Christmas Crafts, Handmade Holiday Cards & Gifts

How to Make a Starburst Christmas Tree Topper

Top your Christmas tree with sophisticated, space-age style this holiday season with a starburst-inspired tree topper made from inexpensive craft supplies.

By Brian Patrick Flynn, Decor Demon
Filed under: Christmas, Handmade, How To, Modern

Mark Placement Then Insert 1/4-Inch Dowels

Using marker or pen, sketch a triangle directly onto the foam sphere between three of the inserted 3/8" dowels (Image 1). This triangular shape will be used as a guide for the placement of each 1/4" dowel. Next, Insert a 1/4" dowel directly into the marked triangle's center (Image 2). Once a hole has been created, remove dowel, and add glue to its tip then reinsert it. Repeat this step until all 1/4" dowels are in place. Note: Don't forget to leave a dowel-free area on the bottom of the sphere so the topper will better sit atop the tree.

Insert 3/16-Inch Dowels

Once all 1/4" dowels are in place, fill in empty spaces between each 1/4" dowel with 3/16" dowels following the same steps you used for the medium and large dowels.

Enlarge Photo+Shrink Photo-

Spray-Paint Dowels and Foam Sphere

Once all dowels are securely in place, add two solid coats of spray paint to the foam sphere and dowels. Once base color has dried, add a final coat of glitter spray paint for extra holiday sparkle. Use your thumbs to create an indentation along the dowel-free bottom of the foam sphere, then place on top of tree.