Cotton-ball snowman? Glittery pine cones? Been there, done that. Take your holiday creativity to the next level by stuffing a hollow ornament ball with one-of-a-kind paper beads made by you.
You may already have most of what you need for this project. The rest can be found at a craft store.
Adult’s help: No
Hands-on time: 1 1/2 hours
Total time: Two days
Supplies
• Construction paper
• Crayons and markers
• Scissors
• Glitter glue
• Scotch tape
• Hollow plastic ornament ball or Mason jar ornament
• 1/2 -inch or smaller tinsel pompoms
• 1/2 -inch jingle bells
• Thin ribbon
Steps
1. Select two colored pieces of construction paper that aren’t too dark to be drawn on. Cut each in half widthwise. Fold two pieces in half widthwise, then top to bottom, making a rectangle. When opened, each paper will have four equal sections.
2. Color the eight rectangular sections with crayons or markers. The more you fill each space, the better.
3. Cut the rectangles apart with scissors, then cut each rectangle lengthwise into four strips. You will have 32 pieces when done.
4. Flip the strips over and decorate the blank sides with glitter glue. Allow them to dry for 24 hours.
5. When dry, roll each strip in on itself, securing it in place with a small piece of Scotch tape. Roll half with your drawing on the outside and the others with the glitter facing out.
6. Once your paper beads are done, gently pull off the top of the ornament ball and pop them inside. (If the beads are a little big, a gentle squeeze helps.) When finished, the ornament should be more than half-full. Fill it a little more with the pompoms and a few bells. Don’t fill the ball completely; otherwise, you won’t be able to make the bells jingle. Put the ornament top back on and tie a ribbon around it.
Want an ornament with a wider opening? Try a plastic Mason jar ornament. After unscrewing the lid, you can easily put in larger bead loops.
