It does brighten up the hallway.

Kimberly Dsouza

Saturday 12th of December 2020

Ooohh!! Now i'm regretting having given away all those cardboard boxes that we keep receiving, courtesy of shopping at Amazon!! Lovely stuff Claire. Thanks for sharing at our #HomeMattersParty :)

Claire Armstrong

Saturday 12th of December 2020

Thank you so much. They are fun to make.

Maria Brittis

Saturday 12th of December 2020

This is the best recycle holiday ornament idea.I love all your ideas so unique and sustainable.

Claire Armstrong

Saturday 12th of December 2020

Thank you, Maria. I just hate waste and love to decorate with the stuff I already have to minimize my impact on the environment.