Those one of a kind glass ornaments that you see at Christmas craft fairs and shops during this time of the year look like they were hand decorated, and they are. These glass balls usually have a variety if different items inside the ball which is then suspended on a wire and hung from an evergreen tree branch for Christmas. Clear glass balls can be purchased through a craft store and decorated using practically anything that can fit inside the small hole on top. Each glass ball comes with a small cap that slides onto the top to hold the contents inside and also provide a loop for where the hook can be slid into.

Look through your craft items to see what you want to use inside of your glass balls. You can also go shopping for additional inexpensive items that can be found in dollar stores. These stores usually have a variety of items in stock that will fill up one of these glass balls. Look for sequins cut into different shapes, curlicue ribbons, beads, and other little items. Or you can go completely natural and make balls similar to potpourri ones. In this case, you can use nuts and seeds like pine nuts, watermelon, pumpkin, and sunflower seeds. Combine these with small chunks of cinnamon sticks, cloves, and cinnamon. For an added touch, drop in a few brightly colored plastic pearls for a shimmering effect. You can also stuff in a few small chunks of velvet ribbon in red, green, or blue.

Once each Christmas glass ball is filled, you can attach the small brass cap on top to keep the contents in place from spilling out. The next step is to add a velvet bow on top of each ball and secure it to the front of each brass cap. A ribbon that is 3/4” wide is ideal for this purpose. Cut the ribbon into 8” long segments. Tie a small bow with each ribbon and make sure the loops show the velvet on the outside. With a sewing needle and matching thread. stitch the center of the bow in the back where the knot is onto the loop of the brass cap. Once the bow is in place you can adjust it so that it is facing outwards. Slide on the small metal hook through the loop of the cap on the glass ball and it is ready to be hung on your tree.

When making the decorated balls, don’t use the same materials in each one so they look all the same. Use variations of your materials so each ball looks like it is one of a kind.