Advertisement

Sydney’s sparkling blue garden mosaic

Make a fun mosaic garden accent

Sydney Minor’‎s mosaic tower has become one of our outstanding  “Flea Market Gardening July Challenge” projects! We giggled a bit and totally understood when she said it became a July-August project.  Her completed project was so worth the wait! Her new mosaic totem looks lovely tucked in her garden among her flowers and other treasures!

We were so pleased to have inspired her in any way to try her hand at crafting a mosaic totem.  Giving credit where it’s due, Sydney shared that it was in Eric Allen’s glass class at Ed’s Emporium Stained Glass in Bossier City, LA, where she learned to mosaic this style totem.  With knowledge gained at her glass class, Sydney came home with supplies and determination to complete her totem!

 

We’ll show you a few photos of Sydney’s project as it progressed.  Her totem was crafted using a 4×4 white vinyl post sleeve, a vinyl post jacket made to slip over wooden posts  This gave Sydney a firm base to glue on the mosaic pieces.

How To:

1) Using graph paper, create your design to transfer on to the post

2) Rough up the post with sandpaper

3) Glue glass pieces onto the post using marine glue, or adhesive of your choice

4) Grout the design using  sanded grout

5) Protect your post from the elements with  an outdoor sealer

Some of Sydney’s supplies include a Morton Board Glass Cutting system, glass nippers, running pliers and a pistol grip oil feed glass cutter.   She keeps alcohol in a spray bottle for cleaning before gluing,  a scraper to remove excess grout, sponges, pencils , graph paper and little storage bins for scraps, and sandpaper…. all sorts of treasures!  Every mosaic artist will find their favorite tools.

Sydney shared that as the totem base lay across her lap getting sanded, her  adoring kitty, Mittens, filled the other half of my lap!  What a sweet “helper.”

“Mittens”

Sydney revealed to us that she’s “Not a precise person—rather willy-nilly and hopes for the best!”  She’s a “use what’s on hand” kind of crafter!  Don’t you just love her “willy-nilly” project?!  Her totem glimmers in her garden…. inviting you to explore more!

 

Sydney’s finished mosaic tower in her garden

Sydney added a copper post cap as a finishing touch!

Sue Langley

Sue Langley, a passionate gardener and photographer lives and gardens with her husband and Corgi, Maggie on 7 acres just south of Yosemite, Zone 7 at 3000 feet. She manages the Flea Market Gardening Facebook page and website.

View Comments

  • WOW!!! I want to do this! Thanks for posting this BEAUTIFUL garden feature.

  • Earlene Landis says:

    Beautiful and love your sweet kitty.
    Sad to see the flower season end.

  • Stunning piece!

  • Myra Glandon says:

    Sydney,
    What a beautiful inspiring project. Thanks for sharing with us.

  • Sue Brandt says:

    Wow, your garden is beautiful and Mittens is adorable!

  • Lavonne Engbrecht says:

    I love it! I am sure Sydney is enjoying it too!

  • Marlene Stephenson says:

    Great job, that is beautiful and of course i do love blue. Sydney that is a beautiful totem for your garden. Thanks for sharing.

  • Eric Allen says:

    We actually use Mac Glue to glue on the glass. It drys clear and never yellows. It is also water proof.
    We are a Distributor.

    • Sue Langley says:

      Using these post 'sleeves' is genius, Sydney! This is a first for Flea Market Gardening,...hope to see more used in different ways.

      • Sue Langley says:

        Thanks, Eric...

  • Linda Greiss says:

    Sydney, I love your totem! It is spectacular.

  • Carla Janice Lepkowski says:

    Beautiful!

Recent Posts

Boat gardens sail away…with our hearts

Grow, Grow, Grow, Your Boat... These boat gardens are beautiful, colorful, and well grown.  It looks like a lot of… Read More

4 years ago

Decorate your garden with blue!

'Paint' Your Garden with Blue... Is your garden is singing the blues? Mix recycled containers and crafts with blue flowers… Read More

4 years ago

Lost and Found in the Garden

See this hilarious and sometimes poignant list of lost items in the garden Question.......what was the last thing you lost… Read More

4 years ago

Jeanne’s garden Baker’s rack

Designing a charming garden baker's rack When I first saw Jeanne’s well-arranged and simply delightful Baker’s rack, I thought, ‘Somebody… Read More

4 years ago

Billie’s Yellows in the garden

Choosing a color from 'Over the Rainbow Garden' Billie Hayman's garden is full of color and she shows how one… Read More

4 years ago

Alliums in the garden, real & crafty!

Alliums are drama queens in the garden! Whether real flowers, grown from bulbs or the crafted faux flowers modeled after… Read More

4 years ago
Advertisement