DIY Alcohol Ink Ornaments With a Stained Glass Look

Let’s DIY alcohol ink stained glass ornaments with these step-by-step instructions to add to your Christmas decor in your home.

‘Tis the season to get crafty and infuse some handmade magic into your holiday decor!

If you love the look of vintage stained glass, you are going to love these DIY alcohol ink ornaments. They have such beautiful translucent colors and variations that make each ornament so unique.

Also, they’re surprisingly easy to make. Which I love!

This project actually started because I was looking for green glass ornaments for my Christmas decor.

I found some beautiful green ornaments online, but they were a little too plain for what I had in mind. I wanted something with more depth and variation in the color—almost like stained glass.

And whenever I can’t quite find what I’m picturing in a store, my first thought is usually, No problem, I can make it myself!

Using clear ornaments and alcohol ink, I was able to create the rich green stained-glass look I had envisioned. The alcohol ink moves around the inside of the ornament as it dries, creating lighter and darker areas of color that make every ornament look a little different.

And after making the first one, I couldn’t wait to make more.

The best part? You only need a few supplies.

Supplies You’ll Need

Here’s what I used to make my stained glass ornaments:

• Clear glass or plastic ornaments
• Alcohol ink in the color of your choice
• Hair dryer
• Gold metallic paint or metallic spray paint
• Small paintbrush if using liquid metallic paint
• Paper towels or newspaper
• Ribbon or twine for hanging

How to Make Alcohol Ink Ornaments

Glass or Plastic Ornaments?

You can use either.

Glass ornaments give you that beautiful traditional glass look, but plastic ornaments are a great option if you have children or pets.

Or as in my case—you have a habit of dropping glass ornaments and shattering them into a million pieces!

The technique works with both, but there is one important difference when it comes time to dry them.

If you’re using plastic ornaments, keep your hair dryer on a low setting.

Ask me how I know.

Yes, I managed to melt one.

Sometimes DIY projects teach you exactly what not to do. 😂

Clear glass ornaments

Clear shatterproof plastic ornaments

Step 1: Prepare Your Workspace

Alcohol ink can get messy, so before you begin, cover your work surface with newspaper or paper towels.

Have all of your supplies nearby before you start because once the ink is inside the ornament, you’ll want to begin turning it around to distribute the color.

Step 2: Remove the Ornament Top

Carefully remove the metal top from your clear ornament.

This is where you’ll add the alcohol ink.

Set the metal top aside because we’ll come back to it later and give it a metallic finish.

Step 3: Add the Alcohol Ink

Choose the color you want to use for your ornament.

I used olive green because I wanted a rich, moody green that would work beautifully with my Christmas decor.

I started with about 10 drops of alcohol ink inside the ornament.

You don’t need to completely fill the ornament with ink. The goal is to use enough color that you can move it around and coat the inside.

You can always add a few more drops if you need them. I would rather build up the color than place too much color at once.

Step 4: Twirl the Ornament

Now comes the fun part.

Slowly rotate and twirl the ornament so the alcohol ink begins moving around the inside.

Tilt it in different directions and allow the ink to travel across the surface.

Don’t worry about making the color perfectly even.

Actually, the uneven areas are what give these ornaments their beautiful stained-glass appearance.

Some areas will become darker while others remain slightly more transparent.

That’s exactly what you want.

Step 5: Dry the Ink While Rotating the Ornament

Once you’re happy with the coverage, use a hair dryer to begin drying the alcohol ink.

Continue slowly rotating the ornament while you dry it.

I found that the speed at which you turn the ornament changes the finished look.

The slower you rotate it, the more variation in color there will be.

This creates the beautiful lighter and darker areas that make the ornament look like colored or stained glass.

If you want more color, simply add a few additional drops of alcohol ink and repeat the process.

IMPORTANT TIP FOR PLASTIC ORNAMENTS

If you’re using plastic ornaments, do not use your hair dryer on high heat.

Use the lower setting.

I learned this the hard way after melting one of my plastic ornaments!

With glass ornaments, you obviously don’t have the same melting problem, but if the glass heats up too much, it would be difficult to handle.

Low and slow worked best in my opinion.

Step 6: Paint the Ornament Top

Once the color inside the ornament is finished, it’s time for a small detail that makes a big difference.

Paint the metal ornament top with metallic paint.

I like the look of gold because it complements the deep green color beautifully.

You can use liquid metallic paint with a small paintbrush or spray paint the tops with metallic spray paint.

I usually prefer spray paint for this, although I didn’t have any on hand when I made these, so I worked with what I had.

And honestly, that’s how a lot of DIY projects happen around here!

Step 7: Let the Ornaments Dry

Allow the ornaments to dry completely before putting everything back together.

Mine took approximately 30 minutes to dry.

Make sure the inside feels dry before replacing the metal top so you don’t disturb the finish you’ve just created.

Step 8: Add Ribbon or Twine

Once everything is completely dry, replace the ornament top.

Then add ribbon or twine for hanging.

You can coordinate the ribbon with the colors on your Christmas tree or keep it simple with a neutral ribbon.

And that’s it!

You now have a beautiful handmade Christmas ornament with a completely unique stained-glass finish.

Ways to Decorate With Your DIY Stained Glass Ornaments

Of course, these look beautiful hanging on a Christmas tree, but you don’t have to stop there.

I love decorating with ornaments throughout the house during the holidays.

Try placing several of them together in a decorative bowl on a coffee table, console table, or dining room table.

You could also use them:

• Mixed into a Christmas mantel display
• Hanging from garland
• Displayed in a decorative bowl
• Tucked into a holiday centerpiece
• Hanging from cabinet knobs

That’s all to it! Easy, peasy DIY stained glass ornaments!

DIYing these Stained glass Christmas ornaments using ink is such a great way to add a personal and artistic flair to your holiday decorations.

So, gather your supplies, let your creativity flow, and enjoy the satisfaction of seeing your unique ornaments light up your festive space! Happy crafting!

For more holiday inspiration, here’s my Homemade orange garland, our past Christmas decor, and how to decorate an elegant flocked tree.

Thank you for stopping by!