DIY Globe

Did you know you can make your own globe? This DIY is easier than you might think!

This month’s FloraCraft® Make It: Fun challenge had me scratching my head for awhile to come up with something unique. They sent me a box full of foam balls in assorted sizes to created something for home decor use. But I wanted to be sure I wouldn’t duplicate any of my talented team members so I needed to think outside the box… or the foam ball, as it were.

I was antique shopping when it hit me that I could possibly make my own globe! Globes in antique stores can be pretty pricey unless you happen to hit the jackpot. Especially if all you’re wanting to do to one is dress it up and make it un-globey (that’s a word). So I was able to DIY a globe from scratch and dress it up any way I wanted!

Supplies:
FloraCraft® Make It: Fun® 8″ foam ball
FloraCraft® Make It: Fun®6″ foam ball
Fabric
FloraCraft® Make It: Fun® Smooth Finish
FloraCraft® Make It: Fun® Foam Cutter
FloraCraft® Make It: Fun® StyroGlue
Small dowel rod
Fabric Stiffener

Not shown:
Paintbrush
Wire
Paint
Adhesive Vinyl

Stick the dowel rod through the center of the 8″ foam ball. This will be the polar axis of the globe. Cut the fabric into 1″ wide fabric strips ~12″ long. Run a line of the StyroGlue from one dowel rod down the side of the ball to the other dowel rod and use a paintbrush to smooth the glue down. Place a strip of the fabric over the glue and press firmly. Repeat until the entire ball is covered with the fabric strips.

Cut the dowel rod to length and paint it if you choose.

Mark a spot of the globe where it will attach to the globe base then use an X-acto knife or small sharp scissors to cut an X into the fabric and foam ball.

To create a base for the globe, cut the 6″ foam ball in half, but slightly off center. Cover the top of the shorter side with a couple of coats of the Smooth Finish.

Insert washers into the underside of the base to add weight to it. We don’t want the globe to topple over! Press them flush with the foam then cover with a coat of the Smooth Finish.

Once the Smooth Finish is dry, sand it smooth and paint it. I used Americana Acrylics in Continental Blue which has a slate-look to it. Use the portion of the dowel rod that you cut off from the globe to stick in the top center of the base. Paint it also. The globe can now be attached to the base.

Take leftover strips of fabric and glue 3 of them end-to-end to create one long strip. Roll the strip into a tube and glue along the edges to keep the shape.

Lay out the tube in a semicircle that would be slightly larger than the globe and spray with fabric stiffener. Once dry, insert wire into the tube.

Attach one end of the tube to the North Pole by simply twisting the wire around the pole. Repeat with the South Pole. Cut off any fabric. Manipulate the wire as needed to keep the shape around the side of the globe.

I used my Silhouette Cameo to cut out the words on adhesive vinyl to go on the globe. The font is called Bromello. Because of the curve of my surface, I applied the words and arrow in 3 stages: 1) “Let’s Have” 2) “Adventures!” and 3) the arrow.

Didn’t it turn out fun! I almost covered the entire globe with Smooth Finish so I could paint it a solid color then add the vinyl, but I just happened to run across this pretty remnant of flower fabric at Joann’s last week.

Depending on the size of foam balls that you have you can make any size globe you want! I kind of want to make a mini one now. Wouldn’t that be cute??

Linking up to Flamingo Toes, Today’s Creative Blog, Tidymom, My Repurposed Life,
Tatertots & Jello, and other great parties found on my party page.