Sweetheart Kissing Ball Tutorial

I've been making kissing balls a few years now, and I'm always looking for different things to make them with. I started making them for Christmas time, and made them out of mini ornaments, bells, holly, and poinsettias. I have hung them in doorways, on trees, in bowls, and this year I even put them along my garland above my door. I got so many compliments!!!
With Valentine's Day soon approaching, I wanted to make some with that theme in mind. What more appropriate time to have "kissing" balls then on Valentine's Day!

Here is a little tutorial for you to use if you want to try to make them yourself! Or, they will also be available for purchase in my Etsy Shop!

Yummy Cuppy Crafts

First, you will need some supplies...

Styrofoam ball

paint

paintbrush

gluegun

gluesticks

crazy yarn (optional)

I like to paint the styrofoam balls before covering them because sometimes you can see the white underneath. It just gives it a cleaner look! So, there is step one.

1) Paint styrofoam ball a similar color as the balls/toppings you are going to cover it with.

I found these foam balls in packs of 6 on sale at Michaels for cheaper than one true styrofoam ball at Wal-Mart! They come in a few different sizes. They have one little hole in them that work great for sticking the end of a paint brush in to let them dry.

2) Start glueing your "toppings" on the styrofoam ball. I got these mini colored styrofoam balls at Ben Franklin in Hawaii months ago. They weigh absolutely NOTHING. Be creative, you can use almost ANYTHING on these.

I like to start near the top and work my way around and down. Don't worry if you aren't covering every little inch of the foam ball, if you painted first, you won't even know when you are done. And, if you finish with yarn, it covers it up even more. (read on)

*Side note: If you are snacking on popcorn while crafting, make sure you are eating out of the right bowl. And just to be clear, I never ate the mini styro balls, but will admit, I came close a time or two!

3) Once the glue has cooled and dried, you can stop here... OR, you can continue to embellish the kissing ball with crazy yarn.

Stick a little dab of glue and string the beginning of your yarn in it to anchor it. Then wrap it between the mini styro balls until you feel you've reached your look!

Here is what they look like after the yarn. Two different sizes. From here, you can stop... and throw them in a bowl, basket, vase, whatever. OR... you can continue on and add other embellishments and a loop of ribbon to hang them!

Here are some examples of other kissing balls I have made.