Welcome back to the craft room and today’s Handmade Christmas Ornament with a Cardstock Flower post. Have you ever looked at a clear plastic ornament and thought, “This could be something really special?” Today I’m turning one into an elegant handmade Christmas ornament featuring a delicate Helleborus flower made entirely from cardstock.
I’ll show you how I color the pieces with Copic markers, shape them into a realistic bloom, and finish the ornament with a touch of snowy sparkle inside.
Supplies & the Helleborus Die
The flower die we’re using today is the Helleborus, also known as the Christmas Rose, from Susan Tierney-Cockburn for Spellbinders. It’s such a beautiful flower and the perfect choice for this handmade Christmas ornament.
I’ll be cutting the flower from scraps of 65 lb Recollections white cardstock. If you don’t have Susan’s specialty flower paper (I don’t either), this weight works beautifully for creating realistic paper flowers.
One feature I really appreciate is that Susan embossed the recommended number of cuts directly onto each die. For example, she suggests cutting the leaves twice and the smaller petals four times. Of course, that’s only a guideline. Feel free to adjust the number of layers until you’re happy with the fullness of your bloom.
Coloring and Shaping the Petals
After searching online for Helleborus flowers, I discovered there are so many beautiful color combinations to choose from. For today’s bloom, I decided to go with RV66 Raspberry.
As you can see in the photo below, my marker is getting a little dry and streaky. For some people that might be a deal breaker, but I actually love the extra texture it adds. Starting at the base of each petal, I used long strokes toward the tips before turning the piece over and repeating the process on the back.
Next, I added RV69 Peony around the outer edges of each petal. I made a little mistake while coloring, but I wasn’t worried about it at all. Once I finished the two-petal piece, I repeated the same coloring on the remaining petals, including the four smaller ones.
To shape the petals, I’m using the Spellbinders Tool ‘n One with the small loop tool from Susan’s kit. Place the petal on the foam mat, then start at the tip and gently pull the tool toward the base.
The biggest tip I can share is not to press too hard. Several light passes soften the paper fibers much better than one heavy stroke, giving the petals a more natural shape and texture.
To add even more realism, grab each petal at the base with the reverse tweezers, as shown in the photo below, and gently pinch it. Then lightly curl the edges with the tweezers.
This step can feel a little intimidating the first time you try it, but take your time. A few gentle passes will give the petals a beautiful natural curve. Repeat the process for both the large and small petals
Coloring and Shaping the Leaves
Now it’s time to move on to the leaves.
I started with YG17 Grass Green, adding color to both the front and back of each leaf. Then I used the darker YG67 Moss, concentrating most of the color near the base before flicking it toward the tip.
There are several steps to shaping the leaves, so let’s begin by bringing out Susan’s leaf board. It’s made from sturdy chipboard that allows you to emboss realistic stems and veins into the paper.
Working on the back of the leaf, draw the center stem using the leaf tool from Susan’s kit. As with the petals, several gentle passes work much better than trying to emboss everything in one stroke.
Next, turn the leaf over and fold it gently along the center stem. At this stage, Susan likes to add PanPastel along the fold to make the stem stand out even more.
After opening the leaf again, use the leaf tool to emboss the veins. Try to bring each vein right up to the center stem without crossing over it.
To finish shaping the leaf, pinch the base with your tweezers from the front. While holding that pinch, turn the leaf over and use the medium ball stylus to gently shape it from the back. This creates a lovely natural curve that really brings the leaves to life.
Coloring and Shaping the Flower Centers
Now it’s time to color and shape the flower centers.
After looking at several Helleborus flowers online, I decided to add a touch of green to the center of my stamens. For that, I chose G20 Wax White. I added the color to the center of the spiky piece and carried it a short distance up each arm on both the front and back.
Next, I switched to Y11 Pale Yellow to finish coloring the remaining portion of each arm.
I also used Y11 Pale Yellow on the final center piece. Don’t forget to color both the front and the back so everything looks finished from every angle.
There isn’t much shaping to do with the stamens, but there are a couple of important steps.
The first is to carefully cut each arm in half using a small pair of scissors. Don’t worry if the cuts aren’t perfectly centered, or if you accidentally trim one a little shorter than the others. Once everything is assembled, you’ll never notice.
Adding Pollen
Next, it’s time to add the pollen.
I’m using Susan’s Sunflower Symphony pollen for this flower. To apply it, dip the ends of a few stamens into a small puddle of glue. Today I’m using Bearly Art Precision Craft Glue.
Once the glue is on, dip the ends into the pollen and gently tap away the excess. Continue until all of the stamens are coated.
To finish the flower center, grab the tiny tail of the final center piece with your reverse tweezers and add a small amount of glue to the straight edge.
Roll the piece tightly before removing the tweezers. Once the glue has grabbed, use the tips of the tweezers to gently spread the loose pieces apart. Dip the ends into the glue, then into the pollen to complete the center.
Assembling the Helleborus Flower
Now that all of the pieces are colored and shaped, it’s time to bring our blossom together!
Start with the two-petal piece, making sure it forms a “V” shape as shown in the first photo below. With one petal pointing toward the top, glue the three-petal layer to the top of the two-petal piece.
