peacock feathers inside clear glass ornaments

25 ideas for decorating clear glass ornaments

I keep seeing all these great ideas for decorating and/or filling clear glass ornaments (on Pinterest, of course!), so I decided to compile a big list of all my favorites. Just click on the picture to take you to the tutorial by the original creator.

This is so rustic, and I love the tiny little pine cones:

pine branches and pinecones inside clear glass bulb

 Here’s a simpler version, but equally gorgeous (I think this might be a spring of rosemary):

pine needles inside glass ball ornament

And since I’m on a rustic theme, isn’t this cute? A little bit of holly, faux snow, and some tiny wooden blocks, and you’ve got yet another variation:

holly and letter blocks inside clear glass ornament

An ornament filled with pearls… very elegant.

clear glass ornament filled with pearls

You could even fill an ornament with cheap dollar store beaded necklaces!

clear glass ornament filled with bead necklaces

Or mini gift bows! So cute.

gift bows in clear glass ornaments

I think this is my favorite idea of all… put your kid’s Christmas list inside an ornament and you’ve got a keepsake forever. How awesome will that be years from now?

kids christmas list inside glass ornament

Here’s a couple of different ideas for using fake snow. This one is simply a paper tree cut out, glittered, and surrounded by snow:

paper tree with snow in clear glass ornament

A tiny bottle brush tree sitting in snow:.

bottle brush tree in clear glass ornament

A snow filled ornament, with a simple piece of ribbon wrapped around the outside:

grosgrain ribbon around clear ornament filled with faux snow

These are adorable. Just some snow, easy painted face, and a baby sock for a hat:

clear glass snowman ornaments

I hope you can stand all this cuteness, ’cause here’s another one. A melted snowman inside the ornament. Oh. Em. Goodness….

melted snowman in clear glass ornament

How about rolling up a bunch of strips of paper? (or ribbon…?)

scrap paper filled ornament

Solid red paper strips made into a Santa belly ornament:

santa belly Christmas ornaments

I have seen paper strips cut from books inside glass ornaments before, but this is different; the book pages are punched into snowflake shapes:

book page confetti inside clear glass ornament

I would have never thought rolls of yarn and rope would look so great in an ornament:

yarn and rope filled ornaments

How about filling an ornament with jingle bells? So festive.

jingle bell filled clear glass ornament

I also found a few ideas for great wedding keepsakes. This one is filled with dried petals from a bridal bouquet:

wedding bouquet petals inside clear glass ornament

And this one is filled with strips cut out from a wedding invitation (This would be a FABULOUS gift idea for the newlyweds!):

(I found this picture on Pinterest but the link was broken, and unfortunately, I couldn’t find where it came from…)

wedding invitation inside clear ornament

Prepare to be wowed. Peacock feathers inside glass ornaments, and hung in a cluster together. Simply STUNNING.

peacock feathers inside clear glass ornaments

And here are a couple of ornaments I’ve come up with in the past:

Seashells and sand inside an ornament makes a great vacation keepsake:

seashell and sand in clear glass ornament

Fill an ornament with holly berries:

holly berries in clear glass ornament

Or if you’re a Barbie fanatic like me, fill an ornament with Barbie shoes!

barbie shoes inside clear glass ornament

Filled with popcorn:

clear glass ornament filled with popcorn

Or, coat the inside of the ornaments with glitter:

glitter inside clear glass ornaments

Have you ever crafted with clear glass ornaments? I’d love to hear the ideas you’ve come up with!

167 Comments

  1. Bronson Tyler on December 11, 2012 at 12:52 am

    Wow, Those are amazing! I think my favorite is the Santa Clause one.

    • ornamentgirl on December 11, 2012 at 1:39 am

      I love it too! It’s so clever. :)

    • gail on November 15, 2013 at 12:11 am

      great ideas !!

  2. mary emigh on December 12, 2012 at 3:00 am

    I love Christmas too!!! a new idea is always welcomed… very pretty,,,,

  3. Melissa W on December 12, 2012 at 5:05 am

    Great, gorgeous and cute ideas! Thanks for sharing :)
    Merry Christmas

    • ornamentgirl on December 17, 2012 at 10:13 pm

      Thanks, Melissa, and Merry Christmas to you, too!

