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Tips on Collecting and Using Vintage Christmas Ornaments

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Christmas is a great time to surround yourself with bohemian style. Mixing vintage Christmas ornaments into your favorite Holiday decor is a great way to get a beautiful, eclectic look that will wow you and your guests.

Vintage Christmas Ornaments

I love collecting and using vintage Christmas ornaments in our Holiday décor. Vintage ornaments remind me of decorating our Christmas tree as a kid. We always decorated our tree on Christmas Eve and then left it up through the New Year until Little Christmas. Every ornament had a memory and story attached. It was fun to share our favorites.

Here are some tips on how I go about collecting and using Vintage Christmas ornaments in our décor.

To get a boho Christmas décor look, remember it’s all about being eclectic and colorful. I like to mix vintage ornaments and modern ornaments with ornaments I’ve made. I also mix bright, cheerful ornaments with natural elements.

Review What You Have

Start by looking in your own collection of Holiday décor. Do you have any ornaments you absolutely love and can present in a new way? Do you have any vintage Christmas ornaments in your collection? Also, consider asking older relatives and neighbors if they have any vintage ornaments they are ready to part with. Often, people love to downsize their holiday stuff.

Blown glass vintage Christmas ornament
One of my absolute favorite inherited vintage Christmas ornaments. I love the vibrant color and delicate blown glass.

Collect Year Round

If you want to collect vintage Christmas ornaments, you can often find great stuff year round. You just need to know where to look.

Church and Non-profit rummage sales are my favorite places to find affordable Christmas décor. Garage Sale season is another off-Holiday time to find neat, affordable Holiday decorations. People are often willing to bargain because they just want to get rid of the stuff.

Next, keep your eyes open for Estate Sales. Depending on who is running the estate sale, items can be affordable or pricey. If pricey, decide if you want the items anyway or take your chances that the decorations will be there later. More expensive estate sales often have a half-price time in the afternoon or on the second day. Be sure to ask when their discount sale will take place.

Thrift shops are another place I frequent. You never know what you will find, so I enjoy the random hunt of the shopping experience. Some thrift shops put out holiday décor year round, while others just display it during prime Holiday shopping season. Check with your favorite thrift stores to find out their schedules. At the thrift shop I volunteer at, we have a “Christmas Corner” in one section of our shop. However, we also have a slew of Holiday-related donations we hold onto to display closer to December. At our shop, you can also let our staff know what you are looking for. We will keep our eyes out and contact you if we get something in that you might enjoy.

Thrift Shopping for Vintage Christmas ornaments
Thrift Shops are great places to find affordable vintage Christmas ornaments. Check back often, as the shops get tons of stuff in all Holiday season.

Thrift shops often get so much Holiday décor that they price it very affordably. They just want to keep the décor moving to make room for more. I have seen all sorts of great vintage ornaments, wreaths, garlands, you name it, come through our shop and the other thrift stores I frequent.

Finally, check out flea markets and antique shops. Sometimes vintage Christmas décor can be really marked up in price at such places. I’ve seen individual glass-blown Christmas bulbs from the 1950s marked as high as $8 a piece. Meanwhile, we may sell a whole box of similar ornaments for $2 at our thrift shop. Be ready to bargain if you see something you really want. Or if you see something really special, maybe it is worth the asking price.

Tin Christmas ornament from Mexico
Mexican tin Christmas ornament my mother-in-law collected during her travels.

Pick a Theme

Picking a theme for your Holiday décor or Christmas tree may help you figure out what to collect and how to utilize the vintage ornaments you do collect. For instance, for our Bohemian Christmas tree, I recently designed, I was inspired by two things. First, we inherited a set of beautiful hammered and hand-colored tin ornaments from Mexico. My mother-in-law purchased the ornaments in her travels, so they carry special energy for me. We also inherited three hand cut wood snowflake ornaments originally from Germany. I think they were circa 1940s or 1950s. I always admired the ornaments on my in-law’s Christmas tree.

German wood cut Vintage Christmas ornament
One of three vintage wood cut Christmas ornaments from Germany that we inherited.

From these ornaments, I knew I wanted to decorate the tree in bright, mostly primary colors. From there I dug out select ornaments from those that we inherited plus some ornaments in our own collection. I then made Christmas garlands and other boho ornaments to add to the tree. And this year, I’ve been keeping my eyes out while combing garage sales, rummage sales and thrift shops for additional ornaments that will enhance the boho décor look.

