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Newbie needing advice regarding 'plain glass' totem

11 years ago

Hi, I'm new here, so hope I'm doing the right thing. I really want to post several photos but can't work out how.

My question is....I have several really 'plain' pieces of glass and have been experimenting making a totem using some small candle holders full of glass marbles. Does it look better with just the 2 levels of 'candle holders & marbles' or with more levels with an etched glass piece on top?

Any advice? :) Thanks.

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Comments (20)

aussie_mum
Original Author
11 years ago
Here's the totem so far.....
aussie_mum
Original Author
11 years ago
Does it look better like this, with another level, using a small etched glass votive?
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Oh, I like that amber one. :) Being a bit obsessive/compulsive, I went to Council Bluffs/Omaha today and shopped 5 thrift stores. I think SA & GW are a bit crazy on their prices. I bought a bunch more trying to spend at most 1.99/piece and preferrably If I really get into this I'll have to watch for a antiques/household auction. DH & I used to go often for antiques and sometimes they end up selling tables of the cheaper glassware in big lots for a few bucks. Beings I also like antiques, I have to balance this garden junk vs collectible glass thing in my mind. One thing I paid 2.99 for today is a cake plate. I think its kinda too nice for the garden. BUT, its not like I don't spend bunches on my flower gardens already and after all, it is used glass. :-P Just keep thinking of my MIL whose every day dishes are a mismatched, chipped mess. Depression era mindset. I don't think she'd EVER consider putting a nice cake plate in the garden. lol And yes, to the dangers of dry stacking the totems. I stacked that one last night on the floor in front of the couch. And then the smaller of my 2 dogs took a flying leap off the sofa right between the totem and the coffee table. didn't take long for me to get it disassembled and packed away after that. A close one for sure.
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What kind of reinforcement are you planning? If you are hammering rebar steel down in the ground first, then yes it should hold up. In areas with good loose soil keeping a heavy one (top heavy) standing straight may be difficult. If you are drilling holes through each piece of glass and threading them on a pipe, then being heavy should not be an issue. I've only used the marbles, which do add weight, on the totems that sit flat on the ground or upon a stone pedestal. So I do not know by experience. I use a stake for my teacup (light weight) bird feeder totems. The plates catching water is good for butterflies, wasps, bees (and mosquitoes if left standing too long). In dry weather it could be used as a bird seed tray. So the owner of the totem will have to pull it up out of the ground and spill the water out. After gluing the piece together I like to put my totems on a lazy susan. I twirl the totem around and smooth the glue with my finger to make it as airtight as possible. Sometimes I will glue marble blobs over the seams to hide the glue. susie
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Marquisa, My husband, myself and our two kids opened up a roadside stand last year for the first time. We took over by grandmother's 2 acre garden and took advantage of the good location and opened a stand on the edge of the road during the summer and stayed open until Halloween. We were open weekends and then in the fall we were open full time for 3 weeks during fall harvest. We used a big metal mailbox attached to a 12 foot wood table for when we were gone (as we don't live there but a few miles away. We left produce out with and signs for pricing and the honour system was kept. Our phone # is listed on a sign so people could contact us right away if needed. We would check it everyday and restock produce during the week and be open on Saturday and Sunday 8:00 to 5:00. I also sold vegetables directly to friends, members at my sister's health club, co-workers....all because of word of mouth and letting people know what I had. 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Oh, yes, I wasn't following the description that well, and was looking at the labels on the pictures. The dairy sink being the separate one makes sense. I also totally missed the 24" dishwasher on the plan. So sorry about that! Ignore entirely what I said about it. That's why I ask questions. Besides learning more, I also get my mistakes fixed. :) And it helps my approach to know that your rabbi requires separate dishwashers. That pretty well points to the other requirements you have. :) One really important piece of advice: Have a backup plan for Pesach. Unless you're much further along than you sound like, you're in the zone of if everything goes right. Make a plan for what to do if things go wrong and you're not in your new kitchen in time. At least if the sinks and appliances are in on time you'll be able to cook ahead. :) Re the overhang (which doesn't show at all on my screen), 30cm should be adequate. It's a little tight, for long term comfort, but so is the width. 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aussie_mum
Original Author
11 years ago
Last one! Is this 'too much'????

