Double Ball Christmas Ornament (how-to)

I know what you are thinking... Christmas in June?  but yet!  I'm doing Christmas ornaments in June!  Even though I now live in the UK I still try to keep involved in my church back in the states and coming up in the end of September (I think) they have a Fall Festival.  My Mom and I always made alot of crafts for the craft room and even though I now live so far away I dont' want that to change.  So I'm now working on paper crafts and pretty much anything light to send back for it. 


one thing I've been making alot of is double ball Christmas ornaments!  I found how to do these over at http://www.splitcoaststampers.com/ on the resources page (LOADS of how-tos over there!)


These blue ones I did using the instructions I am gonna give you but now playing around a bit I've removed one of each strip (colour and size) and I like them alot better I think.  less cramped look. these are pretty too but just in a different way

first you need:
super-glue
6 1/2x3 inch strips of colour#1
6 1/2x3 inch strips of colour#2
4 1/2x2 inch strips of colour#1
4 1/2x2 inch strips of colour#2
a few beads
a hat pin (or something similar)
some thin ribbon

I didn't have a hat pin but I found these at my local store at in the jewellery section and they work great!  just make sure one end has a loop to tie your ribbon to

punch a small hole in the end of the strips about 1/4 inch from the end.  I didn't have a small punch of any kind so I used a large needle to make my holes

First add a bead to the pin

Then add a long strip of paper #1, printed side down.

then add a long strip of paper #2

continue this switching what colour's being used until all the long strips are on the pin.  

then take the bottom one and flip it up and cook the other end over the pin.  careful it likes to try to pop off the end at this point.

continue around using the strips from the to bottom of the pile.  it should look something like this

This is what the ball should look like when all the strips are flipped up.  

now do the same thing with the shorter strips

remember to alternate the colours and when flipping up start at the bottom of the pile.  

this is what it should look like

add a bead to the end.  

if you have a hat pin you can now cap it.  if not (like me) then put a bit of super glue on the end of the pin and slightly down it.  then push the bead up into it and add another drop behind. 

you may need to hold it for a minute or two or if it will stay down (careful it doesn't pop off the end!) then you can set it down to dry.  

once dry thread a bit of ribbon through the top and knot it together

experiment with different colours and beading!  this one instead of using 6 of each of the long ones and 4 of the short ones I used 5 and 3.  I think I like it better but that's just me.  

have fun doing these!  I know I am! only takes about 5-10 minutes to put one together and they will look wonderful on any tree!




~Y