DIY Cardinal Christmas Ornaments (Easy Napkin Decoupage!)
One thing I love about crafting for Christmas is how a small project can hold so much meaning. Cardinals are often seen as symbols of love, memory, and presence, so creating ornaments with a cardinal theme feels like adding a little heart to the season.
This week on my My Home Matters Facebook page, I shared a few different ways to make cardinal-themed wooden ornaments using napkins. So today I’m sharing the full process here on the blog so you can try it too.
These ornaments use simple supplies and beginner-friendly decoupage techniques...and they turn out absolutely beautiful.
As an affiliate for Amazon, I do received a small compensation for any affiliate links. This comes at no additional cost to you.
Supplies You’ll Need:
- 4" wooden ornament blanks (from the Maker’s Market Collection in our shop)
- Cardinal-themed napkins (we currently have four different styles!)
- White acrylic paint
- Red acrylic paint (optional for the scalloped design)
- Mod Podge
- Mini heat press (or a small travel iron)
- Baking parchment (to protect your iron)
- Leather cord or ribbon for hanging
- Ribbon or bow accents (I used red & white gingham!)
- Greenery sprigs (optional)
- Mini sander or sandpaper
- Letter stamp set (optional for adding text)
1. Classic Cardinal Ornament
How to make it:
Paint the wood ornament white and let it dry completely.
Brush on a thin coat of Mod Podge and let that dry too. (This is important!) Then, cut out the portion of the napkin you plan to use.
Peel away the back plys of the napkin, leaving just the top ply. Place your napkin on the ornament, set baking parchment on top, and gently iron it down using a mini heat press. This re-activates the Mod Podge and adheres the napkin smoothly.
Once pressed on, use a mini sander to remove the excess napkin around the edges. It gives a clean, perfectly trimmed finish.
Apply a coat of Mod Podge over the entire thing for sealing purposes.
If you want, wrap the upper portion of the ornament in some twine, or paint silver.
Add leather cord for the hanger and finish with a cute bow.
It’s such a simple process, but the results look like something from a boutique Christmas shop.
2. Cardinal Ornament with Scalloped Accent & Stamped Message
For this version, I wanted to play with a more decorative layout, especially since some napkins have scalloped or curved artwork that’s too pretty to cut straight across.
Here’s how I put this one together:
Lay your napkin onto the wooden ornament to plan your design. Use a pencil to lightly mark where the scallop will sit. Paint the top half of the ornament red and the bottom half white. Let it dry fully, then brush Mod Podge only over the white section.
Stamp a message (I used Merry Christmas) on the painted top section.
Use your mini heat press (with parchment) to iron on the napkin, making sure it lines up with the paint break.
Add the hanger, a couple sprigs of faux greenery, and a coordinating bow.
This version feels extra special... a little more layered, a little more dimensional, and definitely gift-worthy.
Finishing Touches
What I love most about these cardinal ornaments is how customizable they are.
Try:
- Different bow styles
- Twine instead of leather cord
- Small bell or charm accents
- Glitter edging (if sparkly is your thing)
- And since these ornaments are lightweight, they make wonderful gift toppers, teacher gifts, neighbor gifts, or something meaningful for someone who loves or remembers cardinals.
Final Thoughts
Handmade ornaments have a way of capturing a moment — a season, a memory, a feeling. These little cardinal ornaments are sweet, meaningful, and simple to create… and they’ll bring beauty to your tree (or someone else’s) for years to come.
If you try this project, I’d love to see how yours turn out! Please tag me so I can cheer you on! And, if you like this project, I'd really appreciate the pin using the graphic below!
Want to watch a short video of me making the scalloped edge ornament? You can watch it here. You can also watch the longer video of me making the cardinal ornaments here.
#CreateInspireBeWell
