DIY Painted Sweetgum Ball Vase Filler

My grandparents had a huge sweetgum tree in their front yard when I was a kid. As an adult I understand how annoying the spiky balls must have been, but as a kid I loved them. We called them “gum balls.” I especially loved it when my grandparents would pay me to pick them up. Even at a penny a piece I could make some good money that way. It was truly a massive tree.

I’ve thought about that tree from time to time in the years since we lost my grandparents; usually after I’ve seen a gum ball on a sidewalk somewhere. Just recently, though—I don’t even know how it came up—I was searching for something on Etsy when I saw a listing for sweetgum balls. Then I saw another. And another. People were selling them both plain and painted. I suddenly started feeling nostalgic and missing my grandparents, and I seriously considered ordering some.

I didn’t do it then, and as it happens we were at a nearby park just last weekend when I noticed a bunch of sweetgum balls on the ground. I can’t even express how excited I was. An idea started forming in my head.

So now I’m the proud owner of a bag full of gum balls, and I knew even before I brought them home what I wanted to do with them. I wanted to make something pretty that I could display. I don’t think they’re particularly attractive in their natural state, but I saw the potential. Even if you don’t have any emotional attachment to gum balls, this is still an easy way to make pretty vase filler. It’s sort of the ultimate in upcycling; taking something considered a nuisance and making it beautiful.

As luck would have it, the weather this week has been amazing. It’s been warm enough to use spray paint outside, so that’s what I did. I used three different metallic colors, not unlike what I did with my pistachio shell flowers.

To prepare the gum balls, I cut the stems off of all of them and pulled off any debris that had stuck in between the spikes. I divided them into three piles and dealt with them one at a time.

I have a LEGO box from a big set that I cut up and have been using for spray painting. It works well to contain the spray, and its low sides also allow for easy access to cover all sides. I didn’t use any special kind of paint; I grabbed what I had in my stash. 

I started with the silver paint and sprayed the first group of balls. I used a sandwich bag as a glove of sorts to turn the balls so I could make sure I was spraying all sides. Once I was pretty sure they were good, I pushed them to the side and grabbed another pile. I repeated that process with the gold and copper (looks a lot like rose gold to me), and then I left them to dry for a few hours.

To display the gum balls, I put them in a glass container that I’ve had for a long time. They’d also be pretty in a bowl or vase. They’re so shiny!

I love that I have reminders all over my house of my grandparents, and this is one of my favorites. It’s such a little thing, but it’s meaningful. I told my husband tonight that my grandparents would probably be both impressed and amused by this project. He said they’d be suggesting how much we could charge for the gum balls. They’d have me checking Etsy listings, and we’d marvel at them. Then they’d laugh and laugh. I like to think they’re seeing this and smiling down on us.