A Mess-Free Glitter Trick for Christmas Ornaments
Do you love glitter at Christmas, but not the mess it leaves behind?
In this tutorial, Donna from Mason Creations etc. shares a simple way to add beautiful sparkle to a handmade ornament without glitter spreading all over your craft table.
Using a natural shell, rice paper, Polyvine Heavy Duty Varnish, paint, glitter, gold wax, and ribbon, she creates a soft coastal Christmas ornament with shimmer that stays right where it belongs.
Watch the video below to see Donna create the full shell ornament, then follow the steps to make your own.
Shop the Key Products
Tap any item to shop this project.
Polyvine Heavy Duty Varnish 
Animals Rice Paper 
Dixie Belle Chalk Mineral Paint 
Pentart Acrylic Paint
Materials You Can Shop Here
You can shop the featured finishes and supplies below, then use the tutorial steps to bring the project together.
- Polyvine Heavy Duty Varnish
- Animals Rice Paper
- Dixie Belle Chalk Mineral Paint
- Pentart Acrylic Paint
- Wax Rub
- Brushes & Tools
Also Needed
Seashell, Greenery, Glitter, and Ribbon
Step 1: Drill a Hole for the Hanger
Start with a clean shell.
Drill a tiny pinhole near the top first, then use a slightly larger drill bit to widen the hole. Starting small helps prevent the shell from cracking.
This hole will be used later for the ornament hanger.
Step 2: Paint the Inside White
If the inside of the shell has any discoloration, paint it with Dixie Belle Chalk Mineral Paint in Cotton.
Donna only paints the inside of the shell because she wants the outside to remain natural looking.
A white background is also important for decoupage. It keeps the rice paper image bright and clear instead of looking dull or muddy.
Let the paint dry for about 30 minutes.
Step 3: Prepare the Rice Paper Image
Choose the rice paper image you want to use inside the shell.
Use a water brush to wet around the image, then tear the paper instead of cutting it with scissors. A torn, feathery edge blends much more easily than a sharp cut edge.
Remove any white factory edges and round the corners slightly so the paper fits the shell more naturally.
Step 4: Add Small Tears Around the Image
Because the shell is curved and inverted, the rice paper will not lay flat without a little help.
Make small tears around the image. These tiny sections can overlap each other as the paper curves into the shell, helping prevent wrinkles.
If you test the paper and still see wrinkles, add a few more small tears in those areas.
Step 5: Decoupage the Rice Paper
Position the image exactly where you want it.
Use Polyvine Heavy Duty Varnish in Satin as the decoupage adhesive. Gently lift the edges of the rice paper, brush varnish underneath, and smooth the paper down with your brush.
Add more varnish over the top of the paper as you work. Let the little torn sections overlap naturally. Once dry, those overlaps become nearly invisible.
Let the decoupage dry for a couple of hours.
Step 6: Sand Away Excess Paper
If any rice paper hangs over the edge of the shell after drying, remove it with medium-grit sandpaper.
Lightly sand along the shell edge until the extra paper comes away and the edge feels smooth.
Step 7: Seal the Rice Paper Edges
Brush another coat of varnish over the decoupaged image, paying close attention to the paper edges.
This is important before paint blending. Sealed edges will not grab onto the paint as strongly, which helps keep the paper edge from becoming obvious.
Let the varnish dry for about one hour.
Step 8: Mix Paint to Match the Image
Look closely at the colors around the edges of your rice paper image.
Donna notes that the colors in this design are cool-toned. She starts with a dark tan, adds Pentart Country Blue, then lightens the mixture with white and thins it with a little water.
Paint blends better when it is slightly thin.
She also mixes a lighter tan shade by adding white to the remaining tan.
Step 9: Blend the Paint Around the Rice Paper
Use a makeup sponge to dab the paint onto the shell and over the paper edges.
Bring the paint onto the rice paper, not just up to the edge. This helps the painted shell and printed image blend together.
Alternate between the tan and blue-tan shades, matching the colors in the paper and softening the transition with the sponge.
For tiny areas between leaves or small details, use a small paintbrush and dab instead of brushing.
Step 10: Mix Glitter into Varnish
Place a few drops of Polyvine Heavy Duty Varnish onto a plate.
Add a tiny amount of glitter and mix it into the varnish. Donna creates a custom white-gold glitter by combining gold and silver glitter.
Once the glitter is mixed with varnish, it no longer flies around the workspace. This is the trick that makes the sparkle much less messy.
Step 11: Apply the Mess-Free Glitter
Brush or dab the glitter-varnish mixture onto the ornament.
For a thin sparkle, brush it on. For a chunkier look, dab it on.
Donna uses white-gold glitter on the brown leaves, silver glitter on the white leaves and flower, and adds sparkle to the back of the shell as well.
The varnish dries crystal clear and shrinks down as it dries, leaving the look of glitter without a thick, gluey finish.
Let the glitter dry for about one hour.
Step 12: Prove the Glitter Stays Put
Once the glitter is completely dry, brush another coat of varnish over the ornament.
Donna shows that the glitter is secure by varnishing over it without pulling any glitter off the shell. There is no loose glitter left in her varnish cup.
Let the varnish dry for about one hour.
Step 13: Add a Gold Edge
Use Redesign Décor Wax in Eternal to create a beautiful gold edge around the shell.
Donna applies the wax with a flat-edged foam stippler. Add a small amount of wax to the sponge, then glide it over the edge with even pressure.
This creates a clean gold line more easily than painting the edge with a brush.
Let the wax dry for several hours.
Step 14: Buff the Gold Trim
Use a soft dry cloth to buff the gold wax.
Buffing brings out the shine and makes the edge look rich and polished.
Wax does not need to be sealed, so this should remain one of the final decorative steps.
Step 15: Add Greenery and Embellishments
Use small pieces of trimmed greenery or sparkly leaf remnants to decorate the top of the shell.
Donna chooses muted green pieces that coordinate with the rice paper image. Add any small embellishments that fit your style and the size of the shell.
Step 16: Add the Ribbon Hanger
Thread organza ribbon through a large needle and pass it through the drilled hole at the top of the shell.
Push one ribbon end through first, then the other. Pull both ends through the loop and tie a knot at the top.
This method helps the ornament hang facing outward instead of turning sideways.
A Sparkly Ornament Without the Glitter Mess
This project is a clever way to enjoy Christmas sparkle without loose glitter covering your craft table. Mixing glitter directly into Polyvine Heavy Duty Varnish keeps the glitter controlled while still giving the ornament a beautiful shimmer.
The torn rice paper edges, cool-toned paint blending, gold wax trim, and ribbon hanger turn a simple shell into a polished handmade Christmas ornament with a soft coastal feel.
A special thank-you to Donna from Mason Creations etc. for sharing this pretty Christmas shell ornament and her helpful mess-free glitter technique.
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