Kissing Ball

While you can make a kissing ball using fresh greenery, it won't last long, so we've chosen to make a pretty, and long-lasting artificial version, then decorate with sheer ribbons and a golden ornament.

Find our easy instructions and tips below.

• 3 or 4-inch Styrofoam ball
• Artificial greenery such as ivy, holly, or mistletoe
• Artificial red berries
• Red and green plaid ribbon, metallic gold ribbon, or wired sheer ribbon
• Assortment of floral pins: T-pins and U-shaped pins

1. Push a U-shaped pin into the "top" of the ball, leaving about 1/4 inch gap. Remove pin, dab holes with hot glue, then reinsert the pin (with the 1/4 inch gap). Let glue set 5-10 minutes. (Note: the gap will allow you to thread a ribbon or wire through in order to hang the kissing ball.)
2. Separate artificial ivy leaves from stems -- either by pulling or cutting them off the main stems. Leave 1/4 to 1/2-inch of stem. With the tip of the glue gun, make a small indentation into the foam, then glue each ivy stem into place to cover entire Styrofoam ball. Be careful to avoid getting the hot glue on your fingers.

3. If desired, hot glue or pin small wads of Spanish moss between the ivy leaves so that the Styrofoam is fully covered.

4. Hot glue small bunches of red berries to fill in gaps, or use U-pins to tack the berries into place.
5. String wire, fishline, or a ribbon through the U-pin at the top to hang from a light fixture or door frame.

1. Attach one strand of ribbon at top of ball with a T-pin. Create a loop over the top of ivy and insert ribbon into ivy again about half way down ball, securing either with a T-pin or hot glue.  
2. Create another loop and secure ribbon underneath center of ball with T-pin, leaving about 6-10 inches of extra ribbon to hang underneath ball. Repeat 2 more times to make 4 ribbon strands. 
3. Add multi-looped ribbon bow at top of the ball and secure with 2 T-pins.

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