• A beautifully-decorated Christmas tree makes everyone smile. But instead of decorating with expensive store-bought ornaments, why not save money and bring your family together by making some of your own ornaments this year? The ornaments described below will be fun to make for your whole family, without consuming your Christmas budget.

• Create these beautiful ornaments to sparkle up your Christmas.

• Glass ball ornament
• 1/4"-3/8" ribbon
  • Metallic or satin ribbon works particularly well.
• White, clear or silver glitter
• White craft glue
• Foam paint brush
• Paper plate
• Empty egg carton

1. Remove the top from the glass ball and wash.
2. Store upside down in the egg carton and allow to dry thoroughly.
3. Measure a piece of ribbon around the glass ball and cut four lengths of ribbon equivalent to the diameter of the ball.
4. Set the first length of ribbon on the paper plate and apply glue liberally to one side.
5. Glue the ribbon around the ornament. Place one end at the top, encircle the bottom, and finish with the other end of the ribbon on the other side of the top.
6. Place glue on a second piece of ribbon.
7. Glue the second piece of ribbon from top to bottom as well. Place it halfway between the other ribbon, so the ornament is separated into four equal sections.
8. Place glue on the third strand of ribbon.
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9. Glue this ribbon around the center of the ball.
10. Paint alternate ornament sections on one side with glue.
11. Dip each section into the glitter, then let dry.
12. Repeat this process with the other side, then let dry.
13. When the ornament is completely dry, replace the top.
14. Thread the last piece of matching ribbon through the top to create its hanger.

• Clear glass balls can be used to achieve a variety of "looks" for your tree, as well as a great way to use up left-over craft supplies:
  • Tinsel Ball: Cut small pieces of tinsel and pack clear glass ornaments.
  • Marbleized Ball: Drizzle two or three colors of paint or glitter paint inside clear glass ornaments, letting paint drip down the sides. Seal top with your finger or a paper towel, slowly rotating to create a marble effect.
  • Potpourri Ball: Fill the glass balls with potpourri. Hang near lights to bring out the scent.
  • Florist Ball: Fill ornament with silk flowers.
  • Beach Ball: Fill ornament with sand and shells, or layer with different colors of sand.

• Tassel ornaments are quick and fun to make.

• Yarn: You can work with several types. No matter what kind you choose, you'll need about 32 yards to create a 6 inch tassel.
  • Thick yarns, such as chenille and raffia will result in a chunkier tassel
  • Thin yarns, such as rayon, stranded cotton, or embroidery floss produce a more elegant tassel
• Metallic Yarn or String: You'll need about 2 feet of string to tie off your tassel.
• Masking Tape
• Cardboard: 3-inch by 5-inch rectangle
  • As a general rule, the heavier the yarn or threading, the sturdier the cardboard needs to be. While a cereal box may work fine with lighter materials, heavier materials will require stiffer cardboard to avoid warping.
• Tapestry needle
  • A tapestry needle is a needle that has a blunt edge with a large eye.
• Scissors:
  • 5-inch sewing scissors will work well with lighter materials, while 10-inch multi-purpose scissors will be more suitable with heavier yarns.

• The steps for the basic tassel ornament are the same, but there is room for variation. The size of the cardboard and the number of times you wrap will depend on the desired tassel size and the thickness of the yarn being used. Experiment to find your favorite style.

1. Cut a 6-inch length of metallic yarn or string.
2. Tape this string along the top of the width of the cardboard.
3. Wind the yarn around the length of the cardboard in one direction until it is about an inch thick on either side.
4. Remove the masking tape from the first string length.
5. Bring the ends of this string together and tie with a double knot, so that one end of the tassel is gathered tightly.
6. Slip the scissors between the opposite (untied) end of the yarn and the cardboard, cutting the untied side slowly and evenly.
7. Cut a 12-inch length of metallic yarn or string.
8. Wrap this yarn evenly and neatly around the outside of the gathered end of the tassel. You want the binds to form a head for the tassel.
9. Use the tapestry needle to weave in and conceal the end piece of yarn within the tassel body.
10. Fluff the tassel and trim its ends as needed to achieve a neat and professional look.

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• If you're lucky enough to live near a pine forest, take advantage of the nearby pine cones for these decorations.

1. Spread newspapers to protect your work area.
2. Paint the pine cone green.
3. If desired, dust glitter onto the pine cone while the paint is still wet.
4. Let the paint dry.
5. When the paint is dry, you may decorate the pine cone further:
   • Glitter glue applied to the tips provides a nice sparkle.
   • Paint the "branch" tips white for a snow effect.
6. Squeeze a small amount of glue onto a piece of paper to form a small puddle.
7. Using tweezers, dip your decorations into the glue and push each firmly into place.
8. Spray with hairspray to help keep the decorations in place.
9. Let dry.
10. Tie the 6-inch ribbon length into a circle.
11. Once the paint has dried, glue the tied end to the pointed tip of the pine cone.

• These ornaments are fun to make for all ages. In just an hour (plus 3 days for drying), you'll have fun new ornaments. Careful, though: no matter how good they smell, they're not edible!

1. Mix cinnamon, nutmeg (and cloves, if adding) in a medium bowl.
2. Add applesauce and glue, stirring and kneading to form a smooth, stiff, rollable dough.
3. Sprinkle most of your extra cinnamon on your workspace.
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   • If you don't want to sprinkle cinnamon directly on your countertop, cover a piece of parchment paper instead.
4. Use your rolling pin to roll the dough out on the cinnamon-covered workspace. You want approximately 1/4-inch of thickness.
5. Cut dough with cookie cutters.
   • Sprinkle the remaining extra cinnamon on the cutters to keep them from sticking to the dough.
   • Your ornaments will shrink during the drying process, so choose cookie cutters a little bigger than your desired final size.
6. Use the drinking straw to poke a small hole in the top of each ornament.
7. Allow ornaments to air-dry on a waxed paper-covered cookie sheet or a wire cooling rack at room temperature for 3 days.
   • For uniform drying, turn ornaments once each day.
   • The edges will curl if the ornaments are not turned frequently enough while drying.
8. When dry, thread a piece of thin ribbon or yarn through the hole for hanging.