Yes, you read that right. I crafted with a floor mat and a basketball, both purchased at the Dollar Store. Here’s my mat and my basketball. Can you guess what I’ve got up my sleeve?
The mat is made up of some type of cheap jute/twine. Here’s a closer look.
And here’s the ball. It’s a Nurf-style basketball so it’s kinda squishy.
The first thing I did was spray-paint the ball all one color – I used the closet thing to brown that I had in my stash. It’s a metallic color.
Then I took my rug and carefully started untying and unraveling it.
Then I took my hot glue gun and started gluing…
Can you see where this is going?
Yup, it’s a decor ball – a very large decor ball. The picture above is basically showing when you run out of twine it’s A-okay. Just start a new piece where the old one ended.
I just kept wrapping and gluing. It was very monotonous. Plus, I guess other bloggers are just way better than me because I burned the crap out of all my fingers while attempting this project.
But glued burnt fingers were totally worth it because, well, just look at it!
Nice, right?!
This ball was way too easy to make. However, I did end up using FIVE mini glue sticks. FIVE! I think there’s more glue than twine on this ball.
I’m considering making another one of these as a give-away if enough of my readers like it, so if you like it and want me to do a give-away for one, leave and comment and let me know!
I just don’t want to burn off all my fingers again making a 2nd one if no one wants it.
This is so amazing. How did you put the two things together? It seems so obvious but I really have to admire people who can look at ordinary things and see something extraordinary.
Great idea, I like the new decoration baal 😛
I like this! My son, on the other hand, may soon be wondering where all his basketballs went!! 😯
I LOVE it! I also am so glad there is at least one other person out there who scars herself with a glue gun. Everytime I get mine out, I know disaster is around the corner!
Came over from SITS to say hi.
LOVE LOVE LOVE IT!!! Want one… And I’ll be forced to make one if you don’t have a give-a-way and I don’t win!!! 😛
Love it! Love, love, love it! I think unwinding one of those rugs is a fabulous idea. Thanks for sharing!
I’m visiting from Transformation Thursdays. 🙂
– Michele
I love this craft. I really like the look of these trendy balls and now I’m so glad that I know how to make them out of everyday things. Thank you!
I’m so going to make lots in different sizes and maybe spray paint them different colors, too.
Very creative! Who would have thought?
I love, love, love that you used an old floor mat for this!!
Um you TOTALLY need to enter this into the $5 Dollar Store challenge over at Living with Lindsay!!
http://livingwithlindsay.com/2010/03/the-second-annual-5-challenge.html
She’s got some great prizes for a winner and a runner up! Go enter!!!!
This could be the single most creative thing I have ever seen on a crafting blog!
I LOVE IT!!!!!!! What a great idea! I love the way it looks displayed! You are so creative!
SUCH a great idea to use the basketball and floor mat! I will have to give this one a try! I just added your button to my blog!
ashley
http://littlemissmomma.blogspot.com
I LOVE LOVE LOVE it! Please do a giveaway. I’m so in love with these decor balls, but hate to spend the money on them. Thanks for the brilliant idea.
did i already mention how creative you are??? oh yeah, i did 🙂 you go, allison!
OMG…that is so awesome. I would never have thought about that!
What a clever idea! The dollar is full of fun possibilities!
I’m totally loving this!!! 5 glue sticks wow!
Thanks for joining Get Your Craft on Thursday. Please join me next week for another great party. Don’t forget to stop by and enter my giveaway. I’ll announce the winner at next weeks party!
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I love this look. Every time I am in the stinkin dollar store I walk by the balls to do this.. and I talk myself out of it.. I think you just talked me into it 🙂
So cool! I love decorative jute balls but they can be so expensive.
Sarah
OM goodness-now THAT is repurposing! WTG!
Seriously how do you come up with this stuff. I would have never thought about taking a floor mat apart. It is so totally cool.
it’s perfect for the place on my side hutch in the dining room! It’s been begging for something kinda tallish, but not a vase… and not a candle… This is it! Thank you!
I love it! I jsut bought some from Walmart this past week that looked similar.. Could have just had you make me one! 😉
That is a great idea….a nerf basketball…who knew?? It turned out so great!!
WOW! That is totally awesome! I wonder if I can find a cool mat like that around here. I think these might look really cool in different sizes on my mantel. Maybe? I don’t know. We just bought our own house and I want to decorate it so bad but can’t decide on anything. I love this. Might just have to give it a try!
Oh my goodness! You are crafty! It turned out great!
Thanks so much for linking up to Make it Yours Day at My Backyard Eden!
Oh my gosh, who would have thought…thats just simply amazing and visionary. I love it!
love it, the ball turned out beautifully.
But after recovering from a couple 2nd dgree burns from my glue gun, while working on my daughter’s dollhouse, I am not ready to pull the glue gun out any time soon! 🙂
Wow that is awesome! I love how you wrapped it! It’s looks great!
Very very nice…surely my son won’t miss some of his b-balls right??
great job! just love it. 💡
My, my! Now that is creativity!
WOW, you girls are inventive. that’s really cute! Lots of glue, but cute. DOn’t know if I’d have that much patience.
