Handcrafted Vintage Printable Paper Ornaments: A Festive DIY Tutorial

Hello, Graphics Fairy friends! I’m Diana from Dreams Factory, and I’m absolutely thrilled to share our final creative project of the year with you. As the festive season twinkles all around us, what better way to embrace the holiday spirit than by crafting something truly special and handmade? Today, we’re diving into the enchanting world of paper crafts to create exquisite printable paper ornaments. These aren’t just any ornaments; they’re infused with a delightful vintage charm, brought to life using aged book pages and a collection of beautiful Christmas ephemera medallions I’ve specially designed for this tutorial. And, because it’s the holiday season, we’re definitely adding a touch of magic with a sprinkle of glitter! After all, a little sparkle is just what our homes need to feel extra festive and bright.

Crafting during the busy holiday season might seem daunting, but I promise this project is designed to be straightforward, enjoyable, and incredibly rewarding. We all have extensive Christmas to-do lists, but it’s equally important to carve out time for relaxation, creativity, and self-care. This DIY paper ornament tutorial offers the perfect opportunity to unwind, get crafty, and perhaps even involve your entire family. Imagine the beautiful memories you’ll create together, laughing and sparkling with glitter, as you transform simple materials into charming festive decorations. The allure of glitter, in particular, tends to captivate hearts of all ages, making this a fantastic activity for everyone.

The star of our project, beyond the book pages, is a collection of vintage-inspired Christmas ephemera medallions. These unique printables, featuring delicate frames and festive motifs, are designed to perfectly complement the timeless aesthetic of our book page rosettes, bringing an authentic vintage Christmas look to your handcrafted ornaments.

Free Printable Vintage Christmas Medallions

To help you get started on these beautiful ornaments, I’ve created a special printable featuring these charming Christmas ephemera medallions. These versatile designs will add that perfect touch of vintage elegance to your handcrafted rosettes. Simply download, print, and prepare to be inspired!

—> Click here to download the full size PDF <—

Essential Supplies for Your Printable Paper Ornaments

Gathering your materials is the first exciting step in any DIY project. For these vintage-inspired printable paper ornaments, you’ll find that most items are likely already in your craft stash, or easily obtainable. Here’s a detailed list of what you’ll need to create your own unique Christmas decorations:

Old Book Pages: Select a few pages from an old book, dictionary, or even sheet music. The aged paper adds an authentic vintage feel to your rosettes. The specific text or illustrations on the pages can add character, so choose something that resonates with your desired aesthetic.
Cardstock Paper: This will be used for printing the Christmas ephemera medallions. Using cardstock ensures durability and a crisp finish for your vintage frames.
Ink or Laserjet Printer: Essential for printing out the free Christmas medallion designs onto your cardstock. A good quality print will make your ornaments truly shine.
Regular Scissors: A sharp pair of scissors is crucial for precise cutting of both the book pages and the delicate ephemera medallions.
Sewing Thread: Used for securely tying the accordion-folded book pages together to form the rosette base. Choose a neutral color that won’t distract from the ornament’s beauty.
Stick Glue: Ideal for quickly and cleanly adhering book pages together. Its fast-drying nature allows for a smooth crafting process.
Mod Podge (Matte Finish): This versatile crafting essential acts as both an adhesive and a sealant, perfect for glitter application and securing your medallions. The matte finish helps maintain the vintage look without excessive shine.
Glitter: I used gold glitter to achieve a classic and elegant sparkle, but feel free to choose any color that complements your holiday decor. Silver, white, or even a mix of iridescent glitters can create stunning effects.
Paintbrush: A small paintbrush is useful for applying Mod Podge, especially when creating intricate designs for glitter adhesion on the medallions.
Sponge Brush or Regular Brush: Great for applying Mod Podge to larger surfaces, like the creases of your rosettes, for a wider glitter application.
Glue Applicator or Small Brush: For fine details on your ephemera medallions, a precision tip applicator bottle or a very small brush allows for delicate glue lines, perfect for intricate glitter designs.

Once you have all your supplies ready, you’re well on your way to creating beautiful, personalized decorations that will add a unique, vintage touch to your holiday celebrations.

