Popcorn balls make great gifts as well as fun decorations.
This year, when you get out the popcorn and cranberries to string Christmas garlands, be sure to pop enough to make some matching Christmas tree balls as well. These clever ornaments will not just coordinate with your garland and movie night fodder, but they are simple to make even for very young children, who will only need a little help with the gluing.
Instructions
1. Pop the popcorn. Only fully popped kernels will work for this project. Use unbuttered popcorn to limit the amount of grease in your art supplies, and let it cool completely before beginning your project. If you wish, you can buy a bag of unsalted, unbuttered popcorn at the store instead of popping your own.
2. Break all the toothpicks in half. If you like, you can cut them with a knife or scissors. It does not matter if the ends are smooth.
3. Stick a toothpick in each piece of popcorn. Before inserting it in the popcorn, put a dot of tacky craft glue on the end of the toothpick. This will hold the popcorn to the toothpick more securely. The toothpick half should stick out at least 3/4 of an inch from the piece of popcorn.
4. Glue a loop of red ribbon to the top of the styrofoam ball. Use plenty of glue to make sure that the loop sticks securely, since this will be your ornament hanger.
5. Stick the popcorn sticks into the styrofoam ball. Place them as close together as possible so that no styrofoam shows through the layer of popcorn. For added security, place a drop of tacky glue on the end of the toothpick going into the ball to help it stick to the styrofoam ball. Continue to stick popcorn sticks in the ball until the entire ball is covered.
Tags: styrofoam ball, glue toothpick, piece popcorn, popcorn sticks, unbuttered popcorn