Continue adding the smaller petal layers, offsetting each one from the layer below. This creates the full, natural look of the flower.
Next, add the two stamen pieces, again offsetting them from one another.
Place a small drop of glue in the center of the flower and insert the finished flower center. It needed a few moments to stand upright, but it didn’t take long before everything stayed in place.
Creating the Handmade Christmas Ornament
A few years ago, when I first wanted to make this handmade Christmas ornament, I picked up a container of 25 clear ornaments from Michaels for $19.99. I’ve slowly worked my way through the package and am finally using them for the project I originally had in mind.
These ornaments measure about 3¼ to 3½ inches across, which I think is the perfect size for showcasing a paper flower.
To give the ornament a little extra texture, I wanted to fill it with something. Instead of glitter, I chose some iridescent fake snow.
I picked this up at the Dollar Store back when everything actually cost a dollar! I still have plenty left, so it was the perfect excuse to finally use some of it.
Adding the Snow
To get the snow to stick to the inside of the ornament, I reached all the way back to 2012 me and grabbed my bottle of Pledge Floor Care with Future Shine.
I know…right?
That was my reaction back then too! But after using it to give some old glass ornaments a new lease on life, I was hooked.
If you’d like a more detailed explanation with step-by-step photos, be sure to check out my Flashback Friday Glitter Ornaments 2 post.
Here’s the quick version.
Start by protecting your work surface with newspaper, parchment paper, butcher paper, or whatever you have handy. You’ll also need something to hold the ornament while it drains. I’m using an egg carton, which works perfectly.
Pour a small amount of the Pledge into the ornament and slowly swirl it around until the inside is completely coated.
Because this ornament is flat rather than round, it can be a little awkward to cover the entire inside without pouring it onto your counter. Ask me how I know!
If you’re making several ornaments, simply pour the excess from the first ornament into the next one. Then place the first ornament upside down over your container and let the remaining Pledge drain out.
To add the snow, I made a simple funnel from a piece of scrap paper. After pouring in some of the snow, I covered the opening with my thumb and gently shook the ornament until the inside was coated.
I’ll warn you now—this part is gloriously messy! Fake snow has a mind of its own and seems determined to end up everywhere except where you want it.
Even so, the finished result is absolutely worth it. The next time I make one of these, I may even add a little iridescent glitter for extra sparkle.
Attaching the Flower
Before attaching the flower, I like to clean the front of the ornament with a little isopropyl alcohol and a soft cloth. I want to remove any oils or fingerprints so the adhesive has the best possible surface to bond to.
To attach the flower, I’m using some acid-free Yes! Paste. I actually bought this years ago when I first planned to make this project.
I didn’t remember opening the jar back then, but when I checked it the night before making this ornament, it looked like it had dried out. After touching it, though, I discovered it was still soft enough to use. The closest comparison I can think of is the consistency of Vaseline.
When I made my test ornament, I only used the small amount of paste that was already on my finger. The next day I was disappointed to find that a light flick of my finger sent the flower straight to the floor.
Lesson learned!
This time, I applied a generous dollop of paste to the back of the flower before placing it on the ornament. The paste is thick enough that, even though the flower can still slide around a little, it stays exactly where you put it.
I added the same amount of paste to the back of each of the three leaves before arranging them around the flower. Then I simply set the ornament aside to dry for at least 24 hours.
Finished Handmade Christmas Ornament
Here is a close-up of the finished handmade Christmas ornament, and I couldn’t be happier with how it turned out. I really love the way the iridescent snow catches the light and helps draw your eye to the flower.
Here is a photo of my original test ornament. For this Christmas Rose, I chose a softer color palette using RV63 Begonia with accents of RV66 Raspberry around both the inside and outside edges of the petals.
The leaves were colored with YG63 Pea Green and G46 Mistletoe. For the flower center, I used E30 Bisque, although I skipped adding the pollen on this version.
As I was wrapping up this project, I found a flower that I had designed and cut with my Cricut. Of course, I couldn’t resist turning it into an ornament too!
I’m not completely happy with how it looks from the back, though, so before the holidays I’ll probably take it apart and add some snow inside to hide the adhesive a little better.
Final Thoughts
Thank you so much for joining me for today’s Handmade Christmas Ornament with a Cardstock Flower project. I really love how elegant these ornaments turned out.
One of my favorite things about this handmade Christmas ornament is how easy it is to make it your own. Whether you use a Helleborus like I did today, another layered flower die, or even a flower you’ve designed yourself, you can create an ornament that’s completely unique.
These ornaments also make beautiful handmade gifts and treasured keepsakes, so now is the perfect time to get a head start before the holiday rush.
Before I go, I also want to say a huge thank you to everyone who followed along with this year’s Christmas in July series. I had so much fun sharing these projects with you, and I hope they inspired you to get a head start on your holiday crafting. It means so much that you chose to spend a little of your summer here in the craft room with me. Thank you for being part of this creative community!
I’d love to know—if you were making one of these ornaments, what flower would you choose? Let me know in the comments below!
If you’re looking for even more ornament inspiration, be sure to check out my Ornaments gallery for more handmade holiday ideas.
Until then, I hope you have a wonderful week, and I’ll see you back in the craft room again soon!
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