Orb tutorial

 Now that the post-holiday sales are over i'll put this up. It's a fun project to do with the large shatterproof plastic Xmas ornaments that you can't get anymore, cuz the holiday sales are over. Packrats like myself will still have some from last year; if the rest of you didn't stock up then DOOM ON YOU. They were only ten cents each. These are the huge ones but any size can be made to work...

 Anyway. This is some sort of athletic tape that i saved from when i was a janitor and the old janitor Bob and i would take our late midafternoon breaks in the old gym. I'm not sure exactly but i think they used it to wrap hockey stick handles, or pole vault poles, or wrap their hands when rock climbing. (none of those sports ever actually took place there that i know of) and it's very sticky on the sticky side, but the dry side is a fairly sturdy fabric, Which is Useful Because IT IS PAINTABLE. Stick it on your ornament like the picture shows. Paint it gold or silver if you want yours to look like mine.

Paint the spaces in between the gold or silver tape with nailpolish in random colors. Inhale deeply. Sprinkle some glitter. Make little dots around the edges of the tape with fabric paint. Something this fancy in ages past would be adorned with hammered &molded gold, but this is the age of cheapness & plastic. Acquire hammered-gold substitute from an aluminum can (This one is from cat food) Trim into a starburst shape. Attach with craft glue. I use the stuff in the purple tube as purple is my very favourite color.

Add rhinestones in a color that grooves harmoniously w the glitter. Add more fabric paint. Add more glitter. TA DAAA!
 I decided to hang this one as ceiling space is less imperiled than shelf space at this time.  But i did very much like the look of this piece on the thrift-store candlestick above & would recommend a similar display if presenting this as gift to the sort of posh folks who have so much of everything, that an actual symbol of monarchical rule seems appropriate. These cost about 50cents to make, but i'll sell you one for $50...