A Penny For Your Thoughts...
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Have you ever made or seen a penny ball? I saw these images when I was rambling around Pinterest and thought how clever! I have always loved spheres in gardens, but most of the ones I have been drawn to are quite expensive. This one piqued my interest, because it could be made with pennies. All you need are a bunch of pennies and an old bowling ball to make a beautiful garden sphere, that not only repels slugs, but also makes hydrangeas blue? I think this could be a fun summer project! The pennies don't patina like 100% copper does, but what a great looking sphere to add a little interest to your garden. You have to use a really strong glue like Amazing Goop in Home and Garden or marine formula because it is UV resistant and waterproof according to Beth Evans Ramos of a Greener Life. House of Hawthorne has a tutorial here. I am going to start saving my pennies now so I can make a penny ball with my kids this summer! Of course we have to find an old bowling ball too but that shouldn't be so hard, right?
Finally, a purpose for a penny other than weighing down my purse!
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What a fun idea, thanks for passing it on, Lisa!
ReplyDeleteHow cool is that?! I love this idea!
ReplyDeleteShiny, happy penny ball.
ReplyDeleteCan you get introuble for doing this though, bc your defacing money? I was just wondering bc cool idea.
ReplyDeleteWell, many places have penny smushing machines...so probably not.
ReplyDeleteIn Canada we are retiring the penny so go for it!
ReplyDeleteTechnically it is defacing money, as is putting them and other coins in the pressing machines but I don't think anyone cares. I think it looks pretty neat. Go for it!
ReplyDeleteyou don't have to press them to do this. many coins are retired so you can use those
DeleteI am determined to do this, and today I found variety of old bowling balls at my local thrift store. I bought o medium-sized one for only $3.95. I'll buy the glue tomorrow and by Saturday I should be done! So cool!
ReplyDeleteGood for you!
DeleteCheck with your local Bowling Alley....sometimes they have to throw out balls that get too dented up so they may be willing to let you "dumpster dive" would also be a cool idea to use maybe an old metal mixing bowl...you could turn it upside down to look like an orb or use it as a bird bath. just another idea.
ReplyDeleteAnything under $0.05 is not considered defacing money, which is why those machines are legal. And this looks like an awesome project!
ReplyDeleteLove this idea! Be sure to glue all the Pennies face up for good luck!
ReplyDeleteThank You!
DeleteI love this, thank you. I have friends who will love this, aaaaand....I will make it for myself ;)
ReplyDeleteThis is so cool! I have a hydrangea out front that I'd like to keep blue AND this just looks neat anyway! I am definitely doing this one.
ReplyDeletePennies from 1982 and older are solid copper, they are actually worth double .02 cents
ReplyDeleteThis sounds so fun. I have had slug problems with my hostas. I am going to try this.
ReplyDeleteThis sounds so fun. I have had slug problems with my hostas. I am going to try this.
ReplyDeleteSo I got all of the materials together, and then realize that there is a problem with this… After 1983, US pennies have been 97.5% zinc, 2.5% copper. Copper is good for your garden, but excess zinc can be very bad. :-(
ReplyDeleteJulia as you see in my post these are decorative and not near plantings however I and several of my readers have a penny ball in our garden with no problems.
ReplyDeleteLisa, a penny ball or two is probably fine. I was so disappointed at having to forgoe the project that I continued to research on the web...and got very little guidance regarding the danger of zinc leaching into the garden, and nobody seems overly concerned about using galvanized (aka zinc-dipped) containers in the garden. (I realize this is WAY more info than you wanted :-)).
ReplyDeleteAnyway-I think I can safely make my penny ball. :-)
Good Julia! I am now interested in doing research about zinc so you have opened a new door for me! I thank you for that and for the information you have shared!
DeleteA penny saved is a penny earned....
ReplyDeleteAs an avid bowler I have plenty of bowling balls that I retired to use. This project is another idea to add a sculpture element to my flower garden and help with the slug problem at the same time. What kind of glue is the best to work with?
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ReplyDeleteCan you use a flower pot? I'm thinking of covering a pot for strawberries.
ReplyDeleteAwesome! I want to try this.
ReplyDeleteReally want to do this, like, this weekend! But what glue is best?
ReplyDeleteAlso not sure if I can find bowling balls, thinking of alternatives: terra cotta pots, or even some kind of wood box. But I have no idea what glue works best on what materials! Anyone have suggestions?
thanks for share.....
ReplyDeleteSo the pennies do not need to be only copper in order to work?
ReplyDeleteIt feels so nice to find somebody with some original thoughts on this subject. Really thankful to you for starting this.
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Nice design!
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ReplyDeletecant wait to do this! What kind of glue works best?
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteP.S.. thanks for commenting!!!!
DeleteI am going to make lots of penny balls for my garden ;) ;) Where can I get the old bowling balls. Please advise,
ReplyDeleteI love your blog.
you are shameless! LOL!
Deletewhat did you fill the hole with?
ReplyDeleteIsn't a bowling ball kind of heavy for this project? What about a styrofoam sphere, or volleyball or something? Help! I love the idea, but won't use a bowling ball.
ReplyDeleteI think the idea is to use a bowling ball so it won't blow away but if you try something else and it works do let us know
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