Recycle and upcycle vintage glass

by Debra Anchors

Vintage pieces of glass call out to me whenever I yield to my passion for thrifting.  This is a project I put together a few years ago, and it remains standing in my Midwest garden, even through snow, rain, heat, and gloom of night.

To create this vintage glass totem, I weighted the base piece with kitty litter and then made certain to use glass pieces which fit together perfectly.  I chose soft colors, which complimented each other beautifully. It was also important to me that none of the pieces, once glued together, could catch water. Mosquitoes are a nuisance during a Midwest summer, and the temperature drops during the winter would freeze puddling water, ultimately breaking the glass.

Patience is necessary. Only one set of pieces can be connected at a time.  Because I needed a bonding agent which would be waterproof and also sustain below-zero temperatures, I chose an industrial strength, flexible adhesive.  Drying time for the adhesive is an hour, so the work is slow.  I think the result is beautiful and well worth the effort.

Note:  For convenience, I have embedded links into the text that will take you to the products used in this project.

Recycle, upcycle and do it yourself? Absolutely!  Have you upcycled something unique for your garden from recycled materials? Please share it with me so I can feature your creation here.


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Until next time - 
Debra