  4. Susan M on December 16, 2012 at 2:17 am

    Wow! These are great! Thanks for sharing them. I wish I’d found your site before the holidays got so busy.

  5. Peggy on December 17, 2012 at 5:34 am

    These are all really very cute and clever! All the ones I made are on my tree, and I’m having
    withdrawals from not making any in about 4 days, yikes! I better get busy again. Yours are
    fabulous, keep sharing!!!

  6. Margie stephenson on December 17, 2012 at 7:45 am

    Please tell me how to get the fake snow into the ball! This is impossible!!!

    • ornamentgirl on December 17, 2012 at 10:09 pm

      Margie, I’m sorry you are having trouble. I used a small funnel and only put a little bit of the snow in at a time, and used my finger to push it through. It did take a few minutes for me to do it that way.

      Someone else left a comment saying that they used a stick to push it through. So, maybe a toothpick would really help, to kind of push and swirl around the bottom of the funnel to get all the snow through.

      I hope this helps you!

      • kelly smith on October 16, 2013 at 8:18 am

        I found a very easy way….I bought a can of spray glue, spritzed a bunch inside then quickly poured whatever desired then shake it around, worst case if its spotty just use a Q-tip to add a bit of glue then glitter again, I actually only used white fluff like that beautiful white glitter, sugar, salt….so I just poured a cpl cups of whatever in a large bowl and a little measuring spoon to pour it in, this way you can pour it in, shake excess out. You can also add dry kool-aid to sugar/salt for smthn bright & MUCH easier to sweep up unlike glitter!

        • Anonymous on November 29, 2013 at 3:33 am

          you can use hairspray too, simple

  7. Susan on December 17, 2012 at 9:17 am

    Since discovering your blog, I’ve decided that my daughter and I will make a Christmas ornament a month with her friends.

    • ornamentgirl on December 17, 2012 at 10:10 pm

      I am so glad to hear that! That sounds like a lot of fun, and you will have lots of new ornaments for the tree next year. Have fun! :)

  8. LindaG on December 17, 2012 at 11:33 pm

    I absolutely loved every one of these. Thank-you so much for compiling all these refreshingly creative ideas. I made the sand beach ornament, using crushed sea glass sand from Glass Beach in Hawaii, white-washed some shells and tossed in a Barbie flip-flop for good measure. I stiffened some ribbon and made a sweet bow. Voila – beautiful!! Happy Holidays to all-

  9. Amber on December 19, 2012 at 10:41 am

    I have been making mod podged ornaments this year. Mix mod podge and paint… Let dry in a sheet and you can peel it like a sticker and cut it into shapes. I swirled different colors and its different and beautiful

  10. Mary on December 20, 2012 at 7:17 am

    The Barbie shoe ornament is the best! I need to go in the attic and get all my old barbie shoes so that I can smile and think of my childhood every year that I put that ornament on the tree. Thanks for sharing.

  11. Heather Boone on December 22, 2012 at 10:40 pm

    Great ideas! I have a couple sets I created this year and then also gave individual ones for gifts. Check out my blog to see them!!

    ~Heather Boone

  12. Emily on December 25, 2012 at 6:59 am

    Wonderful ideas! We also did a (messy!) kids’ craft — we cut out squares of white tulle fabric (maybe 5×5″ or 6×6″?), sprinkled various colors & shapes of sequins & metallic confetti (snowfakes, stars, circles) on a square of tulle, then crumpled it up and stuffed it inside a clear plastic ornament where it expanded again. All of the supplies we got at Michaels. I thought we might use beads, but the confetti is good because it kind of catches in the tulle and anchors in place. It gives a soft snowy effect.

    The confetti made a big mess, but the kids had fun scooping up handfuls and dropping it on the tulle. :-) You could actually glue the sequins & confetti onto the tulle, for more accurate placement and less mess. And any colour of tulle would work, but the white tulle looks like snow so it’s pretty. Our Dollarama store had translucent sort of taffeta in various metallics, which I’m sure would also look very nice stuffed in there.

