I've had at least one for the last four years and it hasn't broke. I put them in with the other ornaments and wrap them in tissue paper to protect them from being scratched.

I have tubs full of bulbs saved to paint in the future
and even tho not wrapped, I have never had a broken one.

There is something about painting the bulbs that seems to make them sturdier. I have several that are 4-5 years old and I've never broken one. Sometimes the paint gets scratched and I have to touch up but never a broken one. In fact, I will spray paint them and then let older children decorate the bulbs. Even then, no breakage.

making them is one of the things I always planned on doing. I would think a light coating of paint would make it easier to decorate and if dropped it might help to keep it from shattering all over the floor. Maybe

I've done lightbulb ornaments twice now, penguins the first time and then cardinals, this year. I've never had one break, in fact I dropped a penguin but I think the multiple coats of acrylic paint and varnish made it very tough.

The cardinals are from a book by Sandy Holman, Watts Next. I spray painted them red then the next day I sponged on a coat of cardinal red acrylic paint. Then painted the details and spray varnished. Then the finishing details, like the hat and feathers.

Flamingo, love your cardinal. Hadn't seen them before. Looks like you are a painter--have you visited the Decorative and Tole Painting forum? Lots of nice ladies with many styles of painting over there. Would love to have you post your cardinal pic in the gallery since some of them might not see it here. You might enjoy spending a few minutes looking around at the other projects posted there too. I know a couple of them have painted lightbulbs and a couple more are saving bulbs to paint. Yours would be a nice example of ways to do the bulbs. Hope you'll come by and say hello. Luvs

Wanted to say mine have not broken, some I wish would so I can replace them. with all the new ideas and ways to paint them are endless.
Flamingo, you cardinal is so cute, what a expert painter you are, love the feathers! thanks for shareing
oddie

Thank you, luvs and oddie. Luvs- I used to hang out at the tole site when it first opened. In fact, I hosted an ornament exchange way back when, the posts may still be there.

I'll post this picture over there tomorrow, I'm at work right now! Thanks again, ladies.

Thanks for sharing. The cardinal is beautiful. I have just started painting on lightbulbs...love it !! My first project has been snowmen.
D.

Danaoh, I have painted Santas and Snowmen on lightbulbs for about 10 years. I use to paint so many to sell that when I ran out I had to buy the cheap dollar store brand to keep going. I always put caps on my snowmen, are you doing that also?

I don't paint mine...I cover them with polymer clay. The link below is for a xmas tree light bulb, C9 size, that I covered to look like a Santa.

Here is a link that might be useful:

Woodsy,
The Santa made from the lightbulb is adorable
Do you sell them?

No. Just made them for gifts. Glad you liked them...they were fun to make.

paintingfool, how do you put the caps on the lightbulb characters? Thank you.

Little hats can made from kid's socks or knit ribbing from the fabric store. If you need tiny ones, the tips of glove fingers work great. Just sew a little tube of it, turn it right side out and fold up a cuff, a couple dabs of hot glue will hold the cuff in place. Gather the top of the tube with a running stitch or just pinch it and tie a string around it.

FlamingO has it right. I use hot glue usually but I also add a bit of 527 glue or E600 just in case the hot glue gets pulled. I cut the cuffs off socks (I live in the south so I don't wear a lot of socks) but I usually have to buy mine new. I pick out cheap socks from the dollar store or Walmart. I cut off the cuff from the heel, turn inside out, gather the cut end tightly with crochet thread or heavy duty thread. Add glue to the gathered area and then put that on the metal top of the bulb. When dry pull it down around the bulb and hot glue in place. When I sell these I enclose a note to treat them the same as regular glass ornaments - with care. Then I paint and varnish. If you still aren't sure I will post pictures.
Bebe

Here is one I did with socks. So simple!!

Does it have to be knit fabric? I'm sure cotton wouldn't work, but what about fleece?

paintingfool, that is beautiful!!! I posted my question about the knit fabric about the smae time you posted your picture...lol

Donna, you could use fleece or cotton, I just use the socks because they stretch since I sometimes do different size ornaments. Can you see how I stretched the cut end of the sock over to the left? Doing this way means I have to glue down the cut end to the sides of the ornament. I covered the cut end with a pompom and used gold crochet thread for the hanger. I do round eyes a lot because they are easy. The cheeks are down with cheek chalk - a red pastel stick would work the same. What doesn't show up well is the bulb, I don't do just solid white, when I sponge my second or third coat I add a tiny amount of blue or pink or even lavender to the white so it has a more mottled look. I don't know if you can see it in this picture. It just makes it a softer color. The flowers are sometimes roses and it is just a matter of layering your bows, flower and then fill ins, which I used beads since I have sooo many of them. Hope this helps.
Bebe

Buy some snow to use it makes a nice beard ,its in a small plastic container about 1 cup ,then too the candle looking bulb, big one,about 3" long makes great beard too.