Hey, CAT: I found the glass gazing ball in the garden section of Ellis Pottery, where they sell all sorts of home decor, plants, water features etc. I think it was $20. Came w/a little pedestal. I used a large plant saucer for the base of the unit. I used stained glass to mosaic it.

Hi! Go to a thrift store/garage sale and look for a bowling ball. That's what I use. Sometimes you can even get them free off freecycle.
Good luck!
Ann

Yep, get a bowling ball.(grin) That'll do it.

I know a lot of people are having success mosaicing bowling balls but I think everyone missed my point - I want to mosaic a ball that is 22" - 24" - that is a BIG ball! I have a cement planter that nothing grows well in by my pool and I have a vision for this SUPER ball on top of this planter but again, can't find a ball that large for under $100.

Do they make a ball that large in white styrofoam that you could buy at Michaels? Not the green; I am afraid of that stuff. But the white crispy balls. They 'might' have one that large.

In the dark of night... go to your local Target store... and haul away one of those gorgeous red balls at the entrance that just BEG to be mosaicked! hehe :)
Ever since I got hooked on mosaic items.. I've longed to mosaic one of them!

Sorry... wish I had a real idea for you.
When I was a kid... 100 years ago... we had those big bouncing balls that we played with in school.
Well..they seemed big at the time.

you could coat an exercise ball with crete

What is "crete"?

concrete

take a look at this old thread for details.

Here is a link that might be useful: concrete ball

I have to say that I'm not sure about where to find a 'ready-to-go' ball that size, but there's gotta be SOMETHING.

I agree with the rubber/concrete idea, as there are a TON of beach-balls out now for you to use.

My first thought was to find a giant Christmas Ornament (something like they'd decorate a city-tree with)...but shipping the darned thing would kill you because of the size of the box...

Um...what else...this one would be hugely heavy...would likely need "equipment" to move it, but what about contacting your local construction companies and finding out where someone could obtain an old wrecking ball, or calling the local concrete dealers to see what they might be able to procure for you...

But since I'm fresh out of ideas, and it's early in the day with no caffeine boost yet, I think you might be relegated to doing the rubber/crete ball- simply for cost-sake.

I'm not coming up with anything useful for you...everything I'm finding is either way WAY out of the price range (globes), or is vinyl or inflatable- ie: not solid or (if hollow)- firm.

I've searched these things:

Globe
Fish Bowl
Plastic Manufacturers (but this is likely out, since you'd need a custom product made)
Pet Balls
Play Balls
Gym Balls
Paper Mache
Molds

found a 20" mirror ball here:
Mirror Ball

Just looking at our yard (a MAJOR WIP thanks to the big storms last spring)...an old kettle-style BBQ caught my eye. Ours had been sadly waiting on me for years and had become rusty around the legs so I hacksawed them off and am using the top half as a planter (not mosaiced this year, maybe next). You could take all the screwed on parts off (legs, handle, etc.) and fit the 2 halves together to make a fairly symmetrical ball. Cheap or free from freecycle and definitely not terribly heavy. I'm thinking a layer of thinset over the whole thing to even out the lip and voila!! you have a gazing ball substrate!

Pat

Great idea on the BBQ, PAT! I see this all the time at yard sales for practically nothing!