Paper ball ornaments for your Christmas tree

Paper ball ornaments for your Christmas tree
IMPORTANT:  It's been a while since I did this instructable and now that I reviewed it, I agree that some steps are a little bit confusing.

So if you cannot figure out some of the steps, or you want to learn how to do it quickly, then just read steps 1 to 3 and skip steps 4 to 9. Instead watch the video on step 10. Then follow the instructions on steps 11-12 to finish the ornament. The video shows the whole proces of making the medallion.

Of course if you like challenge, follow up all the steps and just skip step 10 :-)

Recycling paper is one of the many things we can do to protect environment, so instead of dispose our old magazines and the tons of catalogs and paper junk we receive, why don't use it to make some nice ornaments for Christmas? They are original, cheap and safer for your children than the traditional glass balls.

I'll show you how to do it, using origami techniques
You only need some magazines or catalogs, glue and a little bit of patience to make it.


 
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Step 1Materials

Materials
First gather the following materials:

Old magazines, catalogs, or any kind of paper you want to reuse. I recommend you to choose paper with nice colors.

Glue

Scissors (optional, if you have practice you can cut the paper with only your hands).



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60 comments
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Nov 7, 2009. 8:49 PMnbue says:
 What is hard about this people? Just click on the pictures and use your BRAIN to do a little thing called critical thinking. Sure the written part doesn't spoon feed it to you, but it's still a great instructable. 
Dec 7, 2011. 12:04 PMacerene says:
LOL. You sound like my 3-D design teacher. <3
Nov 24, 2009. 4:21 PMbassclarinet23 says:
I lost mine...
Dec 4, 2008. 8:07 AM15zhangfra says:
AWESOME, MUSTMAKE MUSTMAKE MUSTMAKE MUSTMAKE MUSTMAKE MUSTMAKE
Dec 4, 2008. 8:15 AM15zhangfra says:
you could also put the lights onstring that are supposed to go around the tree in them. if they where strong enough to go through the paper but not burn it at 651 degrees F i think
Dec 19, 2009. 9:49 AMaychbee says:
It is 451 degrees F.  I think it's a pretty idea.
Dec 16, 2010. 5:31 AMking kolton9 says:
Eww. old wrapping paper.
Nov 18, 2010. 12:34 PMtwighahn says:
leds work great
Nov 18, 2010. 12:32 PMtwighahn says:
use last years wrapping paper.also make a wreath with the balls for the one who gave you the gift that the paper was wrapped in.or even a ball from that paper
Mar 15, 2010. 12:45 PMClaire Esposito says:
I aman active tap dancing 80 and a free lance craft designer for craft magazines since 1976.  I love these "flowers" but can't figure out how on earth to attach five of them to make a ball???  Anyone out there that can explain?  Crafting with Claire
Dec 20, 2009. 5:30 PMm.o.M. says:
These are addictive! I made two for teacher's gifts and they were a huge hit! Thank you for the tutorial!
IMG_0428.JPG
Aug 10, 2007. 12:15 AMdrake says:
now i need a paper cristmas tree to go with the paper decoration
Dec 19, 2009. 9:51 AMaychbee says:
Check out the hard cover book tree.  Maybe a super large book like an atlas would work !    : )
Dec 7, 2007. 7:46 AMclk says:
Drake, check out http://www.treehugger.com/files/2007/12/have_yourself_a.php
for your paper christmas tree!
Nov 18, 2010. 12:33 PMtwighahn says:
a magazine with the pages folded down individually makes a great tree but too small for the balls
Dec 7, 2009. 10:16 AMariath says:
I love this!! yesterday i was looking at these kind of ornaments in google and today i finally know how to do them :3 thank you so much!!

