by Sarah
I love making Christmas decorations for people at Christmas. It’s my go-to present for teachers and my osteopath and kids of friends. I also make one for each of my children each year – I like the idea that once they leave home they will have a box of decorations to take with them that will remind them of their childhood and Christmases past, as well as form the start of their own Christmas traditions.
This year we made character baubles, and they have been a hit! They look really impressive but they are super easy to make, and limited only by your imagination!
You will need:
Glass baubles with a removable top
PVA glue
Glitter
Ribbon
Rhinestones (gems with a sticky back)
Glitter paper
Double sided tape
(I bought everything from Spotlight)
Also useful: a couple of small containers / glasses, two small funnels.
How to:
1. Dilute PVA glue with hot water (1 part glue : 4 parts water. You want it to be pretty runny). I only used a ‘squirt’ of glue – not much at all.
2. Remove the tops from all your baubles
3. Using a funnel, pour some of the glue mixture into a bauble. Swirl around so it is completely coated, and then tip the glue out of the bauble back into the container.
4. Using another funnel, pour some glitter into the bauble. Swirl it around until it is all coated, and tip the glitter out INTO A DIFFERENT CONTAINER. This is important as some of the glue will come out (you can sift it out later once it has dried)
5. Put the bauble back in the packet upside down to drain and dry.
6. Repeat with other baubles.
7. Once dry, lightly rub a scourer over the bauble to remove any dried glue on the outside, and then polish with a cloth.
8. To decorate:
Santa/Grinch: Add double-sided tape to the back of ribbon for a belt, cut out a buckle from the glitter paper (I attached it to the belt before sticking it on the bauble) and attach rhinestones for buttons
Reindeer: Glitter paper circle for the nose, googly eyes, tinsel antlers
Ninja Turtles: Ribbon for eye masks with googly eyes. Easy!
(Thanks to So Not Betty for the inspiration for this craft!)
What character would you love to turn into a bauble for your Christmas tree?
