West Australian Christmas Tree

Glass and Copper Foil Hanging Planter Pot

You can’t beat the glass look when the light shines through the different colors. This is another example of what you can do with glass. Planter pots look beautiful with your favorite plants in them using contrasting colors of plant to the glass.
When we first started making this we planted the plants directly into the glass terrariums. The water eventually discolored the copper turning it green. So we sealed the base inside and then put the plants into small pots that hang over hiding the actual pot. That way it preserved the condition of the terrarium and did not spoil the effect at all.

Cut out a square piece of colored glass of your choice 12” x 12”









1. Draw the lines directly onto your glass as show in the above sketch

2. Now draw a circle in centre like above

3. Draw the extra lines as show onto your glass and cut out all 12 pieces.

You now have to put the copper foil around the side of the four outside frame pieces and solder them back to the original shape only this time the centre circle pieces will be missing. It will just be the outside square.

Now you have to copper foil only six of the other pieces to make your pot and solder them together. Look at the picture of the finished project to understand the directions better.

Solder 3 fine chains (make sure they are evenly distributed) onto the top of the planter pot, then loop the three together. Now solder one hook onto the top of the inside circle on the frame so you can hang your little pot from it. Also solder a small loop to the top to hang the whole planter from, we used a chain and put another loop to hang from our ceiling onto a sky hook. We neatened the solder around all the edges to make it more professional.

As an added feature we soldered loops to edge and threaded rope right around the whole frame. It was just a personal touch. Whatever else you do just gives it your own personal stamp on the article.

As the pot is very small on this, I planted a small cactus in it for awhile. Now I just hang sprigs of lavender across it, sprigs of nice smelling herbs.

This hangs in the kitchen, above our kitchen sink and smells quite nice.

To make a pot covered with mosaic tiles

These pictures taken at Mt Palmer mines behind Southern Cross in Western Australia

How to make a stained glass mirror

Stained glass has been around for hundreds of years. Many people have different ideas as to what actual stained glass means. Church windows look beautiful with their pictures created with colored glass. These consist of thousands of tiny pieces of glass joined together with lead. They individually cut out each piece by hand and the pieces, trimmed on a grinder to fit the exact shape. They add one piece at a time, placing the led around the edges of each piece. The glass actually slots into the ridges of the lead, then soldered together.

TOOLS REQUIRED Different colored glass, piece of mirror, soldering iron, flux, solder, pattern, and lead.

METHOD TO MAKE MIRROR You need to have a pattern drawn to scale of the article you wish to make. Whether square, oblong or oval. To protect your pattern, place a piece of solid, not too thick clear plastic over the top and staple it into position. Make a frame of wood around the edge of pattern, if square mirror, place a piece of lead along one edge next to the wood.

Place the first piece of glass over pattern and cut to shape. When correct, slide that piece into the side of the lead. Continue in this manner, adding the mirror section to complete the drawing. Now brush flux on each join in lead and solder each piece of lead together, making sure the joins are smooth and not lumpy.

Turn mirror over and solder joins on the other side. You can solder a piece of wire onto the back to hang mirror. Another idea is to put this into a wooden frame. It would depend on design of your mirror. Many people make beautiful lampshades this way.

IMPORTANT Lead is poisonous, you can use gloves when handling, although this makes handling difficult. Make sure, you wash your hands after handling lead, and do not eat anything while handling it.read more