Make Gorgeous Art For Your Garden

Ann
by Ann
3 Materials
$6.00
3 Hours
Easy
I've been making these garden art balls for years after seeing a great forum on Garden Web for bowling ball art.
For this ball I found a glass light globe cover at the thrift store for $1, then tried out this adhesive. It worked like a charm!
It is best to do half the ball at a time and let it sit overnight so the adhesive can set up well.
This gorgeous orb is now in my Mom's garden! Other adhesives I have tried with good results are E6000 and Shoe Goo. They are all variations of the same silicone based formula and are perfect for gluing glass to just about any surface. They are water resistant and remarkably smelly, so do this project outside with good ventilation!
I've used bowling balls, glass light globes, plastic Christmas balls and even styro foam balls. My next project will be a hamster ball, which is about the same size as a basketball. I will do it in blue glass, of course!
Here's a close up. I used GE Silicone II and six bags of Dollar Store half marbles to cover this ball.
I made my first from a bowling ball, shown above bottom left. It is now over 15 years old and still looks great!
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Ann
Want more details about this and other DIY projects? Check out my blog post!
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  • Linda W Linda W on Dec 28, 2018

    Ann your globes are great. I'm working on one now but I have trouble keeping the gems in place, they slide off. I've used tape to hold the gems till they dry. What did you do? Maybe my E6000 glue is old. The globe I purchased had an end like an ornament top with a rubber cap which went into the metal stand. The cap fell off and evidently I needed it because the aqua color disappeared and I was left with clear glass. I'm redoing the aqua globe.

  • Mary Ramirez Mary Ramirez on Apr 09, 2019

    I just tried this using E6000. This is my first time using it and it is going horribly. The stuff does not dry quickly at all and the beads continue to slide around and even slipping right off the slick surface! What am I doing wrong???

  • Gabrielle Falk Gabrielle Falk on Aug 26, 2019

    Could you put inside, small tea-light candles?

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  • Kim23179502 Kim23179502 on May 31, 2017

    Get solar light at Wal-Mart kind that put up in but have line few feet that solar panel has on stake that way light will light up ball but panel separate with on stake. Globe will light up but need to seal bottom get maybe tomatoes stakes wire you put for tomato plants make shorter spray paint green or silver.. put glitter on clear coat push in ground ball on top. Solar panel line in sun AWAY from globe . That would be so pretty. Light up with gems at night. .I'm going to make and post it ya......kim...

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    • Cra12830736 Cra12830736 on Dec 22, 2018

      What kind of opening is it that allows liquid in? Size wise? Could you close it with some clear waterproof silicone sealant? Is the opening larger than your largest half marble? (Glue a Marble over the hole(s)?)?

  • Charlotte Charlotte on Aug 26, 2022

    There is an E6000 quick dry. I think it is in a purple tube

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