Now that the Thanksgiving turkey is only a memory, want to hear something really scary? It’s only a few weeks until Christmas!
And if you put your holiday tree up early, the clock is ticking even faster, but there’s still time to make attractive, customized ornaments in just a few hours.
The glitter and glass ornaments featured in this week’s column take a minimum of time and materials to complete.
You’ll need some clear glass ornaments that can be filled, some decoupage medium, a brush or sponge and glitter.
Colored glass ornaments that can’t be filled are also an option, so keep that in mind as you read through the instructions.
You can find clear glass ornaments at craft stores for about $5 for a dozen 2-inch balls or four 4-inch balls, but prices and availability will undoubtedly fluctuate wildly during the holiday season, for better or for worse.
To make our samples, buy a tinsel garland in gold, silver or any color you choose, and cut smallish lengths from the whole to insert into the empty ornaments.
Remove the cap and hanger from the ornament by pinching the hanger together and gently pulling it out of the ball.
Insert the tinsel carefully into the ornament, shaking it occasionally to distribute the garland evenly inside.
Replace the cap and hanger, and pinch the cap securely around the ornament opening.
With a brush or sponge, spread a layer of decoupage medium on the ornament.
We chose to go only a little less than halfway down the ball, so that the tinsel inside would show. You can also brush the decoupage medium onto the ornament in swirls, dots or other designs of your choice.
Immediately sprinkle some powder glitter on the ornament, shake off the excess, and put it in a safe place to dry completely.
That’s all there is to making the ornaments, but here are a few words about the glitter:
For the best results, use powdery, crystal-type glitter in pastel colors. The old-time chunky glitter is still available, but the finished product will be much more pleasing with the lighter powder glitter.
It may be hard to tell in the photograph, but these powdery glitters come in very subtle tints. We used lavender, pink, blue and green pastels for our samples, and the results – in person – are quite stunning.
We also used some solid red and gold powders, but even with the powdery effect, the colors were a bit too “dominant” for our taste.
It’s a completely personal thing, though, so glitter as you wish.
Keep in mind when buying glitter, though well worth the price, the powdery types are a bit more expensive. We bought containers (see photo in “What You’ll Need) of several colors for $6 to $8 per container, as opposed to old-fashioned glitter – big containers! – for $1.99.
But whatever your glitter of choice, be sure to do your glittering over a piece of newspaper or other foldable surface so that you can preserve the excess for future use.
And have a small funnel handy to make transferring the glitter from paper to container easier.
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