Once again...any advice is appreciated. And if you don't like it feel free to say so...I'm a big girl! :)
Marlene Kindred
11 years ago
Welcome AussieMum! I must warn you that totems are very addicting! This is my personal opinion, but unless you're using cut glass in a clear glass totem, I like lots of color, so I would use both candleholders with the colored glass inside. I would suggest switching the etched glass and the blue glass holder around only because to me the etched glass looks like a bigger container and I like the look of large to small in totems. Other than that, I like your color choices. I think they add the pop of color needed to make your totem great. Don't forget to let us see the finished product too.
nonacook
11 years ago
Welcome!
Glad you are trying the totems. I like Marlene's
suggestion of putting the large one under the 'blue'
one.
Please come back often and show us what you are making.
indigosunshine
11 years ago
Welcome! Your totems look great! They look like soap bubbles! My only advice is that the taller you go up, the wider the base for stability.
mjowest
11 years ago
Love them! make one of each...lol!
oldcrafty
11 years ago
Welcome......and yep, they are very addictive! You won't look at a piece of glassware the same again. You will automatically be envisioning a totem! All your variations look good, when you look at the different stacks which one appeals to your eye? That's the way you should assemble it.
aussie_mum
Original Author
11 years ago
Thanks for all your replies! :)

I have been 'lurking' for a month while I was away on holidays, gleaning ideas and just itching to get back home and be able to start some projects! I went to heaps of garage sales and op-shops and kept buying 'stuff' and when I got home, as you can see from the photo, I laid all my "haul" out on a table-tennis table.....and there's hardly a spare inch for any more items!!! LOL!! (Oh and there's more stuff on the floor Such as some galvanised buckets, wooden tool box, metal tool box etc.)

I've bought a range of things, not just glass, as I want to try a heap of projects such as wind chimes, sun-catchers, quirky containers for plants etc. It all started with me googling "Croc shoes planters" because I wanted to turn my crocs into planters.....and the rest, they say, is history! LOL! I have been unwell for years (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome) and am finally finding some solutions and getting better! So NOW I am attacking my garden which has been sadly neglected! I am going to make a "Quirky Corner" in my back yard and have been gathering things for months to use out there.

I also have a heap of things I 'snaffled' when my Grandma and Uncle died, such as a huge rusty spanner, and the 'brass name plate' my long-deceased great-aunty had at her front door advertising that she was an elocution teacher etc. So....I have a heap of ideas and plans and now just have to get down and DO them!

I've been making some mushrooms and have started on a 'crystal and cut glass' totem and some bird-feeders. I'll post photos when they are done. It was the 'clear glass' I was especially struggling with. I've been playing with various groupings of the crystal and patterned glass, and some things 'pop' and other combinations don't but it was the clear glass that I wanted to double check with you folk as I didn't want to make something that looked 'dorky'.

Thanks for your suggestions!

indigosunshine...YES...that's similar to what I thought - the glass containers are all very 'bulbous' and bubbly! I was thinking last night I should use a microwave turntable for the base, so thanks for confirming that for me.

oldcrafty.....I like the tallest totem but wondered if it was 'too much'? I didn't want to be guilt of taking a good idea 'too far'. But I also likes the smallest totem, with just the 2 layers of rounded glassware. Oh, decisions, decision! LOL!

marlene_2008 .... thanks :) I'll switch the etched glass container lower in the totem and see what it looks like.

Thanks again for all suggestions and encouragement! And yes....I'll be back! :)

PS could someone please tell me how to get several photos in one message please. Ta :)
1wanderer
11 years ago
Hi aussie.mum
I'm an Aussie too!
I think whatever you like the look of best.
I've also been hanging out at op shops and garage sales and have collected a few pieces myself.
I haven't glued them together yet.I just keep playing with them lol
What are you using as 'glue'?
Cheers
1wanderer
11 years ago
Heres another one I'm playing with
aussie_mum
Original Author
11 years ago
Hi Wanderer1

Nice totems! I think it's time you stopped playing and started gluing! LOL! As others have said...it's addictive! I started making some mushrooms just to get a feel for it and am in the process of gluing up my first totem and want to start on my 'soap bubbles' (which is what I'm going to call it now!...thanks indigosunshine!) one soon! :)

I see you've got some glass bowls with 3 little 'feet'. I was going to use one that I have in a 'mushroom' but asked DH if it looked weird with the 3 'ears' or lumps and he said it looked a bit deformed, so I decided not to use it in a mushroom. I like how you've use them in the totem.

