Saturday, August 13, 2011

Garden Balls


So when I was at my mom's house a while back, the kids and I decided to to a project for Nana. My mom loves to garden, so we thought a garden project would be perfect for her.

At Michael's craft store I got some Styrofoam balls, grout, glue, stones, and various sized flat backed glass pieces. We started out by gluing the glass to the balls. we used E-6000 glue, which ate the foam a bit, but worked really well - I'm sure there is a glue out there that works perfectly for foam and glass, but the E-6000 did the job!




Next we filled in all the blank spots with stones, we tried to use only flat stones, or we would squish any high points into the Styrofoam ball if needed.




After waiting 24 hours we grouted the balls with black grout made from a powdered mix, we made it rather thick so that it really stayed in place in the whole ball and just rubbed it in with our hands. I waited about 5 minutes before I started wiping with a slightly damp sponge that I rinsed frequently.




I thought my Mom would hide the balls amongst her plants, but instead she stuck them front and center by her front door. (Next to a plaque my big sister gave her!)






The biggest ball was the one I made, and the other 2 are the kids.



The grout makes them waterproof, so they will last just fine in the elements, and they are fairly light weight since they have a foam core!

I would love to hear from you if you like these, or even better make some of your own!



Making Monday Marvelous Linky Party Blue Cricket Design Show and Tell

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Posted by cathgrace at 10:13 PM
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94 comments:

  1. I love these!

    FYI--you've got word verification on. It discourages lots of people from commenting--extra steps and all.

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    1. Thanks, I've turned it off now.

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    2. Can't wait to try this. My garden is full of ecclectic items as this. So cool

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    3. just did it in my arts and crafts class, still have to work on improving grout mixture but I will do it again..

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    4. What a great idea! They turned out beautiful & no two will be alike.

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    5. Love the idea! The foam being light weight, make a great projest for kids too!

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    6. I'm going to try to make these. I love them!

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    7. A few years ago I bought tons of the colored glass stones to make stepping stones but never got around to it and wondered what to do with all of them! I am thrilled to have found your idea! Can't wait to get at this project! Thanks!

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    8. I have used this technique however, I used bowling balls and made large gazing balls. I used silicone to attach my glass peices and stones. You have to work on sections of the bowling ball at a time and then wait for it to dry. I have also used stained glass, broken up mirror as well as stones and gems. Then grouted as you did using either white or black grout. This technique aslo works well on table tops, and old window panels. Just remember to take them in in cold Northern weather.

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    9. I'm never sure how to comment on these thing.
      One more very important step. Sealing the grout.
      Head over to a home improvement store and get grout sealer and put several coats on, until it beads up. Otherwise they will fall apart.

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    10. Great Idea! We never did this on my mom's, and she hasn't had a problem, but I bet this would work wonders anywhere there is a lot of changeable weather!

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    11. I think that would make great gifts!! Love it!

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    12. I did this with bathroom calk adhesive and bowling balls. They turned out great

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    13. Can't wait to try this!

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    14. I made these last night. Fun to do, one is all colored glass marbles. the other is small shells and blue & green marbles and sea glass. Tonight I will grout them! Thanks for the idea!

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    15. Hi. Great idee. I am defnitely going to try it. I did some mosaic on building bricks with tiles and mirror. Put a piece of filt on the bottom of the brick and use it for a doorstop.

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    16. CAN'T WAIT TO MAKE THEM WITH. MY GRANDKIDS!!

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    17. This sounds like a great project and I've been looking for something like this to do in my garden,so I'm going to give it a try,Thanks for the post and the pictures.

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  2. Just found you through MMM on C.R.A.F.T!

    Love these! They came out great!!

    Would love for you to share at Calling All Crafters!
    http://allthingsfee.blogspot.com/2011/08/calling-all-crafters-20th-edition.html

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  4. Love this!! I think I will try it!!Thanks!!!

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  5. These look amazing I am definitely trying them, my family and I are always picking up pretty rocks. This will give us something to do with them.

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  6. Great idea! I would like to try this with broken dishes, and/or stones from gardens of loved ones passed. ...memory balls! Thanks for the idea!

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  7. I've seen this done a lot with bowling balls.

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  8. a great summer project.

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  9. Great idea! I think I might try it with the shells and sea glass we collect every summer, too.

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  11. Saw these on Pinterest and since you posted this on my birthday, now I have to do it! I can envision lots of variations! Thanks!

