If you feel crafty and want easy ideas and ways to fill clear Christmas ornaments, like balls or baubles, follow these step-by-step tutorials to have them ready in time for the festive season.
For many, decorating is half the fun of the season, and what better way to decorate, than to DIY your own clear Christmas ornaments?
This is something that is so easy and fun to do that you can do it in your own kitchen with the kids.
Filling your own Christmas baubles is fun and so easy to personalize for everyone!
Please note that this post contains affiliate links. It means that if you buy through my links I will receive a small compensation at no extra cost to you.
Ways To Fill Clear Christmas Ornaments
If you want to make baubles for the tree, make sure to remove all dust before you fill them. Before you start gather the supplies you need for each project.
There are 3 types of clear ornaments you can buy:
- Classic clear Christmas baubles that open at the top.
- Clear fillable snap-on Christmas balls.
- Clear baubles with a middle opening.
Below you will find 5 Christmas ornament ideas with clear balls.
How To Fill Christmas Baubles From The Top
Filling Christmas baubles from the top is more difficult to do because they have a narrow opening.
Luckily, there are a few tips you can use to fill your bauble from the top without the risk of spilling the glitter all over your floor!
- The most practical thing is using a small funnel which comes really handy if you are filling your baubles with a liquid.
- You can also use a small spoon and pour slowly through the opening at an angle, making sure to keep your hand as close as possible to the opening.
- Place some paper on either side of the opening and then sprinkle or pour glitter inside until it is full.
5 Ideas to Fill Christmas Baubles From The Top
1. With Glitter
One of the most fun ways to fill your own clear Christmas baubles is to use glitter! You can choose whatever color or colors to fill your ornament with.
You only need a small amount of glitter so one small bottle will go a very long way.
How do you get the glitter to stick inside an ornament?
To make the glitter stick to the inside of the ball it is necessary to use a liquid sealing agent like polyacrylic or mop n glow.
Some people also use hardwood floor polish or hairspray. Since I didn’t have any of those,
I used spray glue. Just spray inside the bauble, making sure it reaches everywhere.
In the image below I’m using a paper funnel that I made myself to fill the bauble with glitter.
I have used gold mica powder and blue glitter to fill this bauble. If you have trouble reaching the top of the bauble with the spray glue (like I did), make a flexible brush with a straw and the head of a small paintbrush.
Then pour the glitter inside the bauble using a funnel. You can mix the glitter together prior to pouring it inside the ball or do one glitter at a time.
Once you have finished pouring the glitter, close the opening with your hands and shake the bauble to coat the inside.
Using a liquid sealing agent like Polycrylic
To glitter the inside of a clear Christmas ornament, simply pour a tiny bit of the liquid agent directly into the ornament.
You can also pour a little into a container and then pour it into the ornament using a funnel.
Slowly swirl the liquid around being sure to coat all parts of the ornament.
Turn the ornament upside down and let all the excess drain out for a couple minutes.
Once the ornament is no longer dripping, it is time for the glitter.
The easiest way to do the glitter is to use a funnel or to fold a piece of cardstock in half and pour a little bit of glitter onto it.
Slowly dump the glitter into the bauble and rotate the ornament to completely coat the inside.
Once you have coated the inside with the glitter, dump the excess glitter back onto the cardstock.
A golden Christmas ribbon will complete the look.
You can either use the same glitter again for another ornament or dump it back into the glitter container.
The cardstock will allow for extra easy cleanup of the glitter too so you don’t end up with a glittery floor!
2. With Faux Rose Petals
Very easy to do. Just push the fake rose petals inside the bauble with a paintbrush.
You can also add some greenery like fake leaves, pine, or a small piece of garland. Put the cap back and add a nice ribbon.
3. With Cake Sprinkles And Snow
Cover the bauble with masking or painter’s tape to make this Christmas bauble, leaving the top uncovered.
Spray the top area with silver spray paint or any other color you wish.
After the paint has dried, remove the tape.
Now fill in the ball with different types of cake sprinkles and add artificial snow.
4. With Epsom Salts
Baubles covered with Epsom salts look really pretty.
Besides a clear bauble, you will need Epsom salts and Mod Podge.
I have also added a handful of table salt and fake snow. I find that the Epsom salts adhere better to the glass if I mix it with table salt.
Using a small paintbrush, cover the bauble completely with Mod Podge.
