Welcome Beecharmer2! This is such a fun forum with the nicest of people! If you look on the GardenJunk homepage, you'll see "FAQ" at the top of the page. It tells how to make some of the cool projects you see on the forum. There's one for marbles on bowling balls...same idea as pennies. I'll post the link below. I haven't grouted mine but I bet someone else will speak to that. This was my first bowling ball. So easy and FUN! When you do a bowling ball, have a container you can sit it in. I used an old heavy pan. The GEII is a silicone sealant. I found mine in the glue department at Lowe's. Have fun! Post a picture if you create a Bowling Ball masterpiece!!! Kirk Here is a link that might be useful: Bowling Ball Creation

Pegg That came out very pretty, can't help with the photos cause I don't know how to do it myself, but congratulations on finishing the ball, it looks great. Alberta

Kirk, Oh, the LOVE of BB's! You did find a really cool one. Those swirly marbelized/glitter ones are the neatest! I had one that was a burnt orange/red swirly so I left it as is in the garden. It WAS shiny too. Eventually the shine lost it's lustre and it did crack. I was so dissappointed but didn;t know what else to do. SO, #1 son, Sean, and I took a chisel and a hammer to it! I wanted to see it's insides. Did you know that a BB will bounce on concrete? It took some effort but we did crack the egg open! :-) The top layers were a polyethylene plastic material. The inside had a composite plastic/light concrete/foam like center shaped like a barbell. From expereince the older balls are made with rubber and wood. I had my FIL drill a hole through the center of two balls. One is still sitting in the garage. The other became a fountain bubbler in my bathroom. Getting back to care---you may want to avoid the extreme temps with your BB. Ours would get the 100 and teens plus temps in the summer and down to the teen temps in the winter. Whatever bowlers use to put a nice shine on their balls would be what I would use to keep it shiny. If you ignore it it will eventually lose it's shine.... You had some NICE neighbors to give you that wonderful eagle! The BB is it's golden pearl! BTW, we need to see your rain chain! :-) Hope you have an excellent weekend. Three day weekend for you? Yep, us too! It's nice to NOT be a banana sandwich on a weekeday! TTYL Love, Jules Here is a link that might be useful: BB in the garden

Grout needs time to "cure" like cement. Did you have it dry in the sun? Because that could cause the cracking. It is best to let it dry in a cooler, shaded area so it doesn't cure too quickly. Otherwise, your grout may have been too wet when you applied it. When you spread it, it should be about the consistency of brownie batter (that's the best way I know to describe it) - still spreadable like mud but not as thin as pancake batter (can you tell I love eating? lol). You were right to use sanded grout and a grout sealer.