I have 2 glass balls from my mother's grandmother, I don't know how old they are, but she died when mum was a girl, so at least 100 years old; most likely from the mid-1800's. Those are carefully packed... maybe for GS when he grows up. A couple years ago, I gulped and discarded all the chipped, raggedy, and a few frankly ugly momento types. Some were easily 50 years old. I don't miss them. Actually, it was with a silent sigh of relief that I packed away only those ornaments that actually have a meaning for me AND look as good as the meaning. I think this may be on par with clearing a shelf on the bookcase.... thinking about tossing and actually tossing are painful, but oh how much better the area looks once the deed is done.

I finally got a good look at the ornaments last night. It looks to me like they clay and the ball were painted with glossy spray paint to make the whole thing look like ceramic, then the lid & base were painted in contrasting colors. or maybe it just looks glossy from a spray sealer. So in that case you could use balls of any color. But I thought like you that spray paints or sealers did not work well with poly clay. The spout & handle would not have to match. It would look cute to cane them in a strip or check and then pick that up on the lid & base, ala Mary Englebreit. Or they could be stamped with a patterned stamp, then the same stamp could go on tissue which could be decoupaged onto the ball after baking. Karen

I just bought two of the cheaper versions of these at the dollar store. They look really easy to make. Buy a bag of mirrors (I got mine from a craft store), some "jewel beads" and the long beading pins. Get a good quality strong glue, I use Welbond for a lot of my things. Then you simply put the beads on the pins and glue them to the back of one mirror. When dry, glue the other mirror to the front. When you see them in person you'll see exactly how they are done. Another way for an even stronger method is to use foil around the mirror and solder the pins on. Right now considering there are lots at the dollar store for $1. I will just buy the ones I like.

We buy one (or more) Radko ornaments every year that has some meaning or is just beautiful to us. They range from $35 to $75. This year I hope to get the "Paddle On" ornament because it was the first year we took my son out in a canoe and because he loves scouting so much. We also have an adoption ornament from Radko for every year we've had my son. I buy the Radko because they are made by artists--not mass produced in China or Mexico. I feel they are worth their cost. I also have the hand made ones my son brings home from school and a tin foil star he made me for a tree topper. No matter the cost, they all have memories. The Radko ornaments are staying packed this year because of a new obnoxious dog, but once she grows up a little they will come back out. In all the years we have only lost one glass ornament to a lab tail. It never fell off the tree--he shattered it to pieces just wagging his tail and the hanger was still attached to the tree. I have no idea what the ornament was but we'll always have that memory of his waggly tail. If there was a more expensive ornament that I fell in love with, I'd have no problem spending more than I currently do. I've ordered plenty of vintage mercury ornaments off ebay over the years to use as filler towards the inside of the tree. Those are just as special to me.