Icy Tree Branch Decor with Hand Glittered Ornaments

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I had so much fun making Christmas ornaments the other day that I had to share my project. I’ve always wanted a white Christmas tree, but I really don’t have the space to store it, so I just haven’t committed to purchasing one. Maybe next year. So instead, I gathered some pussy willow branches that I had bought quite some time ago and lightly spray painted them white. Once dry, I arranged them in a vase, which I then put that vase inside of a bigger vase. I used some sheer fabric (it’s actually a curtain from Ikea.) to create an ethereal snow look. Voila, the closest thing I am getting to a white tree this year.

Filling clear Christmas balls with glitter is nothing new. There are a million tutorials on Pinterest if you look. The reason I had never done this craft before is that the tutorials required you to use some floor wax or something weird that I didn’t really want to buy or use in a craft project. DecoArt came to the rescue by sending me some Ornament Glitter Adhesive.  This stuff is awesome for creating glittery ornament balls.

I wanted more than just glitter inside the ornaments though, so I ran to the craft store and found packs of glitter and color coordinated sequins and confetti. Particularly the little snowflakes was what I wanted to use. I would have loved to use the big snowmen and big snowflake confetti, but they were just too big to stick to the rounded surface inside the ornaments.

Creating the ornaments was simple. First you need to rinse out the inside of the ornament with a vinegar and water mix, to get out any dust or particles. Then let dry. Once dry, squirt in a teaspoon or so of Ornament Glitter Adhesive and swirl it around to cover the entire inside of the ornament. Pour any excess adhesive back into the bottle. If you are using glitter, add about a tablespoon of glitter into the ball and shake it around, covering the opening with your thumb. Pour out any excess glitter, or add more if the entire surface isn’t covered. Let it dry and reattach the topper and put it on the tree. It couldn’t be easier.

For the snowflake confetti balls, I spent a bit more time on each ornament. I wanted the snowflakes to stick more evenly to the inside of the ornaments so I used a coffee stirrer and some wire to place the snowflakes in the balls. It sounds tedious, but really only took a few minutes with each ornament. The first part of the process is the same, but instead of adding the glitter, pour a small amount snowflake confetti to the inside of the ornament. Using the coffee stirrer, move each snowflake around until they are somewhat evenly spaced. It’s challenging to get the confetti towards the top, but I used a wire that I bent and was able to do it with that.

I love the blue and white icy colors of the ornaments on the white branches. You can even add glitter after putting the snowflakes in their place…

This project is so simple, yet has dramatic results! What color glitter would you use?

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