I'm using Selleys Liquid Nails High Strength "Clear" glue. It's waterproof, dries clear (sort of) and is for glass, metal, ceramics, etc. I got it from Bunnings. I couldn't see the glue that the American ladies talk about. I've since googled it and it is available in Aus in some stores but the Liquid Nails seems to be holding. I'm still experimenting! I'm in South Australia in the South East so it's dry & hot in summer but can get down to 0 on some winter nights because we live on the edge of the "90 Mile Desert" that extends into Victoria. I'm hoping the glue will cope with whatever the weather.

Now....go and get some glue, get those totems glued up and then post some pictures! :)
cheers!
indigosunshine
11 years ago
Hi Aussie-Mum, don't worry about anything looking dorky....just put it in your quirky corner! You have inspired me to put in a quirky space (some would say that my whole yard is that!). Looking forward to more pictures!
aussie_mum
Original Author
11 years ago
Hi indigosunshine,
I'm so chuffed that I have inspired you! :) The picture below shows where my 'quirky corner' is going to go! (I've been tossing up whether to call it a "Kwirky Korner" or "Cwirky Corner"!!! LOL!

We've just pulled out an undercover, free-standing sandpit that I built years ago, (It was a huge wooden box with a ledge/seat around all 4 sides....the kids played in it for hours! Seeing my youngest is now 13 it's high-time for the sandpit to go! LOL!) and I'm going to revamp that space. I'm going to attach 'quirky' things to the little fence on the left. (I built that too! I went to several wood-work courses when my daughter was a baby! LOVED IT!) Just showing off here! LOL! I have a couple of large rusty wrenches, some old door handles....and my 'croc' shoe planters - all 2 of them! I wanted to turn that fence into a huge 'croc' wall but then got distracted with all the other quirky ideas! LOL!

I want to make the kettle BBQ that's hiding under some shadecloth, on the left, into a plant container.

I want to attach a big clock I got at an auction (for $1!!!!!) to the wall and the 'fire guard' on the right, has no 'legs' so it might go up on one of the walls too.

I want some windchimes and sun-catchers too, and a chair and coffee table!

As you can see....I have big plans! Now I need the time, energy and "oooomph" to get it done! :)

Where are you going to set up your quirky corner? We'll have to be 'quirky corner buddies' and encourage each other! :)
sunnyca_gw
11 years ago
This looks like great "quirky corner" That white basket thing with handles sticking up needs a bright coat of paint Would look great hanging up, the plaque with what looks like a dog heading to right needs to be in the scene, maybe near clock or on other wall, might need bakers rack or old wood bench or bed bench something to sit on or fill with treasures!! Will be fun to see what you come up with & we can give you ideas if you get stuck. Always easier to tell someone else what to do it seems then get it right at our home!!LOL Jan
1wanderer
11 years ago
Thanks Aussie Mum for the heads up on the 'glue.
I think you need something quirkier than a clock on one of those corner walls.
Make a gate! I did!
Mine is actually a 'gate' but you could do something similar to hang on one of those walls
This is my gate. All from the recycled building place and the backyard
1wanderer
11 years ago
I think my whole garden (and house) is a bit quirky. I just have 'stuff' everywhere lol
Last year I found this old door which has been sitting in the garage as I can't find a blank wall to hang it on and I don't have a 'woman's shed' or it would be THE door!
I imagine it will look even better when it is cleaned up a little!

This post was edited by Wanderer1 on Fri, Feb 1, 13 at 5:02
aussie_mum
Original Author
11 years ago
LOL!! I love the gate & admire what you've done! I don't think I'll go down that path (no pun intended!) as I have other plans for that spot but I do like your gate. I won't just be putting a clock on that wall....I do have some other plans but time will tell if I can pull it off. Thanks for the photos!
ravencajun Zone 8b TX
11 years ago
I have made many totems it is addictive for sure. I will caution both of you to go with bigger bases and heavier the better, microwave turntable platters are great, I buy every one I find used. Wanderer I would definitely add a platter base to your first picture, that small bowl as a base for a tall totem will end up toppling over.

Aussie mum I personally really like the first picture best I think the like glass goes well together, you could add a nice gem on top of the top globe as a fineal, like you have on the last picture.

The thing is there's no right or wrong, just stack till you hit one that gives you that ahh ha joy moment. You should try to keep plates that can catch water facing down, but I don't always do that. Really the good heavy wide base is the one key element.
The rest is all fun.

wanderer I posted about your really fabulous door on the other thread.
aussie_mum
Original Author
11 years ago
Hi ravencajun,
Thanks for your comments. I'll get a microwave platter 'asap' - I saw some in an opshop in another town last week so I know where to get some. I hope to glue it up soon and will post photos when I am done. :)

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