This Vintage Craft Is the Holiday Project of the Year—and It Only Takes 10 Minutes

If your social media feed is anything like ours, it's probably full of holiday crafts right now—gift toppers, ornaments, DIY decor, and everything in between. But there is one project that keeps popping up over and over again: foil ornaments. The embossed metal crafts are the holiday craft of the year, so we had to give them a spin for this month's craft club.

What Is Metal Embossing?

Foil, tin, or metal embossing can be done in a handful of ways with many different materials. But to put it simply, it's a piece of metal with designs made from applying pressure and cut out to create a shape or motif. The glimmering, shiny pieces of foil add whimsy to holiday decor and can be used as gift toppers, ornaments, or strung together as a garland.

How to Make Foil Embossed Ornaments

Metal embossing isn't a new craft—in fact, we've covered it in print at least a handful of times (the earliest we're able to find being 1961). These ornaments and gift toppers are a quick, easy, and beginner-friendly project that only takes a few minutes to complete. Keep reading to learn our two favorite techniques.

The 1961 Method: Metal Embossing Kit

We're calling this the 1961 method even though there aren't even real instructions in the OG story. But if you were brand-new to the craft and didn't know where to start, this is the most straightforward, easy way to re-create it. Using a kit means you have everything you need, and the foil sheets are smooth and flat, giving the same effect as the tin ornaments in the 1961 story.

We got our kit from FootRangeMountain on Etsy. It comes with everything you need: 10 sheets of foil in three different finishes, embossing tools, designs to trace, thread, and a few other small accessories, for just $32.

To create the ornaments, place the foil on a flat surface and tape a piece of paper with your design on top. Trace over the design with the embossing tool and remove the paper to reveal your embossing. If you want to add more texture or define your lines better, do so now. Cut out the shape, add a small hole, and thread with string or an ornament hook to hang.

The 2024 Method: Get Scrappy

In 2024, we shared a story about turning everyday objects into these embossed metal ornaments, so here's another route you can take. This is great if you need to do it ASAP or without spending much on supplies, because you might already have everything you need.

This method uses disposable baking pans with cardboard glued to the backside. Follow the same instructions as the 1961 method, but instead of the metal sheets, you'll use the foil pans. Trace the design using anything with a point—like a pen or pencil—and if you want a gold design, paint the embossed project with gold metallic paint.