Kitschmas Craft Idea - Vintage Tin Diorama

The only thing I love more than pompoms are dioramas – make that a Kitschmas diorama in a vintage tin with pompoms and I’m in hog heaven. The types of crafts where you can just endlessly sit gluing stuff to stuff until someone has to gently tell you to just set the glue gun down and walk slowly away are my favorites. Ya’ll ready for your new favorite craft project? Let’s do this.

Kitschmas Tree Diorama in a Vintage Tin

A couple of years ago my friend hosted an entire tree in a tin ladies night. Glue, glitter and crafty gals as far as the eye could see and it was awesome. Let’s just say I couldn’t just stop at one. It is the tin that really makes this project and there are so many fun ones out there. This particular tin sat in the bathroom of my parents house for as long as I could remember. I always loved the groovy mod design though I never knew there to ever be any talc inside. My mother must have just kept it for the cute tin as well. All that being said this is a two for one project for me – sentimental AND a Kitschmas craft!

Where Do You Find a Tin For Your Christmas Tree Diorama?

So let’s say your parents don’t have random tins hanging around the bathroom for you to steal. Don’t worry that is why there are thrift stores, flea markets and antique shops. Just browse through eBay and Etsy to find all kinds of fun tins as well. If you can find ones where the entire top comes off those are the easiest to work with, but it’s not necessary. Remember the bigger the tin the more stuff you will need to fill said tin.

Speaking of dioramas – try these other fun Christmas craft ideas…

Plastic Cup Snow Globe Ornaments – Sure these are from a summer vacation but you could easily tweak the idea to Christmas photos.

Rustic Mini Cake Tin Ornaments – Pop over to HGTV and check out these fun ornaments I made from mini baking tins!

Recycled Play-Doh Dioramas With the Kids – These are Halloween themed, but with a different color palette could be Kitschmas ornament dioramas in no time.

Pick a Kitschmas Color Palette For Your Diorama

Often times when I am making something whether it be a Kitschmas tree in a tin diorama or just about anything I start with a color palette. That way it is just easier for me to grab supplies – AKA doodads, thing-a-ma-bobs and doohickies. The more tiny tacky Christmas treasures in your color palette you can wrangle the better. For me all the colors were based on this green and pink tin.

Supplies For Making a Kitschy Christmas Diorama in a Vintage Tin

Tin
Small Bottle Brush Trees
Pompoms
Miniature Kitschmas Decor
Glittery Floral Picks
Hot Glue
Hot Glue Gun

As with most crafts you will find me making there is no right or wrong way to do this. Perhaps you want more traditional Christmas colors, a bigger tin or less reindeers more Santa. You do you. These types of projects are where it pays to be a hoarder.

Remove the Lid of Your Tin

If you listened to me your tin lid will come right off. If you are like me and didn’t take your own advice (do as I say, not as I do) you are going to need to bust out the tools to get the top off. I had to actually use a mini hand saw and tin snip scissors as the lid on my tin was apparently a faux lid. Easy enough, but remember safety first tin is sharp and lock jaw is real so be careful.

Stuff Your Tin

My vintage tin was tall and cylindrical so I decided to add some stuffing inside before I got to the good parts. You can use pillow stuffing or in my case I just wadded up printer paper. You might also be working with a tin that does not even need this step.

The Good Part – Bring on Kitschmas and Start Filling In Your Tin

Needless to say filling in the tin is the good part. I like to start by just sticking my trees and foliage inside the tin to get an idea of where everything will go before I start actually glowing. A good rule of thumb is to put the tallest tree in the back and work your way forward with the extra cute stuff. You don’t want that vintage knee hugger elf hidden behind a bottle brush forest. I use hot glue and if you do too remember if you live somewhere hot and store your decorations in an attic keep in mind you might have to do some touch ups on melted bits each year.