DIY Concrete Garden Balls

 I’ve been admiring DIY Concrete Garden Balls on Pinterest for quite awhile.  I read this tutorial on The Garden Glove, which I found on Pinterest, and knew that I could easily make these. Plus it helps that we replaced a very ugly ceiling fan with 5 globe light covers awhile back and I’ve been hoarding the covers in my craft room since then.  The only thing that was holding me back from doing this project earlier is that I simply kept forgetting to buy the portland cement.  So of course I did what any logical woman would do – I went to Lowes one day by myself and thought I’d just pick up a 100lb bag of cement.  The good thing is that I was able to give an older gentleman a great case of the giggles as he watched me try every way possible to get the cement into the back of my van.  I wound up having to go back into the store to get someone to come help me.  And then of course it took a few days for me to remember to ask Mr. Byrd to help me take it out of the van once I got home.  These are easy and fun to make. Concrete can be messy but the result is amazing. To get started you need:

• Round glass light globe covers – easy to find at a Habitat for Humanity Restore or Craigslist
• Portland Cement
• Peat Moss
• Oil to coat the inside of the globes with
• A surface to work on such as a large trash bag
• Bucket to mix concrete in and something to stir it with
• gloves
• hammer
• eye protection

First lay down a protective covering such as a trash bag. Don’t skip this step even if you think you will never make a mess. Apply oil (I used coconut) to the inside of the glass globes. Use a paper towel to coat all the surface inside the globe but do not leave excess oil in the globes. Set your globes to the side and mix your concrete.  I knew that I wanted the finished product to look a little rustic so I used a 3/4 portland cement, 1/4 peat moss mixture. Mix this mixture well with water until it’s thick but still pourable. Pour the mixture into the glass globes. I used an old cup to scoop it and pout it into the globes. This is what it will look like when it’s done. You don’t have to fill the concrete all the way up the neck if you want a totally round ball.  Now a word about that protective covering that you need to put down before you start this project ….. Say it with me now… Clumsy…. Crafter.  Skills, I’ve got them.  Thankfully the trashbag I had laid down managed to keep all the concrete from adding another layer of it to my driveway.  Carefully set your globes somewhere safe to dry and cure for 3-4 days. I waited 4 days before I removed the glass globes but I do live in a very humid area.  When your globes are set and you’re ready to remove the glass get your hammer, eye covering and another protective surface to catch the glass.  Place the globe on the protective surface with eye protection already on and hit it gently with the hammer to break the glass. When you’re done you’ll have a pretty shiny globe. If you want to rough it up and have a rustic look you can use a wire brush to wipe down the entire surface. In the end this is what you’ll be left with. It’s the perfect accent to nestle underneath a leafy plant or to use as a garden barrier.