Got Bowling Balls? Here’s a fun D.I.Y. project to transform your Bowling Ball Collection into giant lollipops for your Winter Wonderland decor.
CHRISTMAS IN JULY is a perfect time for this D.I.Y. project because it gives you a few months to find supplies. Here’s what you’ll need:
- Bowling Balls ($2-$10 from thrift stores & yard sales)
- Long metal rods, pipe or Rebar – one for each bowling ball (estate sales, hardware stores)
- White tape (dollar stores, stuff-mart)
- White plastic shopping bags, one for each bowling ball (recycled)
- Disposable party tablecloths is assorted colors, cut into large 24×24″ squares (party stores, dollar stores, stuff-mart)
- Roll of clear, thin pvc dropcloth cut into large 32×32″ squares (dollar stores, stuff-mart, hardware stores)
- wide floral ribbon, cut in 24″ lengths – you’ll need about 2 rolls (craft stores, fabric shop, stuff-mart)
- A wire twist tie for each lollipop (or thin wire and wire cutters)
- Pair of Scissors
I have a weird attraction to bowling balls – they’re so goofy to me that I just can’t help collecting them (read my bowling ball post for the backstory). I think I have thirty of them now (and I’d appreciate it if you wouldn’t bring it up around my husband ).
A few years ago I decided to transform my bowling ball collection into giant lollipops in my Christmas decorating. I received so many compliments and inquiries about them that I thought I’d write about it.
I didn’t want to paint the bowling balls or the metal rods because I use them for other purposes throughout the year. I thought about using bright colored wrapping paper under the clear plastic, but since winter tends to be wet, I decided that colored plastic would be a better alternative. These giant yard lollipops are easy to make – here’s how I did it:
Step ONE: I took the odd pieces of pipe, Rebar and metal rods that I found behind the barn to use as lollipop sticks – one for each bowling ball. They had to be white, but since I didn’t want to spray paint them, I used white tape that could be removed once lollipop season was over. You want the tape to be strong enough to withstand the winter weather so make sure the tape is sticky! Start wrapping the pipe on a diagonal so the tape will overlap and stick to itself. You don’t have to go down all the way, since the rod will go into the ground 10″- 12″.
Step TWO: I assembled the lollipops in the flower bed behind the house where the dirt isn’t too packed and the rods could be removed easily.
I stuck each white “lollipop stick” into the ground and topped it with a bowling ball – three holes to choose from, how easy is that?
Step THREE: Cover the bowling ball with a white plastic bag over the top of it (turn the bag inside out if there is text on the bag). This makes the color brighter.
Step FOUR: Cover the white bag with a 24×24″ square of colored plastic cut from the disposable party tablecloth. Use a twist tie or thin wire to twist it tight at the bottom. Now trim both bag and colorful plastic fairly close to the twist tie – but not too close! This gives your lollipop color (the white bag beneath makes the color stand out).
Step FIVE: Add a larger 32×32″ square of the clear pvc dropcloth and tie it tight with the wide floral ribbon. I used floral ribbon with wire on the edges to shape it into curls after they were all in place.
Once my lollipops were all finished, I walked them up to the front yard one at a time so the balls wouldn’t fall off the stick. Make sure you push the rods at least 10″ deep into the ground to keep them straight and tall.
Ta Da! That was easy! What do you think – are they cute, or what?
If you know someone who might have a bowling ball or two (or thirty), and might like a little inspiration – please share! And don’t forget to subscribe so you’ll get notified as soon as I post something new. Thanks for reading!
