Tuesday, June 8, 2010

DIY Gazing Ball

A gazing ball, garden ball, yard sphere or whatever you call it, it’s …something  that’s grown on me in the last year or so. There was a time I thought they were the silliest things. Why would anyone want a shiny ball on a pedestal anyway? Well, this year I’ve wanted one! And wanted one badly enough to to make my own, cause paying full price for one at Home Depot just isn’t me! So I thought I would try a child’s bouncing ball and paint it but I was afraid that would be too light to stay on a pedestal in the wind. It would need to be heavier…more like a bowling ball. I just happened to find two at my favorite local thrift store, and they were $4 each. Probably not a bad price (I’ve never bought a bowling ball before) but I knew in two weeks they would be $2 each. Yes, I’m cheap thrifty. So I waited, I mean who else would want an old bowling ball anyway? The Friday before the sale started, I went to check and make sure they would be where I could find them on Monday and much to my major disappointment, they were BOTH gone! :-( Sold the day before! But I was really counting on making one of those silly balls so off I went to another thrift store and found this:
It’s easy to see why he was still there, I think he’s seen better days! He was only $3 too!
OH NO!!!! I just went to put in a picture in between the last two paragraphs and the pictures aren’t there! I had gotten a message about “unknown format” when I tried to take the last couple of pics, but I didn’t know the first ones didn’t stay on the card…ggggrrrrr….So, I have a few of the last steps on another camera card and two from my phone of the work in progress. Let’s try this, picture a brownish orange old bowling ball, then picture it stuck on a piece of rebar in the garden wiped clean and ready to be painted. I bought this:
X-Metals
Only in blue, but I lost that picture  too… anyway I sprayed the ball hoping for that shiny blue finish, but it was not to be…I don’t know if it is because I wasn’t painting metal or if it was the blue going over the brown, but I ended up with a murky blue/black. I wasn’t happy at all, so I went and found a can of a chrome like paint from the Dollar Store and went all over it lightly, but that made it worse, so I went over it HEAVILY and got this:downsized_0608001509
Better, but still not what I wanted, so I started lightly spraying the blue around and kind of misting the ball till I got this:
downsized_0608001601
I know it’s not the best picture, I took it with my phone to send to a friend. As I would look at the ball, I noticed darker blue patches and I would try to even it up only to have it happen again! As I moved, I realize that the dark patches move too! It was an illusion…I love it!
Okay, on to the next disaster. Remember this:
[103_11194.jpg]
I found it thrifting and thought it would be perfect to put a gazing ball into…there’s already a small one on top. Guess what? The bowling ball is too BIG! But I have another stand that is totally a rusty mess and needs to be sanded. The picture of it was also on the bad card. I would really like for you to be able to see it because of how amazing it turned out after Keen Hubby loaned me this:
 114_1542
This stuff really works! After just a  light sanding, you wouldn’t even know the stand  had been soo rusty  The Black Satin spray paint  went on top so smoothly!
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114_1543
It’s hard to tell much when you don’t have the before picture, but trust me, the Rust Reformer is Awesome Stuff!!
Well, at least I have some pictures of the finished product. Here ya go! 114_1536 114_1537 
I’m happy with it…not happy with my camera! :-( I’m going to have to find a permanent home for it in the garden tomorrow! The ball, not the camera! LOL I’m tired!
Good Night!!

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33 comments:

  1. I think those balls can be really pretty too ... and you know what Sharon? Everyone seems to be having problems uploading blog stuff today! Must be something in the air ....
    oxoxox
    Denalee

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  2. I love those gazing balls too! I used to laugh at them. In fact, I chuckled at all garden art...and now I wish I had more!! HA!
    Your ball turned out beautifully and I love the stand you have it resting upon. Beautiful!!
    Hugs
    SueAnn

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  3. Get OUT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Girl, we are seriously like entering the twilight zone....this is on my list of things to do...I've already confiscated a couple of the hubbys old bowling balls!!!!!! Are you sure we weren't separated at birth? :)

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  4. Nikki, I am SERIOUSLY beginning to wonder!! My oldest daughter just started her "Organized Mess" Blog and I noticed that she is following your blog! Great minds think alike!! Can't wait to see your gazing ball... at the new house, right?!?!?

