Holidays & Entertaining Holidays Christmas 8 Creative Snowflake Decorations That Go Way Beyond Paper Cutouts By Brigitt Earley Brigitt Earley Brigitt Earley is a freelance writer and editor based in New Jersey. She spent the bulk of her career as an editor for Real Simple, where she learned how to tackle tough stains, how to fold a fitted sheet with ease, and how to bring order to even the most cluttered space. Today, she is a regular contributor to a number of lifestyle publications, including Oprah Daily and Apartment Therapy. When not writing, Brigitt's busy raising four children, experimenting with new recipes, and needlepointing. Real Simple's Editorial Guidelines Updated on December 10, 2020 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Philip Friedman; Styling: Blake Ramsey Remember those paper snowflakes you made in school? Maybe your children still bring them home every year. They're pretty and fun to make, but we suggest you take your snowflake decorations up a notch this holiday season. Yes, those traditional cutouts are beautiful, but these fun snowflake crafts provide even more intrigue with similar effort. After all, if you really want to create a wintery theme in your living room, you're going to need more than one kind of snowflake decoration. You'll be surprised by what ordinary items can be transformed into beautifully intricate snowflakes. Clothespins become dazzling tree ornaments, reinforcement stickers (yes, that utilitarian office item you've had tucked in your drawer forever) become gorgeous gift tags for the very best Christmas gifts, ribbon helps transform an inexpensive throw pillow into seasonal décor, paper straws turn into whimsical window hangings, and well, you get the idea. What's even better? All these fun snowflake crafts can be completed in an hour or less; with minimal supplies, too. In fact, we bet you already have most on hand. So crack open the door to your craft closet, grab friends or family, and get to work (if you can even call it that). Add a few other Christmas crafts to the itinerary, and soon your home will be a winter wonderland bursting with homemade snowflake decorations. The Best Christmas Movies on Netflix 01 of 08 Paper Straw Snowflake Window Hangings Philip Friedman; Styling: Blake Ramsey Get the kids to help you with this fun, easy project (just use white craft glue instead—or help them with the hot glue). Make an array of snowflakes in varying sizes, and then hang them in a window at different heights. What you'll need: Paper strawsPipe cleanersScissorsCardstockHot glue gun and glueWhite string How-to: Place pipe cleaners in a star shape (use three for a smaller six-sided star or four for a larger eight-sided star). Twist in the center to secure.Slide paper straws over the pipe cleaners, cutting to fit if necessary.Cut an array of triangles and diamonds from card stock, and then glue them to the ends of the paper straws to mimic the look of a snowflake. Add some shapes to the center, if desired. (Pro tip: Don't worry about making these shapes look perfect—the beauty of snowflakes is that each one is unique!)Use glue to secure string to one end of the snowflake for hanging. 02 of 08 Marshmallow Snowflakes Philip Friedman; Styling: Blake Ramsey A steaming mug of hot chocolate is made even better by the addition of whimsical and edible drink décor. Rest the marshmallow creation on the side of the glass and enjoy a bite with each and every sip. What you'll need (per serving): 1 large marshmallow8 wooden toothpicks16 mini marshmallowsClean scissors or knife How-to: Holding the large marshmallow in your hand, insert the toothpicks, spacing them evenly around the edges of the marshmallow. (Pro tip: Be careful not to push each toothpick all the way through.)Slide two mini marshmallows onto each toothpick.Using clean scissors or a knife, cut a small slit in the large marshmallow to help it rest on the edge of the mug. (Alternatively, snip a straw in half and insert it into the side of the large marshmallow to create a drink stirrer.) 