Give clear ornaments new life by getting creative and turning them from plain to dazzling.
These personalized Christmas crafts make pretty decorations and thoughtful gifts.
These fun handmade unicorn ornaments require just a bit of painting and plenty of imagination.
Credit:Adam Albright
Grab a pack of plain ball ornaments and dress them up with gold horns and plenty of flowers.
Tartan Ornament
Showcase the colors of the holiday season with pretty country cottage ornaments.
Mix and match buffalo check or tartan plaid fabrics for a sweet display.
Credit:Jenn Bartell and Andy Johnson
Coordinate your farmhouse theme withgingham-pattern ribbonas bows or wrapped around the Christmas tree.
Dipped Globes
Transform frosted glass ornaments with a quick dip.
Clean the ornaments with rubbing alcohol and let dry.
Credit: Matthew Clark
To create the paint, mix two parts clear crafts glue and one part water in a jar.
Stir in 10-15 drops of gel food coloring.
Dip the ornament and hang for 20 minutes to dry.
Credit:Adam Albright
Wipe away drips from the bottom as they form.
Repeat with additional colors.
Pom-Pom Piled Ornament
Decorating ornaments on the inside is just as fun as the outside.
Credit: Matthew Clark
Thishandmade ornamentis ready in just minutes.
Drip Paint Christmas Ornament
Swirls of colorful craft paint star in this handmade ornament.
Gently shake and spin the ornament to create a stunning marbled bauble.
Credit:Adam Albright
Washi Tape Ornament
Do you have ornaments with designs or patterns you don’t love?
(This ball, for example, once flaunted a glittered dimension design.)
Instead of tossing them or leaving them in the decorations box, give them a quick washi tape makeover.
Credit: Jenn Bartell and Andy Johnson
Swan Christmas Ornament
You’d never guess this cute swan ornament started as a plain glass ball.
A simple face made from modeling clay and fluffy white feathers creates this whimsical handmade ornament.
Marble-Painted Ornament
Blend a few colors of paint to get this pretty marbled effect.
Credit: Adam Albright
To make, fill a large disposable tray with water.
Spray two colors of coordinating spray paint into the water.
(The paint will float on the surface.)
Credit:John Bessler
Dip a clear glass ball ornament in the paint.
The paint will adhere to the ball, creating a marbled effect.
Snowflake Ornament
John Bessler
Raid your crafting supplies for interesting embellishments toadorn plain glass ornaments.
Credit:Adam Albright
This turquoise ornament was updated with a snowflake scrapbooking applique adhered with hot glue.
For a matte, velvety finish, mix acrylic paint with baking soda for an opaque look.
Let dry after the first coat, then apply a second.
Credit: Adam Albright
Secure yarn to the ball with hot glue, placing knots and ends toward the back.
Wrapped Ornament
These creative handmade ornaments start with a simple string.
Swirly Ornament
Swirl paint inside a glass ball for a two-toned effect.
Credit: Kim Cornelison
Finish with a strip of decorative paper printed with a seasonal message.
Word Art Ornament
ThisDIY ornamentis as easy as grabbing a paint pen!
To create, simply write a festive word in bright paint pen.
Credit: Marty Baldwin
Let dry and hang.
Or, use it as a pretty package topper.
Striped Ornament
Add stripes to an ornament with paint.
Credit:Adam Albright
Sprinkle wet paint with glitter for a touch of sparkle.
Carefully remove the tape when the paint is dry.
Twice-Painted Ornament
Spray paint provides an even finish and some extra flourish in this ornament craft.
Credit: Greg Scheidemann
We lightly sanded the ornament and spray-painted it gold.
After it dried, we added a coat of marbleizing spray paint in white.
The trick is to paint in steps.
Credit:Adam Albright
Then use a small, round brush to paint white trees in different sizes.
Once the trees have dried, add small dashes of red acrylic paint to the trees to resemble cardinals.
After the red paint has dried, use the bristle tips to add small white dots for falling snow.
Credit: Jay Wilde
Ribboned Ornament
Add ribbon stripes to a simple ornament for holiday flair.
Remove the ornament cap and cut strips of ribbon.
Hot-glue the strips, beginning at the base, to the ornament.
Credit: Matthew Mead
Tuck the ends of the ribbons into the top opening and glue into place.
Replace the ornament cap and tie a bow around the hanging loop.
Tinsel Ornament
Sparkle comes from within.
Credit: Adam Albright
Snip a piece oftinsel garlandand slip it into a clear glass ball ornament.
The tree is ready.
Try making a prettytinsel wreath.
Credit: Adam Albright
Knotted Ornament
Simple knots and yarn create a structural DIY ornament.
Using yarn or cord, tie four strings with a knot in the center.
Center the ornament on the knot.
Credit:John Bessler
Knot adjacent ends about halfway up the ball.
At the top, knot the alternate adjacent ends.
Sticker Phrase Ornament
Spell out a holiday message with glittery letters from the scrapbook aisle.
Credit: Adam Albright
Add a few more sticker embellishments and tie aclassic bowaround the ornament hook.
Melted Crayon Ornament
Finally a use for stubby crayons.
Unwrap and chop crayons into small bits.
Credit: Adam Albright
Place one inside a clear glass ornament.
Repeat with additional colors.
Simple Painted Ornament
Create a set of custom DIY ornaments with just a few materials.
Credit: Kim Cornelison
Splattered Ornament
Release your inner Jackson Pollock to make these swirled ornaments.
Remove the caps from clear acrylic ornament balls.
Rinse the inside with a mixture of three parts water and one part vinegar.
Credit: Adam Albright
Rinse with clean water; let dry.
Drip one or several colors of acrylic paint into the ornament and swirl gently to achieve the desired effect.
Let the paint dry and add additional swirls in different colors.
Have fun experimenting with different colors and types of paint; you won’t get the same look twice.
