Saturday, November 8, 2014

Dollar Crafts...Dresden-style Christmas Ornaments!

We're Celebrating German-style This Year!

A couple of years ago I decorated my home office with German-style decorations.  I made tree ornaments and an advent wreath to go along with the cute painted wooden trees and houses I arranged along the top of one of my desks.  This year I am decorating my entire family room in a German theme.  And I will be using the same theme for my neighbor gifts.  It's kind of fun to change things up once in awhile.  I will post pictures of the finished room in a day or two, but first I want to share with you some German-style ornaments that I made for  about $1 each with gold glittered ornaments from Wal-Mart.

Dollar Dresden-style Ornaments!
Dresden Foil Embellishments

Dresden trims are embossed, die-cut embellishments which are stamped from metallic foil-backed paper.  They have been produced in Germany since the early 19th century, and were popular with Victorians to create wonderful ornaments using scrap images, tinsel and Dresden trims.  The trims and scrap are still available today from online sources like D. Blumchen and Company.  They can be kind of expensive, but I thought I could replicate the look somewhat using what I could find in my crafting supplies and using some 98 cent glittery ornaments from Wal-Mart.

A fun example of a Dresden ornament I found online.

Another online example.

I could find scrap graphics online to print for my ornaments, but I was lucky to have one of those William-Sonoma Christmas wreaths with the cardboard scrap figures of snowmen, angels, nutcrackers and Santas.  The picture is kind of small and blurry, but this is the wreath.  Each figure was attached separately to the background and really easy to remove.

Victorian Christmas Wreath

Dresden-style Ornaments...

Angels on a golden swirl ornament.
The bells are Dresden trim...my only pieces were a few bells.


Angel mounted on a glitter birdcage.
I liked it as a frame.
I added gold glitter to the scrap pieces.

My Favorite Snowman!
A jeweled snowflake.

I put the boy on the wreath trimmed with tinsel.

Tree mounted on the gold birdcage.

I have a few more finished pieces and some in the works.  This is a fun and inexpensive craft that looks rich and fancy.  I really enjoyed making these.  Wal-Mart has the glitter ornaments in red and silver...as well as the gold.


 Happy Scrapping and Glittering!

Some German-style Scrap...











12 comments:

Perfectly Printed said...

Your ornaments are lovely!!

Unknown said...

Those are beautiful Shirley! I've always been fascinated by the German Dresden scrap, you have the best imagination creating your own German ornaments!

Erica of Golden Egg Vintage said...

Shirley, I just love your ornaments! You've inspired me! I've been wanting to make a batch like these for my vintage feather tree.
Thank you for sharing with us!
Erica :)

vivian said...

love the ornies!! they are just lovely!
now I feel like making christmas stuff... but I have to work on bears! bears bears bears!
have a great day!
xoxo
vivian

Jane said...

These are really beautiful! Thanks for sharing how you did it!

Margaret said...

I'm excited to try some! So pretty and ornate. You've inspired us again Shirley 😊

Unknown said...

Shirley,

These are awesome! Thank you for sharing this, not my cup of tea, but a GREAT way to make beautiful handmade ornies! And so reasonable money wise.....

~Lavender Dreamer~ said...

I like your idea of making something even better with embellishments! It's such a fun time to sew and craft! Hugs!

Musings from Kim K. said...

Gorgeous! Love the inspiration that you always provide. Christmas hugs!

Anonymous said...

Oh pretty! I hope to paper craft again some day! ♥

~Damita's Pretty Wrap~ said...

Such lovely ornaments! They are so cute!! Thanks for sharing all the great graphics too!! :) Have a great day!! xo Holly

Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson said...

I have a few dresden style ornaments and love them! The ones you made are just precious! Thanks for sharing with SYC.
hugs,
Jann