As mentioned in a previous post, I love to collect found objects and then figure out later how to craft with them. While poking around a thrift shop last year, I picked up six vintage mini tart tins. I knew immediately that I wanted to make mixed media tart tin ornaments for our boho themed Christmas tree.
The tart tins are made of shiny aluminum so I knew they would reflect the lights on our tree.
Mini tart pans come in a variety of shapes and sizes, perfect for making ornaments. If you can’t find vintage tins, you can purchase new ones at an affordable price on Amazon or at a restaurant supply store. My mixed media tart tin ornaments are approximately 3 inches across.
Here is how I made our tart tin ornaments:
Supplies:
*Mini Tart Tins
*Imported handmade paper with metallic elements (such as Thai batik paper scraps)
*Gold metallic trim
*Mini pompoms
*Microbeads
*Mini gems
*Shisha mirrors
*Gold metallic thread or string
*Craft glue that dries clear
*Scrapbooking punches or Sizzix machine and metal dies
*Hammer and awl or electric drill or Dremel tool
*Self-healing cutting mat
*Scissors
*Scrap of cardboard
Directions:
1. Start by punching small holes into the top edge and bottom edge of each tart tin using your hammer and awl, electric drill or Dremel tool. Do this over a self-healing cutting mat so you don’t scrape your work surface. The holes should be big enough to slide the ends of the gold thread or string through and knot in step 9.
2. Lay out the general designs you want for each of the ornaments.
3. Start with the outer rim of your tart tins. For two of my ornaments, I glued gold trim along the fluted edges. The next two are coated in multi-colored microbeads. The last two are decorated with red and green pompoms. Set them aside to dry.
4. Next, use your scrapbooking punches to cut designs out of the imported Thai papers. You can also use a Sizzix cutting machine and your favorite metal dies for this step. For my ornaments, I cut circle, paisley, and bird patterns to fit into the center of the tart tins.
5. Gently glue in the paper designs, then if you like, decorate the designs with metallic gems.
6. For the last two ornaments, decorate with a variety of colorful Indian shisha mirrors. You can usually purchase shisha mirrors on Amazon, Etsy or eBay. Affix metallic gems. Let everything dry.
7. String the ends of your gold thread through the top hole of each tin and knot several times, making a loop to hang the ornaments on your tree.
8. Use your scrap of cardboard to make tassels out of the gold thread or string. I made my tassels about 4 inches long. Here are directions on how to make the tassels. You can also purchase premade tassels if you don’t want to make them.
9. String a loop of thread through the top of each tassel. Feed both ends of the string up through the bottom hole of the tart tin. Pull the tassel up to the desired length, and then knot the ends of your threads several times. Clip the excess threads.
Your mixed media tart tin ornaments are ready to be hung on your Christmas tree.
Happy boho crafting! To continue in our Boho Christmas series, click here for directions to make Felt Mandala Ornaments.