A small amount of extra mixed concrete from my last project, pink glass, and resin, yielded a cute little accent stone for my daughter’s flower garden. It measured 6 ½” x 6 ½” x 1 ½”.
Thinking there might be a little extra concrete, four small holes were drilled in the bottom of a square plastic ice cream bucket. I was just going to make a square stone if there was extra until I remembered a mini metal heart mold I had. The inside of the bucket and backside of the heart mold were sprayed with cooking spray in preparation.
There was just enough concrete to pour about 1½” depth into the bucket. A small metal ring had been removed from the heart mold years ago so it was able to be pushed into the wet concrete all the way to the rim and weighed down. I left it to dry for 24 hours before unmolding, then let it dry another 12 hours. A few rough edges were filed down before filling the heart cavity with pink glass shards.
An interior/exterior resin (Amazon) was poured over the glass. This was the first time I’d used resin, but it was so simple and took very little. The resin had to set for 24 hours. The concrete absorbed the resin in a few places around the edge of the heart, but it scraped away easily, before sealing the concrete with grout sealer.
That’s all for now folks, I’m all caught up. I’ll leave you to your weekend. Enjoy!
I’m back with Part 2 of my sale review. It’s 98% images so it will be quick.
Again, I wanted to use as much of my collected treasures as I could before the sale, so everything pictured was made similarly to projects in previous posts. There’s never any set rules when using salvaged and found materials; you do what you like.
I would have to say that the chandeliers and garden stakes were my favorites. They were just so much fun to make. No two were alike and they always sold well at shows. I like to put one together the way I like it, then take it apart to clean and polish all the pieces; always laying it out in the order it went together. One thing I did change was the attachment of crystals. Instead of wiring them on, I made jump rings and soldered all the connections so they couldn’t come loose.
So here we go. There is layout pictures for the first three chandeliers, but not the two in the feature picture.
And now some garden stakes and a couple of the layouts.
And lastly, though the picture is a little fuzzy, a few ring/jewelry trays were put together with lamp parts.
That’s it, all caught up. My garage is so clean and empty now. I’ll miss playing with all those beautiful lamp pieces, but I’ll survive; time to move on. I would like to devote more time to my glass and garden hobby, and I have wall art and furniture pieces in my radar. But, that’s for future posts. 🙂
Hi All, It’s me. I was looking over my blog and realized that there were so few posts over the last year that I probably wouldn’t even qualify as an occasional blogger; but I’m going to keep trying, lol. I still owe everyone an update on the Inventory Sale I had last May. I have a few pictures of more display trays that were made, so I’ll post a short catch up on that after the first of the year. Yes, I will!
But, today, I wanted to get on to wish everyone New Year blessings and share a quick post on a fun recycled bottle ornament that was fused together for this Christmas season. I know not everyone does glass art, but these pretty little ornaments combine both my love for glass and recycling/repurposing. And, they’re my favorite pale green color too.
They’re so simple that I thought just a picture collage would suffice.
A Gryphon Diamond Band Saw was used to slice the bottle.
After fusing, I used a crystal snowflake and smaller crystal beads threaded through the kiln formed channel for embellishing, but any variety of beads and charms can be used. I like to seal jump rings and wire connections with a bit of solder so everything stays neatly in place.
They look so delicate and shiny!
I’d like to try a long dangle with three of these hooked together, but haven’t had time to figure it out yet. When and if I do I will definitely share it too.
Another, more traditional, fused ornament design was offered to my followers again this year; a set of happy little gingerbread people.
Sadly, at the moment, the terracotta brown color used for these is out of stock everywhere. It’s the preferred color for my candy house and reindeer too, so I hope it or something very similar is back in production soon so it’s available by early next fall.
Well, that’s my quick post. I truly wish you and your families happiness, health, wealth, and much more in 2023! Happy New Year!
With the summer dates on the calendar filling in almost quicker than I can write them down, I’ve had to kick my garage clearing project into a higher gear. A tag sale is being planned at my home toward the end of May so there’s going to be a lot of crazy going on here for the next 2 ½ weeks. Fun crazy!
But first, I wanted to put up a quick post on a newly finished display tray created from a vintage springform baking pan, a brown ceramic insulator, metal lamp ring, wooden finial, and a zinc Ball canning lid stacked on a short length of ⅜” threaded rod. It may seem like an odd assortment of pieces, but the different materials melded together beautifully.