Keep An Open Mind

See something cool, but don’t know what you’ll do with it? That’s part of the fun of being eclectic and having boho style. Decide how drawn you are to the items and buy those that really call to you. You can always figure out what to do with the items later. Plus, if you didn’t pay much, you can always let go of the decorations later if you never find a use for them.

Holiday bird decor
Holiday bird fountain I found at a thrift shop for $4. We now also have a whole collection of winter birds we display on our bookshelves.

For instance, I grew up in the country where we were always surrounded by a multitude of songbirds. At our thrift shop, a winter, bird-themed fountain came in. When cleaned up (we dusted it off and then applied some spray glitter to it to freshen up the snow part of it), it was rather charming. I stared at it all season each time I came into work. When it was marked down to $4, I could no longer resist. That fountain became the base to a collection. Now we have a series of winter songbird collectibles that sit on our bookcase for the Holidays. (We also have a summer collection for the rest of the year).

So always be on the lookout for items you can build a collection around.

Vintage yule log and Pfaltzgraff Snow Bear collection
We combined a vintage yule log, gold greenery, and our Pfaltzgraff Snow Bear pottery collection on our antique buffet. In the background, you can see part of our miniature crystal vase collection that sits out year round.

Keep a Holiday Craft Stash

I always keep a stash of Holiday craft supplies and vintage components that I can visit if I am feeling crafty. Holiday craft supplies can often be found in garage sales. Look for unique components to make boho ornaments out of, such as beads, vintage cookie cutters, napkin rings, ribbon, fabric scraps and such. I also often purchase items 75-90% off around the New Year when the craft stores desperately want you to drag Holiday stuff out of their store at any price. That way I have supplies ready to go if I get random inspiration during the year.

Look Online for Inspiration

Going online to your favorite bohemian blogs and Pinterest are great ways to get ideas on how to use your vintage decorations to build a boho Christmas tree. There are wonderful DIY tutorials on how to make felt ornaments, mini dreamcatchers, yarn God’s eyes and more. You will also find great examples for upcycled ornaments from items like old cookie cutters, vintage lace and mini tart pans.

Tart tin DIY Christmas Ornaments
Keep a stash of Holiday craft supplies on hand to craft your own Christmas ornaments.

Add Some World Culture

Bohemian style is all about embracing world crafts and cultures. So finish your tree off with a couple of special ornaments from around the world. Cost Plus World Market is one of my favorite places to look for really unique ornaments. Amazon and Novica also sell a lot of Fair Trade ornaments and décor. World artisans are paid fair living wages to produce their unique crafts, so your money goes to a good cause.

Think Beyond the Tree

Some vintage Christmas ornaments are very fragile. Older glass ornaments tend to lose paint or shine over time. Others are too frail to put on the tree. Consider displaying these ornaments in a glass bowl or in a crystal ice bucket as a Holiday centerpiece.. You can also gently set ornaments into greenery to make a table or buffet centerpiece.

One of my absolute favorite vintage pieces is a 1960s Nativity scene. I found the nativity set in the attic at an estate sale for only $10! Each year, I love unwrapping the figurines and setting them up. It sparks wonderful memories. Our current nativity set is one size smaller than the set we had in our childhood. Our church also had a really large version of the same nativity. When my parents were first married, they collected a few figures each year, as they could afford them.

Collecting Vintage Christmas Ornaments_Nativity
I found this beautiful vintage Nativity set in an estate sale for only $10. Its one of the most cherished items I own because it reminds me of my childhood.

The nativity scene was one of the first items we were allowed to decorate the house with each year, as well as putting up our advent calendars and Santa cutouts on the windows and kitchen cabinets. This was followed by excessive amounts of cookie baking and being allowed to stay up to watch the classic Christmas cartoons like Rudolph. It’s funny how all the memories come floating back as I carefully put the nativity together.

Boho Christmas Tree with vintage ornaments

Collecting Vintage Christmas ornaments is fun. You will love your Holiday boho decor when you mix your vintage finds with the right amount of greenery, regular ornaments, and handmade ornaments.

Happy boho decorating!

Up next in our Bohemian Christmas series, check out how to Make Easy DIY Christmas Garlands with Felt and Wood Beads.

