Quick Craft: Kissing Ball

I hit Joann Fabrics this weekend with projects in mind - One being a holiday "Kissing Ball". With dogs afoot and the random visiting kiddo in the house, I wasn't too keen on having real (and really poisonous) mistletoe in the house, so was set on creating a faux version based on this live one by Martha Stewart:

image

My initial intention was to use up one of the styrofoam balls in my wedding supply back-stock, but once I got in the store and found this gem, the ease of use (and 50% off coupon) won me over:

But it was just too... fake. Too plain. So I grabbed a single (and on sale) stem of green ball-y things (yep, technical term there) to fill out the ball itself: 

 A package of faceted silver beads to create the berries that grow on the live version of mistletoe, and a roll of red velvet ribbon later, and we were in business:

See the beads?

I wish the photos captured just how cute and sparkly this really is in person, but you'll just have to trust me... or make your own!

 Here's a list of what you'll need:
1 ball of fake greenery* (or one styrofoam ball and snipped up stems of fake greenery to stick in)
1 stem of green-based embellishment
1 package silver (or white, or red, or clear...) beads
1 small roll ribbon
glue gun
scissors

And as for instructions: Affix your ribbon to your ball (I just tied mine into the interior plastic lattice). Snip apart your stem of green, and adding hot glue to the base of each piece, stick into the ball. Using small drops of hot glue, place your beads to add sparkle. Hang. Done!

Total cost of this project (with discounts): About $12
Total time (not including ladder-balancing hanging time): About 20 minutes

*I can't seem to find the greenery ball I used on the Joann website - Perhaps an in-store only purchase? My guess is a trip to your local craft store's floral section will find you something.