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  5. Love it!! Total awesome job. Have a great week!
    Barb @ santasgiftshoppe.blogspot.com

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  6. Bowling balls are the hardest thing to find this year. Their popularity for yard art outshines their use at an alley.
    Thanks for the Rust Reformer tip. I have lots of uses for that.
    The finished project turned out fantastic.
    I like that you told us you had to adjust it as you went.

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  7. I love your gazing ball and I will def try to make one for our yard as well! Thanks for sharing! I'm a new follower and I'd love for you to come see me - I'm giving away 3 super chic Sam Moon cuff bracelets here:
    http://sceneofthegrime.blogspot.com
    ♥Laurie

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  8. Lovely DIY result. Your blog is so inspiring. I shall become your newest follower for sure and continue to follow this blog for inspiration.

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  9. I'm visiting from The Shabby Chic Cottage, and I love this! You've inspired me to try to "come up" with something myself. :)

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  10. I love this DIY project :D It turned out Great! you've gained yourself a new follower!
    http://misavings.blogspot.com/

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  11. That turned out great and yes, I still like gazing balls as well. I've always thought they were soooo pretty nestled in a flower bed :o)

    Hope you can visit me sometimes over at Pittypat Paperie.

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  12. What a cool project! You are so clever.

    Thank you for linking up to Fab Friday this week.

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  13. This turned out so pretty!

    Thanks for linking up at Saturday is Crafty Day!
    Laura @ along for the ride

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  14. Wow ~ it looks amazing! Great job & you've inspired me to go search for my old bowling ball in the garage.

    I'm visiting from The Shabby Chic Cottage and will be following your blog. :O)

    Be well.

    Marie @ Sally Lee by the Sea
    "Celebrating the Coastal Lifestyle"

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  15. cool! and good to know about the rust reformer-i've got lots of work for IT to do!
    i've been wanting one of these balls, in fact, i had one but it was a sort of glass thing i had on an iron rod in the ground and it blew away in a bad T-storm this past fall. i'll start looking for a bowling ball...
    i also have some of those narrow mirrored cabinet doors (abt 6 X 18") that i lean against the house amidst the hostas for an unexpected shine.

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  16. What a neat idea! So clever and creative! Who would have thought a bowling ball could look so good! Hope you have a wonderful week! ~ Stephanie Lynn

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  17. Cool! Neat idea! Thanks for linking up to Mad Skills Monday!

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  18. Very clever. And that sucker isn't going anywhere!!!

    Thanks for linking up to the Mad Skills party!

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  19. WHAT a GREAT transformtion! AND a bargain too! I'm in LOVE with Rustoleum products too. You'd think they pay me as much as I talk about them! I'm right behind you on Metamorphosis Monday!

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  20. How clever are you?! Nice job. I love all of the different things that can be done with spray paint.

    Thanks for linking to Transform Tuesday. I can't wait to see what you next project is!

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  21. impressive makeover! it looks great :) thank you for linking up to MMM!

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  22. I love it!! Thanks for sharing your instructions on how to make it!

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  23. This post is so enjoyable and how true -- how quickly things change (it's there and now it isn't--haha). Your gazing ball turned out beautiful and I'm happy that you also taught me a bit about this type of paint. I'm sure you'll find someplace beautiful for it!

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  24. I like how you didn't let a few setbacks defeat you. ;-) And it turned out great.

    Thanks for linking up to the Tuesday Garden Party!

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  25. Beautiful!!

    Thanks so much for linking up to Pajama Party at Life In My Pjs!!

    ~Ela

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  26. Cool - it turned out great!! I am still walking around mine in thought - I have a bowling ball gazing ball idea in mind but am procrastinating...

    Maybe you should plant the phone!! You could get baby bells!! ;)

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  27. You were featured today! Check out your feature below and be sure to snag my "I was Featured" Button! Thanks and see you next week for Mad Skills Monday!

    http://superstinkyboys.blogspot.com/2010/06/mad-skills-monday-link-party-13.html

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  28. Thank you for contributing this to http://www.FineCraftGuild.com's DIY Tutorial Linky Party.

    It's beautiful and well presented.

    If you have a new & equally wonderful tutorial you wish to share with us this week, come on over. We just opened a new linky party for this week's greatest talented artisans out there! (and you are one of them ;-0)

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  29. You so creative! Very nice Yard Art! :)

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  30. oh sharon i love your ball! it just turned out perfect! thanks for linking to my balls party!

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  31. Very ingenious way to recycle old bowling bowls! I've seen gazing balls also serving as center pieces to garden spinner. See here in this site.

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