    We also did another craft with the kids where we cut out squares of cotton/poly tartan fabric with pinking shears, and let them crumple up that fabric and stuff it into the plastic ornaments. The fabric expands nicely. I imagine you could use any fabric that would look nice on both sides. Or you could glue together two pieces with the reverse sides facing in (like velvet), and crumple & stuff that.

    And, I have 2 ornaments from the 1980s where metallic paper was artfully crumpled and stuffed inside glass globes. One is red and one is green. Obviously they didn’t crumple it into a tight ball; I’m thinking they used a chopstick or plastic spoon end and just shoved it in through the small hole bit by bit, leaving some areas still fairly flat. It pretty much fills the ball. I wonder if origami paper would work for that, too. Or, shredding the origami paper into strips like that example with the wedding invitation.

    Merry Christmas!

  13. Andrea on December 25, 2012 at 7:30 am

    The sand and shells ornament made me think how awesome it would be to keep small mementos from a vacation or special day, write the date and details on the ornament and fill with the collected items. Then you have a tree filled with memories

    • Jackie on March 9, 2014 at 5:46 am

      When you put the ornament away how do you keep it from getting messed up like the seashells getting mixed in the sand, so it looks the same when you use it again

  14. Laura Albano on April 6, 2013 at 8:59 am

    I am trying to buy glass tear drop shaped ornaments to fill with paint. Cannot find a web site that sells them. Have any suggestions?

    • Shari Sinclair on May 21, 2013 at 8:12 am

      Hi Laura – I bought some at Hobby Lobby today. They are in the “craft” department. I was told they carry them year around. I was shocked to find them today. Good luck in your quest to locate them. Shari

      • ornamentgirl on May 22, 2013 at 9:25 pm

        Thanks for letting us know, Shari! (Hobby Lobby is so awesome :D)

  15. Shari Sinclair on May 21, 2013 at 8:10 am

    Love this idea! Can hardly wait to make them. Thanks, Shari

  16. Marissa M on June 25, 2013 at 11:26 am

    Hey, these are some great ideas. I loved the Snowmen one, I have three glass ornaments left and these are great ideas. I have decorated with some clear ones before and here’s an idea. I put my graduation tassel inside,the year number and all and used the string that holds it to the graduation cap as the hanger for the tree. I wouldn’t advise using a small ornament. I had to find one that had an opening diameter more than a centimeter so yeah. But that’s what I used.

    • ornamentgirl on September 16, 2013 at 11:09 am

      That’s an awesome idea!

    • Anonymous on November 15, 2013 at 6:15 am

      What a great idea!!

  17. Amy on August 18, 2013 at 9:54 am

    have you ever tried to cut it open? i was wondering if there’s a way to cut a hole into the ornament (i want to stack them by nestling them one on top another). thanks!

    • ornamentgirl on September 16, 2013 at 11:08 am

      Amy, I’ve never tried to cut them. They are pretty brittle. But, they do make acrylic ones, that open up in right the middle. Maybe those would work better..?

  18. Arlene Poma on September 16, 2013 at 3:54 am

    I was lucky enough to find your website. Just in time for the holidays! Thank you for being so generous with your ideas.

    • ornamentgirl on September 16, 2013 at 11:09 am

      Thanks for being here, Arlene! :)

  19. Rachel on September 20, 2013 at 12:57 am

    With all the pretty ornaments that you make, I bet your tree is gorgeous! I would love it if you posted a picture of your Christmas tree on your site!

  20. Stephanie on September 20, 2013 at 9:21 am

    I’ve used clear ornaments to save flower petals from any significant occasion with my husband. We’ve also made one with the champagne cork, a piece of lace from my dress and other little fragments of our wedding day. We also have one filled with petals from his father’s funeral and a ribbon with his name tied around it. Each one is a little memory to hang up each year. :)

    • ornamentgirl on September 21, 2013 at 10:30 pm

      I love those ideas, Stephanie, especially the wedding mementos idea!

      • Anonymous on December 4, 2013 at 7:33 am

        Great idea!!! Wasnt sure what to do with flowers from my daughters wedding. Now i cant wait to make them!!!!

