DIY Halloween Crystal Ball Decor

6 Materials
$5
2 Days
Easy

With Halloween just over a month away, it's all I've been thinking about when it comes to DIY projects. And what began as a garden gazing ball idea quickly became the perfect bit of seasonal decor for my witch-inspired Halloween plans.


To find out how I used school glue and food colouring to create an enchanting crystal ball, keep reading!


P.S. the best thing about this project is that it works for Halloween, as well as spring! With a simple change in placement and display, this crystal ball becomes the perfect gazing ball for any garden — just like that!

Start by mixing two tablespoons of school glue with one tablespoon of water. Next, add thirty drops of blue food colouring, followed by fifteen drops of purple. Mix well with a small whisk.

Once everything is fully combined, pour the mixture into your glass globe shade and completely coat the inside of it.

Flip the globe upside down and let the excess glue mixture drip into a small container. I used an empty candle jar. After about five to ten minutes, place the globe on a foil-lined cookie sheet and put it on the middle rack of your oven.

Start the oven (set it to 200°F), as well as the timer, which should be set for one hour.

Tip: I placed the globe+cookie sheet in the oven before heating it. I didn't want to risk breaking the glass, so I thought the safest way to bake it would be to start with a cool oven.

Remove the cookie sheet + globe from the oven and allow the glass to cool completely.

Once it's cool, repeat the process five to six times using the leftover mixture that had dripped into the empty candle jar/container.

When you're happy with the colour of your glass globe, find something to use as a platform (I used a circular slice of wood) and add a battery-operated tea light to the centre of it before placing the globe on top.

If you want, you can also use a string of fairy lights to cover the mouth of the globe and to fill in the gap between the shade and the platform, giving it even more of a crystal ball look.

Resources for this project:
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Katie Sara Creates
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  • Beth Trask Symonds Beth Trask Symonds on Sep 29, 2020

    Love this! How do you get the mirror finish? Is that what happens when you bake it or did you add something that I missed? Definitely gonna try this!

  • Donna Donna on Sep 30, 2020

    I have several of these globes, some huge, but they are all white. Do you know the best way to remove the white color so I can do this project? With all your dark colors, how does the light get from the inside to the outside of your globe?

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  • Tammy Tammy on Oct 01, 2023

    So pretty!!! One project I want to definitely try….. thank you for the inspiration!

  • Vi Vi on Oct 02, 2023

    Love it...what a great idea. I am not a crafty person, but this I am tempted to try, just hope I don't get glue up to my ears. Thank you so much for sharing.

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