How to Make Filled Glass or Plastic Ornaments
Purchase a box of transparent tree ornament bulbs., Select a variety of colored glitter., Gather some floor wax from your household supply cabinet., Squirt floor wax into the ornament., Swirl the floor wax around the inside of the ornament., Pour...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Purchase a box of transparent tree ornament bulbs.
While you might think of the traditional tree ornament as spherical and glass, you can use plastic orbs instead for a safer option.
You can also use an oval or elongated shape of bulb if you prefer.
The only crucial characteristic of the bulb is that it be clear so that you can see the decorative filling within.
Most hobby or art supply stores such as Michael’s or Blick offer a variety of clear ornaments, or you can find a wide selection through online retailers such as Amazon or eBay.
If you’re using some old bulbs you’ve had lying around in the crafts closet for a while, be sure to clean them first using rubbing alcohol or an all-purpose cleaning spray. -
Step 2: Select a variety of colored glitter.
Depending on what aesthetic you’re planning for your Christmas tree, you might want to pick out several bags of different colored glitter so that each bulb can be a different color, or you might want to use pre-mixed, rainbow glitter.
You can even find solid white or black varieties for an edgy, non-traditional look. , It might seem odd, but one of the most important ingredients in this lovely trinket is run-of-the-mill floor wax.
You won’t need much of it, but it’s essential for getting the glitter to stick to the inside walls of the orb.
If you don’t already have some floor wax at home, buy some at your local grocery store or through an online supplier.
Some brands that hobby enthusiasts recommend include Pledge and Future Floor Wax., Unscrewing the top of the ornament and holding the orb securely in one hand, pour a small amount of floor wax into the opening at the top of the ornament.
You need just enough to coat the interior walls of the ornament, so a couple of teaspoons should be sufficient for each bulb.Be sure to place the lids in an old tin or rubber container where you won’t lose them. , As you’re holding the ornament, gently swirl it in a circular motion so that the wax climbs the interior walls and covers all of the surface area.
If any fluid remains in the bottom of the ornament, pour it back into the floor wax container before moving on to the next step.Take care not to shake or roll the bulbs too vigorously, as you could end up with some sticky fingers and floor wax on the outside of your bulb. , Once your bulb is coated with floor wax, pour a generous amount of glitter through the ornament’s opening.
In order to minimize the mess, use some folded paper or a plastic funnel to help deliver the glitter.Consider doing this outside on the driveway or a sidewalk, or lining your dining room table with newspaper or trash bags. , Just as you did with the floor wax, hold the ornament and swirl it gently in order to get the loose glitter to adhere to the walls of the ornament.
Do so until the bulb looks completely colored and there are no empty patches remaining, then shake any residual glitter back into the bag of glitter. , Once your orbs are perfectly glittery, you can screw the discarded lids back onto the top opening.
Before doing so, take out the pins sticking through it.
This way you’ll avoid scraping the newly adhered glitter from the sides with the jutting pins.If the lids seem loose, secure them with a small amount of hot glue or rubber cement. , Right before you’re ready to hang or box up your ornaments for gift wrapping, stick the pins back into the ornament tops.
Going straight into the holes, the pins should make minimal contact with the decorated sides of your ornament.
Even if you scrape the walls a little bit, both glitter and wax should be dry enough at that point to incur minimal damage. -
Step 3: Gather some floor wax from your household supply cabinet.
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Step 4: Squirt floor wax into the ornament.
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Step 5: Swirl the floor wax around the inside of the ornament.
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Step 6: Pour glitter into the bulb using a plastic funnel or paper cone.
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Step 7: Coat the interior with glitter and shake out any excess.
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Step 8: Replace the ornament lids.
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Step 9: Insert the pins through the holes in the lid.
Detailed Guide
While you might think of the traditional tree ornament as spherical and glass, you can use plastic orbs instead for a safer option.
You can also use an oval or elongated shape of bulb if you prefer.
The only crucial characteristic of the bulb is that it be clear so that you can see the decorative filling within.
Most hobby or art supply stores such as Michael’s or Blick offer a variety of clear ornaments, or you can find a wide selection through online retailers such as Amazon or eBay.
If you’re using some old bulbs you’ve had lying around in the crafts closet for a while, be sure to clean them first using rubbing alcohol or an all-purpose cleaning spray.
Depending on what aesthetic you’re planning for your Christmas tree, you might want to pick out several bags of different colored glitter so that each bulb can be a different color, or you might want to use pre-mixed, rainbow glitter.
You can even find solid white or black varieties for an edgy, non-traditional look. , It might seem odd, but one of the most important ingredients in this lovely trinket is run-of-the-mill floor wax.
You won’t need much of it, but it’s essential for getting the glitter to stick to the inside walls of the orb.
If you don’t already have some floor wax at home, buy some at your local grocery store or through an online supplier.
Some brands that hobby enthusiasts recommend include Pledge and Future Floor Wax., Unscrewing the top of the ornament and holding the orb securely in one hand, pour a small amount of floor wax into the opening at the top of the ornament.
You need just enough to coat the interior walls of the ornament, so a couple of teaspoons should be sufficient for each bulb.Be sure to place the lids in an old tin or rubber container where you won’t lose them. , As you’re holding the ornament, gently swirl it in a circular motion so that the wax climbs the interior walls and covers all of the surface area.
If any fluid remains in the bottom of the ornament, pour it back into the floor wax container before moving on to the next step.Take care not to shake or roll the bulbs too vigorously, as you could end up with some sticky fingers and floor wax on the outside of your bulb. , Once your bulb is coated with floor wax, pour a generous amount of glitter through the ornament’s opening.
In order to minimize the mess, use some folded paper or a plastic funnel to help deliver the glitter.Consider doing this outside on the driveway or a sidewalk, or lining your dining room table with newspaper or trash bags. , Just as you did with the floor wax, hold the ornament and swirl it gently in order to get the loose glitter to adhere to the walls of the ornament.
Do so until the bulb looks completely colored and there are no empty patches remaining, then shake any residual glitter back into the bag of glitter. , Once your orbs are perfectly glittery, you can screw the discarded lids back onto the top opening.
Before doing so, take out the pins sticking through it.
This way you’ll avoid scraping the newly adhered glitter from the sides with the jutting pins.If the lids seem loose, secure them with a small amount of hot glue or rubber cement. , Right before you’re ready to hang or box up your ornaments for gift wrapping, stick the pins back into the ornament tops.
Going straight into the holes, the pins should make minimal contact with the decorated sides of your ornament.
Even if you scrape the walls a little bit, both glitter and wax should be dry enough at that point to incur minimal damage.
About the Author
Charles Mitchell
Creates helpful guides on lifestyle to inspire and educate readers.
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