I was inspired by a wreath created by Matthew Mead in Country Home magazine this month. It’s made by hot gluing lemonhead candy onto a wreath form. As much as I love it, it’s a little small for a front door…not to mention that lemonhead candy isn’t exactly weatherproof. That baby would get sticky on my front door.
So I thinked…and I thunked…and I thinked some more. What could I use to get that look on a larger scale that wouldn’t get all sticky? Then it hit me…
PING PONG BALLS!
Do you want to make one like mine? Here’s what you need…
1. A 12 inch styrofoam wreath form
2. A gross (that’s 144) ping pong balls – You can find these on ebay pretty inexpensively. Get the cheap ones because we’re going to paint them.
3. Glossy yellow spray paint - I used Krylon Sun Yellow
4. Clear glitter - for the sugar coating
5. Hot glue
6. Spray adhesive
First you want to spray your wreath form with the yellow paint on both sides. Make sure you cover it well since the balls don’t cover every inch of it and you want any parts that show through to be pretty and yellow.
Once your form is dry, start hot gluing your ping pong balls in place. There’s no right or wrong way to do this. Just make concentric circles around your wreath. I started with the largest circle and worked my way in to the middle. But you could do it the other way if you’d rather.
My only tip would be to start each row of balls in about the same place at the top center of the wreath. That way if you end up with any gaps, they’ll be covered by the ribbon you use to hang the wreath? Does that make sense? Look at the picture above. It makes more sense than I do.
Once you get all the ping pong balls glued into place, you want to spray the whole shebang with several coats of your yellow spray paint. You’re going to need to turn the wreath around and over to get it coated really well so do a couple of coats. On my wreath, you can see the seams of the balls in a couple of places. If I had been paying closer attention, I would have turned each ball so that the seams were hidden.
Another hint: Don’t try to paint the balls before you glue them to your form. You’ll end up chasing the balls around your dropcloth with a can of paint until you realize that you’re a total knucklehead. Not that I did that or anything. I’m just saying.
Next you want to work in sections to give it a crunchy sugar coating. Spritz a small section of the wreath with your spray adhesive (you could probably use modge podge instead) and then sprinkle it with the glitter.
Now, I know the question is coming…”Is the glitter going to come off if it’s outside?” The answer: I don’t know. I’ll let you know if my stoop is awash in glitter after we get a rain.
And that’s it! A lemonhead wreath for spring! I hung mine with some pretty green ribbon and added some flowers to the top. You can do that too…or not…whatever works for you.
{ 144 comments }
That is too pretty! Wow, what a great idea to use pingpong balls.
This is the cutest wreath!! You are so creative (ping pong balls!!) Girl I love this wreath!!!
I am going to have to try to make this!! I am doing my front porch in yellow, black, & white how cute would that be on my porch!!! Thanks for the great pictures & directions!!
What a great idea. I think I have come up with a plan to do the egg wreath that you showed. Can’t wait to try it. Jackie
That is SO adorable!
Love the wreath! Whoever would imagine ping-pong balls?
THIS IS SOOOOOO AWESOME!!! I’M MAKING ONE TODAY!!!
THANK YOU. IT’S JUST WHAT I NEEDED TODAY.
HUGS FROM MAINE
http://sophie4me.blogspot.com/
I love that ‘POP’ of yellow on your dark door! It looks perfectly at home there. I never would have thought of ping-pong balls. I would have tried small styrofoam. Yours are more durable. I love it! I am now inspired to make another wreath.
It’s better than I could have possibly imagined! A gorgeous wreath out of ping pong balls! Who’d a thunk it?! Brilliant and beautiful, Kimba!
Your creativity and your wit are both so entertaining! The wreath is adorable and clever, and your wit is so amusing…….I laughed at the mental image of you chasing ping pong balls with a can of spray paint.
Suzanne
FABULOUS!!!
I love how your mind works.
Enjoy your wreath.
It’s beautiful! What a great idea!
Kimba, I love your version of the wreath. You are one creative gal. It looks fabulous on your door and so springy!
Did you know they make modge podge with glitter in it already?
It looks beautiful against your door – just like super duper lemonheads! Such a great idea and great instructions.
Girl, I have to admit I’m a little sickened by this. You are a whiz at spraypainting the most random things on the planet… and making them look great! I’m usually not that into wreaths, but this is adorable. So springy. It makes me want the ice cream truck to come by. Yes, it’s 9am. Yes, I’d eat ice cream right now.
