DIY: Glass Garden Totems and Art Towers

Milk Glass Tower by Marie Mims Butler

My garden writer friend, Marie Mims Butler, shared this sparkling craft on her Facebook page recently and it reminded me that I have been meaning to make a Glass Garden Totem with the vintage glass vases I have been collecting. Pictured here are a few of the art glass towers that Marie created.

This an easy craft. However, this is a not a child-friendly project, except for under very close supervision.

Clear Glass Tower by Marie Mims Butler

Materials:

- clear silicone caulk

- various glass pieces

- glass gems (optional)

Amber Glass Tower by Marie Mims Butler

Instructions:

• Select your glass pieces. They can be from your own collection or from vintage shops and garage sales. Ask friends and family if they have any old pieces laying around and collecting dust.
• Stack your pieces. Some pieces of glass are not smooth and you want them to fit snugly against each other, so test them out first to make sure they have full contact. Use glass plates and saucers as a platform between two tall pieces (like a vase or candle holder) that don't match up perfectly.
• Take photos with a digital camera or your smart phone and try out a few different options before you settle on the one you like best.
• Wash and dry the pieces and try not touch the surfaces again that you will place the adhesive on, so you don't get oils from your fingers on them.
• Join two pieces at a time together and set each grouping aside to dry according to the directions on your caulk adhesive. Then join those sections together and again wait for the proscribed drying time.
• Place your finished totem in the garden in a level spot. Enjoy!

Glass Tower by Marie Mims Butler

TIPS:

• You can use the caulk adhesive to attach more glass gems to decorate the glassware more, if desired.
• The glass surfaces can fill with water, so add mosquito bits or check it regularly and tip out any standing water.
• If you want the top level to be a bird bath, make sure the water level is shallow (1-inch in depth) and clean it at least weekly with a 10% bleach solution.

This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, I’ll receive a few pennies from Amazon.

This is a monthly blog series on DIY projects for the beginning home gardener. Look for the other installments in this DIY blog series by putting "DIY" in the search box here at washingtongardener.blogspot.com.