This is a beautiful bowling ball I got at a thrift store for about a buck. How can you repurpose a bowling ball into an unbreakable gazing ball? Decoupage!
This is after I decoupaged some wallpaper on it.
Here it is in my flower bed.
This is another bowling ball with pansies
My friend Cathy made this one for her neighbor. She already had a stand, from a previously broken gazing ball.Be sure and check out my bowling ball/gazing ball tutorial
gail
Gail Wilson is the author and mastermind behind My Repurposed Life. She is obsessed with finding potential in unexpected places and believes that with a little hard work and imagination, any old thing can be made useful again, including herself!
Gail reinvented herself during a midlife crisis and has found purpose again. She hopes you will find new ideas for old things and pick up a few tools along the way.
Lana Bisson
Your upcycled bowling balls are very cool..I made my first one this summer with florist marbles.. its on my blog..lanascraps.blogspot.com
I had left a ball outside during the summer..I was waiting to get around to doing something mosiac with it..and surprized one day to find our 100+ heat in Texas this summer actually cracked a bowling ball in half.. couldnt believe it..
Jill
A Buck!?! Seriously, that's awesome! What a fun thing to do with old bowling balls!
EJ
That's incredible! I've seen gazing balls also serving as center pieces to garden spinner. See here in this site.
Barbsgarden
I love this idea and what you have done with them.
Bohemian Gypsy Goddess
How beautiful is this?
WOW, I would not have thought to do this...the decals look amazing!
Great job!
Sandy
I have several thrift shop bowling balls out it my yard edging what was to be a garden. They're all colorful, but they're not unbreakable. Several of them are cracked. I think I'll attempt to make a gazing ball out of an uncracked one! Thanks for your tutorial!
Layla
That is a really cute idea!! It would make a really nice gift too!
Thanks!
Kelly W.
I've done the gazing balls by gluing on flat marbles but I've never seen them decoupaged. So cute!
Anny
I'm surprised by how cool these look! I saw the description and thought you repainted boring black balls - these are awesome!
Missie
Great idea that I will save. I have wanted a gazing ball, but never bought one due to the sometimes high wind and unexpected hail where I live.
gail@myrepurposedlife
I will be doing a couple more of these balls after I finish with jury duty, I will take pictures and do a tutorial then.
Thanks to everyone for the nice comments!
gail
Let it Shine
That is SO clever!
Love it!
themagiconions
Thanks so much for sharing on Friday's Nature Table. My kids will love making one of these and feel it's magic every time they see it in the garden.
Blessings and magic.
Rebecca. Harlan, IN
Somewhere on my garden blog sceneinourgarden.blogspot.com are our 3 bowling balls. HOWEVER they are plain - blue, gold & brown. I'd love to decoupage them but would like to know the decoupage "agent" that you used for outdoor use....Would you mind letting me know? THANKS so much. Yours are beautiful!
Rebecca. Harlan, IN
Somewhere on my garden blog sceneinourgarden.blogspot.com are our 3 bowling balls. HOWEVER they are plain - blue, gold & brown. I'd love to decoupage them but would like to know the decoupage "agent" that you used for outdoor use....Would you mind letting me know? THANKS so much. Yours are beautiful!
Anonymous
Do you have to put some type of a sealant on them to put them outside, they are beautiful. I just found your blog but can't wait to sit and enjoy.
Peggy
Embellished Bayou
Very creative of you, those are great!
Teri
My sister actually made a cool fountain out of a bowling ball by drilling a hole all the way through one of the finger holes. Then she put a fountain pump hose all the way up, toturned the ball over and voila! A perfect score of 300 for almost nothing!!
the undomesticated wife
Very nice! That sucker won't go anywhere!
I have one that I'm going to mosaic. For the last 10 years I've been seeing it done on a garden forum and just now have the time.
themagiconions
I love this idea... I'll look out for a bowling ball at a garage sale to make one of these with my kids... they'll LOVE it. So magical!!
Please would you share this with my readers today on Friday's Nature Table... pop on over and post it as I know they'll love this idea too.
Blessings and magic.
Tiffany
Great idea! I've seen them done with mosiac tiles before, but I like the look of the decoupage even better. And I'll bet it's a little easier and less time consuming than a bunch of tiny tiles. I'll have to try this one for sure! Thanks!
AngelMc
love your blog, added you to my blog roll--come by and visit me.
Sandy and Joe/rhubarb reign
Hi Gail! Great idea!! And thanks for your comment on my blog. Come see me again! xo
S
I like this a lot! My boys are in bowling leagues and outgrow their balls so this is a perfect re-use. Thanks for sharing š