This holiday season, we gathered for a creative workshop that blended sustainability, storytelling, and a whole lot of sparkle, a junk jewelry Christmas tree craft session. What made this project especially meaningful was the way ordinary objects, old brooches, mismatched earrings, beads, buttons, and keepsake trinkets, were transformed into stunning, bejeweled holiday decorations instead of ending up in the landfill.
Our group began by gathering forgotten treasures: vintage jewelry pieces, loose gemstones, and costume jewelry odds and ends collected over the years. We sourced frames from Goodwill and paired them with scrap fabric backgrounds, giving each piece an elegant canvas. From there, everyone began arranging and attaching their jewels and buttons, layer by layer, to design unique Christmas tree silhouettes and sparkling holiday scenes.
The process was not only creative — it was deeply personal.
One participant chose to honor a loved one who had passed away by using her jewelry to build her tree. Each charm, pendant, and gem held a story, and as she assembled them into a new, meaningful design, the project became both a tribute and a keepsake. Her finished piece is more than just a decoration, it is a memory preserved in art, sure to become an important part of future holiday traditions.
Throughout the session, we shared stories, laughed, reminisced, and enjoyed the magic that happens when creativity and community come together. What began as “junk jewelry” evolved into heirloom-quality art, gorgeous mosaics full of color, texture, and history.
This workshop celebrated the very best of upcycling: giving new life to forgotten materials while creating something beautiful, heartfelt, and environmentally conscious. The finished trees are not only eye-catching décor pieces, but also meaningful reminders of connection, resourcefulness, and joy.
And we’re not done yet! The experience was so inspiring that we’re planning to host another session in the spring, this time creating garden-themed landscapes filled with flowers, leaves, and nature-inspired designs using more reclaimed materials.
Stay tuned for details — and get ready for more creativity, storytelling, and sparkling upcycled art. 🌿✨