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  12. did this in my arts and crafts class. will have to work on grout mixture but I will do it again. great and beautiful project..love it.

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  13. I love finding new things to do with my grand children and this was is going to be great fun. Thank you for sharing. Can't wait to start these with the kids!

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  14. Going to start collecting glass baubles and rocks etc. and make some of these this weekend. Very cool idea, great craft idea to do with my 11 yr. old son.

    thanks

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  15. Great, they are beautiful. I have made these before and love them. One thing I like to do is put words or pictures under the gems so they are magnified. It's like the magnets you make from the gems. Cut out the word or picture and glue them to the back then glue them to the ball. http://craftsuppliesforless.com/bubblemagnets.html is a link to see what I mean.

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    1. Thanks for the great idea! I'm taking a mirror mosaic class soon with a couple girlfriends. I just inked their names on white cardstock and glued them to the small stones. They can use them on this project, as their "signature" or another in the future. Dixie

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  16. Love this Idea. I am going to make some for my patio!

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  17. I found this via pinterest. Love the idea and plan on doing this with my kids! Thanks for sharing!

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  18. Such a great idea!!! love it!!!
    http://invitationtoinspiration.blogspot.com/

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  19. definitely going to do this with my kids this summer! Great idea.

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  20. I bought a premix grout will this work o.k.?

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    1. I can't imagine why it wouldn't work, although I think I would use a sanded premix; you need the body of the sanded grout to fill all of the irregular spaces since you can't control the thickness of the grout.

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  21. Getting ready to make these with my kids for my Mom-in-law. I bought 6" balls but am now wondering if we should go a little bigger, I also bought the premixed grout as that is all our Michael's had. Just looked and it's non-sanded, guess it's back to the store I go. Thoughts on ball size? LOL!

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    1. I would think that the 6" balls would work, it really depends on what you are putting on them, and what you want the finished size to be (if you are putting thick things they will make the ball bigger, thin things less so, etc.) The reason I like the sanded grout of you have a premix is because it has more body, so it stays in the uneven gaps better (if you mix your own grout you can make it thicker by adding a little bit less water)

      Good Luck!

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  22. Great for all that beach glass, and colored pebbles even shells!

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  23. can't wait to try this. love this idea !

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  24. I am using half of an 8 inch styrofoam ball this I found at Michaels. I guess I will need to grout the flat bottom. I had somewhat of a hard time getting my stones to stick with the E6000. Not sure how much grout to use--the whole 6 oz pkg?

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    1. I'm afraid that I am not much help in how much grout you will need, since I would imagine it would vary depending on how close or far apart your stones are, and several other variables....Maybe mix smaller amounts of grout together and then mix more as/if you need it?

      We really didn't have any trouble getting the stones to attach, but we pushed on them pretty firmly and let them sink a tiny bit into where the E6000 ate the foam, so they stuck pretty firmly, I don't know if pushing harder, adding less or more glue, or what would help, sorry I'm not much good to you with trouble shooting since we really didn't run into any trouble!

      Good Luck!

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  25. Now I know what to do with all the old glass and ceramic things I have that were grandparents or full of memories such as my ceramic tea set from Germany (it is cracked) but I don't want to get rid of it, now I don't have to..completely. Great idea! Thanks for sharing it!

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  26. Does the grout in the tubes work? Like the stuff you use with tile?

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  27. Does the grout in a tube work? Such as you use with tile?

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  28. I love this simple project...great for making with my grand kids! Thanks!

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  29. Thanks for this idea!Love that the styro-balls are smaller,lighter than the so familiar bowling ball idea,so this will be better project to do with my grandchildren this Summer in Central TX!And I can see it is so adaptable too!Thanks again for sharing this!!!

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  30. I just finished making two dozen of these!!!!!!....in 2 days! So easy and fun! I get teased that I never do anything in moderation..... But watch....they will be gone in a flash as little gifts for friends.... And soon I will have orders from people wanting to buy them! AHHHHH.... I love being retired! Thanks for the idea!

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    Replies

    1. Ha ha ha. That's my sister in a nutshell. She doesn't make one of anything!!

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  31. They look fabulous! A word to the wise tho....I made these several years ago and did exactly what you did. However, when left out in the elements, the grout broke down ( just during one season) and fell off the Styrofoam! I was so bummed. So, indoor placing would be just fine but outdoor, I would keep an eye on them!

