Things You'll Need:
- A box of plain ornaments
- (read article before buying these or you'll spend too much.)
- Twist ties(The ones that come with trash bags are fine.)
- Newspaper to catch the mess
- Glue(any cheap brand will be fine.)
- Glitter- colors of your choice.
-
Step 1
First. Go to the dollar store for your ornaments. Better still is if you already have some plain ones in your boxes of holiday things. At all the dollar stores, you can find large and small, colored but otherwise plain, ornaments. For a dollar. You can't buy even the plain bulbs that cheaply anywhere else. While at the dollar store, pick up 2 sets of children's craft glitter. It usually comes with six or seven colors, in small, 3 inch vials with shaker lids. I say get two in case you run out of a color you like but I personally did 4 dozen ornaments with one full set. You can also get the glue and box of garbage bags if need twist ties.
You bought 2 packs of glitter, 1 bottle of glue, a box trash bags, and one box of ornaments. You spent less than $10.00 and have enough of everything except ornaments, to do at least 4 dozen more if you like the first batch. Spend another 4 bucks and you can do 5 dozen ornaments for $15.00 and a lot more if you bought the small ornaments that will take less glitter. -
Step 2
Make your Christmas ornament
Lay out newspaper on a dry, flat surface and get out your supplies. Attach a twist tie to your first ornament. You'll hold it buy this while you work to keep from smearing your design.
At this point, some people draw a design. I just go with it. Do what fits you. I recommend three simple circles spaced evenly, the middle line to be one color, the top and bottom to be the same. So, it would be a circle of red, one of blue, and then another of red.
For more creative people, there are stencils(also found at the dollar store) but easy stars and waving lines look better than you'd think. -
Step 3
Glue & Glitter
Get the glue flowing in a small, thin stream and trace your first line or design. Do one at a time or when you add the glitter, it will all be the same color.
Gently shake glitter over glue line, covering almost completely. Heavy is okay. When done, lightly tap ornament on newspaper to remove excess glitter. Hang ornament from somewhere that it touches nothing, a door frame works great, and let sit while you fold the newspaper in half and slide excess glitter back into vial. Remember to do this after each time or you won't be able to keep reusing, which saves glitter and therefore, money. -
Step 4
Once glitter is stored, lay newspaper back out, retrieve ornament and continue decorating. Rehang when finished and start the next ornament by attaching a twist tie and following steps two and three.
Now you have nice Christmas tree decorations that you can say are handmade and for those more adventurous souls, try beading your ornaments instead of using glitter. It's the same process but beads, sequins, and other things are used in place of glitter. Many dollar stores also carry a version of this product.
Comments
lynsuz12 said
on 11/13/2009 Very crafty. 5*
franeah said
on 11/13/2009 Great Idea! I love making homemade Christmas bulbs! 5* and a rec