11 Snowflake Decorations That Will Help You Bring the Magic of Winter Into Your Home

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Doily Lights Around the Door Frame — Lucas Allen

As lovely as they are ephemeral, snowflakes are the stuff that winter fantasies are made of. These natural wonders and their fanciful geometric designs evoke the frosty elegance of Scandinavian winters and the simple pleasures of childhood crafts. They practically beg to be brought indoors.

The very first step is to learn the ins and outs of creating a perfect snowflake. Unlike real snowflakes, there's a way that crafters can create uniform flakes after they've mastered an easy-to-follow technique. A few quick snips with a pair of scissors can help you create striking snowflakes of all shapes and sizes; you'll need to fold your paper with precise angles to create a six-pronged snowflake, which is the essential first step no matter what size you'd like your finished creation to be. You can use these paper snowflakes to adorn your Christmas trees, plaster your walls, grace your windows, or simply as fun toppers to any holiday gift. Wrapping paper or any lighter paper can be easier to cut, but these snowflakes are more fragile in the end—if you're looking to create sturdy decorations that can be used every winter, try using card stock or poster paper instead.

Once you've mastered the simple paper snowflake, there are other different mediums you can use to create a whole flurry at home. You can crochet or knit them using leftover knitting materials, draw them in chalk, or cut them from heavy-duty stock that can be transformed into glittered ornaments. Happily, intricate doilies, both the hand-crocheted kind that once topped Grandma's night table and the lacy paper versions that line bakery boxes, can serve as stand-ins to fashion a drift of captivating décor, including a twinkling paper wreath, a shower of crocheted and tatted flakes, a handsome tablecloth, and tins of cookies. The following slides are blanketed with ideas to help you create your own snowy wonders.

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Crocheted Snowflakes

Mastering this craft can help you make many other ideas in this round up, and unlike crocheting a scarf or a vest, you can create a single flake in under an hour. Adorn your Christmas tree with these lacy beauties as the Victorians did, or use them in one of our projects, such as the snowflake garland or the frosty stockings. Add one to a gift bow, take a half dozen to a tree-trimming party, tie one to your sweater's zipper pull, or suspend a bunch from the ceiling to imitate a blizzard.

Get the Crocheted Snowflakes How-To

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Pipe Cleaner Snowflake Tree

A cascade of vintage handmade doilies treated with fabric stiffener forms a fanciful snowfall in the window. Begin by laying textile doilies on a covered surface. With a foam brush or a roller, coat both sides of the dollies with undiluted fabric stiffener until its just saturated. Let it dry overnight before pressing it with an iron—hang it from thread or a monofilament wire.

Shop Now: Granny's Hutch 7" Hand Crochet Doilies, $18, amazon.com. Aleene's Fabric Stiffener, $7 for 16 ounces, amazon.com. ArtMinds 3" Foam Brush Set, $2, michaels.com.

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Snowflake Paper-Doily Wreath

This delicate wreath creates a magical effect of candles flickering in the snow. In this project, the wreath frame is adorned with twinkling lights that are nestled in doily-like paper bouquet holders known as "Biedermeiermanschetten."

Get the Paper-Doily Snowflake Wreath How-To

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Ice-Crystal Garland

Ice Crystal Crocheted Garland — ANNIE SCHLECHTER

Here, we transformed a mirror and harnessed it's reflective power at the same time—this simple snowflake garland appears doubly as bountiful in front of the mirror, after all. You can create crocheted snowflakes beforehand, or use thicker paper flakes if you're short on time. Begin by laying out a row of starched and blocked flakes, alternating patterns, and use a needle and white thread to sew them together from end to end. Loop the thread through the end holes four or five times. Hang your string of snowflakes with map tacks on your mirror.

Shop Now: Gutermann Invisible Thread in "Clear," $3.50, michaels.com. Dritz Map Pins, $4, joann.com.