There’s another blogger (I’m sorry I can’t remember who) who is doing a $5 dollar craft challenge. You should enter this because you took too totally unrelated cheap things and made something that doesn’t look like 2 unrelated cheap things. If that makes sense.
I love your blog header. Orange graphicy things *swoon* !
i love it! and i want it! 🙂
how clever! i love it! 🙂
This is a great idea! May I ask at which Dollar store you found the mat? I’d love to try this. I’ve made some decor balls that are a little larger than normal by using the HUGE Christmas ornaments that were on clearance. If you have a minute you can see them here:
http://keeninspirations.blogspot.com/2010/03/decorative-balls.html
Thanks for the inspiration!
Sharon
I would have never dreamed this would turn out so great. I love it.
I LOVE this. Never in my life would I have come up with the idea of using a mat and a nerf ball to make something so decorative.
I have some leftover twine from another project – I might have to try this…
This is so clever! I love it.
Thank you for linking this to A Little Craft Therapy, as well!
That is amazing! I never would have thought to unravel a mat. Great idea!
way to thankk outside the box! i love balls!
Just found your site! I followed instantly. Great blog! 😀
Great idea, I’ll have to give it a try using some styrofoam balls I got free @ the thrift store. Thanks for sharing!
Oh my goodness! That is amazing. I would never have thought of it. Do you think it was better to disassemble the mat than just by a ball of twine? It does have a nice texture. It’s a great idea. Plus you could use it outside! Love it. Lisa~
OH-MY-GOSH! I love this. I love hemp twine but the texture this twine has is the bomb. Sign me up for the give away!!!!
I am green with envy.
I must see if my Dollar Tree has the rug. I can think of many projects that it would enhance. Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU. Whoot Whoot.
I love that it is bigger than your typical decorative ball! I want one…but don’t burn yourself again!:)
That is awesome – so creative!
XOXOX
Jen
I love your ball…does it bounce? I’m sure my kids would play catch with it
Love it! I don’t think I would have the patience or attention to details to make it as good as you did.
Now that is creative! Looks great!
Way to go! Looks great!
*hugs*deb
Seriously would have never thought of making it out of a mat and nerf type ball. I love it! Glad to see you’re doing a giveaway!
I love this, I never would have thought of it. I have wanted a big decrotive ball but am to cheap to pay what I have seen them charge for them in the store.
🙂 Michelle
SHUT UP!!! That’s awesome! I’m new here–and you definitely have a new follower! Awesome blog!
Great job! It looks fab!
Wow- what patience you have! It looks amazing!
oh my goodness…I had NO idea where you were going with those beginning pieces. That is an AWESOME idea. Hope your fingers get better soon – there are other projects to be done!
Oh- SUCH a great idea!
Thanks for linking up with Talented Tuesday!
This really is such a crazy idea…yet it TOTALLY works and is fabulous! I love it! Thanks for sharing at Fun to Craft’s Spring has Sprung Party.
It’s awesome! I Love it.
I am so cracking up at you right now. Hilar post, loved it. I’m adding you to my creative souls list. :)Kelli
I just posted my first linky party – a twine theme – and I’d love for you to link this up (and any other twine projects you have). Thanks!!
I am enjoying reading all your craft ideas! Wow, you are good!
It was your ball I saw. . . . I am remembering now. Esbechic had actually linked up to that post and I found it through there. AWESOME!!
ooooooh! I LOVE it!! I guess I kinda featured this one on my blog since it’s in the basket with all the other decor balls you made! Come on over and grab a “featured” button! 🙂
I think the decor balls are neat. Can you believe it? I seriously do not have any decor balls! omg. What kind of person am I? I used to have some rag balls but where in the world they trotted off to, I don’t know.
Now, I wish I had them again because looking at your photos of decor balls, I am jealous. They look neat. 😉
ANYONE would love to have your wonderful craft. I hope your fingers hold up!
Thanks for the chance to win.
Of course I’d love to have one….but don’t want you to have burnt fingers that’s for sure!
I used decor balls on my walls! And I dodged the whole Schweaty Balls issue by calling them “orbs”.
found you on tip junkie!
http://sillybeeschickadees.blogspot.com/2010/06/orbs-of-coolness.html
Try soaking your jute in wallpaper glue overnight, then wrapping around ball. It will take 24 hours to dry, but saves you all that glueing. Can do also on a balloon, then you can pop the balloon out from inside when it’s all dry.
No way!!! that’s some good “out of the box” thinking!…love it!
Wow, what great vision. Sorry about those burned fingers. I guess it’s like that saying, “It hurts to be beautiful” lol.
I found your blog after being highlighted on SomeDay Crafts with your Zebra boxes (which I can’t wait to make some of my own). I love your writing…super funny. I’ve been perusing your site all day. Darn you and all your crafts. Definitely adding this to my own blog roll to visit often!
i love this! it is my new weekend project!
i have quite a few of these around my house that i made with styrofoam balls and white school glue! no burnt fingers at all thank goodness. i would love a larger one though. great idea!
This post was truly worthwhile to read. I wanted to say thank you for the key points you have pointed out as they are enlightening.