Looking for a holiday craft you can finish in one afternoon? Alcohol ink ornaments are a great pick. You drip a little ink inside a clear glass ball, give it a quick puff of canned air and the color splatters all over the inside of the glass. No two turn out the same, and that's a big part of the fun.
Tim Holtz and Bonnie Egenton show the whole process in this great informative video. We've broken it down into easy steps, too, so you can follow along at your own pace.
How To Make Alcohol Ink Ornaments (Quick Answer)
Take the cap off a clear glass ornament and drip a few drops of alcohol ink just inside the opening. Hold the ornament away from your face and give it a short burst of canned air to splatter the ink around the inside of the glass. Add more colors and a little metallic Mixative, let the ink dry for a minute, then put the cap back on.
What You'll Need
- Clear glass ornaments with removable caps
- Tim Holtz Alcohol Inks in a few colors you love
- Tim Holtz Mixatives in Silver or Gold (optional, for shimmer)
- A can of compressed air (the kind you'd use to clean a keyboard)
- A Ranger Non Stick Craft Sheet or an old towel to work on
- Gloves, if you'd rather not have inky fingers
You can find clear ornaments and canned air at most craft stores. Office supply stores carry the canned air, too.
6 Steps To Make Alcohol Ink Splatter Ornaments
1. Take Off the Cap
Gently pull the metal cap and hanger off the top of your ornament and set it aside. You're working with glass, so do this over a craft mat or a folded towel. (A dropped ornament on a tile floor is not the kind of sparkle you're after.)
2. Drip In Your First Color
Squeeze a few drops of alcohol ink just inside the opening, right along the top edge of the ball. You really don't need much. Tim uses a drip or two of each color, and that's plenty.
Give the ornament a gentle swirl so the ink starts running down the inside of the glass.
3. Give It a Quick Blast of Air
Hold the ornament firmly in one hand with the opening pointed away from you. Then give it a short burst of canned air. The air pushes the ink into splatters and streaks across the inside of the glass, and it makes a fun little whooshing sound while it does it!
Short bursts work best. A long, steady stream just sends air (and sometimes a bit of ink) right back out the hole, which is why you'll want to keep the opening away from your face. Keep the can upright, too. If you tip it, it can spray cold liquid instead of air.
4. Layer In More Colors
Add a drop of a second color, swirl and give it another puff. Keep going until you like what you see. Bonnie likes to pack in lots of color, and a purple and teal mix like the one in the video gives a cool, wintery look.
Alcohol ink is translucent, so each new color moves and blends with what's already there. If you don't love a spot, drop in another color and blast it again.
One heads up: colors across from each other on the color wheel can change when mixed. So, red and green can turn a little brown when they mix. Colors that sit side by side (blues and purples, or reds and oranges) stay brighter.
5. Add a Little Metallic Shimmer
Want some sparkle? Finish with a metallic Mixative like Silver or Gold. Shake the bottle really well every time you use it, since the metallic pigment settles at the bottom. Then add just a drop. A little goes a long way here!
The metallic gives you an opaque swirl that stands out against the see-through colors. It's a small step that makes your ornament look extra finished.
6. Let It Dry and Put the Cap Back On
The ink dries almost instantly on the inside of the glass, so you won't be waiting around. Pop the cap back on and your ornament is ready for the tree.
Want the cap to match? Most ornament caps come in silver, but you can dab alcohol ink right onto the metal to tint it. Tim colored his cap green to go with his ornament.
Tips for Alcohol Ink Glass Ornaments
- Keep the ink on the inside. Since nobody touches the inside of the ornament, the color won't rub off or get scratched. That makes these alcohol ink glass Christmas ornaments sturdy enough to handle year after year, and you don't need to seal them.
- Open a window. Alcohol inks have a strong smell, so work somewhere with good airflow.
- Make a batch. Once you get the hang of it, each ornament only takes a few minutes. Set out all your colors and you could finish a whole tree's worth of alcohol ink Christmas ornaments in one Saturday.
- Turn them into gifts. A handmade ornament tied onto a wrapped present doubles as a gift tag and a keepsake. They're also an easy pick for teachers, neighbors and anyone who loves a little color on their tree.
Have Fun With It!
Alcohol ink ornaments are one of those crafts where you really can't get it wrong. Every alcohol ink ornament you make will have its own splatters and swirls, and that's what makes them feel so special. Grab a few colors, a can of air and a box of clear ornaments, and have fun filling your tree with color this year! You can find everything in one spot in our Alcohol Ink Ornaments collection.
Alcohol Ink Ornament FAQs
What kind of ornaments work best with alcohol ink?
Clear glass ornaments give you the brightest results. Alcohol ink is made for non-porous surfaces, so it also works on clear plastic ornaments. Plastic is a nice swap if little kids are helping.
Can you use alcohol ink on ceramic ornaments?
Yes, as long as the ceramic is glazed. Glaze gives you the smooth, non-porous surface alcohol ink needs. Unglazed ceramic soaks the ink up instead. With alcohol ink ceramic ornaments, the color sits on the outside, so finish them with a clear spray sealer to protect them from hands and scratches. Spray in light coats, since a heavy wet coat can make the ink run.
How do you make alcohol ink and glitter ornaments?
For shimmer on the inside, use a metallic Mixative like Gold or Silver right along with your colors. For real glitter, wait until the ink is dry and add dots or swirls of Stickles Glitter Glue to the outside of the ornament. Some crafters also tuck a bit of tinsel inside before putting the cap back on.
Do you need to seal alcohol ink ornaments?
Not if the ink is on the inside of the ornament. The glass protects it. If you add alcohol ink to the outside of an ornament, a clear spray sealer will help keep it from wearing off.
Why use canned air instead of just swirling the ink?
Swirling gives you soft, marbled color. The canned air is what creates the splatter look, with speckles and streaks spread all over the glass. You can do a little of both in the same ornament.
How long does alcohol ink take to dry inside an ornament?
Only a minute or so. Alcohol ink dries fast, especially in a thin layer on glass, so you can put the cap on and hang it almost right away.
