Christmas Christmas Time is Near!

Admittedly, I am somewhat of a Christmas Fanatic. I'm also frugal and love most everything modern/new. It's a bit of a stretch to consider the environment and green living when you're obsessed with shiny things and clean lines. Here's a project I've been wanting to do for the past two or three years. Since I've seen beautifully coloured "yarn bulbs" decorating store front Christmas Trees. I'm aware that I'm just getting in at the tail end of this Christmas trend, but once an idea enters my mind, it must come to fruition before I can move on to newer things.

Hence, I bought a ball of yarn, took some Christmas bulbs (plastic ones) that no longer suit the style I hope to decorate in this Christmas and have covered them with some lovey green yarn. If you would like to do this, please don't use glass bulbs, as it could be a little unsafe, and you could easily substitute styrofoam balls for the bulbs I used, but I thought I'd just recycle the ones I had. Here's how I did it.

Some very simple and basic tools, craft glue that will dry clear, bulbs of your choice, a pencil, scissors and yarn (you could recycle some yarn if you have an old sweater you'd like to unravel, or some ends left over from other projects for a striped ornament).

First, I removed the metal clasp on the end of the bulb, and used a wooden pencil to wedge the bulb onto (this is why it's important to use a plastic bulb, glass might easily shatter at this stage). The pencil makes the bulb much easier to handle. Then generously added the glue. The reason I used so much is that the ball is very smooth, you can sand it down a little if you'd like, but in order to keep the yarn attached a generous amount of glue will not only help keep the yarn stuck to the bulb, but also the edges of the strands will stick together. No one wants the yarn to start falling off in loops or strands in the middle of the Christmas season.

Next, beginning with the top end of the bulb twirl around the end of the yarn. Its best not to cut the yarn from the ball or else you may find you do not have enough to cover the entire bulb in one strand.

Then carefully, so you do not pull the yarn off of the bulb, begin wounding the yarn. Try to keep gaps as small as possible where the strands meet. This is especially important if you are covering a bulb whose colour contrasts greatly from the yarn you are using.

Obviously, continue winding. Adding more glue as needed.

At the end, simply press the last bit of yarn into the glue and cut to remove your bulb from the ball of yarn. Using the palm of your hand gently press all around the bulb to make sure the yarn adheres to the glue. Carefully remove the pencil, wiggling it might help get it out. Then gently press the metal clasp back on.

Once the clasp is on, hang the ball on something to dry, I used a broom handle that I had lain across my table. It should not take long to dry, and repeat the steps to make as many bulbs as you would like.

Environmentally friendly, cost effective (the yarn cost me $4.50, everything else I had on hand) and very cute.