$30 Thursday: DIY Wire Garden Globes {Set of 3}

See how easy it is to make these DIY Wire Garden Globes. I’m sharing my step by step tutorial. They’re perfect for your yard or front porch.

Welcome to the second edition of $30 Thursday! April and I have teamed up again to bring you two more projects that can be made for $30 or less! Love it!

$30 Thursday

Remember April? Be sure to click over and see her project too!

About April I House By Hoff

Alrighty- let’s do this!

DIY WIRE GARDEN GLOBES

I’ve had my eye on wire garden globes for forever… I almost bought a few of them several different times but kept holding back knowing that I could get more bang for my buck if I made them myself.

I’m so happy I waited! I love how mine turned out!

DIY Garden Globes | The Wood Grain Cottage

At first I struggled with the best {and cheapest} way to make them. I wanted to use a thick wire so that they were a bit more “chunky”, but the thicker wire didn’t want to bend like I hoped. The smaller wire was the best choice.

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Supplies:

First, I decided how big I wanted the overall size of the globe to be.

Step 1 | The Wood Grain Cottage

Then I used my wire cutters to snip the wire. I used the cut wire as a template and cut three more sections the same length as the first one.

Step 2 | The Wood Grain Cottage
step 3 | The Wood Grain Cottage

Once all four are cut, gently bend the wire to form a circle.

step 4 | The Wood Grain Cottage

Grab the smaller galvanized wire and cut a piece about 4 inches long. Use your fingers to pinch the top of the circle together and tightly wrap the wire around the seam. Be sure to overlap the wire a good 1″- 2″ on each side.

step 5 | The Wood Grain Cottage

With the needle nose pliers, squeeze the wire together being sure to push down any points that popped up.

step 6 | The Wood Grain Cottage
step 7

Do the same thing to all four circles, making sure each shape is the same size.

step 8 | The Wood Grain Cottage

Next, grab two of the four circles. To form the first shape of the ball, hold the top of the circles together and gently spread them apart.

step 9 | The Wood Grain Cottage

Use the small wire to tightly wrap the top and bottom joints together. Be sure to use the needle nose pliers to make sure the wires are pressed together.

step 10 | The Wood Grain Cottage

Repeat with the other two circles, making sure to space them evenly to form the globe.

Tie all the joints together with the small wire, then take the wire roll and gently wrap it around the middle of the globe. Be sure to add an extra 2 inches to the length and snip it with the wire cutters.

Use the small wire to wrap the two ends together and place it around the middle.

step 12 | The Wood Grain Cottage
step 13 | The Wood Grain Cottage

Secure all connecting joints with the small wire.

step 14 | The Wood Grain Cottage

Now, use the small wire to wrap all overlapping wire. You could snip it down, but I wouldn’t do that. I tried it and it didn’t work. The wire would separate and I had to start over. Plus, the little wire adds a texture to the otherwise slick wire.

step 15 | The Wood Grain Cottage

I made each globe differently, so this one only had one horizontal wire, where the other globes had several. To add more horizontal wires, follow the same steps that were used to add the first one. If you choose to add additional wires, be sure to secure the middle one first.

Grab your globe and spray paint. To paint each globe, I hung them from a tree branch suspended by a wire coat hanger. It worked perfectly!

step 16 | The Wood Grain Cottage

After I gave each globe a coat of spray paint, I flipped them over and sprayed the underside. I let them dry completely.

The finished results are superb!

DIY Garden Globes | The Wood Grain Cottage

I am simply loving the way they turned out! I can’t wait for spring and summer! They will look awesome with plants, and I’m really anxious to hang them from a tree. They look ridiculously cool hanging from the tree branches. Add a LED candle, or even wrap them with string lights and they would be a show stopper for outside parties or lit up for Christmas!

Versatility always makes me happy! Plus, I used the Rustoleum rust spray paint so I don’t have to worry about them being outside with our random Colorado weather!

DIY Garden Globes | The Wood Grain Cottage
DIY Garden Globes | The Wood Grain Cottage

I tried a different method with this globe. I wrapped the wire around a beach ball. While it worked, one way or another I still had to add the horizontal wires. In the end, I think it was easier to form each circle rather than wrapping it around the ball. Both ways produce a lovely globe.

