I like those! I almost wonder if one used clear bottles if it would look like oversized wishes we used to blow on when small. But the colored bottles sparkle and are beautiful!!!

Those are really cool! And I like the chicken wire allium too. It looks like the bottle may have corks in them that have been glued into the bottle most likely and the ball at the end of the stem that holds the bottles looks like it has pins or dowels or something sticking out all around that hold the bottles. Don't know if that was any help at all!

I asked my DH about how he might do this and he said that he would suggest that you "borrow" your neighbor's crochet balls and take a long screw and drill it through the cork with the larger end of the cork against the ball, so that the cork is secured to the ball. Then you could glue the bottle to the cork. He thinks that the stems must be copper tubing or similar.

Of course, another option would be to find some crochet balls or the like at a yardsale or thrift store.

:-)

Marlene, thanks for that suggestion. I tried to enlarge the picture but couldn't get it big enough without it getting blurry. I thought that corks wouldn't hold up with the weight of the bottles for very long. In all my searching hardware stores for various nuts, bolts, screws etc. I've come across hard plastic plugs of various sizes. I think if you were to get the right size plug and glue it into the bottle that would hold up better. Now I think the crochet balls would be perfect using screws. Aren't our DH's smart? I get some really great solutions from mine but of course sometimes they become too complicated for me. I'm just so excited to try to make one of these!

Some clever solutions, gals. I posted a comment on the Facebook page, will let y'all know if I get a response - any how-to info. I thought this was maybe rusted iron pipe for the poles.

How in the world does one get a gentle curve like that in pipe?

So glad you found this, flowers!

Rosie, Sugar Hill, GA

I have made the chicken wire alium. It was very easy. I jsut formed it aroung a ball and the wired it to a stem.

Kathy, what color did you paint your chicken wire alium? What did you use for the stem? I have a difficult time finding wire rods that are just the right thickness at an affordable price. I usually like to make more than one of something. I love all these new ideas but drive myself nuts trying to do too many different things at once. But what fun I have!

The bottles definitely have corks or something similar in them, they attached to the ball by what looks like spikes sticking out of the ball all over.
You can buy black rubber stoppers with a small hole in the center, we used them in glass beakers in the lab, they would be more sturdy than cork possibly.

The stems could have been bent in a pipe bender you can buy them at most hardware stores.

For the ball with spikes a round wooden ball from the hardware store can be used,
drill holes in random spots the size of a large nails head, just deep enough for the nail to be secure, fill the hole with adhesive stick the nail head in, let dry then attach the bottle cork onto the nail spike.
I think that's what I would try.

Probably drill out a hole on the bottom of the ball the size of the pipe stem and use the adhesive there.

It kind of looks like it has a base.

They are all beautiful.

The bottles definitely have corks or something similar in them, they attached to the ball by what looks like spikes sticking out of the ball all over.
You can buy black rubber stoppers with a small hole in the center, we used them in glass beakers in the lab, they would be more sturdy than cork possibly.

The stems could have been bent in a pipe bender you can buy them at most hardware stores.

For the ball with spikes a round wooden ball from the hardware store can be used,
drill holes in random spots the size of a large nails head, just deep enough for the nail to be secure, fill the hole with adhesive stick the nail head in, let dry then attach the bottle cork onto the nail spike.
I think that's what I would try.

Probably drill out a hole on the bottom of the ball the size of the pipe stem and use the adhesive there.

It kind of looks like it has a base.

They are all beautiful.

Ravencajun, wow, you have just given us great instructions. Thank you! This week I'm going to find all the parts I need to make one of these. I have a lot of blue and gold wine bottles saved up and I think I'll try using that combo. I'll post a picture if I can get one done.

The black rubber stoppers should be the winner here...didn't think of those last night when I was looking at the picture. I did question whether or not a cork would hold up and I don't think it would.

This is an example of the stoppers,

I have seen some rubber stoppers make specifically for re corking a wine bottle, I bought some at bed bath and beyond.

Here is a link that might be useful: Stoppers

I am posting the link to this blog because it shows using a conduit / pipe bender, but it is also a great idea for making curtain rods as well. I was searching for a picture of the bender to post when I happened upon this.
The conduit bender is available at Lowes, home depot etc.

Here is a link that might be useful: Conduit bender

ravencajun, you are wonderful! So now that you have given us all this information have you made one of these bottle trees? I forgot that my husband told me about the pipe bender months ago when I wanted to make one of the other types of bottle trees. He told me to look for one at yard sales. I went to the hardware store yesterday looking for odds and ends for another project and did check out the plugs. They have all sizes so I'll take one of my bottles in and get the right size. I have been looking online for solid wooden balls and found them on www.craftparts.com Kind of pricey but I think it would be worth the price to have this. I'm also going to check at a few craft stores to see if they have any that are big enough for this project. As usual all of you wonderful garden junkers have given me so many answers to my project questions. Thanks so much!

