Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Marble Gazing Ball

100_5850

Been wanting to make one of these for a while…

100_5571

I found this styrofoam ball at the ReStore thrift store in Fort Collins.  Crazy to bring a styrofoam ball back from Colorado, but I did.  This 8 inch ball is from $12.97 to 14.99 at various stores (Wal-Mart, Hobby Lobby, and Michaels) here in town. 

100_5572

One buckaroo!  I have been wanting to make a gazing ball using flat marbles.  The marbles I had were partly clear so the color of the ball would show through.

100_5577

I painted it with some left over spray paint and then sponged on various assorted colors, mostly silver metallic, blues, turquoise and green.

100_5580

At first I just set it down on the table and started gluing the marbles on.  Pretty soon I was chasing that thing all around the living room, so I decided to put it in a bowl to keep it from rolling off the table. 

100_5588

It was soooo much easier after that!  I glued like marbles in rows, throwing in an occasional 1 inch round marble with a tiny square mirror underneath it. I wanted something that the sun could reflect from…

100_5590

I just kept adding rows.

100_5591

I just used hot glue to stick the marbles on.  Lots of strings!

100_5596

It went pretty fast after I got started.

100_5597

Frosty is not sure, he would have made it a different color!

100_5598

Now just waiting for some clear grout!  I didn’t even know there was such a thing, but Lowe’s had it in stock so I picked some up.

100_5602

I added some millefiori glass pieces left over from another project, just to fill in the spaces between some of the marbles.

100_5600

I wanted some type of clear grout/filler.  I searched the web and found a product that Lowes carried.  Well, when I got to Lowes the worker in the tile department highly discouraged me from buying that product! 

100_5613

So he talked me into buying a clear adhesive grout product…CLEAR…did you catch that?  Well, apparently I don’t understand what clear is because this sure looks white to me!  So, it is still wet at this point;  I hope it dries clear!  The white isn’t terrible, but I wanted the colors underneath to show through!  I was hopeful that it would dry clear!

100_5847

Ok, so you can see that it doesn’t look quite as white, but it is not clear either!  So….not exactly like I had envisioned but it’s still good!

100_5850It has a pearly finish…not bad! 

100_5846

100_5847

I am linking to these great parties…

Signature

23 comments:

Pokey said...

I think it is really beautiful! The special beads probably show up better in the grout you have, than they would have in the clear. I like it, and the stand you have is perfect!
:-}pokey

Danni@SiloHillFarm said...

Ellen, you are just non-stop awesome! I love this project! I have a question...did you glue the little square mirror to the glass bead and then to the ball? or to the ball and then the bead on top of it? This is so very lovely...I have to try it!

Donna Wilkes said...

How very creative this is - and it seems to match Frosty's eyes! I cannot believe how patient you were to glue each of those marbles on the ball. It turned out great!

Distressed Donna Down Home

jinxxxygirl said...

Hi Ellen!

I found you thru Suzy's Sitcom...i just love this project! You did a great job! I have a few questions though....
Will this be waterproof to put outside?
I always thought regular spray paint did some awful things to styrofoam. and
I thought you had to use special styrofoam glue...........I'd really like to do a project like this so any help would be appreciated. Hugs! deb

Annie said...

Wow this is beautiful!

Athena at Minerva's Garden said...

Hi Ellen: This gazing ball turned out so pretty--I love all the shades of blues that you used. Your cat is funny--I've got 3 feline helpers who like to oversee my projects, too!

Liz said...

Love this! Looks really great! Liz

Honey at 2805 said...

Very pretty, Ellen! Thank you for sharing your project at Potpourri Friday!

Mel@Mellywood's Mansion said...

Pure Awesome!
How did you manage to spray print and not have the ball melt - I must be using the wrong spray paint

Tanya said...

super interesting! It must weigh a tonne with all those marbles!

Jenny @ DIY Newlyweds said...

I love this! I would have never thought to use a styrofoam ball.

Donna Huisinga said...

I have one of these started with a bowling ball waiting to be grouted.

Donna Huisinga said...

Yours is very beautiful. I forgot to say that!

Cathy Tomm said...

Love it. I like the grout colour even if is not clear, it works well.

Chicken Wrangler said...

That looks awesome! What did you use for a stand for it? Whatever it is, it certainly adds to the look! Love it!

Unknown said...

What a beautiful decoration!!!
Wouldn't that make a gorgeous hostess gift ( in the hostess's favorite color?
Love love love it!

Amy said...

Love it Ellen!

Thanks for linking up to Totally Pinworthy

Beth said...

I did a gazing ball very similar to this but I used a bowling ball instead. LOL! I like the idea of just creating rings around the ball instead of trying to be artistic (like I was "attempting" to be) by creating swirl patterns. It was much more challenging in certain situations. I LOVE the little beads you added! I agree with the comment above that said they probably show up better with this grout than the clear, so maybe it's a happy oops, even though you feel like you wasted your time painting it in the beginning. Ahhh, the joys of crafting ;)

Jana@Transformations From the Heart said...

Crud, I had a long comment made then I hit enter before I was finished and the entire thing disappeared.
Anyhoo~your gazing ball looks awesome even without the "clear" grout.

Sew Can Do said...

Really pretty idea. Thanks for linking to Craftastic Monday at Sew Can Do:)

Jill said...

Beautiful ball Ellen! I haven't heard of clear grout before - but I will have to look out for some! What you used is at least not too bright - but you're right it's not exactly clear either!!
Great ball either way!


Thanks for linking to a Round Tuit!
Hope you have a fabulous week!
Jill @ Creating my way to Success
http://www.jembellish.blogspot.com/

Honey I'm Home Blog said...

What a fun project. I still like it even though the glue didn't dry as clear as you would have liked.

Warmly, Michelle

jess said...

that looks really great! glad to see what you did with it. and ps MORE PICS OF FROSTY PLEASE!!! that cat cracks me up :)