Vintage Christmas Ornaments

Cool Ideas for DIY Bohemian Christmas Decorations

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I decided it’s time to do something new with our Christmas tree. I like to change up the theme every few years. This time around, I’ve crafted various bohemian Christmas decorations and mixed them with vintage ornaments for a truly beautiful and festive effect.

Bohemian Christmas Ornaments DIY

To me, bohemian style extends into one of two directions- 1. Decorating in earthy, natural, found objects, or 2. Mixing colorful multicultural items into your own look. And if you are like me, I like to mix natural pieces with the multicultural for a truly unique look.

This series of blog posts gives you a tour of our boho Christmas tree. We went for the colorful, multicultural look. Each post will give ideas and directions on how you can create a similar bohemian Christmas look in your home.

Tart tin DIY Christmas Ornaments

Most of these bohemian Christmas decorations are fun and easy to make. If you feel like being social while you craft, invite some friends over to make the bohemian Christmas decorations with you. I recently participated in two crafting nights with friends. We had a ton of fun painting holiday canvases together. Then we made the alcohol ink painted glass ornaments to give as gifts. I love crafting with friends because we often gain creative ideas off of each other. Each of us has our own approach and style to creating.

Boho Christmas_DIY Christmas Garlands

So happy Holiday boho crafting! We hope these boho Christmas decor ideas inspire you:

*Tips on Collecting and Using Vintage Christmas Ornaments

*Easy DIY Christmas Garlands with Felt and Wood Beads

*Mixed Media Tart Tin Ornaments

*Felt Mandala Ornaments

*Bohemian Feather Ornaments

Make a Trendy Boho Tray with Tassel Trim

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I love to decorate our home with unique, eclectic items from around the world. I especially like bohemian functional décor. Check out this boho tray I just made that uses turquoise wood stain, batik fabrics, silver faux leather handles and handmade tassels. Full directions are below!

Boho DIY Tray with Tassels

What You’ll Need:

Wood Picture Frame Tray (with Removable Backing) OR
Unfinished Wood Tray and Custom Glass Inset
Sandpaper
Paint or Colored Wood Stain
Clear Varnish
Up to 12 Different Cotton Batik Fabric Quarters
Scrap Paper or Tissue Paper for Pattern
Thread and Metallic Thread
Clear Caulk Sealant
2 Reels Faux Leather Cording
Glue Gun
4 Large Jewelry Clasps
8 Large Hole Silver Beads


I am a sucker for picking up amazing fabrics, though I have never been a quilter. Cotton batiks are one of my favorites. I love the random patterns and organic melding of colors in these dyed fabrics.

Batik Fabric Quarters_Boho Tray Project

Boho Tray Directions:

Start by lightly sanding the wood tray, wiping it down with a damp cloth, then staining it with the colored wood stain. I found the unfinished tray and wood stain at Michaels or you can order the stain from Amazon. I used the Plaid Folkart Ultra Dye, which comes in numerous fun, vibrant colors. I chose the turquoise shade which goes with the décor on our back screen porch.

You may want to add several layers of stain to your tray. It gets slightly darker each time you stain. You can also lightly sand in between coats to keep the wood tray smooth.

Turquoise stained Boho Tray

You can also choose to paint your tray instead of staining it. My tray was unfinished wood to begin with. However, painting might be easier if you are upcycling a photo tray.

Next I added 2 layers of clear varnish to the tray to seal in the wood stain and help protect the tray from wear and tear. Places like Lowe’s and Home Depot have additional varnish choices if you want to add a glossy, polished look to your wood.

The inner part my boho tray is a slightly odd size, so I had to cut glass to fit. I tried a few times to cut my own but decided after a few breaks to spend the $10 to have the professional at our local frame shop cut the glass for me. Set the glass aside. We will install it after the fabric part is inlaid into the tray.

***Note: If you cut your own or you have the glass custom cut for you, the edges are EXTREMELY sharp, so handle with care so you don’t cut yourself. ***

Calculating size of fabric squares for boho tray

Now you are ready to play with the batik fabrics that will line the inner part of your boho tray. Measure the interior of your tray and decide how you want your fabrics laid out. I decided to use 12 different batik squares in coordinating and contrasting colors. I used scrap paper to make a pattern and adjust the size of the squares to fit the space in the tray. For my tray, I cut 4-inch squares that included ¼ inch seam allowance on each side. So the final size of the completed squares, when sewn together, would be about 3 ½ inches each.

