How to Make a Sea Glass Mobile
Many objects in our home start out being made by nature, then formed by man. Sea glass is unique in that it is the opposite: It is made by man, then formed by nature. Whenever glass gets into the ocean from litter or boat wrecks, the current dragging it through the salt water over sand and gravel tumbles it, sometimes for years. When it washes up on the shore, it is a frosted gem that can be used for decorative sea glass crafts and projects, such as a sea glass mobile.
Things You'll Need
- 12 pieces of sea glass
- 12 bell caps
- Two-part glass epoxy
- 2 pieces of driftwood, 6 inches long
- 18-gauge wire
- Needle-nose pliers
- 12 screw eyelet hooks
- Wire cutter
- 1/2-inch diameter dowel
Instructions
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1
Collect 12 pieces of sea glass that you like. You will need a bell cap for each piece. A bell cap is a clawed cap with a loop on top used in jewelry making. They are glued to the top of stones to turn them into pendants, so you can hang them from a chain. You can also use them to hang your sea glass from your mobile.
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2
Affix one bell cap to each piece of sea glass with a two-part epoxy, following the manufacturer's instructions.
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3
Cross two pieces of driftwood and wrap 18-gauge wire around them in the center, in a criss-cross design, to secure them together. Right above the cross section, make a loop or hook at the end of the wire with pliers to use for hanging. The wood pieces will be in a horizontal position when it hangs, one below the other, perpendicular to each other.
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4
Screw eyelet hooks into the underside of the wood. Screw six eyelets on each piece of wood, spaced evenly across.
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5
Cut four 12-inch, four 18-inch and four 24-inch lengths of 24-gauge wire. Working with one piece at a time, wrap each wire around a smooth dowel in a spiral form, then slide it off the dowel.
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6
Make a small hook at each end of each length of wire with a pair of pliers. Hang a piece of sea glass on one hook of each piece of wire.
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7
Hang the opposite ends of the wire from the eyelet hooks on the bottom of the wood frame. Put the four longest lengths of spiraled wire on the innermost eyelets, the medium length on the center eyelets and the shortest on the outer-most eyelets.
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8
Hang your mobile from a hook in the ceiling.
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Tips & Warnings
If you don't have access to driftwood, you can use any tree branches cut to about 6-inches long. Peel the bark off, sand them and rub them with mineral oil or a wood stain.
Instead of coiled wire, you can hang your sea glass from beaded chains or invisible thread.
Always use epoxy with care and follow manufacturer's instructions.
References
- Photo Credit Balancing Sea Glass image by Sophia Winters from Fotolia.com
