Upcycle Your Christmas Tree for Valentine’s Day: Easy DIY Decor with Printable Vintage Ornaments

Remember that post-holiday letdown, the empty space where your Christmas tree used to be? Let’s ditch the melancholy and embrace the magic of Valentine’s Day! Your beloved tree deserves a romantic transformation, and you deserve a cozy haven to celebrate love. So, hold onto those festive vibes! Yes, I’m talking about a Valentine’s tree decked out in whimsical printable vintage valentines. Picture it: delicate heart shapes adorned with 1900s charm, Cupids peeking through the branches, lovers gazing sweetly from amidst the foliage. These vintage Valentines aren’t just ornaments, they’re little love stories waiting to be told. I’ve crafted a free printable featuring over ten vintage Victorian Valentine’s images that you can easily turn into these Valentine’s Day ornaments. The beauty of this project lies in the flexibility. Want a rustic vibe? Weave in strips of vintage lace. Craving a touch of glamour? String up some sparkling fairy lights. Let your creativity reflect your personal style. 

This project isn’t just about saving money (although, who doesn’t love that?), or about being lazy and not wanting to lug the fake tree to the basement or planting the real tree in the yard (although, maybe there’s a little of that too), it’s about celebrating love and the planet! Giving your Christmas tree a Valentine’s twist is a great way to reduce waste, embrace vintage treasures, and create something truly unique. It’s a win for your budget, a win for the environment, and a win for your creativity.

So, skip the shopping frenzy and unleash your inner love warrior! Transform your tree with a dash of upcycled magic, vintage Valentine cards (all in the public domain), and a little light crafting. Let’s celebrate Valentine’s Day with cozy vibes, a touch of nostalgia, and the knowledge that we’re doing good for ourselves and the planet. Now, who’s ready to get crafting?

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links to products for your convenience, such as items on Amazon. A Farm to Keep gains a small commission from purchases made through those links at no additional cost to you. 

Here’s how to create your very own Valentines Day Tree

Supplies:

• Your existing Christmas tree (or any sturdy branch, fake tree, or small topiary tree)
• Digital downloadable vintage Valentine’s ornaments (click here for the free images)
• Cardstock paper
• Scissors
• Hole punch
• Ribbon of your choice (we used vintage floral bedsheets cut into 1/2-inch wide strips, 12-inches long)
• Optional: lace or twine for a rustic touch, plus glitter, paint, stickers, or other craft supplies for embellishments.

Step 1: Print & Punch with Love

After downloading your free printable vintage valentine, load the cardstock into the paper tray of your printer. Next, print and cut out the heart shapes, and add a hole punch to each one for hanging. Remember, precision isn’t key – embrace the vintage aesthetic and let your intuition guide your creation. 

Creating Extra Embellishments:

Although we don’t go in-depth in this article about other ways to embellish your ornaments, know that you can always add your personal touch to this project with the addition of lace, doilies, glitter, markers, paint, or other art mediums. Let your creativity be your guide!

Step 2: Drape & Deck with Vintage Flair

Time to dress your tree for a romantic rendezvous! Fold the bedsheet ribbon in half and pull the center of the ribbon through the punched hole. Before pulling the ribbon all the way through, leave a loop and thread the ribbon lengths back through the loop to create an overhand knot. This method of threading will allow the ornament to hang in the center, and you will have two secure 3-inch lengths of ribbon remaining on either side of the ornament. 

Alternatively, reach for your favorite Valentine’s red ribbon or twine for a natural look. Follow the above process with the alternative thread. 

Step 3: Hang with Heart

Find the perfect spot on your tree and tie one of the ornaments onto a branch. Layer the ornaments onto the tree and play with placement. Tie the loose ends of the ribbons into bows for a more refined look, or let the ribbon ends hang loosely. This style gives off a more relaxed feel and one that is reminiscent of Little Women or the romance of the Victorian era. 

Different ways to attach the Valentine’s ornaments:

Don’t like the look of the ribbon? No problem! There are a variety of other ways to attach the ornaments to your tree. Consider using ornament hooks, twine, or clothespins. For fake trees, consider hot glue for a more permanent project you can use repeatedly. Avoid hot glue or extremely heavy ornaments on real trees.

Voila! 

Step back and admire your handiwork. Your tree has transformed into a charming ode to love, a vintage Valentine’s wonderland that whispers sweet nothings and brings the spirit of the season indoors. Invite your sweetheart for a cozy cuddle under the branches, host a romantic gathering of loved ones, or simply bask in the glow of your creation. This Love Tree is a testament to the magic of upcycling, the timeless appeal of vintage charm, and the enduring power of love.

Tips: 

Get crafty! Write cute love messages on the backs of the hearts, string fairy lights around your tree, or scatter vintage Valentine’s Day cards around the base.

Print the artwork in different sizes to vary the heart shapes for a causal and edgy flair. 

Include other ornaments on your tree including red hearts, gold hearts, or pink roses. 

Instead of ornaments, use the printable to create custom Valentine’s Day cards!

Other Ways to Use Victorian Valentine’s Printables:

These images are in the public domain and can be used for a variety of personal use projects. Don’t be afraid to get creative and have fun using these images for a variety of projects. Here are some ideas to get your thinking going.

Junk Journal! Cut-up the images and use them in a junk journal. Junk journals are a great way to use the sweetest vintage Valentines creatively. 

Collage Sheets: Add the images to your next round of collages, especially ones you may make for the Valentine’s season. 

Light it up! Don’t forget to add a dash of light! For smaller trees, add battery-powered light strands for added brightness. For larger fake trees, use the lights from your Christmas decorations on your tree. In some cases, you don’t even have to remove the lights before transforming your tree into a tree of love! 

Instead of printing out the ornaments just for the tree, print out a few extra to mail to friends and families as vintage postcards. 

Don’t forget to add a festive tree skirt, too! An easy way to create a tree skirt is using vintage table linens wrapped around the base of a tree. Vintage tablecloths, sheets, and even scarves or shawls work well. No need to purchase brand-new tree skirts when there are so many re-use options available. Keep the decorating going and add decor garlands, pillows, figural decor ornaments, and any of your favorite things to bring Valentine’s flair to the season.

Wondering Where to Display Your Valentine’s Tree?

• Larger trees look great displayed in the living room or bedroom.
• Smaller trees look adorable on tabletops, buffets, or even on the counters of bathrooms or kitchens. 
• In some cases, you can display your tree outdoors under porches. They add such a festive flair to the season, and the decor night lights they offer can keep the glow going for a long time in winter. 

So ditch the post-holiday blues and embrace the magic of Valentine’s Day with these vintage holiday crafts ideas. With a little creativity and your amazing vintage ornaments, your tree will be the talk of the season, spreading love and cheer long after the last Christmas bauble is packed away. 

Happy crafting, happy Valentine’s Day, and remember – love always finds a way to bloom, even on the branches of a festive friend!

You may like the vintage book page garland.