Joyful Ornaments

Joy to the World

Spread seasonal cheer with this easy painting project. Consider recording the year and your signature on the back, using a permanent marking pen.

All you need is a little paint and ribbon.

• White ball ornament
• Pencil
• Newspapers
• Glass paints in red and white (available at arts and crafts stores)
• Paintbrushes: small round-tipped (for word), fine-pointed (for highlights)
• 14-inch piece of 7/8-inch-wide red velvet ribbon
• 28-inch piece of 1-1/4-inch-wide white sheer ribbon
• Hot-glue gun and hot glue

1. Download the free pattern for this project. (This requires Adobe Acrobat software.)

2. Add lettering guide. Using the pattern as a guide, lightly write the word "Joy" in script across the front of the ornament using pencil.

3. Paint. Cover the work surface with newspapers. Carefully paint over the lettering using red paint. Let it dry thoroughly. Highlight the tops of the letters with tiny strokes of white paint. Let the paint dry. If desired, personalize an ornament by painting the recipient's name on the back.

4. Make ribbon bow. Tie a bow with the red ribbon. Cut an 18-inch piece from white ribbon. Begin to tie a bow with the white ribbon, placing the red bow in the center before wrapping the center of the white bow. Tie the bow tightly.

5. Attach ribbon. Knot the ends of the remaining piece of white ribbon. From the front of the ornament, pull the loop of the ribbon through to the knot. Glue the bow on top of the knot. Fold the ends of the ribbon and cut at a slant to make finished ends.

Beaded Coil Trim

When creating an ornament using wire, try to plan your design before bending the wire. If you bend the wire too much or incorrectly, it may break.

Add color and shimmer to your tree.

• Armature wire or lead-free solder
• Wire cutter
• Needle-nose pliers
• Silver beading wire
• Four large beads in desired colors
• Five 18mm silver beads
• 1/2-inch-wide silver ribbon

1. Cut armature wire or solder, and coil one end. Cut a 36-inch piece of armature wire or solder using a wire cutter. Beginning at one end, use needle-nose pliers to make a tiny circle. Continue wrapping the wire until the coil is about the size of a dime. This will be the ornament top.

2. Coil center ovals. Bring the wire down to form an oval that is about 3 inches high. Continue forming the wire into smaller ovals; keep the wires close at the top and about 1/4 inch apart at the bottom. Using the photograph as a guide, bend the end of the wire over the oval at the lower right side. Cut the end of the wire, if necessary. Use the pliers to form the end of the wire into another tiny circle.

3. Cut beading wire and attach. Cut a 6-inch piece of beading wire. Leaving a 1-inch tail, wrap the beading wire three times around the top of the oval loops.

4. Add beads. Starting with a silver bead, thread all the beads onto the beading wire, alternating the colored beads with the silver beads. You will end with a silver bead. Push the wire back into the row of beads from the bottom, starting with the colored bead above the last silver bead you threaded on the wire. Wrap the remaining beading wire around the top of the oval loops. Twist the beading wire ends together to secure.

5. Add hanging loop. Thread a length of silver ribbon through the top loop to hang.

• Look for armature wire, usually used for sculpting, in art stores. Solder can be purchased in home improvement, discount, and hardware stores.
• Gold and silver beading wire is available in crafts and discount stores or from jewelry suppliers.
• Purchase metal studs and eyelets in crafts, fabric, and discount stores.

Metallic Stars

Light up the night with simple shapes cut from modeling clay. Bits of metal and wire add modern flash.

Your home will shine with this trim.

• Waxed paper
• Modeling clay
• Rolling pin
• Star cookie cutters in various sizes
• Paper clips
• Wire cutter
• Acrylic paint in silver and gold
• Paintbrush
• Eyelets or small metallic studs
• 18-gauge wire
• Silver or gold key chains or ankle chains

1. Roll clay. Tear off a square of waxed paper. Place a small ball of clay in the center. Cover with another square of waxed paper. Press flat with hand. Use a rolling pin to roll clay until it is about 1/4 inch thick. Remove top layer of waxed paper.

2. Cut shapes. Use cookie cutters to cut star shapes from clay. Remove the excess clay. Unfold a paper clip once (it will form an "S" shape). Cut paper clip in the center using a wire cutter. Push the ends of one paper clip half (a U shape) into the top of each ornament until about 1/4 inch juts out of the star. Smooth any wrinkles by applying a drop of hot water to the clay surface and smoothing with finger while the clay is wet. Let star shapes dry.

3. Paint. Paint the back of the stars silver or gold as desired. Let the paint dry. Turn over and paint the sides and top. Let the paint dry.

4. Embellish. Use your finger to press studs or eyelets into the clay stars where desired. To attach stars together, carefully push 18-gauge wire through the stars to be attached. Shape the wire as desired.

5. Add chain for hanging. Thread chain through the top paper clip loops to make hangers.

Pastel Ribbon Ornaments

Simplicity says it all with these flower-topped ornaments.

Match any decor with these easy trims.

• Ball ornament
• Purchased satin ribbon flowers
• Hot-glue gun and hot glue (Note: For certain surfaces, such as thin glass, a low-temperature glue may be safer than hot glue.)
• 1- to 1-1/2-inch-wide ribbon in various lengths

1. Attach flowers. Glue the satin flowers directly to the ornament top or to a ribbon bow. Use glue sparingly so it does not show through.

2. Attach ribbon. Use additional glue to attach the ribbons and satin flowers to the ornament. Let dry.

• Coordinate the colors of the ornament, flowers, and ribbons to match the decor of someone special.
• For a great hostess gift, tie an ornament around the neck of a bottle of champagne or sparkling cider, or atop a box of hot chocolate mix.

Snowflake Ornament

Even with 8 points, these painted snowflakes evoke the real thing. You may want to use a measuring tape or ruler to ensure straight and equal lines.

Let it snow -- whatever the weather.

• Newspapers
• Light blue ball ornament
• White glass paint
• Fine liner paintbrush
• Pencil with round-tip eraser

1. Cover work surface with newspapers.

2. Paint snowflake structure. Using the photo as a guide, paint a symmetrical snowflake. Start by painting a plus sign (+) in the size you want the snowflake. Then add a smaller x over the plus sign.

3. Add in details, painting the same marks on all extensions of the snowflake. To add small dots, dip the handle end of a paintbrush in paint and dot on the surface. Let the paint dry.

4. Add large dots to the background. Dip the eraser end of a pencil into paint and dot on the surface. Let the paint dry.