By Donna Klein

DIY – Do it Yourself the Steampunk Way this Holiday!

Looking for something crafty to do this holiday season? DIY Steampunk Christmas tree ornaments may just be the ticket for some funky holiday fun! I did a quick search to see which DIY ornament projects were out there and these six made it to the top of my list. Check them out, one and all, and see which one(s) strike your fancy!

Hot Air Balloons

This craft is a bit challenging, but oh, look at the results! I absolutely love these and can easily see them adorning my tree, even though I don’t decorate it in a Steampunk theme. I can see making these to hang as a mobile in my studio, too. They certainly inspire whimsical adventures!

Santa’s Pocket Watch

This one is so cute and definitely worth a mention as Steampunk. This ornament starts out as a plain red Christmas ball. You might have the rest of the adornments in your house already: a length of chain (like a broken necklace or bracelet), a flat-faced button, jump rings (those little connecting pieces that hold chains together on a piece of jewelry), a permanent marker, flat-nosed pliers, and wire cutters. I can see making these to give away as presents!

Coils, Gears, and Test Tubes

This page contains projects to fill up a Christmas tree and more! Coils are made from copper wiring wrapped around broom handles. Gears are made from clay cut a homemade cookie cutter. Test tubes are filled with light corn syrup and stirred with glitter flakes that stay suspended in the syrup.

Handmade Bottlecap Bauble

I know this item doesn’t have directions, but from just looking at the photo you can see how it’s made. I’d start with a plain old ornament and some bottle caps, then let my imagination fly! The nice thing about this ornament is that it can be purchased if you don’t want to make it.

Steampunk Christmas Tree Bauble

This craft idea uses a neutral colored Christmas ball and some old clock mechanisms. I really like this one, even though I’d probably have to use a magnifying glass to apply the gears to the ball. I also like the idea of using a dark colored ball, red, blue, green, purple, as long as it is dark will do. A bonus would be a matte finish. I think that would make the gears stand out even more! I might have to try this one.

Steampunk Christmas Cage

I like this ornament because it is child-friendly. It uses double-sided scrapbook paper to build the cage. Use your imagination as to which Steampunk element you want to hang inside the cage. And, there you have it!

So, there you go! Have some fun and create a few memories!