DIY Vintage Bells Christmas Swag (for Winter, Too!)

If you’re looking for another Christmas DIY that you can use on your porch or even inside your home, I’ve got an easy one! Come check out this simple DIY Christmas swag that I put together in minutes but really packs a decor punch!

Christmas DIY to Usher in the Christmas Spirit

If you’ve caught any of my last few posts or emails or Instagram posts, you know that we’ve had quite a time of crazy renovations here at our house.

It’s a long story, but essentially, our contractor did about 2/3 of the work and then ghosted us.

For months, we had our house sitting in disarray, waiting for him to get back to us. We finally were able to get another business we’ve worked with before to finish what he started.

To say that it dampened my mood and spirits for months would be an understatement. I don’t say that proudly – I really should have been able to handle this with a little more grace, but it definitely got the better of me.

As the Christmas season was approaching and I wasn’t quite sure if my house would be finished by then (demo started the first weekend in May. MAY!!!), I knew I had to proactively get myself in motion to enjoy the holidays.

I had already committed to be a part of a bloggers’ Christmas home tour, so I was trying to figure out a way to decorate around the mess and maybe create a few new pieces to liven things up.

The plus side of having to live with temporary plywood countertops for months was that I had a nice big area for crafts that I didn’t care at all about if it got stained or damaged!

In the process of digging out my decor, I found some old winter green stems that I didn’t really have a place for. I also had picked up this pretty black set of vintage-style bells from Walmart (well, I needed to add a little to my cart to qualify for free delivery – ever do that???).

I had already made this vintage style DIY Christmas wreath with a bow and bells for my front door; I thought this would coincide perfectly to hang on my porch as well.

Here we go with an easy DIY!

DIY Christmas Swag Craft Process

Supplies

Vintage bells on rope (I used this one from Walmart – Be sure it has a top loop or a way for you to create one!)

Ticking stripe ribbon with wire edge

Various long-stemmed winter greens (pine, cedar, etc.)

Duct tape

Extra neutral-colored soft ribbon

Hot glue gun (optional)

Instructions

1| Take one green at a time and place in the back of the bell. Feed the stem through the loop from back to front, and bend over the top to the back again if there’s enough stem.

If not, just leave the stems on the front.

I had some that were long enough to bend, and other that needed to lay flat on the front.

2| Continue to place stems through the loop at varying lengths. Be sure to check your progress as you go, to make sure the stems are distributed behind the bell in a way that pleases you.

3| Take duct tape and secure the stems to the rope so they do not move.

4| Tie some neutral-colored ribbon around the duct table to hide it and form a background for your bow. You can either tuck the end of the ribbon inside the wrap or secure with a hot glue gun.

5| Cut a long piece of ticking stripe ribbon and tie a bow around the top of the swag, over the neutral ribbon wrap. Cut the ends of the ribbon on a diagonal.

6| Use the top loop to hang where desired!