Make Glittery Snowball Ornaments With Glue

Shawna Bailey
by Shawna Bailey
3 Materials
$1
24 Hours
Easy

Now that it’s cold outside and all my flowers are done blooming, I’m looking for some lovely alternatives to flowers for my table. I found this adorable decorating idea online and, using a few household items, I made a stunning winter themed centerpiece for our table.


Step 1: Gather your materials

I used some yarn, white school glue, glitter, and a small balloon. I first tried this project with a thicker yarn, the type I would use to crochet a blanket. Then I switched to this yarn -- I can only describe it as thinner, less fuzzy and sort of like embroidery floss. I’m not sure what it’s actually used for, but I found it at Michael's and it was perfect for this project.


Step 2: Cut the yarn

I cut off a large amount of yarn, about the amount that would form a small bouncy ball if it was tightly packed. You could use more for a more filled-in ball or less for an airier look.


Step 3: Pour glue over your yarn

I added enough glue to lightly cover all the yarn when I mixed it up, which I did with a popsicle stick.

Careful not to mix too much, or the yarn will get all tangled.


Step 4: Wrap the yarn around the balloon

I blew up a small sized balloon. My daughter got this in a pack of water balloons (what a great present, right?). I found that they were exactly the size I wanted for my ornaments. This part is really messy but kind of fun -- it’s like playing with wet spaghetti! (I imagine this is what it feels like in that Robin Williams movie Patch Adams when they fill a swimming pool up with spaghetti.) I just wrapped it around, trying to get the string evenly spaced all around the balloon. You should get really close to the opening of the balloon so it doesn’t leave a weird gap there.

It won't look round if you leave any big gaps, so try not to.


Step 5: Sprinkle it with sparkles

Next, I sprinkled glitter on the ball, turning it around so that it covered all the sides. I let it dry for about 6 hours on the plastic sheeting I made it on.

It came out so nice and wintry! I just grabbed some branches from my yard and stuck the snowballs on them.

Here’s a closer shot to see the snowball ornaments better. Don't you love them?

Suggested materials:
  • White school glue
  • String
  • Glitter
Frequently asked questions
Have a question about this project?
3 of 8 questions
  • Kate Sarsfield Kate Sarsfield on Dec 27, 2016
    There's probably a simple explanation and I could be having a 'doh' moment but why don't the glitter balls stick to the plastic sheet?
  • JR JR on Dec 19, 2017

    I wonder if glitter glue would work?

  • Jessica Cossin Jessica Cossin on Dec 19, 2017

    Is there a safe alternative to latex balloons? I'm highly allergic, but everytime I see these made I do a mental head slap out of frustration; I can't even be in the room after latex was around without having some sort of reaction. I've looked everywhere for a safe alternative to these balloons... Short of making my 4 yr old stand ready with an Epi-Pen, I may have to just count this one out, which is a major bummer, its so pretty!

Comments
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2 of 71 comments
  • Dana Hunter Deyampert Dana Hunter Deyampert on Dec 29, 2017

    I think you can use liquid starch and it won’t be so messing.

  • AlisonGrimes AlisonGrimes on Jan 03, 2018

    We made these in grade school - over 50 years ago (sigh - that makes me sound so old...). We used a finer thread, so they almost looked like they were crocheted when they were done. We used small balloons, like this crafter did, but I've seen them done using larger balloons.


    Thanks for the trip back to my youth! :-)

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