I've had a thought about using wooden balls for this project. Wood would rot after awhile. It could be treated with weatherproofing I guess. I'm going to try to find out how this original was made.

I have seen at Lowes a weather treated wooden ball that is meant to be a topper for a fence post, I bought some that were a bit different from a full round but I think it would have worked. Since they are the treated wood they should hold up. These were in the lumber and fence area
You can also find some in the finals department and I have bought the bun shaped wood feet for furniture which would work but would need a protective coat of sealer..

No I haven't made any yet but they are on my list. I have been busy making glass totems.

Hello Ladies, I too have admired these bottle flowers since I saw them on pinterest. I thought of the stained glass copper tape and pieces of copper pipe stuck into the "ball". I know you have to do metal to metal for stained glass soldering to work...come on you stained glass artists, help me out if you think this will work. Couldn't you use that Bondo car repair stuff or fake metal welding stuff to adhere the piece of copper pipe into the bottle and then maybe use solder or copper tape to wrap around it to pretty it up? That Bondo stuff dries really fast and hard and not too pricey.

Anyway just my trashy 2 cents worth. Has anyone done one yet? How bout the allium balls?

Regina

Hello Ladies, I too have admired these bottle flowers since I saw them on pinterest. I thought of the stained glass copper tape and pieces of copper pipe stuck into the "ball". I know you have to do metal to metal for stained glass soldering to work...come on you stained glass artists, help me out if you think this will work. Couldn't you use that Bondo car repair stuff or fake metal welding stuff to adhere the piece of copper pipe into the bottle and then maybe use solder or copper tape to wrap around it to pretty it up? That Bondo stuff dries really fast and hard and not too pricey.

Anyway just my trashy 2 cents worth. Has anyone done one yet? How bout the allium balls?

Regina

Sorry bout double posting. If you hit back button after submitting it reposts .

The bondo idea is interesting to me. I have to go get some to smooth out a messup on my car. maybe I'll experiment. I love Bondo. I've used it quite a bit over the years. My dd and I used it make her car inspectable once. Her mechanic ex boyfriend said there was no way we could do it!
Kathy

concreteprimroses, a guy telling gals there is no way they can do it is a guarantee of success!

Love it! Rosie

I emailed the guy that took that picture, Randy Emmitt. He has a plumber friend that has made some like the photo and he uses a steel ball and welds on lots of lag bolts then corks the bottles and screws them onto the lag bolts like you would use a corkscrew. Makes sense and isn't cork supposed to be very long lived, durable? If not using the corks then what if you you use the rubber stoppers ravencajun suggested? Seems doable but not sure where to find steel balls. Haven't searched online yet.
Regina

I don't have access to a welder so I'm wondering if a solid rubber ball could be used. I don't know if you could drill holes in one of those black solid rubber balls and use adhesive to put in long nails. Has anyone ever drilled holes in solid rubber? I think someone uses hockey pucks on the backs of their plate flowers. Those are solid rubber right?

I left the corks in my bee catchers outside all winter one year and by summer they had crumbled. We get freezing weather and alot of rain here. All that work just to have the cork deteriorate after one winter would be heart breaking.

The chicken wire allium are such a neat and creative idea. They would look so beautiful among the greenry of a garden. They look easy to make, which I like. Thanks for the pic.

Has anyone made these yet? I would love to see more allium pics too. I found some chicken wire when we tore down the garage. Hope dh didn't throw it out. Seems like a nice January project.
I didnt get around to trying bondo. I wish I could weld! (Or that I was the type of person who could be trusted with dangerous things.) What if you had a bunch of rebar hidden inside the larger pipe? That would bet expensive, but maybe it wouldn't all have to be full length.
Kathy

Kathy, would love more info about the alliums you made. Did you form around the balls doubled? Then open the seam to remove the ball? What size did you make? And what kind of paint did you use that will stay adhered to the chicken wire? Want some of these for my gardens.

A friend brings me the metal rod easel type holders that are used to hold floral arrangements at funerals. I can cut them easily with neighbor's grinder. They're maybe 1/4 diameter which would give a willowy look to the stems.

Thanks for future advice.
Rosie

concretenprimroses Kathy,
You should try your hand at welding. It isn't that hard with a wire welder. You can rent one to try it out first before you buy one. My husband bought me a Lincoln wire welder and I have made a couple of little pot trellises. The worst thing about it is I keep wanting to raise the welding hood to see things better. And the metal at a metal supply place is really cheap and can be cut with a grinder. Maybe I need to get my welder warmed up as well. I don't know what my problem is this year...I have a heated garage but everytime I start a project it seems I am missing some supply and don't want to get cleaned up to go to town to get it. Just the blah winter blues, I guess.
Regina

Regina, do what I do - don't bother to clean up! Just go and grin if you run into someone in town.