I’m so excited to finally be deep into the Christmas season with you all. We’ve talked about some of my top Christmas tips for crafters, covering things like recycling cards and documenting your memories in scrapbooks and computer files.

But today, I want to dive into another passion of mine: Christmas upcycling! This is where we take those items that are just sitting around the house—maybe causing a bit of clutter—and transform them into gorgeous, festive projects that you can use this year, put away, and bring out every following year. It’s all about giving cherished items a dazzling, new festive flair.

Here are a few of the projects I’ve completed over the years!

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From Plain to Precious: A Sentimental Angel

My first project is a very special one for me. I was given this simple wooden angel just after my father passed away. It was a beautiful craft, but it was very plain, and I didn’t really have a spot for it.

So, I decided to give her an upgrade!

I chose colors that worked for me and got to work. I added glitter stick-on hearts, which were a super easy way to add sparkle. I thought the angel wings were a bit bare, so I added little jeweled beads to them. To the center of her dress, I affixed extra bobbles and a flower-type motif. And finally, a little bell with some ribbon on the side finished her off.

She turned out quite cute, and I bring her out every year!

Fran’s Upcycle Tip: I always recommend dating your projects. I pick up inexpensive date tags at the dollar store, and I placed one on the bottom of this angel to mark when I did the upcycle—2023. This is a lovely way to keep track of your crafting history.

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All Aboard! The Christmas Train Keeps on Chugging

Over the years, I’m sure many of you can relate to the accumulation of toys. My son received tons of Christmas presents that eventually got boxed up and pushed from room to room. One item I just couldn’t part with was a battery-operated train set my dad bought him for his second Christmas.

I thought, why not turn it into a fantastic, working decoration?

I took the basic, plain train set and embellished the cars with all kinds of little dollar store finds. I used little mittens, colorful shiny things, pompoms, and beads that I fashioned to look like a garland running across the top. One piece is a metal ring that I covered with wool—I have a whole tutorial on my website for how to do that technique! I also used simple dollar store clothespins, glued them on, and dressed them up with bobbles and beads.

The last piece is the car for Santa! I took a Christmas ornament of Santa and used it as the base for him coming in on the train. I used faux fur and polyester fiber to fill the base of the train car, setting Santa right on top. Now, we put the track around the base of the tree every year, and the train runs around and around—a perfect, sentimental touch to our Christmas décor!

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A Very Special Memory: Zek’s Chew Toy Train

Another train project I did was for our beloved puppy, Zeke. My son insisted we buy Zek a chew toy train for his stocking one Christmas. It’s a special memory, and after Zek passed, I didn’t want to part with it.

So, I took the little chew toy train—yes, it even has chew marks that I covered up—and embellished it with bobbles and decorations, just like the larger set.

Because it’s a plastic chew toy, sometimes I have to glue pieces back on from year to year, but it’s worth it. It now sits proudly on the floor next to our tree. It’s a wonderful example of how you can reuse and recycle even the most unconventional items to keep those special memories alive during the holidays.

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Get Started on Your Own Upcycles!

As you can see, these projects are simple, fun, and a fantastic way to clean up the clutter around your house while creating new, meaningful Christmas heirlooms. Whether it’s an old angel, a long-forgotten toy, or even a dog’s chew toy, there’s always an opportunity to give it a little festive sparkle and keep it in your life for years to come. Happy crafting!