How to Make a Pomander (Kissing Ball)

Tape a 24 gauge wire with green florist stem tape, and bend it in half, forming a loop by twisting. Trim the ends of the wire so they are even.

Start with a ball of wet Oasis (you can get it at craft stores, or from a florist). Cover it with mesh or chicken wire. Here I have used a mesh covering that is used to protect gerbera daisies during transport. I think onion bags might work as well. NOTE:  wet Oasis is use for pomanders made of fresh flowers. If you are making one using silk flowers, you would start with a styrofoam ball (also available at craft stores or florist shops.)  There is no need for mesh with silk flowers.

Here, I have inserted the wire through the mesh, all the way into the ball and out the bottom.

The bottom wires are twisted and the trimmed ends are inserted into the oasis ball. This will help to keep the wires from pulling out of the ball at the top. This is especially important if a child will be holding the ribbon handle on the ball.

Any good quality florist glue can be used to adhere the flowers to the Oasis ball. This glue is unscented and dries quickly.

Cut the flowers off their stems, leaving about 1 and 1/2 to 2 inches. It is best to cut those stems with a sharp knife, on a slant. This helps the stem insert easily into the Oasis ball.

Here I have begun to insert the flowers into the Oasis ball, through the mesh covering, after putting a dot of glue on the stem end of each flower. I have used an old department store display stand to hold the oasis ball while I make the pomander. You could hang it from an upper kitchen cabinet door while you work.

Continue inserting the flowers until you have reached the top; making sure that you cover all the open spaces. If you are making a pomander with only spray roses (as I am here) it is fairly easy to get the flowers all at the same level. If you choose to make a pomander with different varieties of flowers, then you must make sure that you insert the stems in such a way that the ball is uniform in appearance (easier said than done.) Feel free to insert buds and partially open roses as well as fully open ones.

Here is a finished pomander (kissing ball). I made nine of these today; they will be used on Shepherd hooks lining a wedding aisle, and others will be hung from an arbor. Sometimes, flower girls carry pomanders instead of dropping rose petals. Younger children must be reminded to be careful with their pomanders. While we always make them as sturdy as possible, they will not withstand vigorous shaking or swinging from their ribbon handles. NOTE:  This is my way of making pomanders; I am sure that various others have different ways of doing them, which will work just as well.