DIY: Crafty Centerpiece Balls

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I recently came across a link to these lovely twiney decor balls, and I haven’t stopped thinking about them since.  As one of those people who consider themselves crafty but not artistic, this screamed out to me, “Even you can do this!”  And they were right, I could.  I give you…twiney centerpiece balls!!  Even you can impress your family, friends and 1 year old by showcasing the Pier One-Esq. loveliness and declaring “I made that!”  Here’s how.

Get yourself some Styrofoam balls (I used 4 inch and 2 inch), a glue gun and some twine.  I used a stiff “jewelry making” twine that I found in the bead aisle because it was slightly less rough-looking than regular twine and wrapped a bit more easily.  I also got a thinner cotton twine just to have a different texture option.  (All items can be purchased at Wal-Mart, which is great news for those of us who need to drive 25 minutes to find a Michaels or Hobby Lobby!)

From there, you just start with a little dab of glue on the foam ball, coil then end of the twine, and press the coil into the glue until set.  Luckily, hot glue sets really quickly, so this will only take seconds.  From there, you simply press a bead of glue around the coil and press the twine into it, little by little wrapping your way around the ball.  For a full tutorial, please see  Vanessa's site, who gives foolproof instructions on making these beautiful gems.  

  The thicker twine was much easier to work with and went faster than the cotton twine, but as I said, I was just looking to mix it up a bit.  I spray painted some of the twine green before I glued it onto a few of the smaller balls, so that I could have little green accent balls in the mix as well. 

The finished product.

Simply add the different sized balls to a basket, toss with some seasonal gourds and a candle, and sprinkle with affectionate glances.  And embrace your right to sound like a big dork on your own blog! :)

I must tell you that these are easy, but they aren’t a fast project.  It took me about an hour to do a big one, so it’s a good project to do alongside a show you can’t miss. But in spite of that they are a bit addictive to make.  I’ll just say it right now, everyone is getting a set of these for Christmas.

Check out these ideas by people who are both crafty and artistic, at A Soft Place to Land.