Homemade Kissing Balls

Kissing balls can be made of a variety of flowers.

Kissing balls, or pomanders, have been used as decorations since the Victorian era, although they originated in the Middle Ages. At that time, though, they were made of fragrant herbs and mistletoe, which is where the kissing ball name comes from. Pomanders can be made of either silk or natural flowers. However, if you intend to use natural flowers, do a test run with artificial flowers until you are familiar with the process. Create the natural flower pomanders the day before your wedding for best results.

Things You'll Need

• 8-inch ball of floral foam
• Floral wire
• 1 yard coordinating ribbon
• Spanish moss
• U-shaped hooks of floral wire
• 50 roses or similar-sized flowers
• Floral shears

Instructions

1. Wrap two strands of floral wire around your ball of floral foam. Ensure that the two strands cross perpendicularly at the top and bottom of the ball and slip your ribbon through the top cross. This ribbon will serve as your handle when you hang or carry the pomander.

2. Cover the floral foam ball with Spanish moss. This gives the ball a fuller base and prevents the floral foam from being seen. Secure the Spanish moss to the ball with U-shaped hooks of floral wire. Push eight to 10 of these over the moss to keep it in place.

3. Cut the flowers' stems to 2 inches and trim the ends at angles. This makes the flowers slide into the floral foam easily.

4. Push the flowers into the floral foam, keeping them evenly spaced and working until the entire surface is covered.

5. Tie the ribbon into a bow or knot and hang the arrangement at your wedding.