Full Step-by-Step Tutorial: Crafting Your Printable Paper Ornaments

Let’s dive into the creative process! Gather your supplies and clear a comfortable workspace. You don’t need to have everything laid out at once; just keep your materials close by as you move through each exciting stage. For this project, I even repurposed pages from my old dictionary that I once transformed into an art journal, demonstrating how a simple material can be given new life. You might remember the tutorial on decorating that beautiful blue hydrangea art journal – it’s a wonderful example of creative reuse!

Prepare Your Book Pages: Begin by carefully ripping a few pages from your chosen book. The number of pages will depend on how many rosettes you wish to create. For each rosette, regardless of its final size, you will need two book pages. Experiment with different books or trim the edges of pages from a single book to create varied rosette sizes.
Accordion Fold the First Page: Take one book page and begin folding it accordion-style. The key to a beautiful, full rosette lies in the consistency and narrowness of your folds. Smaller, tighter folds will result in a denser, more intricate rosette, so keep this in mind as you fold.
Join the Pages: Once your first page is completely folded, take your second book page. Apply a line of stick glue along the last fold of the first page. Carefully align and press the first fold of the second page onto the glued edge. Use your finger to press firmly along the seam, ensuring a strong bond. Stick glue typically dries quickly, allowing you to proceed almost immediately.
Complete the Folding: Continue folding the second book page accordion-style, seamlessly extending the pattern from the first page, until the entire second page is folded. You now have an extended accordion-style ensemble, which forms the base for one rosette.
Repeat for More Rosettes: Follow steps 1-4 for as many rosettes as you desire. For this project, I created three separate accordion ensembles to make three distinct rosettes.
Tie the Ensemble: Take one accordion ensemble and fold it neatly in half. Using a length of sewing thread, carefully tie it very tightly around the middle of the folded ensemble. Make multiple wraps and knots to ensure it’s secure. If you plan to hang your rosettes or incorporate them into a banner, leave a generous amount of extra thread for easy attachment later.
Decorate the Borders: This step is where your rosettes truly begin to take on their unique character. Use your scissors to creatively decorate the open borders of the paper on both ends of the accordion. This simple step can dramatically transform the look of your rosette, giving it a floral, geometric, or whimsical feel. I highly recommend playing around with different cuts! For one rosette, I simply rounded the edges, which gave it a charming, almost popsicle-stick-like appearance when unfolded.
Angle the Edges Outward: For another rosette, I used my scissors to create an outward angle on the paper edges, adding a sharp, defined look.
Angle the Edges Inward: For my third rosette, I tried an inward angle, creating a more delicate, scalloped effect. Don’t hesitate to experiment with different patterns – triangles, waves, or even intricate snips – to find your favorite decorative borders!
Glue the Edges Lengthwise (First Side): Now, fold your accordion-style ensemble in half again. Apply a line of stick glue along one of the lengthwise edges that are currently touching. Press the edges together with your fingers until the glue sets and dries firmly.
Form the Full Circle: Unfold the ensemble slightly to expose the other lengthwise edges. Apply glue to these remaining edges and carefully bring them together to form a complete circular rosette. Be sure to position the sewing thread so it extends from the center, ready for hanging. Press gently with your fingers until the glue is completely dry and the circle is stable.
Admire Your First Rosette: Congratulations! You’ve successfully crafted your first beautiful paper rosette. Take a moment to admire your work. You might notice charming imperfections on the edges, but these only add to the worn, vintage appeal and handmade character of your creation.

Continue making as many rosettes as your heart desires, experimenting with different sizes and border designs. Each one will be a unique work of art, ready for the next exciting step – the glitter!

Now, let’s add that captivating sparkle!

