DIY Christmas Plaster Decorations: 10 Easy Ideas with Aqua Resin

TL;DR: DIY Christmas plaster decorations are the simplest and most striking Christmas project: you pour the mix into silicone moulds, demould after 30 minutes and decorate the next day. With Aqua Resin, a non-toxic, brilliant-white premium alpha plaster, you can make tree ornaments, place cards, candle holders and small gifts with a porcelain-effect finish, with no experience needed and safely, even with children.

Introduction

DIY Christmas plaster decorations solve a problem that comes back every December: you want a home decorated with something personal, but paper crafts only last one season and ceramics require a kiln and specialist skills. Craft plaster sits in between: a solid material, white and smooth like porcelain, that you can work on the kitchen table with cold water and a mould.

This guide brings together 10 ideas organised by area of the home (tree, table, lights, Advent, entrance, gifts), plus a section dedicated to Christmas plaster crafts to make with children. If you are looking for a specific project, each section links to the full tutorial. For the fundamentals of the material, start with the guide to ceramic plaster.

Contents

• Key points
• What you need to get started
• The basic method, the same for every idea
• Tree decorations
• Christmas table decorations
• Candle holders and light decorations
• Plaster Advent calendar
• Wreath with plaster details
• Small gifts and mini decorations to give
• Christmas plaster crafts with children
• Common mistakes
• Recommended products
• FAQ

Key points

• One method for every idea: 100 g of Aqua Resin in 30 g of cold water, pour into the mould, demould after 30 minutes, decorate the next day.
• Aqua Resin is not an epoxy resin: it is a premium alpha plaster, non-toxic and water-based. No gloves, no mask, no odour.
• Porcelain-effect white to start with: the decorations already look beautiful as they are; colour, gold and glitter are options, not requirements.
• A two-stage plan: one afternoon for pouring, one afternoon for decorating. It is just the right pace for a December weekend with the family.

What you need to get started

• Aqua Resin, the premium alpha plaster: 1 kg covers a complete set for the tree, the table and small gifts
• Cold tap water, or Aqua Shield for decorations exposed to moisture
• Christmas silicone moulds: stars, snowflakes, little trees, reindeer, bells, flat discs
• A bowl, kitchen scales, a spatula or a spoon
• Cut drinking straws or toothpicks for the holes, ribbons and twine for hanging
• For decorating: Aqua Pigment in the mix, Aqua Metal by brush, gold and silver leaf, Aqua Glitter
• Fine sandpaper to finish the edges

The basic method, the same for every idea

Every decoration in this guide is made with the same four steps. Learn them once and all you will change is the mould.

1. Weigh and mix. Put 30 g of cold water in the bowl, then pour 100 g of Aqua Resin into the water (powder into water, never the other way round). Stir slowly until you have a smooth, lump-free cream.
2. Pour. Pour into the silicone moulds placed on a flat surface. Tap the work surface gently to bring the air bubbles up.
3. Make the hole. If the decoration is going to hang, immediately insert a cut straw where the hole should be. Remove it when you demould.
4. Demould and decorate. After 30 minutes the decoration can be demoulded. To paint, gild or seal it, wait for it to dry completely, within 24 hours: the colour adheres better and no marks form.

Pro tip: want decorations coloured all the way through, without a brush? Add Aqua Pigment to the mix before pouring: the colour runs through the whole thickness and will not chip.

Tree decorations

White plaster ornaments on the tree are the idea that, more than any other, made craft plaster popular at Christmas: light, matt, with a soft glow that no plastic bauble can match.

1. Hanging snowflakes and stars

Snowflake and star moulds, a hole made with the straw, velvet ribbon or rustic twine. Leave them white for a Nordic style or brush the points with gold or silver Aqua Metal.

2. Flat baubles to personalise

Flat discs of 5-6 cm: the smooth surface is a blank canvas. Initials, geometric patterns in Aqua Metal, a line of gold leaf around the edge. One bauble for each member of the family, with their name on the back.

3. Porcelain-effect birds

The most elegant project in this selection: small white plaster birds to hang from the branches, on their own or alternated with pastel shades. The step-by-step tutorial, with variations and finishes, is in the article dedicated to DIY Christmas tree decorations.

Christmas table decorations

4. Christmas place cards with names

Hearts, stars or small discs with the name written in Aqua Metal using a fine brush. They can rest on the napkin or be tied to the glass. They are decorative only: they must not come into contact with food. You will find the full tutorial, with four different styles, in the article on DIY Christmas place cards.

5. Christmas fridge magnets (or magnetic place cards)

Small moulds (Father Christmas, reindeer, gift box), a thin pour, a magnet glued to the back once the decoration is dry. In one afternoon you can make a whole collection, also perfect as a small gift.

Candle holders and light decorations

6. Christmas candle holders

A candle holder mould, a tealight in its metal cup, and the white plaster does the rest: candlelight on matt white is the most photographed detail on the Christmas table. Star and snowflake moulds also work as flat candle holders. Ideas and projects in the article on DIY Christmas candle holders.