03 of 08 Balsa Wood Snowflake Hanging Philip Friedman; Styling: Blake Ramsey Skip the evergreens this year, and add this striking piece to your front door instead. You can also swap out the mirror over the mantle or find an empty spot on the wall over the buffet. What you'll need: Balsa wood (ideally ⅛-inch thick and 1-inch wide)ScissorsHot glue gun and glueSmall pinecones How-to: Cut three different sizes of balsa wood: long (4), medium (16), and small (16).Arrange the four long pieces in a star shape, crossing in the middle. Glue together.On each point, lay two medium pieces in a V-shape, approximately halfway to the center of the star. Glue together, and then glue to the long piece. Continue until all medium pieces are glued down.At the end of each point, lay two small pieces in a V-shape. Glue together, and then glue to the long piece.Glue a pinecone to the center, and then glue on eight more pinecones, one at the top of each point. 04 of 08 Snowflake Present Toppers PHILIP FRIEDMAN PHOTOGRAPHER We bet you never looked at the twist tie on the bread bag in your pantry and thought, "That would make a great present topper." But this utilitarian item becomes surprisingly delightful when manipulated to look like a snowflake. Collect a bunch (or buy a pack; they come in lots of fun colors), and then get to work creating little snowflakes to use as present toppers, napkin ring embellishments, or even window hangings. What You'll Need: Twist tiesScissorsDouble-sided tape or glue How-to: Arrange three or four ties on a flat surface to form a six- or eight-pointed snowflake, respectively. Twist the ties around one another in the center to secure.To create the arrows on the tips, cut a twist tie in half, then wrap one half around each point to form a V-shape.Use double-sided tape or glue to attach each snowflake to wrapping paper or ribbon. 05 of 08 Snowflake Pillow Philip Friedman; Styling: Blake Ramsey One of the easiest seasonal décor swaps you can make is to change out the throw pillows on your furniture. This festive red version, which features a playful snowflake, adds plenty of holiday cheer to the sofa in your living room. It would also look great atop your bed. What you'll need: Plain throw pillow caseWhite pom-pomsThin silver ribbonScissorsFabric glue How-to: Cut strips of silver ribbon. Lay out your snowflake design before gluing to ensure you like the look.Use fabric glue to glue each piece of ribbon down, one by one. Then, glue on pom-poms. 06 of 08 Snowflake Clothespin Ornaments Philip Friedman; Styling: Blake Ramsey This eye-catching DIY is easily adaptable based on your style and what you have in the craft closet. Go sparkly or keep it natural—it's up to you. What you'll need: ClothespinsCraft glueGlitterWhite or silver paintHot glue gun and glueSilver string How-to: Take the spring out of each clothespin by pulling the wood pieces away from the spring. Glue the two pieces together.To make glitter snowflakes, paint the clothespin pieces with a layer of craft glue. Sprinkle with glitter. Let dry.To make painted snowflakes, paint the clothespin with white or silver paint.Glue together each set of clothespin in the shape of an eight-pointed star. (Pro tip: To create a more intricate snowflake, glue smaller clothespins on top of the large ones as a second layer.)Cut a piece of string, form into an upside-down U-shape, and then glue to the back of the clothespin snowflake. 07 of 08 Snowflake Place Card Philip Friedman; Styling: Blake Ramsey Think doilies are best suited for Valentine's Day or the dessert table? Think again. Here they make for the easiest place cards ever. All you need are scissors, a steady hand, and a fine marker. Voila! Elegant table décor you can create while dinner is in the oven. What you'll need: DoilyScissorsThin marker How-to: Carefully cut away the intricate outside ring of a paper doily, leaving only the center and its surrounding points. (Pro tip: Leave two stuck together for a more opaque, sturdy place card.)Write each person's name on the doily and set atop a napkin. 08 of 08 Snowflake Gift Tags and Card Embellishments Philip Friedman; Styling: Blake Ramsey Transform standard desk supplies into festive decorations for holiday cards or gift tags. With a little creativity, the white stickers look just like intricate snowflakes. What you'll need: Colored cardstock or envelopesScissorsWhite mailing label stickersReinforcement stickersHole punchThin ribbon or string How-to: Cut colored card stock into the shape of your choice (circle, square, or hexagon).Cut strips from the white mailing labels. Stick the strips on to the paper in the shape of a star.Add reinforcement circles to the design to make the star look like a snowflake.For gift tags, punch a hole in your shape and add a thin ribbon for hanging. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit