Hi guys!

If you’ve seen some photos across the blog like the pictures in the moving header or my previous blog about the video Hush Little Dragon, then you have probably come across that golden ball on a staff, which I am proud to say is completely DIY! We didn’t buy it – it was a result of our artistic expression.

I am pretty proud of it because it looks like excellent material for some whimsical or magical video, but they are actually quite easy to make and they were just made from styro balls. Here are some behind the scene photos of these props and how we made them, and how you can do the same process at home, too if you like.

First, I started with styro-balls. They come in different sizes so you can pick the size you like best. You can find these in department stores, school supply stores or craft stores. Then, the next set of materials were some paint. For this, I used gold, white, blue and black for this one. Very important: don’t use conventional paint on styrofoam because paint can eat away at the material and ruin the balls. Make sure you get acrylic paint or styrofoam-safe spray paint.

To start, I stuck the balls onto a think stick and stuck the opposite side of the stick on a huge chunk of styrofoam. This allows me to access all the portions of the ball and allows it to dry easily.

With the balls ready, I started painting all over the surface and waited for it to dry, then painted on the eyes and the black markings.

You can actually do any kind of design, be it something multicultural to something as random as…I don’t know – a Christmas tree? The possibilities are endless, just let your imagination and artistic expression flow!!

Once the balls were dry, I took out the larger wooden sticks, which served as the staff. Then, I just stuck them on to the balls, and then added some decorative feathers to complete the look.

It took me less than a day to complete the materials, which we then used to film the music video.

My tip: You can do the same for any activity – school plays, as part of a Halloween costume, for home decor or DIY arts and crafts projects. And, it can be a great project for older kids. Do watch out for the pointy sticks!

Feel free to share your finished work with us by sending an email or commenting below. Hope you enjoy!

All the best,

Nani Nani Kids