Think Crafts Blog – Craft Ideas and Projects – CreateForLess

By Craft Celebrity Mark Montano, from the blog Mark Montano’s Big Ass Blog.

I have made paper ball ornaments for years, but this year I decided we had to kick it up a notch and try something different. I created this project using items from CreateForLess.com and my home printer. You can use any image you want. I think photos would be a terrific option, too!

You’ll need:

• 1 sheet of cardstock with a printed image
• 8″ medium gauge wire
• Needle nose pliers
• Scissors or swing arm paper cutter
• Beads and sequins (2 of each for each ornament)
• 10″ of ribbon
• 1 drinking straw
• Large safety pin or needle
• Pin cushion (optional)

Here’s how:

1. Copy your image on your cardstock.

2. Cut your image in 6″ x 3/4″ wide strips as you see in the photo. Make sure to keep them in order!

3. You will need 16 6″x 3/4″ strips so use the excess paper to make plain strips if you don’t have enough strips with your printed image.

4. With your safety pin, poke a hole on each end of each strip 1/4″ up from the edge and right in the center (making sure you keep them in order).

5. Bend a loop on the end of your wire and string a bead and then a sequin.

6. With your printed strips facing down toward the loop and sequin, place one end of the strips in order on the wire and then thread on your straw.

7. This is the most important step! Starting from the bottom strip (the strip that is touching the sequin) and working your way up to the top strip, thread your strips over the straw.

8. When you’ve worked your way to the last strip, thread on your sequin and another bead and create another loop. Thread your ribbon through the loop and hang!