Make your own DIY marbled ornaments in your favorite colors to customize your Christmas tree this year. These ornaments are really easy and a lot of fun to make. Thank you to DecoArts for sponsoring this post, which also contains affiliate links that help to support this blog. Thank you!
Today I have a really fun and simple Christmas project for you guys – DIY marbled ornaments. I made these on my own, but I am going to get another couple boxes of plastic ornaments and make more with my kids. I know they will love this project, and the best part is that it is easy enough to do with the kids but you still get gorgeous results.
I mean, how pretty are those? Just love these things- they have a gorgeous glossy finish with a pretty marbled, swirled look.
DIY Marbled Ornaments Supplies
- Clear Glass or Plastic Ornaments (I used plastic because I have three kids, and I have to say they still look great)
- DecoArt Americana Multi-Surface Acrylic Paint
- Paper Towels
- Ribbon
This process is really easy, but you do not have complete control over how your finished ornament is going to look. The paint kind of has a mind of it’s own, so try to let just go and just see where it ends up. You can do it! 🙂 Make sure you get a lot of clear ornaments because this is a lot of fun, and I have a feeling you are going to want to try lots of paint combinations.
DIY Marbled Ornaments
- Remove cap from your ornament.
- Squeeze acrylic paint around the outside of the ornament. Try alternating two or three colors. You want a good amount of paint for it to swirl and mix well.
- Cover the opening with a paper towel, and shake the ornament around to swirl it together and cover the entire surface.
- Pour out the excess paint and allow the ornament to dry with the cap off.
- When the ornament is dry, replace the cap and thread a piece of ribbon through the top.
That’s it! I found that the paint really mixes a lot, so liked using similar or analogous colors. For the most part, I stuck with blues, white, silver, and gray. The silver paint created a really beautiful effect in the finished ornaments.
Have you guys ever tried filling ornaments with paint before? I love how easy it is to get the exact colors that you want for your tree. I’m still figuring out what I’m doing with my tree this year, but I really loved my pink tree last year, so I will probably keep a lot of that. I’m thinking I will probably need some more DIY marbled ornaments in pink for that. 😉
Happy Making!
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Comments + Project Love
Jen Worsham says
I really like how thick your ribbon is on most of them. The ribbon you linked seems to be much thinner. Can you tell me the width of the riboon you used in the very first picture of this post? Thank you!!
Alexis says
Hi! Sorry! You are right, and I should change that link. I think that I used 7/8′ ribbon for those ornaments. 🙂
MamaT says
Are we squeezing paint on the inside of the bauble or the outside? U said outside n then a few steps later u said to pour out excess paint?? I’m a bit confused ?♀️
Alexis says
On the inside of the bauble. 🙂
Nancy Hanie says
I am using plastic ornaments, but when I use the paints…I turn it upside down and the paint drips out. However when I turn them over to dry, the next day paint has dripped completely off the sides. What am I doing wrong?
Bobbi Deline says
Nancy Hanie did you ever get an answer to your question? The same thing has happened to me too. Sometimes it’s just streaks missing, others most of the pain has run out … very frustrating!
Becca H says
Me too! I used glass ornaments and a combination of plain and metallic acrylic paint. My issue is with the metallic paint. I know I’m getting good coverage. I know I’m letting as much of the excess paint drip out. But DAYS later there are spots or areas where there is no paint or it’s so thin I can see through it. I’d love to know what I’m doing wrong…
Dini D. says
I know I’m very late to the game, but I just saw this. My reply is going to drive you crazy: It might be because you did NOT wash the insides of your ornaments and then thoroughly dry before adding paint; it could also be because you DID wash them, depending on what you used.
There are so many leftover compounds from manufacturing that some of them — say, a coating in the plastic or glass to protect it — can still be on a piece when you receive it. This could cause the paint to shed. So try putting a drop of a mild but de-greasing dish soap, plus some water, inside the globe, cover the hole and give it a good few shakes, then rinse really well. Probably try to do this at least 24 hours before applying paint and be sure to dry them upside-down.
Also check the content of your paint. Any oils can be repelled by some of those manufacturing residues that I mentioned, or even by the soap you use to wash them, if you haven’t rinsed them very, very well. Rinse in the hottest water you can. If you’re using glass ornaments and are afraid you might break them while washing, fill the sink with water, and wash them one at a time over the water where, if you drop them, they won’t break.
Kelly says
I loved painting the glass ornaments! So many colours to choose from. I found the plastic ornaments were not very good to pour paints into…..not the same quality as the glass. I poured paints , alternating colours turned them upside down. I put them in a shooter glass and let them drip ? out. They turned out AWESOME ❤️❤️❤️❤️
T. says
On your instructions it says on the outside of the ball . Shouldn’t it be paint inside the ball to swirl around . Outside of it doesn’t work with the paper towel on it .
Amber says
I used plastic ornaments and I found that a few days later the paint started to crack on the inside. I poured the excess paint out twice just to make sure and didn’t cap them until the next day. Do you think I should have waited longer to cap? They’re still amazing. We’re doing this craft for a get together with refugees in St. Louis soon. I know the kids will love it!