Just one question.. are you from Hermosillo? 'cause of the magazine XD i've seen it here XD

Anyway... Beautiful ornament! :D
Dec 7, 2009. 8:32 AMshelleyjo says:
Step 7, I was cruising...transition to step 8, I crashed...seems like a small critical step or explanation is missing.  Fun to fiddle with, but I am stuck.  I'll hang onto my many scraps of magazine page and look forward to a bit more info!
Dec 7, 2009. 12:12 PMmacrumpton says:
Very cool looking. I wonder if you could electroplate the finished product so it would be more durable. Like this instructable:
http://www.instructables.com/id/Electroforming-an-Iris-Seed-Pod/
Dec 1, 2009. 3:55 PMnaya1 says:
This is really confusing! I am only 11 and I have to make a present for my friend by tomorrow!! Any suggestions??
Nov 30, 2009. 10:49 AMsarahsupremo says:
I had a few head-scratching moments as well, but I always have that when trying to do any type of origami-related activity.  But once I got one down, I flew threw the rest of them!  This is a really fun project, and the results are so pretty!  Christmas-present extravaganza!
Nov 30, 2009. 12:57 AMalittlestranger says:
so pretty, going to give these a go!
Nov 29, 2009. 6:23 PMfinky says:
 yeah, perhaps its my frustration, but I can't seem to make sense of this 0_0    
Nov 9, 2009. 5:19 PMmidsummermuse says:
Great pictures! I'm pretty decent at origami, but I'm a very visual learner and I made one of your ornaments--and the pictures enabled me to understand this one. I just wish I started folding the squares from the other side since most of the pretty side is hidden and only peeking out from the "windows". I will try to upload a picture soon! I think I may make more, but the first one took a couple hours (and I was doing other stuff also). But--great job! Makes a cute ornament and a good gift.
Nov 8, 2009. 5:48 AMkawaiipeach says:
very easy!!! love it!!! i'm making it for my tree :) 
May 18, 2009. 9:38 AMunbentcrayfish says:
daaa waaaaaaaa???????? you have a good ball there man but you just made my brain hurt. instructions tooooo hard
May 3, 2009. 12:29 AMSarArtSci says:
Click on the smaller images below on step eight. you will find the second part to that step illustrated. I took me a moment to find too!
Jan 4, 2009. 11:21 PMirunwithscissors says:
its like you skip a step between 8 and 9
Dec 4, 2008. 1:38 PMalexorson says:
About how long does it take to make the ornament? Did you do a whole tree of these ornaments or just a few? I'd love to see a picture of these on your tree.
Dec 23, 2008. 5:46 PMelyena says:
It took me an hour to make my first one...I timed it, it took about 00:05:18 to make one side, but that was after I had it memorized and pretty fast. Time consuming, but pretty to look at!
Dec 22, 2008. 4:37 AMjodydigger says:
I had muchly fun making these for my little tree arrangement. Here they are!
Dec 16, 2008. 2:51 PM15zhangfra says:
u kan also sew the flaps
Dec 15, 2008. 3:58 PMsuperquack11 says:
and now... add LEDs!!!!
Dec 13, 2008. 3:25 PMsoundisvibration says:
I agree with fingers. I just cant figure out step 8.
Apr 2, 2008. 8:53 AMKeyth says:
This is great. I do a similar thing my mom used to do with all our holiday cards. I'll add an image (after the recycled batteries charge again for my camera!), and maybe a 'structable soon. Pretty easy to figure out though, not really rocket science. Although if you're not geometrically inclined you could have a problem determining the three fold lines.
Dec 12, 2008. 4:29 PMToad33 says:
Hello Can you please tell me how to make the paper ornament ball? Thank You Toad33
Jun 14, 2009. 6:34 PMShadowfury says:
Why not just sink-fold one of the triangles into the module and join it with the triangle of another? It would be a little more difficult, but it would save you the hassle of sitting there waiting for the glue to dry.
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Author:syribia(La Vaca de Papel)
Food Chemist with a desire to study Entomology some day. Hobbies: Cooking, origami, reading, watching anime, my crazy pigeon and sometimes videogames.