Bowling Ball Decoration Part 4 - Marbles

Finally - it's time for the marbles. I use GEII silicone as the adhesive. Be warned - check the expiration date on the tube!!! It's very small and hard to see, but I have learned from experience that it does not have an eternal shelf life. One batch was so hard I couldn't squeeze it out of the tube. The other bad batch was grainy and never hardened. If it is good, it should be smooth and should tack up in about 30 minutes. Give it 24 hours or so to completely cure. You can buy the GEII at Lowe's, Home Depot or Walmart. It also comes in caulk tubes, but the caulk gun is hard on the hands and the opening is larger, making it hard to control how much comes out.

Marbles? - I'm always looking for them. For some reason, they are considered a floral item, so will be found with the flower arranging materials at most stores. Michael's has a great selection. Then AC Moore, Joanne's and Hobby Lobby. Walmart has larger sized bags and changes their color selection frequently. Also check the craft area of Dollar Tree. Finally, independent dollar stores tend to have unusual items, but the bag size is smaller. A few years ago Dollar General had some interesting shapes (flowers, butterflies, shells) but I haven't seen them since. Moral of that story - if you see something you like, grab it!!!

Pick your starting spot and have a go! Most of the time I try for the north pole, assuming the thumb hole is the south pole. Concentric circles take a while because you can only put on 6 - 10 marbles at a time, let them tack up, and then turn the ball. Flower power and dragonfly go a little quicker because you can fill in large areas at a time. For the penny balls, I did two layers, using the second to fill in spaces between the first layer. I also used the same side of the pennies showing for each layer, except for the "renegade" ones. I lay out the marbles or pennies face down, load them with the adhesive, and then stick them on.

Bowling Ball Decoration Part 3 - Painting

If you have a pretty ball, you just need to paint the holes. I use craft paint and mix it as needed so it blends into the ball color. The green swirl ball needed green and dark blue to make the correct shade.

If you have an ugly ball, or you just need a different color, then you can paint the entire ball with Krylon fusion paint for plastic. They have lots of colors and textures to choose from. Just check the label to see if it is weather-resistant or not and choose accordingly. I use wax paper or parchment paper between the ball and the can.

Now is a good time to paint your stand also, if necessary. Lately, I have been using cat food bowls from Dollar Tree.

Bowling Ball Decoration Part 2 - Finger Holes Day 2

After the putty seems dry, push down on it. If you can push the putty down, do so and then put more putty over the top and let it dry. When you are satisfied that the holes are filled in, sand them smooth.

Bowling Ball Decoration Part 1 - Filling in Finger Holes

I LOVE the Pioneer Woman, so I'm going to do a PW wannabee and detail some how-to posts with lots of pictures. Unlike PW, I have yet to figure out how to control the placement of text and pictures, so instead of one long post, I'll post in increments.

One of the things I do first is fill in the finger holes of the ball. I leave the thumb hole open so the ball can be mounted on a rod if desired. Of course, you can fill the thumb hole in too if you want. For the ball I covered with pique assiette mosaic (pieces of broken china), I filled in all the holes. Anyhow, I use wood putty and push in as much as possible with a screwdriver and my finger. I then pat it smooth, wipe off the excess and let it dry.

You can also buy wood putty in a tube and squirt it into the hole. The putty is much more expensive that way, but it is also much easier to work with. Since you can stick the nozzle down into the hole, you eliminate air bubbles.