Next, cover the ball with the salt mixture, lightly pressing with your hands to make sure it is completely covered.
Put the bauble top back and tie a festive ribbon around it.
5. With Faux Flowers
Fill the middle area of the bauble with fake snow. Pour also a few scattered faux berries. Insert a faux flower of your choice through the small bauble opening. Simple but cute!
How To Fill Baubles That Open In Half
Below you will find 3 ways to fill clear ornaments that snap in half.
1. Rustic Bauble
Open it in half and place small pinecones, faux berries, dry branches or flowers, and greenery to fill this bauble. Placing a wooden reindeer tag on top of the bauble will add a rustic touch.
Hang it from a piece of natural twine string.
2. With Wrapped Chocolates
Super easy to do. Just open the ball in half and fill them with wrapped chocolates. Put the two halves together and use a matching ribbon to hang the bauble.
3. With Christmas Trees and Faux Berries
Here is an easy and cute DIY Christmas bauble you can make in no time.
You need:
- clear Christmas bauble that opens in half
- Mod Podge or strong glue
- miniature Christmas trees
- faux berries
- a small piece of magic eraser or styrofoam
Directions:
- Since these baubles open in half is a little bit tricky to place the magic eraser piece.
- First, create your Christmas scene by sticking the trees and berries on top of the magic eraser or styrofoam.
- Next, cover part of each half of the bauble (lower middle) with Mod Podge or any other strong glue you have at home.
- Cover the bottom of the foam you are using with glue too.
- Lastly, stick the foam to the bauble holding it in place with your fingers until is well glued.
- Add a handful of faux snow in each half of the ball.
- Put the two halves together.
Tie a Christmas ribbon at the top.
RELATED READING: Easy DIY home decoration crafts
Ideas to Fill Christmas Baubles With A Middle Opening
There are many ways to decorate Christmas baubles.
Below you will find 5 ideas to decorate open Christmas baubles.
Copy the scene or create your own with the materials you have available.
Being creative is the key!
Start with the item itself once you have decided on what you want to put inside the ornament and what you want it to look like.
Use a small dot of super glue or hot glue and start adhering the items to the bottom of the ornament.
For this type of Christmas bauble, you will need miniature Christmas ornaments.
1. Miniature Snow Man Ball Decor
For this one, I used a styrofoam star to insert the miniature Christmas trees and faux berries. Also, a strong glue to stick the snowman.
Add any decorations you have to create the Christmas scene you want.
2. Miniature Pinecones
To fill this bauble I have used miniature pinecones, some greenery, and faux berries. Easy and simple!
3. Miniature Father Christmas Bauble Decor
A miniature Father Christmas, faux Christmas trees, and artificial snow are all you need to fill in this clear bauble.
4. DIY Christmas Bauble Rustic Decor
This bauble has a rustic look. All you need is a few pinecones, greenery, a miniature snowman, a bit of faux snow, and berries. A rustic reindeer tag and red ribbon finish the Christmas scene.
5. Use Paint
You can choose to paint the inside or the outside of your Christmas ball. On this occasion, I painted the bauble’s exterior red.
You need:
Steps:
- Protect the surface you are going to work on.
- Place a few Christmas stickers around the top of the bauble.
- Cover the whole bauble with red spray paint. Make sure to do this step outside or in a well-ventilated area.
- Let it dry completely.
- Remove the stickers. Use tweezers or the tip of a toothpick if necessary.
Place a faux tea light candle in the middle of the bauble and light it on. It looks beautiful at night.
Place a pretty ribbon around the top.
DIY Christmas Ideas You Might Like
- decorating Mason jars for Christmas
- easy DIY Christmas wreath
- DIY Christmas bath bombs
- 3 Christmas sugar scrub recipes
- how to make Christmas soap
Other Ideas To Fill Christmas Balls
If you are looking for other ways to fill clear Christmas baubles, have a look at the following decoration ideas:
- candy
- jelly beans
- peppermints
- fairy lights
- m and ms
- shredded paper
- balled up tissue paper
- small stationary items
- small toys
- pictures
- beads
- names
- burlap
- miniature plants
- ribbons
- cinnamon sticks
- tinsel
Whichever method you choose to fill your clear Christmas baubles, the end result will be a personalized, beautiful ornament that you can be proud to hang on your tree or gift away!