How to Make Glass Imprinted Stones

Glass imprinted stones can be personalized to enhance the look of your yard or garden.

Glass imprinted stones are unique outdoor art made with stained glass and cement. The stained glass pattern can be simple or complex, and can be molded into a variety of stepping stone molds. This stained glass project can be finished in an afternoon and will enhance the look of your yard or garden for years of enjoyment.

Things You'll Need

• Stepping stone mold
• Printer paper or grocery bag
• Pen
• Scissors
• Stained glass pattern
• Pattern shears
• Stained glass
• Tools for cutting glass
• Non-permanent marker
• Clear contact paper
• Petroleum jelly
• DiamondCRETE Garden Stone Cement
• Water
• Popsicle stick
• Wet cloth

Instructions

1. Select a mold for your project. Local stained glass stores carry molds specifically for making glass imprinted stones. There are a variety of shapes and sizes, including 8-, 12- and 14-inch round, 8-, 12- and 16-inch square, 12- and 16-inch hexagon, 14-inch heart, butterfly, and cross shapes.

2. Tape several sheets of printer or copy paper together or cut open a paper grocery bag larger than the size of the mold. Place the mold on top of the paper and trace the bottom of the mold. Make a template for the mold by cutting about ¼-inch in from the line your traced on the paper. Place the template inside the mold to make sure that it fits without touching the inside edges of the mold. Trim where needed.

3. Draw your design on the template. Stained glass pattern books available at your local stained glass store include designs specifically for the molds. Choose a pattern that fits your ability to cut and work with stained glass. Label each portion of the design with the color of glass to be used and assign each piece a number.

4. Make two copies of the design, one regular and one that is a mirror image. Depending on the size of your template design, you may need to take the design to a copy center. Set the mirror image copy aside.

5. Cut the copy of the template design with stained glass pattern shears. This tool will cut out the appropriate amount of space between each piece so the cement will fill in between the pieces equally.

6. Trace each pattern piece onto the appropriate color of stained glass with a water soluble marker and number the piece according to your pattern. Cut out each stained glass pattern piece.

7. Roll out a section of clear contact paper and place the original template on top of it. Trace the template onto the contact paper and cut.

8. Place the mirror-image copy of the pattern template on a flat surface. Remove the protective paper from the contact paper and turn it sticky-side up over the pattern making sure the edges of both line up.

9. Place the stained glass pieces onto the contact paper. Wipe off the number on each piece of glass and place each piece, upside down following the pattern on the flat surface. Continue until all glass pieces are in place.

10. Wipe a thin layer of petroleum jelly around the inside edges of the mold. Carefully pick up the contact paper and place it into the prepared mold

11. Prepare the cement according to the manufacturer's directions for the mold. Slowly pour the cement into the mold until all the cement is used. Tap the side of the mold to raise the air bubbles to the top. Let the cement cure for 45 minutes to an hour. Turn the mold over.

12. Remove the contact paper and clean any excess cement off the stained glass pieces with a damp cloth and a popsicle stick. Fill in any air hole pockets with the cement scrapings and smooth with the cloth. