Vivian Gallagher
Materials
o white globe light
o white glass chandelier lamp
o multi-surface glue designed for outdoor use
o white spray paint primer
o black gloss spray paint
o turquoise glass gems
o latex disposable gloves
o tube of silicone designed for outdoor use
o blue painter’s tape
o clear finishing spray
Instructions
Step 1
Wash the globe light and chandelier light in warm soapy dish water. Allow to dry thoroughly.
Step 2
Attach the globe light to the chandelier light using a multi-surface glue that is also designed for outdoor use. Allow the glue to dry thoroughly.
Tip: Plan to hold the two items together for a minute or two or till the glue sets a bit. You want to avoid having the globe slide around and end up permanently crooked.
Tip: In the photograph you can see some of the glue through the glass globe. This is not a problem because you are going to cover it with black spray paint.
Step 3
Apply two coats of white spray primer. It is better to apply light coats rather than one thick one because that is a recipe for dripping paint. Allow each coat to dry thoroughly.
Step 4
Apply two coats of black gloss spray paint. Just like the spray primer it is better to apply light coats rather than one thick one because you will then get the drippy look. Allow each coat to dry thoroughly.
Tip: The white spray primer and the black gloss spray paint also helped to adhere the globe light and chandelier light more securely.
Step 5
Now you are ready to apply the glass gems. Here are my tips for making it a successful procedure:
~ I like to use silicone that comes in a tube that looks and works like toothpaste. This is the product I used when I created a Restyled Outdoor Plant Pot Using Spray Paint. It is a little more expensive compared to the bigger tubes that need to be applied with a caulking gun. But I found a little bit goes a long way. I was better able to control the amount of silicone being applied and keep the project from not getting too messy.
~ I like to wear latex gloves when working with silicone.
~ Start at the top of the globe. Apply one glass gem at the very top. Then apply a ring of glass gems around the single top glass gem. Allow this to set or dry before applying the next ring.
~ If you apply too many glass gems at once you will have a problem with slipping and sliding gems because you are working with a curved surface.
~ This is a project where you apply a section of glass gems and then go away and do something else and then go back and work on the next section.
~ Blue painter’s tape is very handy to stop the gems from misbehaving as you work down the sides of the glass ball. It is very effective in keeping the glass gems in their place as they dry. It is also easy to remove once the glass gems are dry without leaving a mark.
~ The glass gems I worked with had subtle different sizes and shapes so it was impossible to apply them in a perfectly lined up pattern. This did not bother me too much because I like to think that homemade DIY projects do not have to look perfect. It is the little flaws that give it its sense of beauty. My goal was to fill in the black spaces as much as possible but I was comfortable with some of the black showing because it complemented the turquoise gems beautifully.
~ My system for applying the silicone was to put a dollop on the flat part of each glass gem six at a time. The photograph shows how much I applied and you do not need very much. I recommend not applying too much silicone because it will squish out from underneath and make the gazing ball look messy. The silicone will not be visible underneath each glass gem when it is dry.
~ Your roll of painter’s tape will now have a second role. Once you have worked halfway down the globe you can flip it over and work on the bottom half of the glass globe. Place the globe on the tape roll to provide support. This portion of applying the glass gems will go very fast because each row can now easily rest on the previous dry row and there will not be as much slipping and sliding. Keep in mind you will still have to work in chunks but just bigger chunks as you get to the end.
~ I have one more word of advice. I set up a station in the garage with a portable table and chair so I could leave everything set up for a couple of days. We happened to be in the middle of some very hot weather so the silicone was a little more slippery to work with!
Step 6
After covering the glass globe with glass gems and the silicone is thoroughly dry apply two coats of a finishing spray. I used a clear coat spray that works to provide a protective and water-resistant coating. The instructions recommend applying two coats and it only takes six minutes to dry between each coat. This product comes in a matte finish and a clear finish. For this project I chose the clear finish that was left over from How To Paint A Ceramic Glazed Indoor Plant Pot.
Here is how to make a gorgeous garden gazing ball turned out..
