• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
House of Hawthornes
  • DIY
  • Gardening
  • Budget Decor
  • Thrifting
  • Recipes
  • Seasonal
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • DIY
  • Gardening
  • Budget Decor
  • Thrifting
  • Recipes
  • Seasonal
  • 🛒 Our Amazon Shop
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×
    Home » Yard Art And Upcycled Garden Decor

    How to Make A Penny Bowling Ball

    Published by Pam Kessler | 522 words. · About 3 minutes to read this article. - 84 Comments

    This weekend I turned an old bowling ball that I found at a garage sale into a gazing ball-like piece of yard art.

    A penny bowling ball!

    How to make a penny bowling ball yard art

    I bought this bowling ball, bag and pair of old used bowling shoes (yuck) at a church garage sale all for just $1.00. I knew I only wanted the bowling ball itself, so the other items were just along for the ride.

    How to make a penny bowling ball, fun and unique yard art for your garden. And some people say the copper pennies repel slugs!

    How To Make A Penny Bowling Ball

    The first thing I did was fill in the finger holes with paper towels until there was about ¼" of the holes left and then filled the rest of the holes in with some caulking I had laying around the house.

    And then threw the bag and shoes into my Goodwill pile.

    How to make a penny bowling ball, fun and unique yard art for your garden. And some people say the copper pennies repel slugs!

    I wanted to cover the ball in pennies so I used roughly $4.50 worth.

    I wanted them to be all bright and shiny so I decided to clean them with my beloved Coke Zero to see if Coke's cleaning abilities are an urban legend or not.

    How to make a penny bowling ball, fun and unique yard art for your garden. And some people say the copper pennies repel slugs!

    So I emptied a roll of pennies into a bowl and added the Coke Zero and let them sit for five minutes.

    How to make a penny bowling ball, fun and unique yard art for your garden. And some people say the copper pennies repel slugs!

    The Coke Zero cleaned them a little bit, but they were definitely not as bright as I was expecting them to be. It's not often that my Coke lets me down.

    So then I searched the Internet for other penny cleaning tips and ran across some science experiments for kids that uses ¼ cup white vinegar and 1 teaspoon of table salt to clean them.

    The vinegar is 5% acetic acid and dissolves the copper oxide on the pennies. The salt acts as a catalyst to speed up the process. But enough of the fascinating science lesson of the day.

    Anyhow, I just put the pennies in there for about a minute, rinsed the solution off them and they came out amazingly shiny.

    How to make a penny bowling ball, fun and unique yard art for your garden. And some people say the copper pennies repel slugs!

    (This post does contain some affiliate links. You can read my full disclosure policy here.)

    Next I used Dap Clear Silicone Sealant for Doors And Windows to glue the pennies onto the bowling ball.


    How to make a penny bowling ball, fun and unique yard art for your garden. And some people say the copper pennies repel slugs!

    I glued them all heads up, but that was my OCD kicking in - you could mix it up if you wanted. Or maybe do all heads except for one tail???

    And here is the finished project.

    How to make a penny bowling ball, fun and unique yard art for your garden. And some people say the copper pennies repel slugs!

    I tried sitting my penny bowling ball on my birdbath base as a regular gazing ball.

    How to make a penny bowling ball, fun and unique yard art for your garden. And some people say the copper pennies repel slugs!

    Then I remembered that I had bought this silver chafing dish pedestal at a garage sale. It's almost like it is made to be a penny bowling ball holder.

    How to make a penny bowling ball, fun and unique yard art for your garden. And some people say the copper pennies repel slugs!

    Of course you could place it directly on the ground or leave one of the finger holes exposed and place a wood dowel to stake it in the ground.

    How to make a penny bowling ball, fun and unique yard art for your garden. And some people say the copper pennies repel slugs!

    Another fun bowling ball project is my Mosaic Bowling Ball made with dollar store gems.

    DIY yard art for your garden made from a bowling ball. Great upcycle project!

    New For Spring 2021:

    Purchase printable garden planner

    Check out the web story version of this article HERE - Penny Bowling BallYard Art Story.

    Other posts you may enjoy:

    25 Upcycled Garden Ideas

    Repurposed Sink Planter

    DIY Terrarium Tutorial

    How to Make Hypertufa Planters (LIGHTWEIGHT concrete planters)

    « First Post
    Weekend Garage Sale & Auction Finds »
    227.5K shares
    • Facebook
    • Twitter

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. SMMpanel

      September 18, 2023 at 6:41 am

      If you're seeking a reliable source for Free Instagram Likes, SMMPanel2 is your destination. Their services are designed to help individuals and businesses of all sizes enhance their Instagram presence, free of charge.

      Reply
    « Older Comments

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Learn how to create a budget friendly home you'll love using repurposed thrift store finds, easy DIY & craft projects and seasonal gardening tips.

    Trending Content:

    • DiY pipe shelves in the bathroom.
      DIY Industrial Pipe Shelves
    • Tips on how to grow peonies. Everything from soil conditions to USDA Plant Hardiness Zones to ants. Includes how to cut peonies for flower arrangements.
      How To Grow Peonies - A Complete Guide
    • how to paint front door without removing it
      How To Paint A Front Door Without Removing It
    • squirrel repellent
      Homemade Squirrel Repellent Recipe
    • DIY Earring Holder
    • How to Make A Penny Bowling Ball
    • thrift store shopping tips
      Top 10 Thrift Store Shopping Tips
    • A 30 minute Blueberry Crostata Recipe. Also known as galette, rustic pie or rustic tart, it is perfect for new bakers You can't go wrong with this one.
      Blueberry Crostata Recipe
    • How To Make Winter Porch Pots
    • How To Grow Hydrangea In Pots

    About Me

    Pam Kessler | Author of House Of Hawthornes

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • About
    • Contact
    • Privacy Policy
    • Web Stories
    • Blog

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up For Emails & Updates

    Shop

    • Amazon Favorites
    • Shop The Look

    Please use appropriate safety precautions when attempting projects. All projects are attempted at the reader's own risk.

    As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2023 House Of Hawthornes, LLC

    🍪 We use cookies to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
    Do not sell my personal information.
    I Accept Read Privacy Notice
    Privacy & Cookies Policy

    Privacy Overview

    This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
    Necessary
    Always Enabled

    Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.

    Non Necessary

    Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.