Garden Coin Ball

Here's a cool addition to your garden. Not only does it look good, its a great way to use up all those pennies and foreign coins in your piggy bank. Supposedly it will leach copper into the soil which repels slugs and turns hydrangeas blue. It will reflect the sun and in time will develop a patina as the coins age.

You'll need lots of coins. Also a round object you can glue them to. It should be weatherproof. I found glazed pottery balls in a garden store. Clear waterproof silicone is the only adhesive that works. I used good quality bathroom silicone. You'll be sorry if you use the cheap stuff!

Start at the top, put a gob of silicone on the coin and stick it at the North Pole. Continue going in circles. Depending on the size of your ball, you may have some gaps. Try to even them out. This will be especially evident if you use different size coins.

If you used good quality silicone, it should be viscous enough so the coins don't slide off. If not, do a few and use masking tape to hold them till they dry. Then you can continue.

When you get to the equator, stop and let the silicone dry.

Continue in the same manner with the ball upside down.

When you reach the bottom there may be gaps. This part will sit on the ground anyway so it's not a big deal. If you are a fuss budget like me, see the next step.

Just overlap the last coins to make a nice, finished edge.

All those mismatched souvenir coins from your travels would make a real conversation piece. Be careful though. Everyone who sees it will want one.