Prepare the Medallions: Using your scissors, carefully cut out each Christmas ephemera medallion from the printed cardstock. Be sure to remove all the surrounding paper, leaving only the vintage-framed design. The printable includes various sizes, so you can choose the ones that best fit the centers of your rosettes.
Apply Glue for Glitter Design: This is where you can truly personalize your medallions. Using a small paintbrush or a precision-tip glue applicator (which is fantastic for intricate details!), apply Mod Podge to the medallions. You can draw delicate glue lines, create decorative borders, add charming dots, or even fill entire sections. Anywhere you apply glue, glitter will adhere, so let your creativity flow!
Prepare for Glitter Application: Place a piece of folded paper on your working surface, with a few unfolded pieces underneath. This setup makes it easy to catch excess glitter and minimize mess.
Generously Apply Glitter: Now for the fun part! Liberally sprinkle your chosen glitter (I used gold) over the glued areas of your medallions. Don’t be shy – often, more is more when it comes to glitter!
Remove Excess Glitter: Gently tap the excess glitter from your medallion onto the folded piece of paper. The folded paper acts as a funnel, allowing you to easily pour the unused glitter back into its bottle. If some areas have too much glitter or the lines appear too harsh, you can use a small, dry brush to carefully wipe away or subtly blend the excess.
Glitter the Rosette Creases (Optional but Recommended!): For an extra dose of sparkle, use a small sponge brush to apply Mod Podge along the top creases of your paper rosettes. This will create beautiful, shimmering accents. As I always say, you can never have too much glitter during the holidays!
Apply Glitter to Rosettes: Sprinkle your gold glitter over the Mod Podge-covered creases of the rosettes.
Tap Off Excess Glitter from Rosettes: Just as you did with the medallions, gently tap off any excess glitter from the rosettes onto your folded paper, then funnel it back into the bottle.
Reinforce Glitter Coverage: Check your rosettes for any uncovered creases or areas. If needed, apply more Mod Podge and glitter to ensure a consistent and brilliant sparkle.
Repeat for All Rosettes: Continue steps 17-20 for all the rosettes you have created, ensuring each one gleams with festive glitter.
Attach Medallions to Rosettes: Finally, place a small blob of Mod Podge or a strong craft glue right in the center of each glittered rosette. Carefully place one of your lovely Christmas ephemera paper medallions on top, pressing down gently to secure it. Hold it for a few seconds to ensure good adhesion.
Your Ornaments Are Complete! And just like that, your stunning Printable Paper Ornaments are ready to radiate festive cheer!

I absolutely adore how these ornaments turned out – they possess a unique blend of timeless elegance, delicate charm, and an almost ethereal quality. With their chic decorative borders and vintage medallions, they truly remind me of beautiful winter flowers, don’t you think?

The beauty of these printable paper ornaments lies in their versatility. Their neutral color palette makes them incredibly adaptable to any existing Christmas decor theme. For a serene and elegant display, arrange them in a small vignette alongside other neutral holiday elements – think pristine white tree ornaments, delicate sprigs of greenery, or even a stack of antique books or loose book pages to enhance the vintage aesthetic. They would look stunning nestled among faux snow or subtle fairy lights.

Alternatively, if your style leans towards a more classic and vibrant Christmas look, these ornaments can still seamlessly integrate. Introduce elements like rich red Christmas tree ornaments, lush evergreen garlands, or rustic pine cones (perhaps even painted with a touch of gold or silver!). Imagine them alongside natural elements like walnuts, fragrant cinnamon sticks, aromatic dried orange slices, or tied with a festive Christmas ribbon. The possibilities for customization are truly endless – let your imagination guide you to create a display that perfectly captures your personal holiday spirit!

Beyond vignettes, these printable paper ornaments offer a myriad of decorative uses. With a simple hole punch, you can transform them into charming hanging ornaments for your Christmas tree, adding a unique, handcrafted touch amidst your traditional baubles. They also make exquisite embellishments for last-minute Christmas gifts, elevating a simple wrapped present into something truly special and personalized. Consider using them as part of a festive garland draped across a mantelpiece, or as elegant place settings for your holiday dinner table. Their versatility ensures they’ll find a cherished spot in your holiday celebrations.

I truly hope you’ll be inspired to give this delightful project a try. It’s surprisingly easy to create once you settle into a creative rhythm, and the results are wonderfully rewarding. Remember to invite your loved ones to join in the fun; crafting together not only produces beautiful decorations but also creates priceless memories that will last a lifetime.

If you’re eager for another enchanting book page project to complement these ornaments, I invite you to explore my DIY Folded Book Christmas Tree tutorial on my blog. These two projects are truly a match made in heaven, promising to fill your home with handmade holiday cheer!

Thank you for your wonderful comments, for reading, liking, sharing, and hopefully trying out the various DIY projects I’ve had the pleasure of sharing on The Graphics Fairy throughout the year. Your engagement means the world! You might also enjoy creating the festive Printable Christmas Banner HERE or these charming DIY Sheet Music Ornaments HERE.

Wishing you the happiest of holidays, filled with joy, creativity, and sparkle!

Diana / Dreams Factory