Decorative glass bowl ideas?

Aquajock

Aquajock

Cathlete
Hello, all you Martha Stewart types!

My youngest brother sent me an absolutely beautiful white flower arrangement a couple of weeks ago, in an also absolutely beautiful glass ball-shaped vase (it's about the size of a bowling ball; imagine it with the top lopped off and you get the idea).

The flowers hung on for an amazingly long time, but sadly they've all died. However, I absolutely love the glass globe-vase and don't want to put it away.

Could you share your ideas on what/how to fill it with decorative . . . thingies? (Preferable thingies that don't die.) I'd really like to incorporate it into my living room decor.

TIA!

A-JOck
 
Hi A-Jock-

We Martha Stewart types need more info! What's your living room decor look like? Is it casual or formal? What colors predominate?

Jonahnah
Chocolate IS the answer, regardless of the question.
 
I still have a bowl full of colorful Christmas bulbs in one of mine. I will replace them with pine cones soon.

I also have one filled with seashells from all over that we have collected over the years. The seashells are my favorite!

So my suggestions: pinecones, holiday ornaments, seashells. If I think of any more, I will be back!!
Jenn
 
A-Jock - how about filling it partway with nice river rocks (you can get them in bags at craft stores like Michaels) and then a nice pillar candle? I'm not sure whether you'd use it in your kitchen, but glass containers always look nice with lemons or limes in them. I also like pinecones for winter (you can get bags of pinecones that smell like cinnamon, again at Michaels).
 
I love all the wonderful suggestions! One more. What about white sand filled to less than half of the globe, and them stick some twisty branches inside? Like Shelley said, Michaels is your one-stop shop for all things decorative.

I think the twigs may look best confined to the inside of the globe though, sticking out the top would look weird, although it would work in a more cylinder type container....I think this would create a sort of "earthy" look. Brown pebbles would work instead of sand as well.

You could even use black sand and use white twigs for a very dramatic effect.

I like the idea of white sand and white seashells, very romantic and chic.:) Oh the endless possibilities! I also love the idea of lemon and limes for a cute kitchen look.:)
 
I love glass containers. My favorite is beach glass since I like to collect it. Also, I like the look of big colored glass beads in a clear bowl. You could also throw in a few swarovski (sp?) crystals for a little extra shimmer.
 
Hey A-jock. I have a large cylindrical glass vase and when the flowers died I filled it with ball shaped candles - actually an idea I stole from a Pottery Barn catalog. I just got a few of 3 or 4 different colors (which you could change seasonally) so it's filled with about 1 or 12 of them.

Lorrie

www.picturetrail.com/lsass



 
I love all of the suggestions you've been given so far, especially the seashell idea, but how about an arrangement of dried flowers? I have several and I absolutely love them. They last a long time -- I have one that's nearly 2 years old and it still looks fabulous! I just saw an arrangement of dried white hydrangeas in a container similar to the one you have and it was stunning.

ETA I don't do my own arrangements -- a local florist does them for me. She freeze dries flowers right there in her shop and they maintain lovely, vibrant color.
 
Thanks to everyone for your suggestions (especially the rec re Michael's; we have several here in the Twin Cities)!!!

Johahnah - our home decor is really avant-garde: neutral off-white paint on the walls; neutral offer-white with a bit of a grayish tinge berber carpet; neutral beige sofa, love-seat and easy chair. Big-@SS Sony Bravia TV. Brass and glass coffee table and end tables. Sears wall-art on the . . . well, walls. You know - High Suburbia.

Keep the suggestions coming, folks! And thanks again!

A-Jock
 
That sounds beautiful, I would accent with a little black in the vase...or pick on of your accent colors to 'repeat" in the vase...does that make sense?
 
I like Michele's idea of flowers. How about a couple long stem, vibrantly colored calla lily-like silk flowers with a couple of those twisty branches in a base of sand, river rocks or marbles?
 
Your room sounds wonderful! You've gotten so many terrific suggestions, you're going to have to do rotating bowl decor and post photos here! I like to do layers of things if the bowl is really large, so maybe sand on the bottom, then beach glass, then seashells on top. You could do light sand, then large darker river stones, then small lighter colored stones on top. For holidays, I do candy layers (egs. peppermint swirls, foil balls, m&ms, conversation hearts, etc.) Pine cones and acorns with cinnamon sticks mixed in smell great.

They do die, but floating gardenia blooms are gorgeous and the scent is heavenly (fill the bowl 1/2 way with water, then gently place the blooms on top). HTH!

Jonahnah
Chocolate IS the answer, regardless of the question.
 
This will only work if you're a knitter...I filled one of my glass vases with left over balls of my favorite yarns. The colors and textures are amazing and they look beautiful sitting together in the glass vase. I also have a gorgeous wooden bowl filled with more of my favorite yarn. I love the way this looks and an extra bonus is that the leftover yarn didn't go to waste - it's now being enjoyed in a different way;-)
 
I have a few that sit around with different things as already suggested. One of my faves is filled with the glass "blobs" in different colors with a candle sticking out the top.

Then when I receive fresh flowers or cut some from my garden, I pull the vase out, take out the candle and fill it with water. The glass "blobs" work well instead of the floral foam.

Another idea I use is earthy types of potpourri, the kind with a large variety of nature made "baubles" and then add a candle.

(Yes, I like candles . . .)

Sounds like you're gonna have some fun - so many great ideas !
 
I understand you said "preferably not something that will die", but if you wanted to change things up occasionally you could fill the ball 1/3rd with water than float the flower of a peony or gerber daisy (cut the stem off at the base of the flower) or several daisies.

or for a special evening...get 1 or 2 floating candles and put in with rose petals
 
What about one of those feathery looking fish? They like somewhat small spaces to live in, require no chemicals or heaters and live a really long time and they are beautiful to watch. I think they are called Japanese Fighting fish. You can only have one at time. They come in really bright colors too.
 
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