Homemade Glass Globes

Decorative glass ball ornaments originated in Germany in the mid-1500s, but their popularity really surged when a photo of Queen Victoria’s Christmas tree, which was loaded with glass balls, was published in a London newspaper.

Saige Roberts

In the round: Wood rounds come in various sizes and make great low centerpieces.

Remove the metal prongs from the tops of several clear glass or plastic ornament balls. Drip a small amount of acrylic or tempera paint (no more than ½ teaspoon) into the opening. Place a paper towel and a fingertip over the opening and shake, shake, shake! Add more paint, if necessary. If you choose to use more than one color of paint per ball, be sure to use colors that blend well. For example, while red and green are traditional Christmas and Kwanzaa colors, if you use them together, you’ll end up with brown paint — unless you let one color dry before you add the other. Keep in mind that a little bit of black paint goes a long way.

Remove the paper towel and turn the glass ball upside down over an egg carton, so the excess paint can drip out. When no more paint drips from the ornament, turn it right-side up and allow it to dry. Add some pretty ribbons.

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