Things You'll Need:
- Scissors
- Decoupage medium
- Styrofoam balls, 3 inch diameter or larger
- Ribbon, 1/4 inch wide
- Paper, colorful and lightweight
- Small paint brush
- Wooden chopsticks or dowels of similar size
- Dowel holder
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Step 1
Prepare your dowel holder and place it to one side. I usually use a jar filled with rice but you can use a flat piece of Styrofoam or a shallow cardboard box with holes poked in the top--anything that will hold your sticks upright while the glue dries. Insert a stick straight into the Styrofoam ball far enough that you have a good handle to work with, but without breaking through the other side of the ball. Cover the entire ball with a coat of decoupage medium and allow to dry completely. This will smooth the surface of the ball a bit and give your paper a stable surface to cling to later on.
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Step 2
Cut out the paper pieces that you plan to use, making sure that each piece is large enough to work with but not so large that it creases when placed on the round surface of the ball. Individual flowers, cats or doll faces all work well and are in tune with the designs of the era. Victorian themed wrapping paper is a great source of material for this, and the thickness of the paper is perfect.
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Step 3
Spread decoupage on half of the ball. Place your first piece and paint a thin layer of decoupage over it, making sure that the edges are stuck smoothly to the ball. Place your next piece to slightly overlap the edge of the first piece and cover with decoupage. Repeat this process until you have covered the entire ball with no white Styrofoam spots showing through. Allow to dry completely.
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Step 4
Apply at least three more layers of decoupage to the entire ball, allowing each layer to dry before adding the next. This will act as a shiny top coat, giving your ornament a finished look and adding durability along the way.
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Step 5
Cut your ribbon to 8 inch lengths, one for each ornament. Carefully remove the stick from the ornament and fill the hole with decoupage. Fold the ribbon so the two loose ends are together and gently press the ends deep into the hole. You may want a safety pin or straight pin to help get the ribbon in far enough to be secure. Allow the decoupage to dry completely, then hang the ornament and prepare to receive compliments... It's beautiful!
