Oceans Of Fun! Make Our DIY Iridescent Jellyfish Ornament!

Are you mesmerized by the movement of jellyfish?  If you are, then you will enjoy creating this unusual Jellyfish Ornament!  I love to watch translucent jellyfish swimming in the water.  I am always amazed how you can see through their whole body, and I find myself fascinated with their beauty.

After watching them at the aquarium, I was inspired to make a jellyfish ornament.  For this project, I chose to use a clear glass ball ornament, but one that has some iridescent sheen to it to give that ethereal glow.  You can make your jellyfish ornament in any color you wish since jellyfish have over 1,500 species of varying colors.  Make a whole rainbow of jellyfish ornaments to display this summer!

How To Create A Shimmery Jellyfish Ornament

With a bit of glitter, tissue paper and pipe cleaners, this iridescent jellyfish ornament is sure to be a hit with anyone who loves under the sea excursions.  To commemorate a vacation, first jellyfish sting or underwater adventure, you can personalize your jellyfish ornament with a paint marker.

Supplies:

  • Clear glass ball ornament (we used an iridescent one)
  • Pledge Floor Care
  • Glitter
  • 2 Pipe cleaners
  • Pencil
  • Tissue paper
  • Glue
  • Scissors
  • Ribbon

Supplies needed to complete ornament. Glue, clear ball ornament, pipe cleaners, pledge floor care, scissors, and glitter. | OrnamentShop.com

Jellyfish Ornament DIY Steps 1-4

Step 1: If you have made our DIY Mardi Gras ornaments, then steps 1 and 2 will be very familiar!  Remove the cap from the glass ball ornament.  Pour approximately 1 tablespoon of floor finish into the glass ball ornament.  Swirl around until the inside of the ball is completely coated and pour out the excess onto a paper towel.

Note: DO NOT let the floor finish dry or the glitter won’t adhere.  DO NOT shake or you might get some bubbling in the finish.  Just gently swirl.

Pledge floor care poured into clear glass ball ornament. | OrnamentShop.com

Step 2: Using the funnel (or a piece of paper formed into the shape of a funnel) and pour glitter inside the glass ball ornament.  Swirl around the glitter.  If you aren’t getting enough coverage, go ahead and shake it to coat, but keep your finger over the hole!

White glitter poured into clear glass ball ornament. | OrnamentShop.com

Step 3: Next, cut each pipe cleaner into quarters so that you have a total of 8 pieces (4 from each pipe cleaner).

Silver pipe cleaners cut in half with scissors. | OrnamentShop.com

Step 4: While your glittered glass ball is drying, wind the pieces of pipe cleaner around a pencil to get the curl shape.  Slide them off the pencil and continue until all of the pieces are curled.

Cut pipe cleaners twisted around pencil. | OrnamentShop.com

Jellyfish Ornament DIY Steps 5-9

Step 5:  Cut 8 strips of tissue paper.  They don’t have to be completely even or symmetrical.

Tissue paper cut into strands with scissors. | OrnamentShop.com

Step 6: Wrap the tissue paper around the curls, allowing the ends of the tissue paper to trail off lower than the end of the pipe cleaner.  Crinkle the bottom of the tissue paper so that it looks like a tentacle.  Continue this process for all 8 pieces of pipe cleaner.

Tissue paper wrapped around the pipe cleaner. | OrnamentShop.com

Step 7:  Now, it’s time to glue your 8 tentacles in place.  Flatten the top part of the pipe cleaner a bit to make a small surface area, and then glue each one of your tentacles to the bottom of the glass ball.

Note: DO NOT overlap the tentacles when gluing them to the glass ball. In order to keep the legs secure, each tentacle should be attached to the glass ball.

Eight tentacles glued to bottom of glass ball ornament. | OrnamentShop.com

Step 8: Twist the tissue paper ends until you have the desired look you want.  Trim any extra long tentacles with scissors.

Extra long tentacles trimmed with scissors. | OrnamentShop.com

Step 9: Finally, cut a strand of ribbon and tie through the ornament hook, making a knot on the top.

Ribbon added to top of glass ball ornament. | OrnamentShop.com

That’s it!  Now you have created a cool jellyfish ornament that looks like it resides in the ocean.  It is the perfect decoration for a beach themed tree, summer vacation memory or makes a great gift for a marine life lover.

Completed iridescent jellyfish ornament with blue backdrop. | OrnamentShop.com

Do you love jellyfish ornaments but aren’t crafty?  Then, check out our large selection of various personalized fish and sea life ornaments that can commemorate all of your ocean vacations or scuba and snorkeling adventures!

Various personalized fish and sea life ornaments. | OrnamentShop.com

2 thoughts on “Oceans Of Fun! Make Our DIY Iridescent Jellyfish Ornament!

  1. Debbie

    I love watching jellyfish at the aquarium. They are so peaceful and calm. What a fun ornament. I’m not very crafty, but think I will try to make this. I hope it turns out like the one you show!

    1. Dianne Weller Post author

      Dear Debbie:
      I hope you’ll discover that making jellyfish ornaments is easy and fun! If you do decide to make a jellyfish ornament, drop me a line; I’d love to see how a photo on how it turns out! Check out our website for other aquarium favorites and sea life ornaments you’ll find in our Pets & Animals category.
      Dianne

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