Costume jewelry Christmas trees can become a favorite Christmas decoration- especially if they are made with family members’ jewelry!
This costume jewelry Christmas tree started it all. I found this unique piece in my parents’ antique store about 10 years ago. I never put it out during the holidays until I remarried and moved to New Mexico. It just felt “right” in the house here.
I shared pictures of our New Mexico home on the blog a few years ago, and I friend from high school noticed this framed tree. Lydia asked me about it, and decided to use the many pieces of costume jewelry she had from her mother-in law as well as some other family pieces and jewelry she found at antique stores to make her own. Below are her beautiful designs!!
The trees on these shelves were the first ones Lydia, her kids, and her grandkids made. Many of these have her mother-in-law’s costume jewelry. Each one also has an earring that belonged to her mother who passed away several years ago.
Her son’s has her father-in-law’s dog tags from the ARMY and a pin from the ARMY that belong to her dad.
Her daughter’s has a mascot pin that belong to her when she was cheerleader that Lydia had kept all these years . The grandsons’ have items they like- a New Orleans Saints pin and a Superman pin. Her daughter-in-law has a pin she got on her honeymoon.
I love that each one is so personalized and so full of sentimental items and memories.
She then went the extra mile, and made some for friends which contain memory trinkets from their adventures together! A Maroon 5 concert, favorite football teams, and a trip to NYC that they all took together. These trees are all below.
Friends’ Costume Jewelry Christmas Trees
Steps to make them:
- She used a shadow box for each because she kept the glass in them. Shadow boxes can be found HERE.
- She used scrapbooking paper for the background. Even the background color has significance. She either used what she knew was a favorite color or used pink for a friend who has survived breast cancer! Scrapbooking paper can be found HERE.
- She used tacky glue to glue all the pieces into place! Tacky glue can be found HERE.
Have you fallen in love with Lydia yet? Anyone is lucky to get to call her friend, and she makes me want to be a better friend after reading the thought that went into the trees she made for her friends!
Thank you Lydia for taking your time out of this busy time of year to answer all of my questions and send me pictures of these treasures!!
Recently on Cooking with Brenda Gant, she shared a Facebook post about a three deminsional Christmas tree she made out of old watches. She calls it Christmas Time!
I hope this post gives you some good ideas to make a true family heirloom Christmas decoration. I’m tired of the commercialism I see all arounds us. Let’s get back to the basics, and keep Christmas about traditions, and family and Christ!!
Merry Christmas. May we all go out and spread some Christmas cheer!!
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I want to make a Christmas time tree!
I will be collecting old watches. I have a few. Thanks for the post.
You could even make a small one. They are all so cute!!
I love all of your trees. My mother in law made one of these pictures in the 60’s and she gave it to me a few years ago, it is one of my favorite pieces.
What a special thing to have! I got mine from my parents antique store, but I still think of them when I get it out!! Thanks so much for stopping by!
A lot of time people clear out their grandmother’s house and have a bag of costume jewelry and don’t know what to do with it. This project would be perfect. You sit it out during the holiday to remember her. I have a brooch of my grandmother that is pinned on my Christmas apron. I love these tree projects.
Thank you, Tammy! I think using relatives jewelry and other items make them such keepsakes!