How ABSOLUTELY adorable! I will definitely have to make this!
So fun and quite yummy, too!
That is adorable and now I soooooo want some lemonheads.
Kimba, I always enjoy your posts. The decorating tips you share are great, but I always look forward to your witty and laugh-out-loud way of saying things. Thanks for brightening up my morning!
That is gorgeous, Kimba! I love it!
I am giddy and looking for ping pong balls today! Bless you for sharing the instructions! I will be making one this week! Thank you! Thank you!
Blessings,
Jennifer
Wow, that is awesome. The first thing I thought when I saw your title was “oh no, what a sticky mess that would be!” I am glad you are practical
Yours came out even prettier.
Very creative! I love the pop of yellow against the black door!
Simply Amazing!
genius!!
Love it! Love it! Love it! I love that yellow POP on your door. Very cheerful…I could use something like that today (very gray and foggy out).
love it! it’s beautiful!
Okay that is just too cute! Thanks for sharing your wonderful imagination with all of us. If you come up with any other uses for ping pong balls let us know! I’ve got tons of them lying around with dings in them, so they can’t be used for ping pong anymore
LOVE LOVE LOVE IT!
What a great idea! My neighbor and I are gearing up to do some projects-this could go on the list!
Awesome! Thanks for the tutorial with pictures! Some of us are craft-challenged and need good instructions!
Your wreath looks beautiful! I love it. Very creative. Don’t you just love finding something you love and then re creating it for yourself? There used to be a show on HGTV that did that with designer rooms and I loved to watch it. I never would have thought of ping pong balls. Great thinking.
oh you are soooo smart! i’m so going to try this!
how clever! you should really work for that magazine.so much better than lemonhead candy.
OH MY GOSH!!! that is the cutest thing ev-ah!!! My mouth was actually watering when I look at it. Your are too clever girl!! I bet Oprah will steal that idea too!
Love this. One question…how are you hanging this with the ribbon? On the top of the door?
What a brilliant idea! Unfortunately, this makes me want to get a bag of lemon drops.
Bee-utiful!!! I am working on a spring wreath myself. I’ll let you know when I am finished.
Too cute. I love it. What a clever girl you are.
Thant is the cutest most Pier One looking thing I have seen. I so need to make one!
I am a lemonhead kind of person! It looks wonderful! Thanks for sharing your neat wreath idea. It would look nice on my front door!
~Kim
Okay, I definitely have to make one of these. Thanks for sharing. You are great. Janis
that looks beautiful! you are so creative!
Martha
LOVE IT!
You are too funny. Love this idea!!
How much chocolate do I have to go without to afford 144 ping pong balls? Are there any left in blogland after this project? What a hoot. Fun idea. I’d like to duplicate this at Christmas with red (for berries). A bow at your feet Your Royal Craftness!
Love ya,
Pretty Organizer
Your wreath is a lot more practical for living then the one from the magazine! What a terrific idea, ping pong balls!!
YOU ARE BRILLIANT!!! that is so cute!
I love it!
It seems like it would be a good idea to spray it with a coat of clear sealant when it is done, to help keep the glitter in place?
I hit the Dollar Tree and thrift store yesterday and scooped up a cute fat little birdie and a bunny and gave them new “coats” – fabulous!
Love your wreath idea!!. The comment about not painting the ping pong balls first and chasing after them, etc. etc. actually made me laugh out loud. Toooo funny. LindaSonia
I love this wreath!!! You did a great tutorial.
Ping pong balls, what a great idea! Love the wreath!
Ok…I totally wanted to make this wreath too. But I could figure out how to do it…
And then…I read your blog. LOL!
Do we have the same brain? I know we don’t. Amazing that we were thinking the same thing.
Great post!
Talk to you soon,
Susan
Very neat. I am going to plan on doing that one. Did you actually do both? Love it. Very fresh!
L-O-V-E it! I mean really, get outta town, it’s beautiful! Think it would look great on my RED door?? I’m thinking spring on a door.
I have to admit though, I got a pretty good laugh at the idea of you running around chasing ping pong balls with a spray paint can. Matter of fact, I’m chuckling right now, lol.
Hi Kimba! What another fun wreath idea! I am loving all your great wreath ideas!! I am going to see how many ping pong balls I can find at our local store..and try it! Thanks for sharing.
Have a great day!
