3 extraordinary homemade holiday ornaments

Half the fun of the holiday season involves decorating the house. Here are some ornament ideas that will truly personalize your home. You may also want to give them as gifts, or make them with friends or family as a pre-holiday get together.

Those extra oranges and lemons in your fridge that may be past their prime can be transformed into warmly translucent tree ornaments. Here's how:

1. Cut fruit into 0.5 centimetres (0.25-inch) slices.
2. Lay the slices flat on a stick-proof cookie sheet and place in the oven on the lowest setting for several hours.
3. Test for dryness by lightly touching the pulp; if it feels sticky, leave the slices in the oven a short while longer. It's important to remove the fruit before it begins to brown.
4. Cool on a wire rack.
5. Preserve dried fruit slices by spraying them with a clear acrylic finish.
6. Thread the dried fruit slices with ribbon or yarn and hang them where they'll catch the tree lights.

Make your own old-fashioned snow globe at home with clean, plain, glass kitchen jars and whatever small holiday items you have — dig out those little plastic Santas and reindeer and ceramic elves and angels that have taken up permanent residence in the bottom of your decorations box. (Don't use wood or metal items.)

Any size glass jar will work, so long as the objects will fit inside and the lid fits tightly. Small and medium olive, pimiento and baby food jars are ideal for small globes. You will also need waterproof epoxy glue, distilled water, white glitter and glycerin (available from pharmacies), but you'll only need small amounts. Here's what to do:

1. Roughen the inside surface of the jar lid with sandpaper or steel wool and then glue on your object or objects with epoxy; let dry.
2. Fill the jar almost to the top with distilled water and add a drop of glycerin — for larger jars, add a couple of drops.
3. Now add a pinch or two of glitter. Glycerin thickens the water so glitter will swirl.
4. Screw the jar lid on tightly, being careful not to dislodge glued-on object.
5. Finally, turn the jar over and enjoy the snowstorm.

Those beautiful filigreed balls sold in decorator boutiques can easily be yours when you make them yourself. All you need is a spool of household twine, white glue, water and a balloon.

1. For each ball, soak several feet of twine in a mixture of one part white glue to one part water.
2. Blow up and tie a small round balloon.
3. Wrap the balloon with the saturated twine, wrapping randomly.
4. When it suits your eye, clip the twine and set the balloon on top of a drinking glass.
5. Allow the twine to dry for at least a day or until the balloon begins to deflate.
6. Pop the balloon and remove it.
7. Spray the ball with gold, silver or copper metallic paint. Dust with glitter for a holiday look, if you like.
8. Then pile the finished balls in a shallow bowl and set it in a place of honour. Divine!

These beautiful DIY holiday ornaments will brighten up any space in your home any time of year.