Add seam allowance to boho tray fabric squares

Next, use your pattern with seam allowance added to cut out your squares. Stitch them together, right side of fabrics together, joining them into a grid.

Once the squares are sewn together, iron all of the seam allowances flat. Then using a half cotton poly/half-metallic thread mix, top stitch your squares. On my fabric squares, I used black and silver metallic thread in a large machine zigzag stitch.

***Note: You can also use completely metallic thread. However, it can be finicky, so you may need to use a special needle in your sewing machine. Also, practice on scrap material. Here are some good tips for working with metallic thread.***

Iron once more and then you are ready to slide the batik fabric squares into the tray. I then carefully set the glass on top. If your fabric is sticking up on the sides beyond the height of the glass, carefully trim it. I had to take about 1/8 of an inch off the edges all the way around.

Boho Tray with batik fabric and glass insert

Once you have the fabric and glass in place, carefully seal the edges of the glass insert with clear silicone sealant. This will protect your fabric from dirt and water when you go to clean the tray, plus will also seal in the sharp edges of the glass overlay.

faux silver leather wrap on boho tray handles

Next, wrap the handles of the tray in the faux leather trim. Practice how you want it to look and then use a glue gun or jewelry glue to affix the trim. (It may or may not help to have a cat participate in this step).

Cat Helps with Art Project_Boho Tray wrapped handles

I decided to make tassels for the handles and attached them to the handles using large jewelry clasps. This allows them to be removed when cleaning the tray.

Closeup of removable tassels and faux leather handle wraps on boho tray

My tassels are made out of batik fabric scraps that are cut, rolled and held together by wide mouth silver beads. Here’s how to make the tassels:

Boho Batik Tassels:

Cut a desired length of batik.

Select and prep fabric to make tassels

On one half of the fabric’s length, make vertical cuts most of the way toward the middle of the fabric, 1/8 to ¼ inches wide. Continue until the end.

Turn the fabric and do the same to the other length so that each side of your fabric becomes fringed.

Fold the fabric in half, wrong sides together, right sides out. Roll the fabric into a fringed tube.

Rolling fabric into tassel for boho tray

Secure with the silver wide mouth bead.

completed fabric tassel for boho tray

Use your metallic thread and stitch through the top of the tassel above the bead, then loop through the jewelry clasp and knot the thread several times. Trim thread. Make your loops different lengths to give your tassels a cascade look. Afix to the handles of your tray.

Enjoy decorating and entertaining with your new boho tray! Your tray will make a great centerpiece when you throw your next bohemian themed party (with or without cats).

Inspired by this project? Check out more great bohemian DIY projects here. Happy Boho Crafting!

Final look at Boho Tray with glass and batik fabric inlay


Velvet Throw Blanket Love! Add Super Soft Plush Blankets to Cozy Up Your Boho Décor

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Plush_Throw_Blanket_DIY_Joann_Sew_Lush

It’s Velvet throw blanket time of year! With winter weather fast approaching, it’s time to cozy up and stay warm.

Velvet throw blankets are one of my absolute favorite items. Throws add comfort and a cozy feel to any living space. We’ve been busy redecorating our living room in shades of gray, adding in select bohemian décor to make the room pop. Shopping around, I haven’t found the perfect throw blankets yet- the kind that says, “Take me home!,” so I decided to make some on my own.

Jo-Ann Fabrics is having some amazing sales lately on all of their Fall/Winter plush fabrics. I immediately fell in love with Jo-Ann’s Sew Lush line of fabrics. Sew Lush is by far their softest line of velvet plush fabrics and it comes in over 40 colors and prints. Sew Lush solids are around $12.99 a yard and prints are around $14.99, though they are often on sale or you can use a coupon to reduce the cost of your purchase.

For my velvet throw blanket project, I chose the Navy Geometrics pattern. I like the boho design of this fabric. The fabric comes in a 57 inch width, so I purchased 2 yards for each blanket. To start, I trimmed about one-half inch off the raw selvage edge. I used regular white Coats & Clark thread, but definitely suggest putting a medium weight ballpoint needle in your machine. Ballpoints are best used when stitching knit or other stretchy, performance fabrics.

