December 18, 2019

How to Create an Eclectic and Colorful Christmas with These Easy Budget-Friendly Hacks

Christmas, DIY

I love my neutrals just as much as I love a good color combo and just as much as the basic green and red Christmas. So yes if you’re asking, it is very difficult to decide how I want to decorate this or the coming years when I’m standing in the Christmas aisle at the store. Like very hard. I’m not one of those that buys Christmas decor for a one time use, nope; I know better than that. That’s why, although our Christmas is somewhat less colorful and more on the black and white side like it was last year, I’m tempted to go full blown eclectic and colorful next year! Especially after I learned how simple it was to DIY and dye something 😉

For those who are like me or just like be colorful 365 days of the year, I created these fun hacks that cover most of your Christmas decorations – with just one DIY. 

First though, let’s go down memory lane. Last year I created the same DIY but it was a completely different theme – with no bright colors. This year, I had a little fun and did the exact opposite as a fun project! These clay decorations are SO SIMPLE to make and can be used as gift tags, stocking tags, for garland, as ornaments, on wreaths – whatever you want. Keep reading to find out how I switched it up this year!  

But oh wait…there’s more.. 




Hack #1

  •  Use Sculpey Clay: You may not know how to sew or paint well, but I know you’ll be able to use sculpey clay. Click here for a tutorial on how easy it is to use! Like I mentioned already, this DIY can be used for a variety of Christmas decor – ornaments, gift tags, garland, etc. And the cool thing is – YOU CAN TOTALLY DYE IT (yes, you can paint it also)! I had no idea if the color dye would adhere to the clay but it totally did. Although I wish the colors were brighter (this is my first time ever using dye), I just followed the instructions from the All Purpose RIT dye and it totally worked. I wanted to add pepper into the clay for a speckled look also, but I totally forgot to do that…(and overlap the clay ornaments while dying them as I did that too)*palm in face. But aren’t these awesome? The possibilities are endless. And cheap (can’t forget that hah). This leads me to hack #2…

Hack #2

  • Dye it: have a bunch of old ornaments? Or burlap from last year? Just dye it! From neutral to colorful in just a few hours. Honestly, this was my first dye project and although it could’ve gone better, it’s a super easy thing to do! I used this all purpose dye the clay ornaments. Check out these other awesome dye projects, here and here.


Hack #3

  • Washi Tape Instead of Ribbon: That sounds kinda tacky but in all honesty, it’s totally smart. Instead of dealing with sliding ribbon as you gift wrap, try washi tape. Like I gave it a try and oh my gosh, why I have never thought of this before! You don’t even have to wrap it around the whole gift if you don’t want to. You kinda just stick it on and it stays. Create a minimal look with it or not, that’s completely up to you! Of course, you won’t be able to create a bow with it but if you want an easy alternative to creative gift wrapping, washi tape is it! I have this set from Hobby Lobby that comes in many colors! 

Hack #4

Iridescent Glass Ornaments: Why iridescent glass ornaments? Because the glass gives off the prettiest pinkish hue. The clear glass ornaments also calms the colors down and adds another layer of texture. And because these glass ornaments can be painted, dyed, drawn on, glittered, to whatever color and look your heart desires using clear glass ornaments is a good place to start. I mean, most ornament DIYs start with a clear ornament, meaning there are many possibilities. AND NOW they come in many shapes! 

*click here to see how I added glass ornaments in our entryway!

Hack #5

White: As much as you or I may love color, a good white (or neutral color) calms all the colorful vibes just enough. It makes it easier on the eyes by making the colorful decor make more of an impact (ironic, huh?). Here’s a wonderful example! Also, notice that I used a white backdrop for my photos (I did that on purpose;)!

Hack #6

Gift wrapping: If you use a neutral wrapping paper or one with minimal design, you can add many colorful elements. For example, I mentioned washi tape already but you can also pretend the wrapping paper is like your blank canvas. Look at this wonderful example here to see what I mean! Personalize it if you want! I also use minimal wrapping paper that isn’t labeled Christmas decor in the stores. And – go nuts and use fabric as wrapping paper. I’m totally here for that trend! Or use colorful paper and add a simple touch of ribbon. Easy as that 🙂

*Need help decorating your entryway for the holidays? Click here to see how we decorated ours!

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