I Used Recycled Glass To Make A Mosaic Wall Memorial

When quarantine started, I began sitting at our kitchen table way more than usual due to working from home. Sitting at the kitchen table also lead to me glaring at the ugly, messy looking wall, that you could see from our kitchen window. When we bought our home, I already decided I disliked the wall, but other projects took priority.

Thus, my quarantine project/ labor of love began.

How long did it take?:

-I worked on the wall every weekend for at least 4 hours a day, starting on 3/27/2020. So, roughly, at least 80 hours, probably more.

Where did your supplies come from?:

-About 50% of the glass came from empty candle jars made by DW Home Candles (@dwhomecandles on instagram, check them out), the other 50% of glass are scraps from stained glass artists, which I purchased from various stores on Etsy.

-The rose in the center was a custom order, cut by a stained glass artist on Etsy. Check her store out here: https://www.etsy.com/shop/GlassLadyDesigns

-The brick tiles on the bottom border came to me blank, from Floor Decor and More. I designed the star in the center, cut them out of painter’s tape, taped off the corners of the tiles, and spray painted them, to get the concrete tile effect.

-The mortar/ grout is quick set, which I got from a local chain hardware store.

Details about the design:

-Originally the rose wasn’t going to be in the design. But, this project turned out to be the last project my mother in law saw of mine before she passed away (my husband showed her a video of me working on it and she was exited; she said she hoped she could see it finished).

-When I started working on the wall again after she passed, I had an overwhelming feeling the rose should be added to honor her. I know Rosa would love it; all things iridescent and colorful were her favorite.

How did you make this?:

-First, I broke a lot of glass. Sometimes by throwing jars on the ground, while they were contained in heavy duty bags, sometimes by hitting them with a hammer. Did I get a lot of cuts? Oh yeah, especially on my finger tips and my feet (pro tip: wear thick gloves and closed toe shoes).

-To create a border on the right bottom side, I added cinder blocks, tiled the front of them, added cement to the top to level the blocks off, then added glass in corresponding colors of the wall over the cement.

-To hide the electric box, I painted mosaic style blue shapes in various colors, outlined by gray paint.

-To hide the hole under the electric box, tile was grouted to a piece of sealed plywood, which can be removed if access is needed to the conduit.

I Used Recycled Glass To Make A Mosaic Wall Memorial