The following two ornaments are very easy and make great gifts for teachers, friends and family. Use them as package toppers or for a smaller gift place them in a pretty gift sack wrapped in tissue paper.

Ribbon and Rose Ornament

You will need:

Large plastic or glass ornaments
Dried Rose Buds (see note for variations)
Glue gun
1/4" satin ribbon
Raffia or 3/8" Satin Ribbon
Premade Ribbon Roses

Remove the tops from the balls or open-depending on which type you purchased. Place one large rosebud or a handful of miniature rosebuds in the ornament. Close the ornament and use the glue gun to secure. Using glue gun again, attach a small piece of 1/4" ribbon around the top to decorate. Once this is dry and in place, glue the ribbon roses around the edge either directly on the 1/4" ribbon or slightly below. You can also cluster the ribbon roses, if you use the tiny ones, in threes. Use strands of raffia or the 3/8" ribbon as a hanger for the ornament.

Variations: Use tiny pinecones instead of rosebuds and red ribbon. You can also fill with potpourri and use a combination of the raffia and the ribbon. I love the variety of ribbon roses available and think they are charming accent for the outside of the ornament.

Cookie Cutter Christmas Ornaments

You'll Need:

assorted copper or metal animal cookie cutters
acrylic paint
small wooden wheels or buttons
jute, twine or yarn
hot glue

Paint the cookie cutters desired colors to match the animal shapes (a black and white cow for example) Seal with spray polyurethane. You may also leave them plain-the copper is cute that way. Hot glue buttons or wooden wheels..two on each side...to each animal. You can use the single animal as an individual ornament or cut a small piece of jute and hot glue to end of first animal and the other end to the front of the following cookie cutter for a chain. When you have your "chain" of animals, hot blue a longer piece of jute to the front of the first animal for the pull string. You can also use the jute as a hanger that you glue to the top of the cookie cutter animal to make cute ornaments; you can personalize with a child's name before spraying with the polyurethane if you wish!