Star Ornaments
The Radiance of Tin Art
Tinwork is one of Mexico's oldest crafts. Rooted in Spanish colonial times, tinplate workers manufactured it by dipping thin sheets of iron into molten tin. This coats the iron with a bright, durable surface that is resistant to rusting. Our tin figures are entirely handmade (cutout, punched, embossed and soldered) by craftsmen using great precision and artistic flair. Painted with bright, durable lacquer and enamel colors, tin figures are inexpensive, lightweight and long lasting. In modern Mexico, the two centers of tin smithing are Oaxaca and San Miguel de Allende, and we carry products from both cities.

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In this section of our Mexican tin art collection, we offer 3-dimensional (not flat) stars of many colors and small, mirrored ornaments you can hang on a Christmas tree or on or brighten up your wreath on the door. Note that you can remove the mirrors and replace them with a small photo in the tin frame. Instead of looking in at yourself, you could be looking at a picture of your child or pet.
Please take the time to browse our other tin products, including tin animal figures, Christmas designs, Day of the Dead skeleton figures, nicho frames and tin refrigerator magnets. Follow links on the drop-down menu under the headline “Tin Art.”
The age of tinwork in Mexico goes back at least to the 1700s. Tin was originally manufactured by dipping thin sheets of iron into molten tin to coat them with a bright surface that was durable and highly resistant to rusting. (However, if the surface is scratched, revealing the iron underneath, it will begin to rust if exposed to rain or high humidity.) For an artisan, the appeal of working with tin is its lightness, strength and low cost. It is easily bent, cut and soldered to form intricate shapes.
In eras gone by, Mexicans decorated their homes with tin photo frames, candelabras, lanterns, tin and glass frames (nichos) holding pictures of saints. In humble churches, tin crowns were set on the heads of statues, lit tin lanterns were carried during processions, tin candlesticks adorn the altars.
Tinwork is often referred as the poor man’s silver. In Mexico, every religious and festive object handcrafted in silver has a counterpart in humbler forms made from tinplate. Yet the same degree of skill and passion the silversmiths put into their work could be found in the less opulent pieces made by tinsmiths. Their pieces, too had an alluring shine, that charming brilliance.
These days, tinsmiths in Oaxaca and San Miguel de Allende are carrying on the traditions, making Christmas decorations, tin soldiers, heart-shaped wall plaques and a variety of clever toys. Most of their work is for export to the southern United States, where tinwork is one of the most visible manifestations of Mexican Culture. Most popular with American collectors are the cheerful, flat ornaments, of which we have many here at Viva Oaxaca Folk Art. Take a look and enjoy.
Showing all 10 results
-
Multicolored Star Ornament
Size: 4 inches diameter
The Multicolored Star Ornament has 10 Points. Bright and shiny with an embossed design, this tin ornament is handmade in Oaxaca by Artesanias Garcia. Note that hand-painted, color combinations may vary from photos.
SKU: TN-7_004$5.95 -
16 Point Yellow Star Ornament
Size: 6 inches diameter
The 16 Point Yellow Star Ornament is painted a bright, shiny yellow. This 3 dimensional ornament is made of embossed tin. Handmade in Oaxaca by Artesanias Garcia.
SKU: TN-7_006$7.95 -
12 Point Red Star Ornament
Size: 6 inches diameter
The 12 Point Red Star Ornament is painted a shiny bright red. This 3-dimensional design is made of embossed tin. Handmade in Oaxaca by Artesanias Garcia.
SKU: TN-7_007$6.75 -
Pink Star Ornament
Size: 4 inches in diameter
The Pink Star Ornament has10-Points and is painted a bright, shiny pink. This 3 dimensional tin ornament is handmade in Oaxaca by Artesanias Garcia.
SKU: TN-7_003$5.95 -
12 Point Gold Star Ornament
SIZE: 4 inch diameter
The 12 Point Gold Star Ornament is painted a shiny bright gold. This 3 dimensional ornament is handmade in Oaxaca by Corazon Magico.
SKU: TN-7_010$6.75 -
Blue Star Ornament
SIZE: 3.5-inch diameter
The Blue Star Ornament has 10 star points and is painted a shiny bright blue. This 3 dimensional tin ornament is handmade in Oaxaca by Tomás Santiago.
SKU: TN-7_008$5.95 -
Silver Star Ornament
Size: 4 inches in diameter
The Silver Star Ornament features 12 points and is given a clear coat for shine. This 3-Dimensional ornament has an embossed design. Handmade in Oaxaca by Corazon Mágico.
SKU: TN-7_009$5.95 -
Red Star Ornament
SIZE: 3.5 inches wide
The Red Star Ornament has 10 points and is painted a shiny bright red. This 3-D Mexican tin star ornament is handmade by Tomás Santiago.
SKU: TN-7_014$5.95 -
Gold Star Ornament
Size: 3.5 inches in diameter
The Gold Star Ornament has 10 points and is painted a shiny gold. Handcrafted of tin in Oaxaca, Mexico. Bring some handmade Mexican shine to your holiday home decorations.
SKU: TN-7_021$5.95 -
Yellow 12 Point Star Ornament
Size: 6 inches in diameter
The yellow 12 point star is bright and shiny. It glistens on a Christmas tree. Mexican tin star ornament, handmade in Oaxaca by Artesanias Garcia.