Before starting, a ⅜” hole was drilled in the center of the zinc lid, and a 11/32” hole was drilled in the bottom center of the wooden finial. The hole in the finial is slightly smaller so the threaded rod will fit snugly. An assortment of washers and nuts were found to fit the threaded rod.
As with previous projects, all pieces were cleaned well and waxed before laying them out to be assembled.
The finial was constructed first.
The rounded end of the insulator sits into the pan’s center opening.Insert the rod down through the insulator. Turn the piece upside down, holding the finial firmly. Drop the zinc lid in place over the rod, add washers and the nut; tighten. The insulator may shift as you tighten. If so, loosen the nut and adjust.
The biggest challenge I had with this piece was to find an item that would fit perfectly inside the pan center from the bottom and not slip through. The zinc lid was the solution for me.
The little metal piece on the outside of the pan was bent up slightly so it would not scratch any surfaces.
Would love to know your thoughts. Please feel free to comment and share. Until next time …
Look, I’ve found the way back to my blog. There’s no doubt at all that if I had to rely on this to make a living, I would starve, lol.
As most know, I store treasures in my garage. It’s pretty cluttered, and, with no tables, I mostly work on the floor, or move out to the old picnic table when weather permits.
Late last fall one area of my garage got a big improvement when my husband was looking for a place to temporarily store a lift. He had no problem if it was covered and used as a work table. Wow, what a difference it made and I can stand up to work!
BEFORE
AFTER
Most of my treasures were collected pre-covid and way before, when I was actively participating in more shows and events. I’m excited to get out to this summer’s junk jaunts and tag sales to find some larger pieces for my home and discover some new ideas to play around with. But, first, now that the weather is getting warmer, I need to get back to work on some of those projects in the pictures above; they’ve been waiting for me all winter.
I was in the process of making myself a simple, rustic garden tote last year. The pieces were gathered and laid out, but I got busy with stained glass work and didn’t follow through. So, that seems like a great place to start now.
A large capacity bowl, and an easy grip handle was what I wanted and why I chose the pieces I did for this project.
A drill press was used to drill a 5/16” hole in the center of the pans and an 18” length of an old shovel handle. The depth of the hole drilled in the shovel handle is approximately 3”. A 2 ½”L lag screw and a flat washer was screwed into the shovel handle for safe keeping.
To keep further rusting at bay and for easy cleaning, a coat of Briwax was applied to the cleaned pans and buffed. A car wax or Shield spray could also be used.
The shovel handle was stained and sealed.
For added strength, and to give the shovel handle a more solid seat to rest on, a small area of Briwax coating was sanded off the bottom of the large pan, and a large scrap washer was adhered with JB Weld; weighted down to dry overnight. E6000 could also be used.
Both hands and a crescent wrench was needed to get the shovel handle screwed on securely. I found the best way to do this was to work from the bottom up. After laying the inverted pie pan on the bottom of the large upturned pan, the lag screw was pushed through the flat washer and the pans.
A large bead of E6000 was laid on the cut bottom of the shovel handle.
While holding the pans on their side, the shovel handle was lined up with the screw and started. I then held the shovel handle with my left hand, balancing the pans while I tightened the lag screw with my right; went together quickly, and done! Clean away any excess glue.
The handle looked bare, so it got a scrap of wire wrapped around it, under the grip, just to break it up a little.
We’re a ways off from our gardening season yet, but, I’m ready for it. My new garden tote will be much handier than our big green Tupperware bowl. Hope you don’t mind, I grabbed a few props from the frig for pictures. 🙂
Although I’m planning on using this piece as a garden tote/basket, it could also lend farm house country charm filled with pots of flowers or herbs on a patio; just a thought.
We’ve got another week of nice weather in our forecast and I’ll be moving on to another project. Pondering over the pieces on my new work table, it looks like some tiered trays will be on the agenda next, and soon. I hope you’ve liked what you’ve seen today, please comment, like, and share. Repurposing and upcycling with salvaged materials can help lessen the load on our landfills and have a huge impact on our environment. Thanks for visiting my blog, stay well, stay safe, and have a great day!
This time of year is the greatest … back out in the garden, doing yard work, and mowing. I get some of my best thinking done while on a mower.