DIY Garden Globes | The Wood Grain Cottage

I made them all the same size, but gave each one a different pattern.

DIY Garden Globes | The Wood Grain Cottage

I’m planning on making a few more since I didn’t use all the wire. My mom already has her order in too! 🙂

DIY Garden Globes | The Wood Grain Cottage

They’re too cool! And EASY!

Be sure to check out April’s DIY Fabric Strip Lampshade! It’s awesome!

A DIY Fabric Strip Lampshade | House By Hoff

Too Cute!

April and I are both pinning these projects to our $30 Thursday pinterest board. Be sure to follow along! It’s a great place to get a little inspiration and all the projects are totally easy on the wallet!

54 Comments

    1. Hi Chelsea! Thanks for stopping by! I’m so glad you like the globes- and our series! 🙂
      -Shayna

      Reply

    1. Thank you Ingrid! They are easy to make- and the results are wonderful! I’m glad you like this series! 🙂
      -Shayna

      Reply

    1. Thanks April! 🙂 I’m glad your mom likes them too! If you lived closer we could have a party and make them! 🙂
      Virtual hugs!
      -Shayna

      Reply

  6. Hey Shayna! Found you at the Power of Pinterest Party, and just subscribed to your blog. These are way cute. Pinning and making them for summer! Thanks for sharing 🙂

    Shandy @ Aprons ‘n Pearls

    Reply

    1. Hi Shandy! I’m so happy you’ve found me- and that you’re a new subscriber! Thanks for your lovely comment! The globes are really easy to make- you’ll love them! 🙂
      -Shayna

      Reply

  7. Okay, I am seriously loving these, not just as outdoor ornaments though… they remind me of that gorgeous globe chandelier from Ballard Designs! Hmmmm… I’m sensing another knockoff that needs done… 😉

    Reply

  9. I love these globes. I also have been wanting to buy globes for my garden, but it would be much more practical to make them! Thank you for the great DIY.

    Reply

    1. Hi Shannon! Thank you for you lovely comment! I’m so glad you like my globes. 🙂 And thank you for the pin and facebook shout out too. 🙂
      Big smiles!
      -Shayna

      Reply

  11. I absolutely love these, and they look fairly easy to make! I will be doing this, have to pin, thank you so much!
    Saw you sharing at the Spring Thing Linky Party.
    Debbie 🙂

    Reply
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  17. Great idea! I made similar orbs with old rusty mattress springs I found, but they were much harder to work with and not everyone has access to such materials. I will definitely have to give these a try. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
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  19. Love the globes, absolutely love them! Ace Hardware here I come because I have to try these! Thanks for the tutorial.

    Reply

    1. THANK YOU so much Kerry! I still love those globes…. and they are really easy to make! 🙂
      -Shayna

      Reply

  21. Thank you so much! I love these! I paid $162 for a 24″ globe yesterday, with plans to make it into a chandelier for my dining room. Never again 🙂

    Reply

    1. THANK YOU so much Jan! I’m glad you love them! Me too! I bet your chandelier will turn out fabulous! 🙂
      -Shayna

      Reply

  22. So sorry to post again but found an alternative that I thought I would pass on to you. Oasis makes a heavy duty ribbon wire in various widths and in 11 colors! It is more expensive, but I thought how pretty the spheres would look with the sun shining on them if they were made from copper. Then I saw the flat wire in lime green, pink, red, blue, black, copper…… Lot’s of choices 😀

    Reply

    1. Hi Jan! THANK YOU so much for your comment… don’t be sorry! Thank you so much for sharing this! I haven’t heard of anything like it, but your right, the globes would look fabulous made from copper! Love that idea! Off to check it out! 🙂
      -Shayna

      Reply

  25. These globals are very nice! Thanks for sharing. You did a great job with wrapping the wire ends, as it can be challenging to get a neat look. I think this idea would also be great as a kitchen light fixture cover.

    Reply
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  29. FYI — Painting galvanized metal, with normal alkyd-based paints, will result in poor paint adhesion and the paint will peel. There are different methods of treating galvanized metal before attempting to paint, but I prefer the non-toxic method of spraying the metal with apple cider vinegar several times.
    There are better methods (Google for more options), but for proper paint adhesion, you do need to prep the wire first 🙂
    Love your tutorial, and your globes are beautiful.

    Reply

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