This Light Bulb Craft makes Cheap Christmas decorations from recycled materials by painting ombre colored light bulb ornaments.

These DIY Light Bulb Crafts Ornaments are an easy ombre crafts project. You can make light Bulb ornaments by recycling old Christmas light bulbs in an afternoon. We have been seeing all the recycled Light Bulb Craft on Pinterest and would love to make so many of them. Homemade cheap Christmas decorations are absolutely the best.

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There are a million ways to go over budget during the holiday season. But trimming your tree should never be one of them. Especially when you can use this DIY tutorial to turn old light bulbs into unique, one-of-a-kind family heirlooms!

Any shape of light bulb will work, but I really liked the chandelier/candelabra shaped light bulbs. And they have the best tips to mix and match and drop in between branches with my existing collection of round ornaments.

What you need for these Light Bulb Ornaments

Supplies:

Light bulbs (any shape or size)
Acrylic craft paint in various shades of the same color, dark to light
Fine glitter
Jute String

Equipment:

Paper plates
Hairdryer
Sponge brush
Scissors

Painting Ombre

Everything “ombre”- a gradient effect of various shades of a single color from dark to light – has been really popular in design for the past few years. So I wished to try painting ombre by using craft paint in four different shades of blue. It will act as the base color for my set of four light bulb ornaments. And by adding fine glitter and unbleached baker’s twine, I bought these simple glass light bulbs from the recycling bin to Pinterest reuse gold.

How to make Easy Christmas decorations from recycled materials

First, clean the outside of your ornaments with rubbing alcohol and dry with newspaper to remove any dust or other particles. (Newspaper works better than paper towels or cloth because it doesn’t leave anything behind – a little trick I learned working in restaurants when I was a teen!)
Next, using a sponge brush, paint one of your ornaments in the darkest shade of color, working from the metal to the tip. When the entire light bulb is covered evenly, sprinkle glitter to your desired coating all the way around.
Then, while still holding the metal light bulb base between your fingers, dry your ornament with a paint dryer or hairdryer on high heat. Hold about six inches away from your light bulb and rotate to dry evenly, for about 30 seconds.
Lastly, when your light bulb ornament is completely dry, knot a 6″ to 8″ length of jute string (or any other string or yarn that you like) around the metal base of the light bulb, knotting once – and tightly. Then knot the other end to create an ornament loop, and voila!
Repeat with additional light bulbs with your lighter shades, together creating the ombre craft effect when they are hung from the tree.

Other Christmas Crafts:

Wooden Snowman Ornament
Christmas Candle Holders
Wine Cork Wreath
25 Christmas Decorations that you can make

Click HERE to save this Painting Ombre Light Bulb Ornaments to Pinterest

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Painting ombre colored light bulb ornaments

Make Christmas decorations from recycled materials by painting ombre colored light bulb ornaments. A light bulb craft that makes cheap Christmas decorations

Prep Time30

Total Time30

Keyword: Christmas decorations from recycled materials, light bulb craft, light bulb ornaments, painting ombre

Author: Evelyn Osborn

Cost: 10

Equipment

Paper plates
Hairdryer
Sponge brush
Scissors

Ingredients

Light bulbs any shape or size
Acrylic craft paint in various shades of the same color dark to light
Jute String
Fine glitter

Instructions

First, clean the outside of your ornaments with rubbing alcohol and dry with newspaper to remove any dust or other particles. (Newspaper works better than paper towels or cloth because it doesn’t leave anything behind – a little trick I learned working in restaurants when I was a teen!)
Next, using a sponge brush, paint one of your ornaments in the darkest shade of color, working from the metal light bulb base to the tip. When the entire light bulb is covered evenly, sprinkle glitter to your desired coating all the way around.
Then, while still holding the metal light bulb base between your fingers, dry your ornament with a paint dryer or hairdryer on high heat. Hold about six inches away from your light bulb and rotate to dry evenly, for about 30 seconds.
Lastly, when your light bulb ornament is completely dry, knot a 6″ to 8″ length of jute string (or any other string or yarn that you like) around the metal base of the light bulb, knotting once – and tightly. Then knot the other end to create an ornament loop, and voila!
Repeat with additional light bulbs with your lighter shades, together creating the ombre craft effect when they are hung from the tree.