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    1. My mom has had her's outside full time since we made these in the Summer of 2010, and they actually still look like they did the day we made them! My mom lives in AZ though so maybe having a mild winter would make a difference (my original fear that they would melt in the sun has not been a problem at all) It's possible that the type of grout makes a difference, or maybe even the type of glue you used that gave you problems?

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    2. Ceashells - someone mentioned earlier...
      "AnonymousJune 3, 2012 9:46 AM
      I'm never sure how to comment on these thing.
      One more very important step. Sealing the grout.
      Head over to a home improvement store and get grout sealer and put several coats on, until it beads up. Otherwise they will fall apart." So if you seal them they should be ok??

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    3. I never sealed ours, and several years on they are still perfect, but I bet it couldn't hurt!

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  32. I love them. can't wait to make them myself...great idea

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  33. I think this was my favorite pinterest so far and believe me, I am addicted! I was thinking BIGGER with a kids ball...

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  34. Love the look of these. I might even add some glass beads I have been saving. Thanks for the idea.

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  35. I love this and can't wait to make some. I have lots of stained glass pieces, glass marbles, beads, stones, etc. I would seal the grout though, plus ot gives it a little shine. I am wondering what a solar light would look like in one of them? HUMMMM, Thinking!

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  36. What a great tutorial!
    I'd really love to try these. Such fun!
    Would be great for recycling all the bits and bobs hanging around in my studio, too!
    Cheers,
    Karen

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  38. Love the idea of using styrofoam balls. I'm used bowling ball and rubber balls to do thisproject.

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    Replies

    1. I've never heard of using rubber balls for any sort of thing like this, wouldn't the grout crack off?

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  39. Your mosaic garden balls are beautiful! And what a wonderful tutorial, too. I'm inspired! I shared a link to your tutorial from my blog Crafts 'n Coffee. I'm hoping to craft a few of these myself! Thank you. Sharon

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  40. Such a cute idea!! My daughter used to bring me every heart shaped stone she would find when she was little...... Now I know what to do with all of them!!!! Love this!! Can't wait to try!!! Thank you!!!

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  41. I did this same thing with my sister about 5 years ago. The balls sit in my flower gardens and are still holding together!

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  42. Tried this today, total disaster -couldn't get anything to stay put. Everything kept falling off. Very frustrating for the grandchildren!

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    1. I'm sorry you had a hard time! I'm not sure why you couldn't get things to stick as we didn't have a problem, but I can see how frustrating it would be if you couldn't get anything to stick!

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  43. Love this idea! I'm picturing these beautiful balls placed throughout my yard and garden. Have you tried poking a small metal or wooden rod through the ball prior to grouting so it can stand on its own?

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  44. What a great idea. I love it and I will have to try it out. Thanks for sharing.

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  45. I can't wait to buy some styrofoam balls. I've been a crafter for 30+ years.....and I couldn't believe I didn't have any on hand. All the other stuff for this project, but not the styrofoam. Too funny. Thanks for sharing this great idea.

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  46. I am anxious to try these ... saw them on Pinterest. Wonder how they would work with even larger styrofoam balls. Hummm...I'll start out with small and work up to larger.

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  47. If you paint the foam balls first the glue wont eat the foam. (Spray paint will eat the foam also) Cool idea. Will be doing this with my boys today.

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  48. I need help on the glue suggestion. I just attempted this with pieces of mirror. I thought I could do one with mirror and some with glass. I had a real problem with my glue. I used Goop - the stryrofoam collapsed, I attempted to mold it but that didn't work. What is everyone using for glue?

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    Replies

    1. I used E-6000 for the stones, and they ate the styrofoam a little, but because of the bulk they just sank in and seated nicely in the foam. for mirrors I would use a mirror mastic, since other glues could eat through the foil on the back of the mirror and look bad from the front.

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  49. You know what would be cool? Those plastic balls that break in half - that are used for christmas ornaments - you could glue the stuff on each half and put lights inside it with the cord coming out of the ornament hanger hole. Then after it's finished the light would shine out the glass beads only. You could use solar lights too...

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  50. these are too cool. i'm a gardner and so are my friends. these i'll make for me and for gifts!!!

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  53. This looks like such a fun thing to do! I'm a rock lover anyway and this sounds like the perfect craft to do while waiting for spring to arrive! Then I could scatter them through the flower garden! Thank you for sharing.

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