Old baubles: everyone has a few lying around. Too glittery, wrong colour, or once accidentally bought too many of the same (sááái). Don't throw them away! With a lick of paint, simply from an old pot of wall paint or some acrylic, you can give them in no-time a completely new look.
Pimping up Christmas baubles with acrylic paint
We all buy bins full of Christmas decorations every year, even though we often already have more than enough lying around. By repurposing existing baubles upcycle, you reduce waste and give your tree a personal, creative twist. You don't need any special equipment, just some paint, a brush and some patience. Whether you like sleek and modern, colourful or natural. You can do anything with paint.
Painting Christmas baubles: with a lick of paint, your old baubles will look like new in no time.
Christmas DIY: painting Christmas baubles
Tools
- old baubles
- sandpaper
- acrylic paint(or leftover wall paint)
- acrylic paint markers(optional)
- pencil (and eraser)(for pre-scribbling your design)
- brushes
- varnish(optional, for extra shine or protection)
- pencil or marker to put the ball on
- tape or adhesive tape to thicken the pencil(if necessary)
Instructions
- Carefully remove the hook from the ball and set it aside.
- Put the ball on a pencil or marker. Does it not stick? Wrap some tape around the pencil for extra grip. Put the whole thing in a glass or jar.
- Lightly sand the ball so that the paint adheres better.
- Paint the ball in a light base colour and let dry well.
- Lightly draw your design with pencil if necessary.
- Paint your ball with acrylic paint or use paint pens. Let each layer dry thoroughly before continuing.
- Want an extra layer of protection? Then apply a thin layer of varnish.
- Finally, put the hook back into the ball.
Variation tip for painting baubles: textured paint with baking soda
Fancy something other than sleek and smooth? Then mix a little baking soda into your acrylic paint (about 1 to 1) and you will get a thick, chalky paste with texture. This will give your ball a cool, modern look in one layer. Think ceramic, but homemade. The rest of the steps are the same: sand, paint, let dry and done!
Even more sustainable DIY Christmas decorations
- Don't feel like painting? Give your old baubles a upgrade with a simple ball of string.
- Do you have any leftover dust? Even with a few simple fabric scraps you can breathe new life into baubles in no time.
- Also nice: Dutch houses made of old cardboard.
Source: Worldremit. Photo credits: Melanie De Oliveira.
