Creating Swirl Christmas Ornaments

Christmastime is almost upon us and every year the stores stock up with inventory. Some of it is from last year, nothing to get excited about there. Some of it is new, which might be eye-catching but is usually expensive. Why settle for store bought when something homemade is better and more fun?!

Items needed for this project:

· Clear fill able ornaments balls.

· Craft paints in the colors you desire, I would recommend three for variety.

· Small paint brushes.

· Paper towels.

· Glass of water.

· Elmer’s glue.

Before the fun, it’s always a good idea to prepare. Find a clear workplace where you can take all the supplies and set them up. Take the two halves of the ball ornament and set side by side.

Place a couple drops of each desired paint color in the ornament in different spots. Try to pick colors that have enough contrast to show clearly. For larger ornaments, you may need more paint so add more drops as needed.

Take the paint brush and start swirling the paint around to completely cover the inside of each side ornament with paint. At the edges, make sure there is paint but not excessive. Try to avoid using the brush excessively as it will result in the colors blending too much. Add more drops of paint if the inside is not completely covered yet and continue swirling with the brush.

Once the insides are painted, carefully place a drop of glue on one side near the top where the hanging hole is. Carefully take both pieces and put them together. Use a paper towel to wipe any excess paint or glue that seeps out.

Put a piece of scotch tape on each side to hold the seams while the glue dries. Set the ornament on a paper towel and check occasionally to wipe clean if any paint is leaking. Swish your paint brush in the glass of water to clean it and dry with a paper towel. Allow the ornament to dry for at least 24 hours before hanging.