{concrete garden balls}

I am loving my new garden and the projects it has allowed me to explore!

My fantastic mom first introduced me to concrete garden balls when she made her own years ago, and I knew once I had my own yard I wanted to make them too!

Here's how I did it...

1~ I bought these glass light covers at a thrift store for $3. Make sure there are no cracks in the glass or it will break when you fill them with concrete!

2~ Spray the inside with non-stick cooking spray- it helps in breaking the glass away from the ball at the end!

3~ Set the glass ball in a pile of dirt or sand so that it can't roll away while you're filling it and as it's curing.

4~ We used a quick setting concrete found at most hardware stores. I like the ones with fine gravel. Pour the dry mix in the bucket (we poured about 1/2 the bag in) and then add water until it reaches the consistancy of peanut butter...or maybe a little bit runnier. You don't want it too runny, but not too hard either. Play around with it!

5~ Use a small garden shovel to fill the balls. After every scoop, give the ball a shake or twist to help it settle and break up any air bubbles.
6~ Fill the ball to the top and try to make it as level as possible. We had a little bit extra so I used an old baking pan to make a little stepping stone & used gravel (from our soil- it's so rocky!) to make the heart pattern. Let the balls sit for at least 24 hours to set up! When the concrete has turned light, use a hammer to lightly tap the glass and break away pieces off the concrete ball. Make sure you wear gloves & safety glasses so you don't injure yourself! Throw away the glass and you're done!
The balls will be heavy, so be careful when you lift them! They add great detail to your garden and they're so easy! If you have any questions feel free to email me!