… and here is how all three gorgeous garden gazing balls turned out!
o white globe light
o white glass chandelier lamp
o multi-surface glue designed for outdoor use
o white spray paint primer
o black gloss spray paint
o turquoise glass gems
o latex disposable gloves
o tube of silicone designed for outdoor use
o blue painter’s tape
o clear finishing spray
Instructions
Step 1
Wash the globe light and chandelier light in warm soapy dish water. Allow to dry thoroughly.
Step 2
Attach the globe light to the chandelier light using a multi-surface glue that is also designed for outdoor use. Allow the glue to dry thoroughly.
Tip: Plan to hold the two items together for a minute or two or till the glue sets a bit. You want to avoid having the globe slide around and end up permanently crooked.
Tip: In the photograph you can see some of the glue through the glass globe. This is not a problem because you are going to cover it with black spray paint.
Step 3
Apply two coats of white spray primer. It is better to apply light coats rather than one thick one because that is a recipe for dripping paint. Allow each coat to dry thoroughly.
Step 4
Apply two coats of black gloss spray paint. Just like the spray primer it is better to apply light coats rather than one thick one because you will then get the drippy look. Allow each coat to dry thoroughly.
Tip: The white spray primer and the black gloss spray paint also helped to adhere the globe light and chandelier light more securely.
Step 5
Now you are ready to apply the glass gems. Here are my tips for making it a successful procedure:
~ I like to use silicone that comes in a tube that looks and works like toothpaste. This is the product I used when I created a Restyled Outdoor Plant Pot Using Spray Paint. It is a little more expensive compared to the bigger tubes that need to be applied with a caulking gun. But I found a little bit goes a long way. I was better able to control the amount of silicone being applied and keep the project from not getting too messy.
~ I like to wear latex gloves when working with silicone.
~ Start at the top of the globe. Apply one glass gem at the very top. Then apply a ring of glass gems around the single top glass gem. Allow this to set or dry before applying the next ring.
~ If you apply too many glass gems at once you will have a problem with slipping and sliding gems because you are working with a curved surface.
~ This is a project where you apply a section of glass gems and then go away and do something else and then go back and work on the next section.
~ Blue painter’s tape is very handy to stop the gems from misbehaving as you work down the sides of the glass ball. It is very effective in keeping the glass gems in their place as they dry. It is also easy to remove once the glass gems are dry without leaving a mark.
~ The glass gems I worked with had subtle different sizes and shapes so it was impossible to apply them in a perfectly lined up pattern. This did not bother me too much because I like to think that homemade DIY projects do not have to look perfect. It is the little flaws that give it its sense of beauty. My goal was to fill in the black spaces as much as possible but I was comfortable with some of the black showing because it complemented the turquoise gems beautifully.
~ My system for applying the silicone was to put a dollop on the flat part of each glass gem six at a time. The photograph shows how much I applied and you do not need very much. I recommend not applying too much silicone because it will squish out from underneath and make the gazing ball look messy. The silicone will not be visible underneath each glass gem when it is dry.
~ Your roll of painter’s tape will now have a second role. Once you have worked halfway down the globe you can flip it over and work on the bottom half of the glass globe. Place the globe on the tape roll to provide support. This portion of applying the glass gems will go very fast because each row can now easily rest on the previous dry row and there will not be as much slipping and sliding. Keep in mind you will still have to work in chunks but just bigger chunks as you get to the end.
~ I have one more word of advice. I set up a station in the garage with a portable table and chair so I could leave everything set up for a couple of days. We happened to be in the middle of some very hot weather so the silicone was a little more slippery to work with!
Step 6
After covering the glass globe with glass gems and the silicone is thoroughly dry apply two coats of a finishing spray. I used a clear coat spray that works to provide a protective and water-resistant coating. The instructions recommend applying two coats and it only takes six minutes to dry between each coat. This product comes in a matte finish and a clear finish. For this project I chose the clear finish that was left over from How To Paint A Ceramic Glazed Indoor Plant Pot.
Here is how to make a gorgeous garden gazing ball turned out..
… and here is how all three gorgeous garden gazing balls turned out!
