The other day I was at Dollar Tree and came across multi-packs of little styrofoam balls.  There were three sizes (2 inch, 1 1/2 inch, and 1 inch)  and a total of nine balls for $1.  Who can pass up a deal like that?  I snagged a package, intent on making Christmas ornaments.  Taking a cue from the armored thumb tack Christmas ornament featured on DSC a couple of years ago, these push pin sunburst ornaments have a futuristic feel to them.  Use push pins in specific colors (such as alternating red and green pins) or paint the finished ornament in a uniform color.  You can also make an ornament using clear push pins for a crystal-like effect.

Project estimate:

  • Styrofoam balls, $1
  • Push pins, $1
  • Glue, on hand
  • Spray paint, on hand or $1 and up
  • Ribbon,  on hand or $1

Total: $2 and  up


Apply a dab of glue to the pin portion of a push pin.

Press the pin into the styrofoam ball.

Continue adding pins in a straight line, working around the center of the ball.  (Imagine that the ball is the planet, and you are trying to mark the equator with pins.)

Keep going until the line of pins wraps all the way around the ball.

Add a second row of pins.  Place them as close to the first row as possible, offsetting each new pin between two pins in the previous row when possible.

Keep adding pins in this fashion until the entire ball is covered.

To give the entire ornament a uniform color, apply several coats of spray paint.

Tie the center of a long,skinny piece of ribbon around one of the push pins.

Tie the ends of the ribbon into a bow, and your ornament is ready to hang!