  21. Tonya on September 22, 2013 at 3:31 am

    Very very cute ideas! Thanks for taking the time sharing!

  22. Debbie on September 25, 2013 at 11:06 pm

    Staci,
    where do you purchase pine cones small enough to put inside a glass ornament? Most “mini” cones I find are still too large to push into the opening.

    LOVE your stuff and enjoy your email updates :)

    Debbie

    • Suzette on November 26, 2013 at 3:52 am

      I have found mini pinecones in potpourri at Real Deals Dollar store

  23. Patricia Langenegger on October 6, 2013 at 4:07 am

    A couple of years ago, I made a bunch of the plastic ornaments with popcorn in them. It was the biggest hit with my nieces and nephews. My niece, who is a medical doctor, wrote me and told me how much her friends liked the ornament. They are so easy and mess free to make.

  24. Debbie on October 7, 2013 at 5:28 am

    Hi, We just finished making 8 dozen glitter ornaments for all of my moms great- grandchildren and had a blast! I do have some advice for mess and a fun thing at the end tho. We worked over water boxes to keep the glitter off of the furniture. We also put the polish in a small bottle that we could refill and pour excess back into. But the fun thing at the end was that we combined all the glitter( we were a little messy on purpose) and wound up with the most beautiful ornaments possible. While we have been working on these anyone coming here has loved these ornaments, but I’m keeping this last 6 for myself!! Thank you for these, I would have never come up with something so easy and beautiful on my own!

  25. Janice on November 14, 2013 at 11:28 am

    I am looking for craft project. Its a clear ball with white feather inside with I think snow and attach tag that said something about angels. I want to do this for our church, to put in their goods bags that I make.

  26. Lizzie Saito on November 15, 2013 at 7:29 am

    Thank you for sharing these awesome glass bauble DIY decorations! I super love the glass bauble with popcorn! It will definitely work on my White-Blue-Silver Christmas theme and will work with my collection of hand blown Christmas glass ornaments!

  27. Laura on November 15, 2013 at 1:05 pm

    LOVE all these!!!

  28. Linda on November 22, 2013 at 5:49 am

    I filled them with dry hot chocolate mix, then candies and topped with mini marshmallows. Added a xmas bow on top…..great gift

  29. Athena on November 24, 2013 at 10:37 pm

    I love the ornament with the Barbie shoes. I am making ornaments this year with my son, who is a LEGO fanatic! We put a bunch of the smaller LEGOs in and the look really cool.
    Thanks for all the wonderful ideas!

  30. Vicki Richardson on November 26, 2013 at 10:56 am

    Hi:
    I loved you finds so much! I did glass ornaments for my girls last years, one I sliced up her wedding invitations and put inside. I made sure that the date and part of their picture was esp on the outside to be seen by all. The other was the same idea but with the baby’s announcement. It made for the perfect 1st Christmas ornament. It’s something they can pull out each year and remember the event but also when I’m gone they can tell the kids that I made that especially for them.

    • ornamentgirl on December 1, 2013 at 9:12 pm

      That’s an awesome idea, Vicki!

    • Anonymous on December 4, 2013 at 7:35 am

      Loveit!!!

  31. Amber on November 30, 2013 at 9:34 am

    My kids and I used permanent marker to write their names on one side and the year on the other. Then we put a later of fake snow and added some glitter and sequins. Shake it up and the snow stays on bottom and the sequins and glitter lightly coat the sides. They’re so proud if their custom ornaments. I wanted to put tinny beads with the first letter of each of their names and some tint Santa hats or something, but couldn’t find them and the kids were too excited to wait. Lol

    • ornamentgirl on December 1, 2013 at 8:59 pm

      That’s an awesome idea, Amber.. thanks for sharing with us!

  32. Amanda on November 30, 2013 at 2:48 pm

    This is the best site ever I love the Santa it is so cute

  33. Katie on December 8, 2013 at 12:19 am

    Wonderful ideas!