Best of all, our year of homeschooling was successfully completed last week! I think the whole family let out a big sigh of relief over that, lol. You definitely have to give teachers and others who homeschool every year a standing ovation; it’s a lot of work, and patience.
Anyway, having a little free time on my hands now, I made something quick and fun to hang on a couple of ugly poles in my yard.
I have a small pile of metal strainers and such that I’ve found in the salvage dropped off for my husband. Seems no one wants the poor things unless they’re a special vintage piece.
I used to collect the most interesting ones and we would heat the handles a bit to bend them upright and be used as hangers. I’d sell them at vintage markets for a couple bucks each. The large mesh ones were the most popular, but not as easy to come by anymore.
Many of you know I have a thing for metal flowers too. If you’re lucky you can find some that are constructed with a screw and nut which makes them really easy to work with. I usually find flowers at garage sales, thrift stores, and flea markets. My stash was getting pretty thin until I recently scored some beautiful ones from my sister and her husband who own Mc’Do-its Upcycled, Repurposed and Flea Markets. It’s awesome having them so close, they’ve had just what I was searching for on several occasions.
I’m ready to share what I came up with, but please remember there are no limits when it comes to projects like these. Use whatever you have; paint, washers, glass donuts, wire, buttons, etc. I played around with several ideas before settling on the ones I wanted.
Had to have a touch of blue –
I was going for a blue enamelware look with this little guy. Exterior blue paint, white speckles, and clear spray sealer.
An eye bolt was added to the back to help it hang evenly and provide a loop for a wire to be threaded through and secured to prevent rocking from side to side. Two glass donuts were wired to the handle.
This vintage look might be my favorite –
I love this combination. Red exterior paint, clear spray sealer. An eye bolt was added again, this time with an extra nut glued to the exterior before painting. I used JB Weld for gluing. After determining placement, holes were drilled for the screws on the back of the flowers and they were tightened into place. The stem was wired on. Decorative metal beads were painted and sanded lightly for the flower centers and glued on.
Here’s another useful tip – slide pieces of wax paper under the pieces you are wiring on to prevent your base paint from getting scratched.
Boho anyone? Just because it has a hanger doesn’t mean you have to hang it.
Exterior orange paint, red speckles, clear spray sealer. A medallion was made with a large decorative coat button on top of a glass lamp piece. The wire is threaded through the button and through a hole in the glass piece. The wires went through an old button on the inside of the basket to hold it securely.
And then there’s this one, just because I thought it would be cute in the kitchen.
So, what do you think? Don’t these look like fun? Please, feel free to comment if you like. I love hearing from readers.
What an awesome surprise! A mother Robin and her babies have made their home in the old nest of my tin can wreath! Isn’t that cool?! I didn’t know a bird would use another’s nest, did you?
Oh, how I love spending long, fun filled Fall days full of junk jaunts and tag sales with my daughters and sisters. With all the virus concerns, we’ve not been out to any all summer, but are hoping to get masked up and maybe squeeze one in next month. While poking around in my overloaded garage, sorting and tossing, I’m discovering a lot of treasures from our past outings, recalling the plans for them, and remembering some of the crazy times we had.
One such past find was a pair of metal sunflower candleholders; perfect for Fall decor. It really makes my day when I find a treasure like this to bring home, repurpose, and play with. When I found them, I knew right away I’d be filling the center with something.
The small round legs popped off easily with pliers. The leaves were removed with bolt cutters, and saved. To build up height in the centers, a small circle of ½” plywood was glued into each one. I wanted some shine to show through the translucent glass nuggets I would be using, so I cut circles from a discarded piece of antiqued mirror to glue over the plywood. Small circles of thin metal could also be used in place of the mirror. Different sizes of amber, brown, and clear glass nuggets were glued to the mirror, leaving a small space around each one. After letting the glue dry 24 hours, the nuggets were grouted with sanded grout. I mixed a small amount of brown paint with my black grout to get the color I wanted. Let grout dry overnight before sealing.
Searching through my stashes, I found an awesome piece of rusted steel wire and some beautiful green and gold blown glass grape bunches. The wire, I pulled from a salvage pile last year, and the grapes were found in an antique mall in Texas several years ago. They had broken leaves, and I paid a bit more than I would usually do, but they were so darned pretty. And now, I’m really glad I did.
Not being one for flowery, frilly things, the wire piece worked perfectly for my taste; I could use the twisted wire knot to take the place of a bow.