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Snowflake Doily Tin

You can create these gift-worthy tins using our customizable doily templates. You'll need to adjust the templates size to fit the lid of your tin; then, print the template onto a clear, full-sheet label before cutting it out with an 1/8-inch border. Center your print on the lid of your tin and then remove the paper backing from the bottom half, smoothing from its center to securely affix it to its lid. Remove the label completely and do the same on the other side.

Shop Now: Avery Full Sheet Labels, $20, amazon.com. Container Store White Round Cookie Tins, starting at $3, containerstore.com.

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Doily Snowflake Picture Frame

Try arranging a display of these understated frames on a mantel this holiday season. To begin, use sharp scissors to remove the center portion of a paper doily. Then, position the doily on your chosen photo—with a pencil, lightly mark the inner edge of the doily opening onto the photo. Trim the photo about 1/8 inch outside the drawn line; apply a glue stick to the back of the doily, around the opening. Center the doily onto the photo and adhere using glue. To finish, apply glue at intervals around the back of the doily, near its edges. Center the doily-rimmed photo on the frame's mat board and adhere; let it dry completely before inserting the image into the frame.

Shop Now: Martha Stewart Collection Black & White Paper Doilies, $4, michaels.com. Lifestyles by Studio Décor White Square Frame with Mat, $16, michaels.com.

How to Make the Frosty Banners

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Chalk-Art Snowflakes

Once you've mastered creating paper snowflakes, why not try your hand at illustrating snowflake chalk-art for displays inside your home. The chalk texture makes them come alive and they look beautiful against the gray, dusty background of a chalkboard. Plus, because we're using chalk, there's no pressure—everything easily erases.

Learn How to Draw Snowflakes for a Holiday Chalk-Art Sign

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Frosty Snowflake Stockings

These snowflake stockings have been hung by the chimney with flair. An icy blue linen sets off the flakes and both white cuffs are made from tea towels; one with scalloped edging, the other a tatted trim. You can use store-bought stockings here—to add snowflakes, simply insert a piece of cardboard into the stocking, then sew on your crocheted snowflakes using a needle and thread.

Shop Now: Northlight 18" Traditional Velvet Christmas Stocking, $12, target.com.

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String-Light Exterior Snowflake

Highlight the facade of any home—or, in this case, barn—with a handmade snowflake lighting installation that neighbors will admire all season long. You'll need help at your local hardware store to cut custom wood pieces, but assembly is rather straightforward, and these lighting fixtures can be used each and every year.

Get the String-Light Snowflake Assembly Plan

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Glittered Snowflake Garland

Festoon your living room with garlands of shimmering snowflakes. Start by creating a few sets of equally-sized paper snowflakes on thick cardstock. To make flakes sparkle, apply spray adhesive or dab gently with a sponge-tipped glue applicator, then sprinkle with glitter. Shake off excess, let dry; thread them onto satin ribbon. Affix to the mantelpiece or walls with poster putty.

Shop Now: Martha Stewart Collection Super Fine Glitter, in Sapphire, $7, michaels.com. Loctite General Purpose Spray Adhesive, $7, amazon.com. Duck Reusable and Removable Poster Putty, $2.72, amazon.com.

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Snowflake Tablecloth

Delicate snowflakes disappear quickly if brought indoors. To capture their sparkling essence for your holiday party, re-create them in glitter, which won't melt away, on a sheer organza tablecloth overlay. Remember, craft glue is water soluble, so this cloth can't be washed!

To begin, draw a few flakes, between 2 and 8 inches across, in pencil on sheets of loose-leaf paper; these will serve as your templates. Slide a template under a sheer organza tablecloth; trace its lines in craft glue (use a fine-tipped applicator). Remove the template, and sprinkle the glue with silver glitter. Let it dry before you shake off the excess glitter.

Shop Now: Martha Stewart Collection Super Fine Glitter in "Sugar Cube," $7, michaels.com. LA Linen Organza Sheer Round Tablecloth, $27, wayfair.com.

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