Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Beaded Christmas Snowball Ornaments

Beaded Christmas Snowball OrnamentsI made these beaded ornaments with the kids years ago and they still look pretty and sparkly on the tree.

School gets out on Thursday and with two weeks of snow-covered days ahead of us I may just pull out my beads and wire and let them make up some more of these in different colors.

Here's what you'll need for one ornament:
  • 24 gauge wire (4 feet approximately)
  • 6 inches of silver cord
  • 16 8 mm white pearls
  • 16 8 mm crystal faceted beads
  • 48 3 mm white pearls
  • 32 crystal bugle beads
  • ruler
  • needle nose pliers
Beaded Christmas Snowball Ornaments1. Cut a 5 inch piece of wire and slip on eight 8 mm pearls. Twist the ends of the wire together tightly to form a circle of beads then trim off the excess and with the pliers tuck the sharp end into a tiny loop to protect against scratches.

2. Cut eight 5 inch pieces of wire and fold each piece of wire in half and wrap the center of the wire (at the fold) around the wire once in between each of the 8 mm pearls.

Beaded Christmas Snowball Ornaments3. Make sure all the wires are straight and pointed outward so they don't get you all confused. You should have 16 separate wires radiating out from the circle of beads. Slip a silver bugle bead on each of the 16 wires (it should look like you see pictured at the right).

4. Slip the two pieces of wire that are around each of the pearl beads through a 8 mm crystal bead so that they're both threaded through the hole and each is positioned right above each of the pearl beads.

Beaded Christmas Snowball Ornaments5. Slip three 3 mm pearl beads onto each of the wires coming out of each of the 8 mm crystals. Twist the two ends of wire together tightly and with the pliers trim the excess and fold into a tiny loop as you did before in step one.

It should look like you see here in the picture at the left. Set this piece aside for now.

6. Repeat steps one through four on the remaining beads and wire to make another circle of pearls, bugle beads and crystal beads.

Beaded Christmas Snowball Ornaments7. Now to attach these two pieces together. Take two ends of wire coming from a crystal bead on one half and insert them around a crystal bead on the other half. Twist the ends of wire securely around the wire joint and trim the excess, making another tiny loop with the end (see the picture at the right).

8. Straighten things out until it looks more like a round beaded snowball.

9. Thread the cord through the outside row of 3 mm pearl beads and tie in a knot to make a loop for hanging on the tree.

Pretty huh? Not only are they pretty on a tree they're pretty in a window or tied on a present.

***

Snowmen's Delight Basket from The Fruit CompanyAnd if crafts aren't your thing this year and you have any lingering names on your gift list I'd happily suggest you check out these two sites:

The Fruit Company sends holiday fruit and gift baskets and I was thrilled to find one on my doorstep. Thrilled in a way that only chocolate-covered cherries can provoke.

I was sent the Snowman's Delight basket you see here and I should say that the snowmen weren't the only ones who were delighted. I don't know if I should confess it but I ended up snarfing down the entire bag of chocolate covered cherries entirely on my own. And the caramel corn.

I did eat one of the apples . . . in between the toffee-covered almonds. Gasp. Did I just say that out loud?

Anyway, gift baskets like this are always a nice way to go for presents for loved ones far away--especially at the last minute--and this one was highly pleasing.

PopcornopolisPopcornopolis is another company that sends out gift baskets and has come to be a favorite of mine. I guess you'd say that they too do fruit baskets. Only they kind of skip the apples and pears and focus on just the caramel covered popcorn.

My kids try to argue all the time that corn is a vegetable so maybe this is kind of like a fruit basket--or veggie basket? Maybe?

But if you haven't yet tried their cinnamon-toast popcorn or the white-chocolate caramel corn you really haven't yet lived. That stuff is ta-sty! In fact twice now I've been sent bags of it and I've had to make people come over and try it for themselves and help me eat it just to save me from myself.

Nothing sadder than a woman hiding out in the closet eating her weight in caramel corn is there?

Anyway, another great place for last minute gifts. You can't go wrong with these guys--if chocolate covered cherries and cinnamon-toast popcorn can't win friends and influence people then nothing can.

Sponsored by:Beau-Coup--Fine and unique baby shower favors.

Technorati tags: Christmas, crafts, holidays, gifts,

16 comments:

3 Bay B Chicks said...

What fun! I love these Christmas ornaments. Thanks for the tip.

Also wanted to stop by your blog and thank you for my Scribbit prize. It arrived in the mail earlier this week. My son and I are sure to have tons of fun cutting out and decorating the Christmas cookies this year.

Happy Holidays!
-Francesca

CWDkids said...

Wow, the craft looks like a great activity for preteen children to keep them busy during the holiday break. Thank you!

Anonymous said...

The snowman cookie is awesome. Snowmen are my favorite direction at Christmas I have them everywere.

Stephanie Wetzel said...

Those ornaments are gorgeous. But I think I need to wait a few years. Cuz I can already imagine with my small ones that there will be fewer beads on the tree than on the floor.

Thank you for some inspiration for the future though!

SarahHub said...

These are so fun! I'll have to remember this for when Evie is a little older!

Wanda said...

Can I just say.....I love your blog!
It is great!
Thanks for sharing!

Patois42 said...

What a beautiful ornament.

Omah's Helping Hands said...

Absolutely love the beaded decors. Thanks for sharing the instructions on how to make them. Im going to have to check out those other sites later on too. MMMM the covered almonds, popocorn ball, my tummies growling. Gotta run now.

Unknown said...

What a great ornament! Have you seen the snowflake wires? They have 3 wires soldered together in the middle to form a "snowflake". You just add beads to the branches and bend the wire ends back. Easy as pie, especially for kids or quick gifts.

Anonymous said...

I'm really excited to try that ornament!

My parents made some that were similar their first married Christmas (30+ year ago), and they've always been my favorite ornaments. Too bad my mom has no recollection of how they made them. But this gets me close! Thanks!

Jenna said...

Beautiful!

And I hear ya on the eating one's weight in caramel corn. That was me last night, and boy am I paying the price today! But it's SO darn good! I even got chocolate covered caramel corn! How could I resist?

Anonymous said...

wow that ornament is so pretty. You are a genius!

jean said...

I love popcorn. Can I come over and hide in the closet with you?
We could let the kids have the fruit.

threesidesofcrazy said...

I love these ornaments. How cute and crafty!

Michelle Glauser said...

You're good at making such crafts look easy, but it still looks like more work than I'd like to do. :) Merry Christmas!

Rachel@oneprettything.com said...

You come up with the most beautiful crafts! I love these ornaments. I'll be linking!