HOW TO:

MATERIALS

• 2 clean buckets
• DRY dirt (any dirt will work)
• Water
• Dry soft rag
• Plastic baggies
• Padded surface

STEPS

• Making the mud
• Shaping the core
• Preliminary capsule
• Drawing moisture out
• The final layer
• Polishing

Making the mud is simple enough. Mix the water with the dirt to create a dough-like consistency.
*Too much water will make it too liquidy, so add water slowly.

Grab a handful of mud to begin the core.
Roll and gently shake the mud to create a ball free of voids and empty space. A thin layer of tacky clay-like mud will form. Move onto the next step at this point.

Take your excess dirt and sprinkle it over your ball, using the outer curve of your thumb to smooth it down. The new dirt absorbs moisture quickly so don't let the ball crack.

Take a baggie and place ball inside for 20 minutes on a padded area to prevent a flat area from forming. When the water condenses on the inside of the bag remove and repeat steps three and four until the ball is leather hard to the touch.

The shiny layer is made by sprinkling extremely fine dust over the ball. By using a window screen and a bucket with a sealable lid, you can sift your excess dirt to make the dust. Continue dusting the ball the ball. Place in a new bag and repeat till the dust no longer adheres to the ball. Then begin polishing.

Polishing is done by using the soft rag to buff the outside of the ball. Slow gentle movements until you are sure the surface wont mar, then more vigorously until shiny.

FACTS

• Originated in Japan
• Hikaru created the first one
• Used in Decoration
• Relaxing
• Good for building patience

BIBLIOGRAPHY

• Gardner, Bruce. "Dorodango | about." Dorodango. N.p., n.d. Web. 05 Feb. 2016.
• "Balls of Mud That Shine." Bearing Blog. N.p., 28 Apr. 2008. Web. 4 Feb. 2016.