How to Make Glass Ornaments

Glass ornaments can be made by adding paint inside or outside a clear ball ornament.

Glass ornaments make wonderful holiday gifts for the home crafter or for a school classroom project. Because of the affordability of clear glass ball ornaments, it’s possible to make several ornaments very inexpensively. Due to the transparent nature of the glass, any color paint can be used to create glass ornaments for any season or event. Don’t limit yourself to Christmas ornaments. Glass ornaments can be used as wedding and party decorations too. Glass ball ornaments can be purchased at craft and holiday stores as single units or in multi-packs.

Things You'll Need

• Clear glass ball ornament: 3 ¼-inch diameter or larger
• Towel or newspaper
• Silver and gold acrylic paint
• Plastic medicine cup or eyedropper
• Iridescent glitter
• Metallic gold or silver chiffon ribbon: 1-inch width by 8-inches length

Instructions

1. Cover your work area with an old towel or sheets of newspaper. Place the glass ball ornament on top of the covered surface.

2. 

   Glass ornaments make great classroom projects for schools.

   Use your fingers to remove the ornament cap by grasping the cap at the top, or stem, of the ball ornament. Tug gently. The ornament cap will have a metal or plastic loop inside that holds the cap to the ornament by spring action. Some glass ball ornaments have twist off plastic caps. Set the cap aside in a safe place where it won’t be lost.

3. Pour about one ounce of gold paint into a plastic medicine cup, or eyedropper. Pour or drop the paint into the glass ornament through the opening at the top. Repeat for the silver paint.

4. 

   Swirl the paint inside of the glass ball ornament.

   Hold the ornament in your hand by grasping the opening. Be careful: sometimes the glass openings of ornaments are rough and jagged, and you can get cut. Swirl the paint inside of the glass ball ornament by gently rotating the ornament, turning side to side, until the paint begins to swirl together in a two-tone effect.

5. Sprinkle iridescent glitter through the glass ornament opening in the quantity you wish. Continue to swirl the paint and glitter inside of the glass ornament.

6. Place the ornament in a safe, low-traffic area and allow to dry for about 24 hours.

7. 

   Tie a gold or silver bow around the ornament cap.

   Replace the ornament cap. Tie a metallic gold or silver chiffon ribbon around the top of the ornament cap, and tie into a bow.

Tips & Warnings

• Any two paint colors can be used to decorate the glass ornaments - just make sure they complement each other when mixed.

• According to Sunshine Crafts, “Other elegant effects can be created by filling clear glass ball ornaments with tinsel, feathers and other craft materials. Decorate the outside of your clear glass ball ornaments with any glass paint.”

• Use caution when crafting with glass ornaments. They are made of very thin glass and can shatter. Supervise children before and after creating their glass ornament. For very small children, clear ball ornaments are available in plastic for a safer alternative.

References

• Sunshine Crafts: Clear Glass Ornament Suggestions