Are all your holiday decorations out? If you’re still wanting to to add a little more decor, this simple ornament made from cut out circles is something you might want to try. I went for bright colors, mixed with a little bit of black, gold, and silver, and it’s just festive enough. I think these paper ball ornaments are so pretty that I might find a little spot in our house to keep some up all year long!
Supplies:
-cardstock in various colors
-3″ circle punch
-ruler
-pencil
-scissors
-glue
-paintbrush
-string/twine
Step One: Cut out twenty circles for each ball. I used a 3″ circle punch because I wanted to make bigger paper balls, and they end up being about 6″ across. If you want to make smaller ones, just use a smaller circle punch.
Step Two: From one circle cut out, draw an equilateral triangle and cut that out. That will be the guide for folding each circular piece.
Step Three: Use the triangle cut out as a guide to fold each circular piece. Fold each side in towards the front of the paper.
Step Four: To start, paint glue on one flap of two circles and join together. The triangles should point in the same direction. Continue painting glue onto the flaps to attach three more circles to the two; these five circles joined together create the top of the ball.
To create the center of the ball, glue ten circles together, but alternate the tip of the triangles pointing up and down. This then connects to the five previous circles that form the top of the ball.
Step Five: Cut out a 16″ strand of string (or whatever length you need), knot it a few times so that the knot is large enough that it won’t slip through the ball. Insert the loop through the top center of the ball.
Step Six: Continue on with the remaining five circles and add those onto the ball making sure that the points all face the same direction. This is the bottom of the ball.
I think these paper balls could be used for other celebrations throughout the year. It would also be a great alternate for a bow on top of a present. If you want to make a special one for a sweetheart, just write a little message on each circle for them. This would also be cute as a hanging mobile. I could probably go on and on about the different ways this paper ornament ball could be used. I want to plan to make a larger version of my dowel Christmas tree, and hang these paper balls on them! –Rubyellen
Credits // Author and Photography: Rubyellen Bratcher. Photos edited with Valentine from The Signature Collection.
39 Comments
I totally agree that these would be perfect for other celebrations throughout the year! They almost look kind of Easter-y to me as well.
Cat
http://oddlylovely.com
I did this with cards from my baby shower, and now I have a special ornament to hang on the tree every year. Takes up lots less space in my apartment than a stack of cards!
I love this DIY,it looks so pretty ♥
http://fashionwithvalentina.blogspot.com
These are so pretty it’s hard to believe that they’re made of paper! I don’t know why but my mind immediately went to nursery decor when I saw these. Wouldn’t they be sweet on some sort of a homemade mobile?
xx
Kathryn
http://www.throughthethicket.ca
I love these! Thanks for sharing Rubyellen 🙂
So cute! I remember doing a similar project way back in geometry!
http://www.tuskstails.blogspot.com
So cute! I want to try this out.
These paper ornaments are so adorable! Next DIY project!
http://arnellavanilla.com
Ooooh, I love this! Already thinking about different color combinations. Total color theory geek project.
doitfortheirony.blogspot.com / Funny creator style person.
I like to make these with any kind of recycled paper I can find, like greeting cards, cool packaging, etc. Also, I used glue the first year I made them, then switched to double-stick tape. It tends to be quicker and less messy (plus I had a couple rolls left over from a work project that I was allowed to take home)!
Hm…I smell a wedding decoration project!
These are super cute! Not necessarily holiday decor in my mind, but for the rest of the year or a party they’d be perfect!
Those are so darn cute!
Connie | Sponsored by Coffee
I do this project at school with 5th graders. They love it. I struggle with what to call them though. They are 10 yr olds. So anything with the word “ball” ion it is too much for them to handle. :0 I never thought of it for other times of year. Thank you for the post.
Love the simplicity of these! and it’s a craft that the kids can easily do too! I have so much leftover holiday card stock left over – this is the perfect craft to use it up!
M – Mocha and Moccasins
Nice idea! And beautiful, funny colors.
Have a nice day
mtrjschk.blogspot.de
They look gorgeous! Such a unique idea!
WritingMonique
isn;t this technique a bliss? I have used it to make a necklace in the past and it was super duper crazy perfect: http://www.inwhirlofinspiration.com/blog/2013/12/2/necklace
Where do you get such interesting and funky cardstock and do you have to purchase it in a pkg or can you buy it by the sheet? Love this idea and it’s one I’d like to do with my grandchildren.
They remind me a little of everlasting gobstoppers! <3
these are so cute!
http://laurenslittleblogs.blogspot.co.uk/
xx
Perfect!
Love, love, LOVE this!! It’ll be my project for today.
Wow! This looks really pretty!
And you can customize them for Christmas as welL!
Definitely going to make this for my home!
http://curvybird.blogspot.nl/
http://www.pinterest.com/nind123/
I like your idea of using these instead of bows for gifts! So cute!
You could fill them with goodies too! -Audrey | Brunch at Audrey’s
great idea! It’s nice to see something different from all the bauble diys in the bloghosphere 🙂
So pretty love this DIY <3 Amazing
So pretty!
https://thefashionhorn.wordpress.com/
J’adore this tree Christmas ! It’s so cute 😉
Made these at Christmas almost fifty years ago. Used old Christmas cards and put glitter on the edges. Thankfully my mother never threw them away, so they are now on my tree.
so cute!
xx nikki
http://www.dream-in-neon.com
Oh my goodness. This post just made my life – I’m a huge ABM fan, and I designed that gold and silver paper pad for Craft Smith. (It’s at Michaels!) To see it used here is so much fun!
PS. Literally got the ABM Kelly Moore bag in the mail last week and I’m loving it!
The gold and silver papers are from Craft Smith – you can buy them at Michael’s stores. 🙂
All the gold foil papers in the different patterns are from 1 paper pad at Michaels – Craft Smith Holiday Elegance. I think they’re on sale now with all of their Christmas stuff.
These are too cute!
I work at an Art Gallery and we have special events a few times a year themed around the exhibit, last year we made these paper ball ornaments for the event!! We made HUNDREDS of them, literally so many paper balls. They are lots of fun and easy to make, I love the way you’ve decorated with them!
Directed this way by the lovely Erin at Craft Smith. What a fab project.
I see craft ideas for the holiday break!
These are so pretty!