SKU: TN-7_026$6.75
Star Ornaments
The Radiance of Tin Art
Tinwork is one of Mexico's oldest crafts. Rooted in Spanish colonial times, tinplate workers manufactured it by dipping thin sheets of iron into molten tin. This coats the iron with a bright, durable surface that is resistant to rusting. Our tin figures are entirely handmade (cutout, punched, embossed and soldered) by craftsmen using great precision and artistic flair. Painted with bright, durable lacquer and enamel colors, tin figures are inexpensive, lightweight and long lasting. In modern Mexico, the two centers of tin smithing are Oaxaca and San Miguel de Allende, and we carry products from both cities.

Your Title Goes Here
Your content goes here. Edit or remove this text inline or in the module Content settings. You can also style every aspect of this content in the module Design settings and even apply custom CSS to this text in the module Advanced settings.
Read More
In this section of our Mexican tin art collection, we offer 3-dimensional (not flat) stars of many colors and small, mirrored ornaments you can hang on a Christmas tree or on or brighten up your wreath on the door. Note that you can remove the mirrors and replace them with a small photo in the tin frame. Instead of looking in at yourself, you could be looking at a picture of your child or pet.
Please take the time to browse our other tin products, including tin animal figures, Christmas designs, Day of the Dead skeleton figures, nicho frames and tin refrigerator magnets. Follow links on the drop-down menu under the headline “Tin Art.”
The age of tinwork in Mexico goes back at least to the 1700s. Tin was originally manufactured by dipping thin sheets of iron into molten tin to coat them with a bright surface that was durable and highly resistant to rusting. (However, if the surface is scratched, revealing the iron underneath, it will begin to rust if exposed to rain or high humidity.) For an artisan, the appeal of working with tin is its lightness, strength and low cost. It is easily bent, cut and soldered to form intricate shapes.
In eras gone by, Mexicans decorated their homes with tin photo frames, candelabras, lanterns, tin and glass frames (nichos) holding pictures of saints. In humble churches, tin crowns were set on the heads of statues, lit tin lanterns were carried during processions, tin candlesticks adorn the altars.
Tinwork is often referred as the poor man’s silver. In Mexico, every religious and festive object handcrafted in silver has a counterpart in humbler forms made from tinplate. Yet the same degree of skill and passion the silversmiths put into their work could be found in the less opulent pieces made by tinsmiths. Their pieces, too had an alluring shine, that charming brilliance.
These days, tinsmiths in Oaxaca and San Miguel de Allende are carrying on the traditions, making Christmas decorations, tin soldiers, heart-shaped wall plaques and a variety of clever toys. Most of their work is for export to the southern United States, where tinwork is one of the most visible manifestations of Mexican Culture. Most popular with American collectors are the cheerful, flat ornaments, of which we have many here at Viva Oaxaca Folk Art. Take a look and enjoy.
Showing all 10 results
-
Multicolored Star Ornament
Size: 4 inches diameter
The Multicolored Star Ornament has 10 Points. Bright and shiny with an embossed design, this tin ornament is handmade in Oaxaca by Artesanias Garcia. Note that hand-painted, color combinations may vary from photos.
SKU: TN-7_004$5.95 -
16 Point Yellow Star Ornament
Size: 6 inches diameter
The 16 Point Yellow Star Ornament is painted a bright, shiny yellow. This 3 dimensional ornament is made of embossed tin. Handmade in Oaxaca by Artesanias Garcia.
SKU: TN-7_006$7.95 -
12 Point Red Star Ornament
Size: 6 inches diameter
The 12 Point Red Star Ornament is painted a shiny bright red. This 3-dimensional design is made of embossed tin. Handmade in Oaxaca by Artesanias Garcia.
SKU: TN-7_007$6.75 -
Pink Star Ornament
Size: 4 inches in diameter
The Pink Star Ornament has10-Points and is painted a bright, shiny pink. This 3 dimensional tin ornament is handmade in Oaxaca by Artesanias Garcia.
SKU: TN-7_003$5.95 -
12 Point Gold Star Ornament
SIZE: 4 inch diameter
The 12 Point Gold Star Ornament is painted a shiny bright gold. This 3 dimensional ornament is handmade in Oaxaca by Corazon Magico.
SKU: TN-7_010$6.75 -
Blue Star Ornament
SIZE: 3.5-inch diameter
The Blue Star Ornament has 10 star points and is painted a shiny bright blue. This 3 dimensional tin ornament is handmade in Oaxaca by Tomás Santiago.
SKU: TN-7_008$5.95 -
Silver Star Ornament
Size: 4 inches in diameter
The Silver Star Ornament features 12 points and is given a clear coat for shine. This 3-Dimensional ornament has an embossed design. Handmade in Oaxaca by Corazon Mágico.
SKU: TN-7_009$5.95 -
Red Star Ornament
SIZE: 3.5 inches wide
The Red Star Ornament has 10 points and is painted a shiny bright red. This 3-D Mexican tin star ornament is handmade by Tomás Santiago.
SKU: TN-7_014$5.95 -
Gold Star Ornament
Size: 3.5 inches in diameter
The Gold Star Ornament has 10 points and is painted a shiny gold. Handcrafted of tin in Oaxaca, Mexico. Bring some handmade Mexican shine to your holiday home decorations.
SKU: TN-7_021$5.95 -
Yellow 12 Point Star Ornament
Size: 6 inches in diameter
The yellow 12 point star is bright and shiny. It glistens on a Christmas tree. Mexican tin star ornament, handmade in Oaxaca by Artesanias Garcia.
SKU: TN-7_026$6.75