DIY Adorable Garden Art With An Old Bowling Ball

Yes, while gardens filled with beautiful petunia varieties, roses, and hydrangeas are wonderful, you can take it a step further by introducing different types of DIY garden decor. When thinking of what to design, it's best to choose something that's rooted in nature and will match the style of your garden and complement your flowers. One DIY that checks all the boxes is transforming bowling balls into adorable ladybugs.

If you're looking to purchase a brand new bowling ball, the price can range from $40 to $60. However, you can buy a used option from secondhand websites, like the Ebonite Personal 300 Bowling Ball from Ebay, for $17. To successfully complete this seemingly magical transformation, you'll also need sand paper, primer paint labeled for outdoor use, oil-based paint that prevents rust in shades of red, black, and white — about 8 ounces of each, black caulk, a disposable brush, a foam brush, a round stencil brush, 12 gauge black aluminum wire, and a drill. All of or most of these items can easily be found at a nearby department store, like Walmart and Target. Now, let's start the fun of bringing your garden ladybug to life.

First things first, you'll need to use the sand paper to remove as much varnish from the bowling ball as you can. Then, grab your brush and apply one, even coat of exterior primer paint all over the bowling ball. Next, grab a pencil and use it to draw on the bowling ball, indicating how big you want the wings and body to appear. Now, it's time for the fun part! Use your disposable brush and dip it into the red, rust-resistant paint, like the Rust-Oleum oil-based paint from Ace Hardware for $10. Use this color to paint the wings, then use the black paint to paint the body. To make nice, even circles, dip the round stencil brush into the black paint and cover the red areas in as many black dots as you'd like.

To prevent the interior of your bowling ball from getting all gross, fill the holes with the black caulk, which won't dry until the next morning. While you're waiting, you can get the 12 gauge black aluminum wire ready by cutting off two long pieces and curling the ends. These will be your ladybug's antennas. To insert them, drill two holes above where you plan to paint the eyes, and dip their ends into the caulk before inserting them into the holes. Once the caulk is dry in the morning, give your ladybug an adorable expression by painting eyes under the antennas. Great job! You've turned your bowling ball into a stunning yard decor addition.