glass ball

Christmas is only 27 days away, so we thought it would be fun to share our handmade ornaments. I decided on a ‘Winter Wonderland’ theme this year. So snow, snowflakes, trees, pine cones, feathers, reindeer, birds, owls, and polar bears were the main focus. Some are super simple, others are a little more complex, but all are cheap. I thought we should start with the easiest ones.

To start, find clear glass (or plastic) ball ornaments. HoLo (Hobby Lobby) sells a twelve pack for $7.99, but Christmas stuff was 50% off making the balls four bucks. While at HoLo, I bought a package of brown and teal feathers, also half off, costing $1.00.

I bought the feathers for the teal colored ones, so I pulled those out.

Then, it’s as simple as removing the cap, tossing a few feathers inside, replacing the cover and hanging on the tree. Ben said these are his favorite. I kind of agree, but I still have a few more ideas so we’ll see.

I bought the iridescent balls, but I think I’d buy plain glass ones for the feathers if I could do it again. The coating makes it difficult to see the feathers clearly.

After making six feather ornaments, I made six snow filled balls. Instead of spending money on fake snow, I poured a little Epsom salt inside.

For the snow ornaments, I think the iridescent finish is fabulous.

Once you’ve filled the ornaments, hang those suckers on the tree, too and admire the sparkle. Yes, I am a raccoon. I like shiny things, so Christmas is the best time to appreciate all things sparkly.

If you’re looking to keep your Christmas decorations cheap, these are perfect for you. I spent $4 on the glass balls and another dollar on the feathers for a total of five bucks for twelve ornaments. Each ball cost $.41 cents. Score.

The boys and I put up the Christmas tree this weekend while Ben installed our upper cabinets. We still have ornaments to make, so here’s a fun bokeh picture of the tree.