Glass Garden Totems: How to
How to make a garden totem from recycled glass pieces? Jeanne explains it, step by step. Easy!
Tired of ‘rust?’ Are you in a ‘glass’ mode for your gardens? Here’s a fairly simple glass totem bird ‘waterer’ to try with thrift shop dishes and vases.
Easy bird bath totem…see the microwave turntable it sits on?
Take 2 green glass vases, 1 green bowl, a microwave glass turntable for a base & a very heavy duty ashtray …use GE Silicone II for Doors & Windows (my preference) to glue them together. Start at the bottom and use masking tape to secure each piece. You may want to let each piece dry before you go on to the next. Be careful to create a solid bead of glue to hold the pieces well.
Our favorite glue for glass garden projects
GE II Silicone for exterior windows, in clear. Click to buy from Amazon.
GE Silicone II is in the paint and caulks department at many hardware stores in a ‘tube’ like for caulk guns or you can buy ‘glue size’ (shown)…just check the ‘use by date’ on the tube! The microwave plates, found at thrift shops, is used for ‘stability’ purposes & gets covered w/mulch or dirt in the garden.
Find small glass figurines to add
Of course, like many FMGers, the ‘fun’ is in the ‘hunt’ … so I added these Flea Market finds…a glass bluebird & a jeweled butterfly pin.
The fun part is finding a place for your totem in the garden
This totem waterer has been in my pond garden for about 5 yrs now except during the Winter
A side view of the green glass totem bird waterer
Any totem projects in your future? Please post a picture on our Facebook page. ~~Jeanne
17 Comments
Cute, oh my what a neat job, and you can find those vases all over, the ash tray may be a harder find. But what a creative imagination, you have..
Thanks, Amy … I made another one with these same vases but since I didn’t have another heavy duty ashtray find, I found a round green ‘snack tray’ platewhich had the indentation for a cup … so I glued a little bird on that spot … it was a gift for a friend’s b’day. Had fun doing it!
I believe your ashtray may have come from Blenko Glass in West Virginia. I have one just like it in amber color that I bought in the late 60s or early 70s. 🙂
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-RED-ORANGE-ASHTRAY-MID-CENTURY-danish-modern-glass-blenko-cigar-/271146309957?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3f21945945
TFSharing that, Tina … very cool! Love the amber color!
I have the Amber color one also! Don smoke so putting it to great use here. Now to find some vases, perhaps in red?! Our flea market opens this week! So excited!
That is so beautiful, thanks so much for the tutorial :O)
It’s easy to add a bit of bling to the garden this way,…I hope you try this fun project, Deb,…
You’re welcome, Deb! It was lots of fun to hunt for the glass & the goodies! Hope you’ll share a pic if you give it a try!
I made one, it was easy, under $10 and very unique.
Mary … Good for you …would love to see a pic … we all share pics on our Facebook page …just write your comment on the wall & click on ‘add photo’ from your computer files. https://www.facebook.com/fleamarketgardening?ref=ts
How do I post a photo of it?
You can post a photo directly to our Facebook page wall Mary Davis @ https://www.facebook.com/fleamarketgardening?ref=bookmarks
We love pics & ideas! We also have about 80 albums there that Sue periodically adds ideas shared on our page. ~~ Jeanne
Twice I have made my own bird bath with old lamp base,,, my favorite was an old filigre’ white chinese lamp base, with a white dish on top,, the second one is a big lamp base, purchased at the Goodwill store, and a big flat dish, with a large dish with walls in Turquois ceramic dish in center for the most part of the water. I love it,, the birds bathe in it and drink from it. i also had some left over chicken grain feed, so i toss out a cup a day to “my” birds!!! Now Blue j’s , dove family,and many many Chickadee’s come each day,, i watch them from my desk/computer and grow sun flower’s for them also. When the big giant Sunflowers die off, I use the tall stalks , make “wooden popsicle sticks to make a big flower, paint these,in brite colors and attach them to the old Sun flower stalks,,, my yard sings! jan the Artist in Ca.
Oh sounds wonderful! & especially that the birds are ‘loving’ it! I also can watch from my desk/computer space … so happy to hear that you feed the birds & they provide you such joy! ~~Jeanne (in Iowa)
Discovered your site today from another site as a suggestion from someone looking for an idea for old vases. I’m so glad I clicked in! I have made birdbaths from flower pots & the big “saucers” for under the large but I love this idea! I know right where to get some supplies- Mom’s attic! I’ll be hunting tag sales & flea markets all summer for more because I want to make a few as gifts for my gardening friends
Oh boy … you’ll be hooked on glass hunting for sure! Lots of fun to make & they are sweet gifts! 😉 Share pics with us on our Flea Market Gardening Facebook page if you like! ~~Jeanne