How to Make a Christmas Ornament from a Lightbulb

Lightbulbs can be recycled to make colorful, fun Christmas ornaments. Using materials most people probably already have at home, these Christmas ornaments can be finished any number of ways. Hopefully, the two ideas shown to make a Christmas ornament out of a lightbulb will inspire you to design an ornament to suit your individual style.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Used lightbulbs
• White glue
• Foam brush
• Small bowl
• Assorted sequins
• Dusting glitter
• Wax paper
• Ice cream cone
• Clear polycrylic spray
• Hot glue gun
• 34" green florist wire
• Green florist tape
• Red ribbon 24"
• Red & green felt scraps
• Yellow embroidery thread & needle
• Scissors

1. 

   Gather together materials listed to make a Christmas ornament out of a lightbulb. Look at home for stashed supplies before purchasing new materials.

2. 

   Squeeze a small amount of standard white glue into a bowl and mix with a little hot water to thin. Add more glue if consistency is not workable.
   
   Set lightbulb upside down on top of a juice glass. Use foam brush to apply a thin coating of glue from where the bulb's surface begins to approximately halfway down the lightbulb. Use wet index finger to pick up assorted sequins and adhere curved side up on glued surface.

3. 

   Complete all areas of lightbulb's narrow portion before flipping lightbulb right side up to set on juice glass. Repeat gluing and applying sequins until entire lightbulb is covered. Let dry well.
   
   Flip lightbulb upside down again and apply final coating of glue on top of sequined surface, in same order as above. Dust wet glue with sparkling glitter shaker. Let dry.
   
   Finish top of lightbulb Christmas ornament with the application of glue and a dusting of the sparkling glitter. Finish drying.

4. 
   Lightbulb Christmas ornament.

   Wind green florist tape around the stem of bulb until this surface is covered. Cut a 24 inch length of red ribbon. Fold in half.
   
   Go down two inches from fold and tie ribbon together in a knot at the two inch point, creating a small loop. String a jingle bell through one of the ribbon sides. Bring both sides of ribbon together and tie in a knot directly under the jingle bell.
   
   Wrap remaining ends of ribbon around stem of lightbulb Christmas ornament overlapping twice. Tie in a decorative bow in front. Apply a dab of hot glue directly behind the jingle bell to glue it to the lightbulb stem. Hang this Christmas ornament made from a lightbulb from the Christmas tree or attach to a gift as an extra present.

5. 

   Make another Christmas ornament from a lightbulb by using an ice cream cone to serve as the ornament's support. Spray the outside of the cone lightly with a clear polycrylic spray. Let dry.
   
   Bring ice cream cone inside and using a chopstick or something similar, gently break down the raised grid inside the bottom of the ice cream cone. Set cone aside.
   
   Apply glue to surface of lightbulb and dust wet surface with the glitter, creating a frosted snow covered bulb. Dab a bead of hot glue on stem of lightbulb and secure in place in ice cream cone.

6. 

   Cut out freehand two green felt ivy leaf shapes and three small holly berries from scraps of red felt. Attach together with yellow embroidery thread.
   
   Measure 34" length of green florist wire and cut. Fold in half. Continue down three inches from the fold mark and hold tightly with needle nose pliers. Twist wire tightly together down the entire length of wire, creating a loop for hanging.

7. 
   Lightbulb Christmas ornament.

   Bend twisted wire approximately 6 to 7 inches down from loop and wrap the remaining length of wire around the cone under the top lip. Hot glue felt ivy and holly berries to front of ice cream cone.

Tips & Warnings

• When dusting glitter over wet glue on lightbulb surface, do this process over a sheet of wax paper. When Christmas ornament is finished, bend wax paper in middle and make a trough to pour excess glitter back into shaker container.

[Magentaslb]

on 11/9/2009 How adorable! I'd seen similar crafts, but the ice cream cone one is new to me...very cute! 5*s

[ReuseItAll]

on 11/9/2009 By now you KNOW how I feel about reusing things!! This idea is awesome!! Every household runs through light bulbs each year, why not find a way to reuse them??? Excellent pictures and directions! I love this Christmas ornament idea!!!

[bossypants]

on 11/5/2009 In the past, I've only seen Santa head ornaments made from lightbulbs and I like yours much better! I love sequins and the ice cream cone is adorable, too! Good tip for using glitter. And, of course, dynamite photos!