DIY_velvet_throw_blankets_Sew_Lush_from_JoAnn

I began by sewing the long lengths of the blankets first. You can pin ahead if you like, but I found it just as easy to create a rolled hem as I sewed. I turned under about one-quarter inch of the fabric edge, then turned the hem a second time to hide the raw edge. I used a medium width large zigzag stitch that easily caught the raw edge underneath. I noticed that my commercially made plush throws only rolled the hem under once, but I decided I liked the cleaner look of the double rolled hem and hope that it will prevent the blankets from letting off excess lint.

As with any new fabric, remember to wash your blankets after you craft them to get rid of any unhealthy chemical finishes that are on the fabric. (You can also wash them before.) Washing should also help cut down on the lint coming off the plush.

Boho_Throw_Blanket_How-to

And like any project in our house, I had help. This is Squee, our newest rescue cat. Squee is our household’s quality control expert and confirmed the Sew Lush fabric was indeed super velvety soft and cozy. He was parked on the fabric before I even started sewing. I have a feeling that we are going to be arguing over whose blankets these are in the coming days!

Happy Boho Crafting!


The Locker Hooking Experiment- Boho Fiber Crafting Fun

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Hello boho crafty friends! Question for you…Have you ever heard of Locker Hooking? (Insert funny, off-base comments from my husband here!)

I was a child of the 80s, so every kid I knew who was remotely crafty had to go through a creative rite of passage: Receiving latch hook kits for Birthdays and Holidays. And making goofy pillows in middle school Home Economics class. (My pillow was an apple with a worm coming out of it and my sister’s pillow was a turtle. I think we both also completed horse latch hook kits).

Locker Hooking Black & Gray Grid Pillow

I have to be in the mood to work on hand stitching projects because, at times, I still find them a little tedious. I also really have to pay attention if I am knitting so I don’t drop stitches and have to take out numerous rows. So I recently found a fun craft that is in between- not quite as slow as latch hooking but easy to fix in a hurry, unlike most knitting screw-ups.
Introducing Locker Hooking!

About Locker Hooking

Locker Hooking is a continuous rug hooking technique that uses latch hook rug canvas and fibers such as yarn, string, and narrow fabric strips. A locker hooking tool has both a crochet end and a needle end. You simply use the crochet hook end of the tool to pull your yarn or fabric up through the latch hook canvas holes. Then use the needle end to thread a simple black cotton yarn through the loops to “lock” the loops in place. Click here to get step-by-step locker hooking instructions.

According to Theresa Pulido, author of the books, Hook, Loop & Lock, and Locking Loops, locker hooking originated in England in the early 1900s where wool yarn was used to create rugs. Some Americans took up locker hooking in the 1940s, but it never became a widespread craft. More recently, artisans have begun experimenting with fiber techniques and with the help of Lisa’s books and projects, locker hooking is becoming more popular worldwide.

My Locker Hooking Projects

So far, I have completed 3 locker hooking projects so far and I LOVE the art!

1. I started by making a square pillow using dyed sari fabric yarn from India. The yarn is so colorful and I love the texture the fabric makes when it is looped through the latch hook canvas.

Locker Hooked Pillow_Front

2. For my second project, I experimented with multiple colors of bamboo yarn and designed a tribal pattern. The loops of bamboo yarn are super soft (like kittens), but slippery to work with. Because the yarn is super soft, the pattern also came out a bit less structured, but the design is still eye-catching.

Locker Hooked Pillow_Tribal boho design

3. For my third project, I decided to run with a serious pattern. On Pinterest, I noticed people posting cool designs that were created on Grid-Paint.com. I selected one of the patterns pinned on Pinterest, then went onto Grid-Paint.com and doubled the design to make the end result big enough to be a pillow or wall hanging. I then chose black and gray chunky cotton yarn to complete the locker hooking. I love the result! The chunky yarn held the pattern well and this piece adds wow factor to our living room.

Locker Hooking Black & Gray Grid Pillow

To learn more about locker hooking, check out my instructions here. I also suggest you get your hands on Theresa Pulido’s books to give you further locker hooking project ideas. She also sells some great colorful locker hooking kits and supplies on Amazon and her site, ColorCrazy.com. I am also happy to see her cat participating in her instructional videos.

Happy Boho Crafting!