DIY Lamb’s Ear Christmas Ornaments – Easy, Rustic, and Budget-Friendly

One Christmas tradition that I've started with my friends and family is gifting a homemade ornament each year. I've made salt dough ornaments and dried orange ornaments, and they are always received the same: with affection and gratitude. Especially when my kids help out and add their own adorable (yet slightly chaotic) touch! This year, my homemade ornament happened to be homegrown as well! These DIY Lamb's Ear Christmas Ornaments are soft and rustic, and pair well with any Christmas decor theme. And because I grew Lamb's Ear in my flower garden this year, they were budget friendly, which is always a bonus.

What is Lamb's Ear?

Lamb's ear is a perennial garden plant that is hardy in zones 4-8. I live in zone 3, and mine has come back every year for the last 6 years, so I would state that the hardiness zone is broader than the experts recommend.

Lamb's Ear is covered in fine, soft hair like fuzz that gives it a beautiful silvery sheen and the most delicate texture. When it's dried, it looks just as it did in life making it a great plant to use in botanical crafts.

Supplies You'll Need

1. Plain ornaments in any shape. I used round, but you could use oval or tear drop as well.

2. Sharp snips. You'll need these for harvesting the Lamb's Ear from the garden as well as trimming the leaves for the ornament.

3. Hot glue gun and sticks, for sticking the leaves to the ornament.

4. Ribbon, to create embellishments and a way to hand the ornament on the tree.

How to Harvest Lamb's Ear

Lamb's Ear is best harvested in the fall while the plant is still alive, but not actively growing. You'll want to do this when the temperature starts to drop and hover around freezing . In early fall, the plant pulls nutrients from the leaves and stores them in the root system for the winter, so you don't want to start hacking off leaves before the plant has a chance to do this. That said, you also want to harvest the leaves before the plant is totally dormant and the leaves are already dried. I live in central Saskatchewan, Canada and I harvested my leaves near the end of October. However, this will vary greatly on your location and that year's weather.

To harvest, simply choose the stems that you think look the best and cut them near ground level. Then you'll start to cut off the individual leaves. Make sure you collect varying sizes!

Once you've harvest your leaves, you'll want to wash them off quickly since the fuzz on the leaves tends to collect dirt, dead bugs, spider webs, etc. Just take a damp cloth and wipe them down, moving in the same direction the fuzz grows. Then lay them on a kitchen towel and allow to dry.

How to Make Lamb's Ear Ornaments

1. Once your clippings are clean and dry, you can begin to assemble your ornaments. Begin by selecting the largest leaves and gluing them onto your ornament. Add glue to the perimeter of each leaf, then hold it onto the ornament while the glue sets. If you don't have glue around the whole leaf, it will curl back slightly as it dries.

2. You're going to work your way around the ornament, then start adding layers of leaves on top, gradually selecting smaller and smaller leaves as you add more layers. I add about three layers to my ornaments - just enough that you can't see the ornament in between the spaces but not so many it loses its shape.

3. Add any embellishments like glitter, ribbons, gems once your leaves are glued down and set.

4. Allow to dry completely, then add your hanging ribbon and hang your ornament!

How kids can help: Kids can help harvest the leaves provided they are old enough to be trusted with the snips. If not, have them help you look for the best stems (warning: if your toddler is like mine, these stems will absolutely NOT be the best stems). Kids can also help add them embellishments like gems and glitter after the leaves are glued down.

The glue is hot and can burn the skin easily should it come into the contact. I would not recommend young kids participate in this step.

Recommended Variations:

A plain Lamb's Ear decoration is already perfect in my opinion as it adds a bit of rustic flare to Christmas. However, if you're one who likes to go big or go home, here are some other fun ways to make these ornaments extra special:

1. Fill a clear globe ornament with glitters or beads, then only cover the ornament half way.

2. Dust the leaves with glitter (a spray works well since it sticks better during storage).

3. Spray the tips of each leaf with faux snow before gluing them down.

4. Add dried flowers or eucalyptus.

How to Store Lamb's Ear Decorations

Lamb's Ear will become quite brittle after it's dried, so I don't recommend just chucking these in the box with the rest of your ornaments. These should be stored snugly in a separate box that is filled with tissue paper or packing peanuts, and kept in a dry place away from humidity. You'll want these packed tightly enough that they don't jostle around.

These DIY Lamb’s Ear Christmas ornaments prove that the most meaningful holiday décor is often the simplest to make. With their soft, silvery texture and rustic charm, they add a touch of handmade warmth to your tree. A fun and simple Christmas craft, these budget friendly homemade ornaments are a great way to spend an afternoon with your kids (or away from them - haha). Make sure you tag me in a photo if you decide to give these a try, @the.kindred.kitchen