Pro tip: always use tealights in their cups and keep the flame away from the edges; never leave lit candles unattended.

7. Stars for windows and string lights

Small and large stars hung on the glass with clear thread, or threaded along a string of LED lights: the white reflects the light delicately. For windows, where condensation is common, prepare the mix with Aqua Shield.

Plaster Advent calendar

8. Twenty-four numbered mini decorations

Bells, hearts, reindeer, stars: 24 small pieces, numbered with Aqua Metal or with stamps, hung on a wooden board or slipped into little fabric bags. With 500 g of Aqua Resin you can make the whole calendar. It is the ideal project to start in November, a little at a time.

Wreath with plaster details

9. Winter leaves, stars and flowers for the door wreath

A base of woven branches or metal, with plaster elements attached with hot glue alongside pine sprigs, cinnamon sticks and dried berries. For the front door, prepare the elements with Aqua Shield in the mix: they will withstand cold and humidity.

Small gifts and mini decorations to give

10. A set of decorations in a clear bag

Three or four ornaments, a clear bag, a handwritten tag. It is the gift for teachers, colleagues and neighbours that costs little and is remembered. For a scented touch, add a few drops of orange or pine essential oil to the water before mixing, as with the scented plaster chalks.

If you are looking for more substantial gifts, from trays to candle holders, take a look at the handmade plaster gifts you can make in a weekend.

Christmas plaster crafts with children

Christmas plaster crafts work with children aged 5 and over because the division of tasks comes naturally: the adult weighs, mixes and pours; the children choose the moulds, put in the straws and, the next day, paint. Two ideas designed with them in mind:

• Fingerprint decoration. Pour into a simple round mould; while the plaster is still soft, the child presses a finger into the centre. Once dry, the fingerprint is painted in a contrasting colour and the name and age are added. One a year, and the tree tells the story of how they have grown.
• Wish baubles. Flat discs to hang: the decoration on the front, and on the back the child's wish for the new year, written in their own hand.

A few tips: get everything ready before you start, because the mix needs to be worked straight away; protect the table and use aprons; finish the edges with sandpaper yourself; choose Aqua Pigment or Aqua Metal for colouring, as they clean up with water. More ideas for the family in the article on creative activities for children.

Common mistakes

• Water into powder instead of powder into water. Lumps form and remain visible on the surface. The right order is: water in the bowl first, then the powder.
• Painting straight after demoulding. The plaster is still damp and the colour leaves marks. Demould after 30 minutes, but paint the next day.
• Making the hole afterwards. Drilling dry plaster risks breaking the ornament. The straw must be inserted while the cast is still fluid.
• Outdoor decorations without protection. Door wreaths and window stars must be made with Aqua Shield, otherwise moisture will ruin them within a few days.
• Moulds that are too detailed for a first attempt. Start with stars, discs and snowflakes: fine details such as reindeer require a pour that pays closer attention to bubbles.

Recommended products

• Aqua Resin — the premium alpha plaster for every decoration in this guide, in an intense porcelain-effect white
• Christmas moulds — stars, snowflakes, little trees, bells and flat shapes in silicone
• Aqua Metal — gold, silver and copper by brush for names, edges and details
• Aqua Pigment — concentrated pigment to colour the mix all the way through
• Gold and silver leaf — for a precious touch on baubles and stars
• Aqua Shield — moisture protection for wreaths, windows and the entrance

FAQ

How long does it take to make a plaster Christmas decoration?

With Aqua Resin, the cast can be demoulded after 30 minutes. To paint, seal or glue on accessories, it is best to wait for it to dry completely, within 24 hours. You can pour all your casts in one afternoon and decorate them the next day.

Are plaster decorations suitable for children?

Yes. Aqua Resin is a premium alpha plaster, non-toxic, 100% natural and water-based: no solvents, odours or catalysts. It is suitable for children aged 5 and over with adult supervision, with the adult handling the mixing and pouring while the children decorate.

How do you make the hole for hanging the decorations?

Straight after pouring, while the plaster is still fluid, insert a cut drinking straw or a toothpick where you want the hole and leave it in until demoulding. Alternatively, glue a small hook to the back once the decoration is dry.

Do plaster decorations withstand outdoor use or humidity?

Plaster is sensitive to moisture. For door, window or damp-room decorations, use Aqua Shield: in the mix instead of water (100 g of powder and 50 g of Aqua Shield), brushed onto the dry decoration, or with the dipping technique.

How much plaster do you need for a set of decorations?

As a guide, 100 g of Aqua Resin mixed with 30 g of water fills about 60-70 ml of mould: enough for 6-8 flat hanging ornaments or 3-4 medium-sized stars. With 1 kg you can make the whole set for the tree, the table and small gifts.

Ready to make your Christmas decorations?

Choose the Christmas moulds, a pack of Aqua Resin and a free afternoon: the porcelain-effect white and the hands of everyone decorating with you will do the rest.
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