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Handmade Christmas – Trimming your Tree on a Budget

When we wanted to change our tree trimmings, but didn’t have the budget to buy new items, here’s how we decked the halls by making this a Handmade Christmas.

Handmade Christmas - how to creatively decorate your tree when your budget is tight. Handmade ideas to trim your tree!

When we wanted to change our tree trimmings, but didn’t have the budget to buy new items, here’s how we decked the halls by making this a Handmade Christmas.
 
This season, the eye is heavy on the budget, especially buying gifts for loved ones. And have you noticed how pricey seasonal decor can get, especially if you want a complete change? We’ve been busy making bread and laundry soaps from scratch and I thought, why not our tree?
 
Suddenly filled with Norman Rockwell-esque nostalgia, I had visions of us popping popcorn to string and making gingerbread houses. I knew this would be a fun way to decorate our tree that the boys would remember.

The boys were in for about 10 minutes and bailed on me!  

Nevertheless, I kept on going and here is our we created a Handmade Christmas tree this year!

Handmade Garland

Handmade Christmas - how to creatively decorate your tree when your budget is tight. Handmade ideas to trim your tree!

First, I dug through my yarn stash, found an online tutorial and then finger knit some garland using three strands of yarn, one being the fun ‘tinsel yarn’!  

How perfect for homemade garland!

Handmade Christmas - how to creatively decorate your tree when your budget is tight. Handmade ideas to trim your tree!

I love how fuzzy it looks and the tinsel yarn captures the lights. 

Finger Knitting is sooooo easy – you can find tutes all over the world wide web to show you how.

The entire garland took me about 10 minutes to finger knit and it’s so easy that the boys made some too!

Paper Ornaments

Handmade Christmas - how to creatively decorate your tree when your budget is tight. Handmade ideas to trim your tree!

Next, we gathered some of my scrapbooking supplies.

We made doves and trees from scrapbook paper.

I cut the shapes I wanted and glued different embellishments on them. Then I added glitter glue to the edges to add that sparkle.

Handmade Christmas - how to creatively decorate your tree when your budget is tight. Handmade ideas to trim your tree!

Handmade Christmas - how to creatively decorate your tree when your budget is tight. Handmade ideas to trim your tree!

I poked a hole in the tops of the paper ornaments and then strung them with yarn.

Easy peasy and super cheapy!

Unique, affordable items

Handmade Christmas - how to creatively decorate your tree when your budget is tight. Handmade ideas to trim your tree!

Look at the old timey long johns hanging from my tree!

These are actually a gift card holders that I found on clearance the year before. I snagged about 6 of these in the after christmas sale.

They were perfect for this budget Handmade Christmas tree.

The next thing I used were this gift box embellishments.

Handmade Christmas - how to creatively decorate your tree when your budget is tight. Handmade ideas to trim your tree!

Handmade Christmas - how to creatively decorate your tree when your budget is tight. Handmade ideas to trim your tree!

These two different stars come in a 3 pack.

Very inexpensive and a unique way to fill in those gaps in your tree.

Work with what you have

Handmade Christmas - how to creatively decorate your tree when your budget is tight. Handmade ideas to trim your tree!

I had some yarn left over from my finger garland and used the same linen in my tree skirt to make wrapped ornaments.

Simply cut the fabric in a circle large enough to cover the circumference of the ball and tie it off.

Easy as apple pie! (why do we say that? Apple pie isn’t that easy!)

Lastly, this is my personal favorite. 

My solution? I put our Santa Hat on the top of the tree for the topper!!

Handmade Christmas - how to creatively decorate your tree when your budget is tight. Handmade ideas to trim your tree!

TOO CUTE!

Handmade Christmas - how to creatively decorate your tree when your budget is tight. Handmade ideas to trim your tree!

We filled in the rest of the tree with the few ornaments that would work with this theme.

Finally, we wrapped muslin and burlap for a DIY tree skirt and called it done!

So there you have it!

Even though my boys bailed on me, they love how it turned out.

A Handmade Christmas that’s easy on the budget.

Handmade Christmas - how to creatively decorate your tree when your budget is tight. Handmade ideas to trim your tree!

Looking for more budget friendly Christmas ideas?

How about turning a ladder into a Christmas tree?

Tight budget this holiday season? How about a DIY Christmas Tree Ladder? When we didn't have a budget left for a tree, I had to get creative. This was my solution!

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