Jackie
Love it Kimba! But then again…A lemon wreath? A wreath after my own heart (I own Purple Lemon Designs). Might have to try this one out!
STUNNING!!! I LOVE it!
Very Cool! I love the brightness of the color yellow…especially on your door.
We made and Easter Egg Wreath for our Mom’s Craft Night Out a couple of weeks ago. You’ll have to check it out on my blog.
Oh My Gosh!!! I LOVE it! Thanks for sharing this, I can’t wait to make one!!!
That came out great!!
Love this! So cool – thanks for sharing!
Kimba, you are too good!!!
Genius and gorgeous!
Love it! You are so creative!
Oh my gosh that is so cute!
This is too cute! Thanks for the play-by-play!
~Misti
That’s fantastic! Watch it show up in the next “O” magazine!
That is fabulous! I’m going to make my own!
that is absolutely amazing!! i am not a crafty person but i can’t wait to give this a try! it would be such a lovely thing to have
whoa! that is fabu! Makes me want to eat it! i could possibly do this wreathe. i am no good at arranging flowers or making wreathes look all pretty, but i think i can handle this. Great idea!
Just wanted to let you know that I read this post this morning and I can NOT get this wreath out of my head! I’m heading to the store to pick up some supplies! I hope it turns out as pretty as yours! =)
SUPER CUTE!!! Love it, you did a great job!
I LOVE it! And I honestly was wondering how you painted each one of those little balls before you glued them on.. I guess it’s a “seeing the forest through the trees” type thing because I would have never thought of gluing them first.
It looks awesome against your door too!
I absolutely love it!!!
this is fantastic!!!! I would need something other than hot glue if I wanted to put it outside as when hot glue gets cold…it doesn’t hold anything….and it is COLD here…BUT…it would be great inside too!
thanks for sharing
Oh Kimba! How lovely is this! You’re the smartest one! I love it! Thanks for being so kind and sharing how you did it! The yellow looks so good on your beautiful door! Now, how about an easter egg wreath!!
Be a sweetie,
Shelia
love it! and thanks for your honest tips (learned through trial and error!)
That is beautiful!!!! Ping~pong balls??? You are a genious! Why can’t I be smart like you?
Wow! That is gorgeous and SO creative!!! I’ll be linking.
Too cute! Love it!
So adorable. You are amazing to have come up with that idea. I saw the wreath in CL, too, and wondered how long that would last in the heat of my front door. You go girl!
What is it like to be so darn brilliant all of the time? I mean, SERIOUSLY! That is just beautiful, Kimba! I am bookmarking this for next week’s notebook
LOVE!!!!!!!!!!
Enough said.
~Amanda
That is just georgeous!!!
Kimba, another adorable project by you! I love this one & will add it to my Tumblr files. You are the clever one & pretty darn funny too.
Kimba,
I love what you did with the original idea we showed in CH. I think that way you weatherized the concept is ingenious. You impress and inspire me. I am so excited that all of your followers are going to make one, too. Thank you for featuring such a great idea. Mattthew Mead, former style editor, COUNTRY HOME MAGAZINE
Can’t wait to try it!!
You have outdone yourself on this one.
I absolutely LOVE it…and it looks so nice on your black door! My door is blue – what do you think? Would you use a different color?? I’m not exactly creative…
I haven’t gotten over the felt pin yet and here I am, impressed again! Quite clever, you are!
Kimba I love that! Hey if you haven’t already come enter my giveaway. It’ll be open until 2:00 p.m. (CST) tomorrow.
The best way for me to convey what I’m thinking right now hun? WOWZERS! Love it! Can you send springtime here to my house?!?
Hugs, Les
It is very springy and bright and cheery! You’re such a crafty thinker to think of the ping pong balls! I don’t think that would have occurred to me. Way to take your inspiration to the next practical level!
You are so creative and clever! Thanks for such a inspiring or should I say “souring” post!?
I love it! It’s so fun and cheery!! Perfect for spring. I;m thinking of making one of these for summer (less rain then=less glitter on the porch!) Too cute!
I saw that in Country Living too. Loved it but love yours more. Mimi
Aren’t you clever! Love everything – especially the sugar!
So very clever! That’s creativity +! Not to mention that it is soooo sweet! All of these spring wreath ideas I’ve been lusting after have me yearning for the spring weather to go with them. Hurry up and get here Spring!!
Super cute! Thanks for the tutorial.
OMG…that’s adorable!! You’re very inventive!