DIY Peony Kissing Balls -

Kissing balls aren’t just for the holiday season although I do love a beautiful ball of fresh Christmas greens during Christmas time. Today I’m sharing a spring/summer version in this DIY peony kissing balls post that are not only easy to make but add a fun puff of florals into your home for the spring and summer months.

Historically these decorative little flower balls date back to the middle ages when villagers would create ball-shaped ornaments made of twine and evergreen branches. In the center, they would place a clay figure of an infant representing baby Jesus. Today I’m putting a floral spin on this timeless home decor piece by using faux peony’s instead of evergreen branches, mistletoe and pinecones.

buffet set up with dishes with the peony balls showing

For this design I took a quick trip to Joann’s for a few supplies. I bought what are called “peony bushes” these have several peony blooms on one stem instead of just a single bloom. Faux peony’s come in a variety of colors and locally here in Massachusetts the best place to find them are at Joann’s, Hobby Lobby and Michael’s stores.

I had envisioned these floral balls to be hanging from our bay window so I knew each would need to be a fairly small kissing ball. For this window display I made 7 kissing balls in total, the entire ball measures 7″ across each made from 5 floral heads.

Table of Contents

Supplies needed for this Project

*This post includes affiliate links, for more info on affiliate links visit here

Faux Peony bush (each flower is made from 5 flower heads)
Black jewelry chain
Black bulb pins
Hot glue gun/glue

a close up of the peony balls hanging in the window

How to make DIY Peony Kissing Balls

Step 1: Remove the flower heads from the bush by simply popping them off. If they don’t pop off easily use wire cutters to remove them from the bush. You will need 5 large open peony flower heads for each ball. The blooms I used measure almost 5″ across for each flower head.

5 blooms off the bush ready to be made into a diy peony ball

Step 2: Take the first flower head and on the bottom give it a dab of hot glue. Press the bottom of the second flower to the glue, hold until dry and then move to the next one. Once 4 blooms are glued next to one another and in a circle, close the ball by glueing a 5th bloom on top. You are glueing the base of the flower heads on the flower petals. You may see small gaps between the blooms which just adds to the look.

glueing the first peony. glue goes on the bottom of the flower head.

Step 3: Take each kissing ball and with a bulb pin pierce a small cluster of flower petals that are on the top of the ball. The pin should only make small holes which will not be noticeable if removed.

Step 4: The final step is to hang the balls. Measure how long you want the peony balls to hang from your curtain rod or other hanging spot. I choose to have them hanging at different heights. Take the jewelry chain and lace it through bulb pin that is on the peony ball then add a second pin to the other end. Loop the end of the chain over the curtain rod and connect with the second bulb pin.

curtain rod holding the chain with the bulb pin.

Variations and Special Considerations

Different mediums: For a less expensive version these balls can be made into a paper flower by using tissue paper. Or you could also use cupcake liners in the same way I did while making this cupcake liner wreath. You would need to buy a styrofoam ball and glue the liners on.

Uses: This floral ball would be a great idea for a flower girl to carry. All you would need to do is to add a piece of ribbon that is looped for her to hold.

Colors: You can make these DIY peony kissing balls in so many different colors. Choose a color that goes with your decor or make them using your wedding colors.

Flower options: I used big peony blooms but silk hydrangeas or other types of silk flowers would work too! Get creative!

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the meaning of a kissing ball?

By the end of the 19th century Kissing balls often included mistletoe and unmarried maidens would line up to be kissed by unmarried men. Right about this time the kissing ball took on the meaning of romantic love which is why they can be seen hanging from a ballroom ceiling to celebrate love at a wedding.

Where do you hang kissing balls?

Kissing balls can be hung by your front door, front porch, over your kitchen sink or in windows.

Can I make these kissing balls with fresh flowers?

Of course! When using fresh instead of artificial flowers there are a few things to keep in mind. The first is what to figure out what you will use as a water source. For this you have two options – the first would be a floral foam ball often called an Oasis ball. You would soak the ball in water and design your fresh flowers right into the ball. The second option would be to place each flower in a water pick and then add to a green or white Styrofoam ball.

The other thing to keep in mind is the weight of the kissing ball. It will be much heavier than one made with faux flowers. You may need wire to hang it.

What type of ball form can I use?

These DIY peony balls are glued to one another. You may also make your kissing ball by gluing the flowers to a whiffle ball, a Styrofoam ball or a moss ball. The size of your ball will determine the size of your kissing ball.

How I Styled the Peony Kissing Balls in our Bay Window

Situated in our dining room bay window is this large chalk painted buffet. Once the Peony balls were in place I set up our buffet for company. I stacked plates, used cake plates with cloche’s and went with a pretty green and white theme.