garden gazing ball

Well it is almost 9:00 p.m. here and everyone is about to go to bed. Everyone except me that is. What am I doing at 9:00 p.m.? I am making a garden gazing ball. This is by far my favorite project to work on. I have made over a dozen of these over the past couple months. I have several in my back yard, a couple on my front porch and have given a few to family and friends. The best part about these gazing balls is they are fairly inexpensive to create. You just need a few things and you can whip one up in less than 2 hours.
First thing you are going to need? A bowling ball! Yup that is right a bowling ball. You can probably find one at your local thrift shop like I did and better yet I find them on half off day. This beauty set me back a whopping $2.50

Thanks Jean for donating your old bowling ball to the Goodwill!
Next thing you will need? Glass Gems. I recommend the glass gems with a flat back. You could totally use the perfectly round marble like gems but it will take longer…a lot longer. You can get glass gems at the dollar store or a craft store.

These are gems from Hobby Lobby. They are $3 for 2 pounds and it took 2 bags to cover the ball. Now, not all gems are created equal. Size plays a factor. Some gems will be smaller and require more bags.
Now here is the fun part. Sticking those pretty little gems on the bowling ball. I have tried two different methods and both work well. Your first option is silicone caulking. I started off making gazing balls with caulking but after a few completed projects the smell started to bother me. It has a vinegar like smell so I had to do these projects outside. Not a big deal until the temps here reach 110+ degrees. So your second option?

Hot Glue Baby!!! Now you can tell by the look of my glue gun it is well loved. I use it on every project I can. There is of course the burn factor. I use a high temp glue gun so my kids know when Mommy is gluing to keep their little fingers at a safe distance.
I find it best to glue the back of the gem and then place it on the ball. Once you get going it is hard to stop. Even more so if you are like me and watching TV while gluing. :)

This is what the gazing ball looks like halfway through. If you are going for a specific color scheme you could always paint the bowling ball first. I haven’t tried this yet. I have been lucky enough to find bowling balls with amazing colors. So I find gems that will accent their beauty.
All Finished

For $8.50 plus the cost of glue ( I didn’t count how many glue sticks I used sorry) you have yourself a beauty of gazing ball!!