With 22ga, thin black wire, the flower was wired on first, then the leaves, and grapes. I added some rusty springs to give it just a little bit more.
I love the versatility of projects like this. These sunflowers can be attached to just about anything, and used indoors, or out. I did a little playing around with some other ideas too, and thought I’d share them just for fun. You’ll have to let me know what you think ..
Keep it simple. Paint a couple metal leaves to add around a flower; attach it to a chalkboard, or a welcome sign.
A wire wreath is big enough for the pair. No ribbon for a wreath bow? Cut strips of fiberglass window screening and loop one. There’s easy bow instructions on YouTube.
How about a mailbox cover? A metal nail strip was stitched to wire hardware cloth and shaped in an arch. Hold it in place underneath with mini bungee cords.
For an open porch, I think a small arrangement with a sunflower and raffia would look great too, tied around the neck of a milk can filled with tall florals, or ornamental grasses; but I didn’t have time, a porch, or florals to get that put together. 🙂
A wide variety of small, inexpensive metal and glass pieces can usually be found at garage sales, and tag sales, so keep an eye out if you like repurposing and working with salvaged materials. It’s good to get in the practice of looking at a piece and taking it apart in your mind to see how it’s parts can be used in other ways before carting it home.
Please feel free to comment, or share my post if you like. Take Care and Stay Healthy.
The amount of stuff in my garage is crazy! Something’s got to give. I used three bottles in this current project and sent about 50 to the recycle bin. No more, I’m not keeping any more unless it’s something really unique. After all, wine bottles are not that hard to come by. A few boxes of wire and salvaged pieces were given the boot. But, I couldn’t part with more than a baggie full when it came to sorting through my lamp parts, small bits and pieces, and odds and ends. They make up the brainstorming center of one of my favorite creative spaces. I could spend many happy hours playing and creating with all those wonderful little pieces. They’ve been used in so many of my projects, including this one.
So, here we go. A bottle cutter or wet saw will be needed. I used the Creator’s Bottle Cutter, but have had great success with the Ephrem’s Bottle Cutter too. Both are easy to use and have instructions included. The Ephrem’s Bottle Cutter is less expensive and needs to be attached to a board before using.
Place the bottle in the cutter. With even pressure while turning, score the cut line on the bottle. Rotate the score line about ¼” over a candle flame for about a minute. Holding the bottle at the top and bottom, plunge it into a bucket of ice water to easily snap apart. Sand the cut edges with 150 grit emery cloth to smooth and remove the sharp edges.
I don’t often share pictures of my messy places, but here’s that brainstorming center I mentioned a little earlier. I know, it’s a little out of hand, huh? But, it’s so much fun having a lot of options when in a creative mood.
I had parted out a pair of bent candlesticks my sister found for me at a garage sale. They were a steal at fifty cents each and chock full of some beautiful heavy glass donuts. I was able to use the top and base also. The rod was cut out, and my husband used a die grinder to remove some excess solder. A die grinder isn’t hard to use, I just don’t like the noise or the flying sparks it makes.
I liked the idea of using a glass donut on each jar to make them look like they belonged together if they were displayed as a set. I stacked and played around with pieces to fit the donuts and the jar openings until I was happy with what I had. When making pieces like this, I like to take pictures of them laid out in the order they were stacked so I can remember how they go back together after the painting process.
Clean the metal pieces and buff them with #0000 steel wool before painting. Prime and paint. I used an Oil Rubbed Bronze finish.
I was able to use a short piece of threaded rod for the two larger lids and they screwed together really slick. E6000 was used to glue the small lid together. It was stacked and glued in small steps, letting the glue dry in between steps, so it would stay straight. When using glue, scratch away a small area of paint on both surfaces where glue will touch.
I noticed a flat bottomed glass globe while I was working. What the heck, why not put a lid on it too?
After priming I used a Silver Hammered Metal finish on this one. When dry, I sprayed a light coat of Silver Looking Glass Paint, and then buffed it lightly with #0000 steel wool after the paint was thoroughly dry. It was glued together. Don’t forget to scrape paint away where the glue will touch. Sometimes glues can soften or eat through paint and not adhere properly.
All I have for now. Thank You so much for visiting my blog. Please feel free to share my posts with your friends, re-purposing helps keep things out of our landfills.
I’ve started working on some Fall Sunflower decor to share soon; hope you come back to join me.
glassic touch 