terra cotta Christmas: faux painted tree ornaments

while i'm having fun finding all kinds of ways
to use terra cotta flower pots in my theme this holiday season,
i needed to expand the scope... enter my favorite tool: PAINT!

i rounded up some unused ornaments from my stash
and transformed them using my faux terra cotta paint technique.
it's easy, cheap, and a great way to revive unused items!

continue reading for the details and some of my top tree decorating tips...

dwk

all of the terra cotta ornaments you see on the tree in the top photo
started out looking like THIS!
some are glittered, some have raised designs and ridges, some are flat -
and i haven't used them since 2020's rainbow tree (one of my faves!)

the only one i hesitated to paint was the star
because it came from Disneyland's Main Street tree!
but i wasn't using it at all, so painting it gives it the spotlight again.

after applying my faux terra cotta paint treatment, (link to step by step tutorial)
they were transformed from bright and garish to soft and subdued:

i also found something in a bin that became my favorite ornament this year:

a terra cotta flower pot and saucer!
but they didn't start OUT that way...

yep, that's actually a cheap glittered styrofoam 'top hat' ornament!

my faux paint treatment and some shadows
make it look as dimensional as a REAL pot and saucer - 
but it's a lot lighter weight, and safe to hang on the tree.

paint really is my favorite tool for 're-imagining' my decor
and re-using things i have stashed away in boxes and bins - unused.
re-thinking decor elements saves a LOT of money!

now let's talk about decorating the tree...

for nearly a decade, i decorated about 45 trees per year.
yes, you read that right!

as a member of a retail visual design team,

i worked on over 25 trees in the store each fall.
i also decorated five trees at two wineries,
and trees at a dentist office and an insurance office.
along with that, i decorated a dozen trees for six clients
ranging from executive residences to senior living apartments.
and i couldn't have done ANY of that without help - 
from the winery teams, the team at Molbak's, 
my amazing decorating partner Karen and my daughters Bethany and Brianna.

even years after that, i decorated trees in stores at the Disneyland Resort
and i usually have two or three trees in my own home!

given all that tree decorating experience, i have some tips to share... 

whether you're a fake tree person or a real tree person,
the lights are the first step...
and this light trick will brighten up your tree like nothing else will!

your next step will be to secure the tree topper to the tree - 
do it before you add ornaments and it is much easier to snug a ladder up close!

then add the garlands and or ribbon (not tinsel, tho) -
i used a mossy color eyelash yarn as a delicate garland on this tree,
with four strands of yarn providing enough bulk to be seen.

now it's time for ornaments!

have you ever stepped on a wire ornament hook?
ever sucked one up with your vacuum? OUCH. it ain't pretty!
after doing both of those a few times, i came up with this solution:

i cut chenille stems / pipe cleaners into two pieces
and then twist them into 's' shapes to use as ornament hooks.
they twist around the branches to hold the ornies very securely.

if you have a green tree, use green stems. a white tree gets white stems.
they disappear into the foliage and become invisible - 
and if one should fall on the floor, 
you'll SEE it before you step on it or vacuum it up!

when hanging ornaments, it generally works best to begin with large sizes
and work your way down to the smallest. the most fragile should go on last.

i love clustering ornaments together in groups - an odd number is best.
when i do that, i select ornaments of varied finishes and textures...
here you see the painted terra cotta ornaments mixed with
textured copper glass ornaments and smooth copper glass ornaments.
i don't place the ornies in exactly the same arrangement, for more impact. 

i added a few of these carved wood ornaments to the tree, as well,
because their lighter color really stands out against the dark green foliage.

they also match the 'joy' sign used on the mantel...

yes, i could have added a LOT more to the tree...
white, green, clear glass would fit the vibe and make the tree sparkle more.
that was actually my plan - until i got this far. 
it was so serene and simple and calm that i decided i like it just as it is
and i stopped decorating! LOL

but that doesn't mean i didn't do something else with a few ornaments:

placing a few more copper ornaments into the mantel's tree forest made it sparkle,
and some vintage copper ornies in flower pots finish off the base of the large trees.

i'm a big fan of filling clear vases and bowls with extra ornaments, too!

i hope these tips have helped you in your tree decorating adventures,
and you end up with a tree that is a perfect reflection of your own style!

related content:

my easy one-step Christmas tree lighting tip!

rainbow colorized ROYGBIV tree decor

ombre' gradient tree decor

more holiday + tree decor themes


shared online:

funky junk interiors | new upcycled projects #705

thank you for including my project in your feature, Miss Donna!

creatively beth | creatively crafty link party #175

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