Alright, so I’ve been wanting to try something kinda crafty lately, and my dog’s tennis ball collection is getting out of hand. It hit me: custom tennis balls! I thought it would be fun to personalize them, maybe even make them a little more interesting for fetch.
Getting Started
First, I grabbed a bunch of those plain, boring tennis balls. You know, the standard yellow ones. Nothing fancy.
Then came the fun part – figuring out what to use to decorate them. I rummaged through my craft supplies and found some permanent markers, some fabric paint (leftover from another project), and even some stencils.
The Messy Process
- Markers: Tried the permanent markers first. They worked okay, but the color wasn’t super vibrant, and I had to press pretty hard. It also kinda smudged a little when my dog got his slobbery mouth on it. Not ideal, but it worked in a pinch.
- Fabric Paint: This was a bit more promising. I used a small brush and some simple stencils (like a star and a paw print). The paint went on pretty smoothly, but it took FOREVER to dry. I mean, seriously, I had to leave them overnight.
I also tried to draw something,it is really hard.
The Final (Slobbery) Test
Once everything was dry, it was time for the real test – would my dog even care? I tossed one of the stenciled balls, and he went nuts for it, just like any other tennis ball. Success! He didn’t seem to notice the paint or the marker, which was good. I was a little worried about him ingesting anything weird.
The painted balls held up pretty well to the chewing and slobber, though the marker ones did fade a bit. Overall, it was a fun little project. Not sure I’d do a huge batch, but it was definitely worth a try to make fetch a little more… personalized.
