Mickey and Minnie Themed Christmas Tree
Recently, my Mom and I created a Disney themed Christmas tree to donate to the Altrusa International of San Luis Obispo County’s annual Celebration of Trees event. We wanted a tree that would appeal to the child in everyone and Mickey and Minnie seemed like a great way to go.
If you have ever shopped for merchandise at the Disney Parks, you will know that the official ornaments are quite expensive. They are gorgeous, but you would have to win the lottery to decorate a standard sized Christmas tree.
These ornaments cost as much as $30 each, at the Parks.
Thankfully, we have Pinterest and YouTube. If you are even mildly crafty, you can achieve a lot with some inexpensive ornaments, a glue gun and a few basic supplies. We were able to create dozens of ornaments, very inexpensively. If you would like to see what inspired us, here is a link to the Pinterest Board that I created before getting started.
After I got a few ideas, I moved over to YouTube to look at some “how to” videos.
DIY Dollar Store Disney Christmas Tree Ornaments
There are so many more videos available. Find something that appeals to your skill level. There is literally something for everyone.
We purchased all of our supplies from Hobby Lobby*, Michael’s, JoAnn’s, and the Dollar Tree. But you can shop wherever you prefer. The key is to find ornament balls that are the correct proportions. You do not want your “ears” to be too large or small. And only use the shatterproof, plastic ornaments, as glass will not work for these projects.
Here is what we created…
The ornaments were from Hobby Lobby*. The decorative motif were already on the balls. We added a bow that we made ourselves.
This was made from supplies purchased at Hobby Lobby*.
These were a smaller ornament. It is always good to make a variety of sizes and shapes for your trees. Supplies were also purchased at Hobby Lobby*.
One of my favorite craft projects, year after year.
These ornaments are a cinch to make. People never believe me when I say that, but they are! Michael’s has the best clear plastic discs, in my opinion. Here is a link to the one that I use. They have been on sale a lot and if they are not, be sure to download their app and use the 40% off coupon when checking out. I was able to score 25 disks for $10. Just as a reminder, only buy the plastic ones. Avoid the glass version, if you can. I prefer the disks over the spheres because it is a lot easier to apply the vinyl to a flat side.
Here is a wonderful instructional video…
Definitely use a funnel to pour in the glitter. Otherwise, you will have glitter all over whatever room you are working in. I happen to have a Silhouette Cameo machine, rather than the Cricut. Both are interchangable, in my opinion.
I purchased the image files off of Etsy. There are so many options available.
If you don’t have one of these machines, get creative. Maybe attach plastic gems in Mickey shapes? Or apply other stickers or even washi tape. Honestly, the sky is the limit on this one.
These were a lot of fun to create.
Pin Trader Ornaments
These Pin Trader ornaments were super simple to make. Thanks to Mark Pulham for the GREAT idea. Here is a link to his YouTube video…
DIY Dollar Store Disney Christmas Tree Ornaments
The snowflakes were purchased at Hobby Lobby* and I actually went to the Parks and traded for the pins that I used. I was on a hunt for simple graphics of Mickey and Minnie and if they had Christmas colors, it was a bonus. The bows came from the Dollar Tree. I think they were in packs of 25 for $1.
Mickey Wreath
Under the tree, we donated lots of Disney themed gifts. Everything from a Mickey waffle maker to cookbooks and mugs. I wanted to be sure to include a Mickey wreath. Here is a great tutorial that is easy to follow.
The Final Product
We were quite pleased with how the tree turned out. We finished it off with Mickey and Minnie plush toys on a ladder, “decorating” the tree. We also adorned it with streams of polka dot ribbons and a Mickey hat (purchased at the Disney Store), as a tree topper.
The family that won the tree was thrilled! They had just returned from a Disneyland vacation and were very excited to bring the tree home for Christmas.
*Author’s Note: We understand that many people have chosen to boycott the Hobby Lobby chain, for ethical reasons. We acknowledge that everyone has choices to make when making purchases and we all carry power in our wallets. That being said, I have spent a lot of time agonizing over my decision to shop at Hobby Lobby. Professionally and personally, I need to have variety in where I shop for my craft supplies and this store fulfills a lot of needs that cannot be found elsewhere. To make up for it, each year I track all of the purchases that I make there and after I tally up what I have spent, I donate a percentage of that to Planned Parenthood. It is my way of balancing my ethical “footprint”. Whenever possible, I shop at my local stores before shopping online because I believe in supporting my community and the jobs that people have. Sadly, too many store have shuttered in our area, in recent years.