  34. Vanessa on December 10, 2013 at 3:57 am

    These ideas are adorable

  35. Christmas DIY Crafts | Who'd Have Thought? on December 10, 2013 at 4:04 am

    […] {Image sources: Christmas tree from Homedit, succulent wreath from Pinterest, book rosette ornament from Bored Panda and glass bauble from The Ornament Girl} […]

  36. carrie on December 10, 2013 at 5:48 am

    Fill with sequins or loose glitter! And I love these ones (about to make my own!):
    http://www.notonthehighstreet.com/theletteroom/product/personalised-dymo-tape-sequin-snow-bauble

  37. Carla on December 12, 2013 at 5:09 am

    OMG what awesome ideas! I need to add this to my project list to create for next year. I don’t think I’ll succeed this year before Christmas.

  38. Cathy on December 13, 2013 at 2:18 am

    some pretty, how do you get some of the items in the bulbs.?

    • Anonymous on December 13, 2013 at 2:18 am

      meant to say so pretty

  39. Rayann on December 14, 2013 at 5:09 pm

    My cousin and I work at a store together. We’re making each of our co-workers an ornament. We’re cutting out little gingerbread people and painting a uniform shirt and name tag on each one and sticking them in the ornaments. We’re going to use snow and glitter and things to make each one unique. Each person will have their own special ornament with a gingerbread man dressed like him/her inside.

  40. terri on December 16, 2013 at 5:58 am

    Thanks I just found these. So cute.

  41. […] A clear glass ornament filled with beads and a ribbon tied on […]

  42. Anonymous on December 18, 2013 at 5:09 am

    i love barbi e one

  43. Anonymous on December 18, 2013 at 11:09 pm

    I used pictures of each person that will be coming for Christmas, along with sequins, charms, and ribbon, music sheet cut into strips, things to reflect their talents. We lost a Great Great Grandmother this year and I made ornaments of her with her picture and some of her favorite things by adding charms, a strand of pearls and snow. I hope they like them…

    • Trenace Stark on December 20, 2013 at 5:21 am

      I put potpourri inside then used tiny bead strands maribou feathers tiny satin roses and ribbon bows the more you do the more beautiful. I called them Victorian. Sold them at a craft booth for $8.00 -$15.00

  44. […] ornaments instead of cookies: this can be fun for everyone, just get creative with these great ideas. By time you’re done not only will you have new ornaments to gift or keep but you will have […]

  45. Eleanor on December 22, 2013 at 7:28 am

    Hi this site is wonderfull !!!!!!

  46. Dee on March 21, 2014 at 7:51 pm

    Hi..who carries plastic ornaments before holiday season…glass at Hobby Lobby but prefer the plastic. Thanks, your ornaments are a wonderful inspiration for December to hurry & get here!

  47. cyndi on April 1, 2014 at 9:36 pm

    Hi there
    I Al madly looking for instructions on how to decorate onto glass. Eg. . Wine glasses, vases, Clear plates etc..
    I also need to know and find the right supplies for doing so…eg, do you use stencils or can you get stickers, is paint better… I don’t know where to start and I have been searching for hours on the net getting no where except angry. I love your designs but am needing different.
    Cheers

  48. Nancy Hybbert on April 28, 2014 at 10:36 pm

    Could you please help me. I have some empty clear bulbs that look like the clear old fashion shaped bulbs and I want to put something in them and attach a note of some kind telling my Title Assistants how great they were this past year at school. I can’t think of what I could put in them and what to say. Please help me.

  49. Anonymous on July 16, 2014 at 10:43 am

    I made favors for my daughter’s bridal shower, which was held a week before Christmas. I purchased clear Christmas balls and filled them with shredded red and green paper and added a bow with the color of our gowns (hunter green) they were easy to do and everyone loved them because they were different and something they could actually use.

    Gloria Fraticelli

  50. Susan Allen on August 24, 2014 at 5:20 am

    Being a quilter, I always have left over fabrics, so I cut Halloween fabrics, black tulle, and white tulle into irregular shapes and stuff the ornaments (the tulle helps fill the ball quicker) and I do the same for Christmas, Hanukkah, Easter, and the 4th of July. Depending on the time of year I also include a baggie of fabrics for the next holiday. I.E. Halloween ornaments have a baggie of Christmas fabrics.

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