DIY Christmas Donut Ornaments: Using Pool Noodles

I am co-hosting a Christmas Party for an organization in December, and donuts is the theme. But we are working with a very small party & decorating budget, so buying a ton of donut ornaments isn’t really an option. After looking for months trying to find a good tutorial on making “fake” donuts (with no luck), this is what I came up! Super easy for our girls (and your kids too). Let’s get to it! DIY Christmas Donut Ornaments – Using Pool Noodles.

These are made 2 ways:

one from fake icing (top right)
one from cotton balls (bottom left)

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DIY Christmas Donut Ornaments: Using Pool Noodles

FYI: All supplies will be the same for either ornament projects – EXCEPT last 3 items. They have astericks * 🙂

SUPPLIES:

(2) Pool Noodles
knife/cutting board
spray paint: turquoise, lime green, lilac, & pink
plastic dropcloth/wooden blocks
wax paper
paper plates/tweezers/q-tips
multi-colored sequins
ornament hangers or paper clips
*whipple fake icing (if you’re doing fake icing ornaments) NOTE* 1 box makes ~ 24 donut rings
***bag of jumbo cotton balls – 140 count (if you’re doing cotton balls icing ornaments)
***glue gun/glue sticks (if you’re doing cotton balls icing ornaments)

***FYI: I did not have to spray my pink noodle, because it was the color I wanted. I added the (berry pink) spray paint to the supplies list to achieve the same pink color, in case you can’t find a pink noodle. ***

Ok, let’s get to the 5-step tutorial! DIY Christmas Donut Ornaments – Using Pool Noodles.

DIY Christmas Donut Ornaments: Using Pool Noodles

Step #1: Cut Pool Noodles

The first thing you will do is cut each pool noodle at about 5/8″ sections (5/8″ is between (1/2″ and 3/4″).

Each noodle should make roughly 90 small donut rings.
So you will have 90 blue donut rings + 90 pink donut rings at this point = 180.

Step #2: Spray Paint Pool Noodles

Now, it’s time to spray paint the pool noodles (if you want them different colors).

I used a plastic dropcloth and some wooden blocks to lift the donut rings off of the ground.

Then simply spray paint the BLUE rings only if you are using blue and pink noodles.

***You will need to spray paint pink if you aren’t using a pink noodle.***

Let dry 20 minutes before flipping to the other side.
Spray paint both sides.

When finished drying, group into colors and store on wax paper or paper plates.

Here is what mine looked like when they were dry and sitting on wax paper.

STEPS 3 & 4 WILL BE SPLIT INTO 2 SECTIONS: FAKE ICING AND COTTON BALLS ICING

FAKE ICING (Whipple Cream)

Step #3: Add FAKE ICING (Whipple Cream)

You will simply follow the directions listed on the Whipple box to make the icing.

After getting it ready, gently squeeze the icing onto top & sides of the donut ring.
Then use a q-tip to spread it out.

Tips:

Use the icing sparingly (so that you can make 24 donuts).
Do all of the icing on donuts fairly quickly (so that the Whipple doesn’t begin to dry).
You will need the icing damp (so that the sequins can stick into it and mold).

FAKE ICING (Whipple Cream)

Step #4: Add Sequins

Now, you will simply pick up one sequin with the tweezers and push it down into the icing with a q-tip.

Then repeat the process until you like what your donut looks like.

Tips:

Pick out and place sequins into color groups and by size (to make this process go faster).
Work quickly with this section (so that icing doesn’t dry).
Also, gently place sequins onto icing (so that your tweezers don’t get icing on them).

It will get very messy if your tweezers get dirty – trust me ;).

Here is what mine looked like during the process.

You can see the sequin color and size groups, and also notice that I was working on several donuts at one time.

The next section will be if you want to do the cotton ball icing version.

STEPS 3 & 4 WILL BE SPLIT INTO 2 SECTIONS: FAKE ICING AND COTTON BALLS ICING

COTTON BALLS ICING

Step #3: Add COTTON BALLS ICING

One jumbo cotton ball will cover 2 donuts rings.

Gently pull the cotton ball from both sides until it makes a very long cotton strand (will almost look like a mustache – ha!).
Next tear it in half.
Then hot glue the cotton strand onto the tops & sides of each donut.

One half section will fit one donut. Of course feel free to do the cotton balls as you wish!

Tips:

You might have to play around with the cotton to see how much your want on the sides. It should mimic icing dripping down.
I got about 6 cotton balls (12 pieces) ready at a time so that I could do a lot of hot gluing in groups.

COTTON BALLS ICING

Step #4: Add Sequins

This will be similar to the fake icing tutorial except you will be using hot glue to secure sequins to cotton balls.

Choose the sequin you want to use and grab with the tweezers.
Next add a SMALL drop of hot glue to SEQUIN (not cotton) and gently place onto cotton top.
Then use your q-tip to hold sequin down.

Tips:

Do not get into a rush with this step or you will have a hot glue + cotton ball mess!!
I picked all of the larger sequins I wanted to use, and then put them on first.

They took up more room on the donut, and then I could tell what other colors and sizes to fill in the gaps with.