glitter christmas ornament craft

decorate a plain Christmas ornament with glitter

I bought this book about a year ago:

hot air balloon ornament from bhg christmas ornaments to make book

…and after all this time, I finally got around to trying out one of the ornament ideas in it. Actually, it was the ornament on the cover that I was dying to try, because the picture was just too pretty to resist. Isn’t it gorgeous?

(Here’s the link to the book on Amazon, by the way… it’s cheap, and it’s a beautiful book. There are a BUNCH of super pretty ornament ideas in it: Christmas Ornaments to Make: 101 Sparkling Holiday Trims by Better Homes & Gardens)

Unfortunately, I didn’t have a gold ornament, so I didn’t make mine in the same color scheme (though I found a site that has every possible color and size of glass ornaments, for future reference, right HERE). I like how mine came out, but I still love the one on the cover of the book more, and I definitely still want to try one just like it.

Also, my ornament was smaller… I think a bigger size would definitely be better.

I think it took me so long to try making this ornament because it looked kinda… not really so easy. But actually, it wasn’t nearly as intimidating or messy as I thought it would be. Mine just didn’t come out as pretty, but I am planning to try it again, in the colors from the book (I’ll update this site when I do it).

All it took to make it was:

  • a glass ball ornament
  • a few colors of glitter
  • glue (the book said “thick white craft glue.” I actually used 2 different glues, glitter glue in a fine tipped bottle for drawing my lines, and then I just used plain ol’ Mod Podge for everything else, and it worked great.)
  • seed beads
  • a small flat paintbrush, and another super fine bristled paint brush.
  • pencil

glitter christmas ornament craft supplies

The instructions said to draw little dots with a pencil around the neck of the ornament to make guides to go by when adding the  glue lines. I used the little dots on the ornament cap to help me keep them all even:

draw guides on ornament with pencil

Then I used the fine tipped glue bottle to draw lines about 2″ down the ball. I think this was a little easier for me than trying to paint them on with a paintbrush (even though I got them a little gloppy).

(By the way, if you mess up, it’s better to just leave it than to try and wipe it off. I ruined an ornament thinking I could just wipe the glue off and start over. The glue eats right through the coating on the ornament.)

draw lines on glass ornament with glue

Then you just connect the bottoms of each line with a little “V”. Jeez, I was getting this thing REALLY gloppy, wasn’t I? Maybe I should have used a paintbrush after all. Or not drank a Corona while I was doing this.

glue on glass christmas ornament ball

After this, the book says to continue drawing diamonds to cover the rest of the ornament. I lost my nerve though, so I decided to quit while I was (kinda) ahead and sprinkle the lines I already had with glitter. The gloppiness looked way better once the glitter was covering it. (So did the Corona):

sprinkle glitter on glue lines

After this has dried for awhile, you can just use a really fine bristled brush to sweep away the excess glitter:

brush excess glitter from ornament

Use the flat paint brush to cover the inside of one of the sections with a layer of glue (this is where I used Mod Podge, and it worked great). The book says to do one section at a time, but I cheated a little and did all the sections that I knew were going to be in my first color of glitter.

paint glue on glass christmas ball

And then cover that with glitter:

paint glue on glass christmas ball

The good thing about using Mod Podge is that it dries SO fast.  I didn’t have to wait too long (which is great, because I’m impatient) in between each section:

paint glue on ornament

At this point, it started looking really pretty, and I regretted not doing the rest of the diamonds around the bottom of the ornament. I will do it next time though. :)

glitter christmas ornament craft

Then, after all the glitter is dry, just glue on a bead at the bottom of each “V” (or you could do sequins or something else!):

glue beads to ornament

And done!

glitter christmas ornament

I’m going to try out a few more of the ideas in the book… I will post them when I’m done. :) (Here’s the link to it again: Christmas Ornaments to Make: 101 Sparkling Holiday Trims by Better Homes & Gardens)

 

10 Comments

  1. Susan on March 4, 2013 at 11:10 am

    I think I have that book somewhere….and it’s a lovely ornament….I prefer Budlight Lime to Corona ;)

    • ornamentgirl on March 4, 2013 at 9:01 pm

      Ya know, I have never had a Bud Light Lime. I should try one of those one day.. :)

    • Anonymous on January 7, 2014 at 4:19 am

      How can I make a larger Ornament?

      • mary e on March 5, 2014 at 11:27 pm

        um, buy one?? then glitter it??

  2. darla on March 12, 2013 at 8:08 pm

    love what u shared A glittery ornament project: i pined and fb it to . i love to make christmas dated things i use give each grandchild a new dated things for christmas every year but past few years i havent dont it . but it great way to give a gift to your childern or grandchilden that can have even when your gone. happy craft month ugs prayers love darla

    • ornamentgirl on September 4, 2013 at 9:24 pm

      Darla, I totally agree. And ornaments are kept forever. They are an AWESOME thing to give. I hope you get back into giving them to your grandkids! :)

  3. Dianne Lee on September 28, 2013 at 12:07 pm

    Thanks for sharing! You have me hooked! I want to try to make some of your ornaments.

  4. Karen Dolan on December 4, 2013 at 7:20 am

    Hi,

    Liked looking through your homemade ornaments. Right now I have got some plastic clear ornaments but not sure what I am hoing to do eith them yet.

  5. Christina on December 12, 2013 at 4:04 am

    I did lots of glitter ornaments this year but this would be the most glitter I’ve ever put on one thing! LOL I can’t wait to glitter up the dining room…..and my dog, and the floor, and my pants, haha

  6. Alison Brown on December 10, 2014 at 6:07 pm

    Very Innovative!! These ornaments are looking very pretty. You have explained it in a very good step-by-step manner. I can’t wait to make it.

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