Christmas balls are a necessary attribute of the New Year. On store shelves we see a huge variety of balls, dazzling with their beauty.
Why exactly balls?
There are many stories about how Christmas balls appeared. One of them says: once in Germany there was a crop failure of apples. And without apples there could not be a holiday, because they were the main decoration. Then the inhabitants of Germany went to the glassblowers and asked them to blow apples out of the glass. And the Christmas tree was decorated, and the inhabitants were satisfied. This story reminds us of a fairy tale. Now, of course, Christmas balls have lost all the signs of apples, only a similar shape remains. Nevertheless, the tradition was born and continues to live to this day.
What a holiday without diamonds?
Over time, Christmas balls began to come into fashion, painted by masters, real professionals in their field. They can be made to order, having agreed in advance about the shape and ornament. Of course, you will have to pay a little more for handmade Christmas balls than for simple ones, but you will surely be sure that no one has them.
The production of such unique toys is carried out by one of the units of the Versace fashion house. Few people know about this, which does not prevent them from flourishing in the creation of interior items. Copies of such Christmas tree decorations are limited, and they can only be purchased from the official Versace website. The price of such toys starts from 100 euros. The design uses precious metals and stones.
There are also many such companies in Russia. They are in almost all cities of the country (Ariel in Nizhny Novgorod, Style Studio in Khimki, etc.).
Do it yourself
No one obliges you to buy Christmas balls, and even more so for the money. You can make wonderful New Year's toys yourself. Creating New Year’s masterpieces with your own hands, you can plunge into the atmosphere of the holiday, take part in its history. Surely everyone wants to surprise their loved ones with unusual gifts. No one doubts that store toys amaze with their splendor and riot of colors, sparkles and ornaments. But believe me, getting a homemade toy as a gift is much more pleasant!
In fact, making Christmas balls with your own hands is not at all difficult. To do this, you will need: special materials, from which, in fact, you will make your toy, a little talent and imagination, and, of course, a good mood! Today it will not be difficult to find some guidance on how to create a New Year's work of art. The abundance of photos and step-by-step instructions will make the creation process simple and enjoyable for the soul. In our article, we will look at the most popular ways to make your balls bright and unusual.
Openwork tale
Surely every girl at least once in her life held a hook or knitting needle in her hands. Remember the same technology lessons at school. An air loop, front and back loops, a yarn, a loop with two turns are terms familiar to all women. So why not grab a piece of yarn and crochet the original Christmas balls?
Someone associates knitting with something that has long gone out of fashion. “Only grandmothers knit,” many say. But in fact, knitted balls on a Christmas tree are something magical, sophisticated, truly beautiful and unusual!
The schemes of such work are trivially simple and do not require special skills. The main materials for creating such a ball are a hook or knitting needles, yarn, an inflatable ball and PVA glue. The execution algorithm is very simple:
- first you need to connect the openwork base, which will be the frame of the toy;
- then soak it in glue;
- place the inflatable ball inside the knitted frame and inflate it;
- when the knitted base dries, blow out the ball and gently pull it out.
Your toy is ready! Such Christmas-tree decorations will create a homely and cozy atmosphere.
Also, you can tie ready-made Christmas balls. Plastic or glass, with or without sparkles - you decide. The knitting algorithm of such a “cape” is practically no different from the previous one. The only difference is that the frame already exists - a Christmas ball, and you just need to tie it up, creating beautiful patterns and ornaments with yarn, crochet and, of course, with your hands.
Knitting balls require a little more effort. But the choice of ornament is much wider. You can knit your favorite print and combine colors that suit you. Balls with a typical Norwegian ornament - snowflakes and deers look very cute.
Napkins, scissors and glue
Decoupage technique is very popular among needlewomen. Its main advantage is that it allows you to remake the item to your taste. The essence of this technique is that you stick pieces of napkins to any item.
Balls are no exception. You can decorate your ball with any pattern you like. The materials you need are a ball blank, a paper napkin with your chosen pattern, PVA glue, varnish and other decorations.
The execution scheme is really simple:
- First you need to select the fragment of the picture that you will stick. It can be cut, but it is better to cut it off carefully.
- Then remove the top layer (the one on which the picture). He is just what we need.
- Next, you simply glue the pattern onto the ball, smoothing it with a brush.
- By the same principle, you need to glue the whole ball. When the ball dries, cover it with acrylic varnish. If you do not have it, you can replace it with hair spray.
Photo album on balls
Time does not stand still, progress is moving forward. Nowadays, you can even print photos on your toys, and you get a real photo album on balls! In order to make such an unusual object for decorating a Christmas tree, it is better to use transparent Christmas balls - then the photo will be more clear. Then you need to print the photo on a napkin.
To do this, you need to attach the top layer of the napkin to a regular sheet using adhesive tape, then set the print. The printer will do everything for you. And then follow the instructions given above. As a result, you will get a cozy Christmas tree toy that will serve as a great gift for your family!
Winter beads pattern
If you are an ardent lover of beads, beads and rhinestones, then you should like this idea. A Christmas tree toy can not only be tied up or made out of paper, but also decorated with beads. You will have to sweat over such a toy, because working with beads is hard and painstaking work. In order to make a mantle from beads for a ball, you will need the ball itself, wire and various things (beads, beads, rhinestones, etc.). You can use glass Christmas balls or plastic, which you like best.
Everything is done very simply: beads and any other jewelry are put on the wire, and then all this is attached to the ball. The flexibility of the wire will allow you to simulate a
frosty pattern on the window. Unleash your imagination, and then your "beaded mantle" will definitely amaze everyone!
Large sizes have not been canceled
Large Christmas balls are something new in the toy industry. Such decorations will definitely not leave your tree unattended. If you like original ideas and want to make your Christmas tree design non-standard, then turn on your imagination and get down to business! You can make large Christmas balls from paper, thread, cardboard - the choice of material is quite wide. There are tons of ideas that come with implementation instructions. Christmas balls made of paper will look very original if you take, for example, the pages of a magazine or an old book. In order to make a Christmas ball from threads, you will need PVA glue, an inflatable ball and threads. First you need to dampen the thread in the glue. Then wrap the ball with it. When the thread dries, the ball should be blown off and carefully removed.
The toy can be decorated with beads or coated with gold paint. Such decorations look great on a Christmas tree.
Holiday for children
New Year is the most magical holiday, especially for children. This is the time when they make wishes, look forward to Santa Claus, receive gifts and, of course, the Christmas tree. Which child does not like to decorate the Christmas tree with garlands and toys? Especially when you can do it yourself.
Any child will definitely like the idea of making Christmas balls with images of characters from their favorite cartoon, because everyone can do it. You will need only one-color balls and paints. They can be acrylic, or you can use the most ordinary gouache. But if you use gouache, keep in mind that it will need to be varnished, otherwise the paint will not last long and will soon begin to crumble. Brush in hand - and for the cause! Your imagination has no limits. You can draw funny faces, favorite patterns or leave a festive congratulation - anything. Surely every child will be pleased to see a toy on the Christmas tree that he made himself.
Just look, what a variety of ideas! Absolutely everyone can make Christmas balls with their own hands, regardless of age. Homemade toys will become an unusual piece of furniture that will create a warm and cozy atmosphere in your home, and will also serve as a wonderful gift for family and friends. What could be better than a gift made with love with your own hands? Therefore, choose any idea you like, turn on your imagination and get down to business soon! New Year is already very close!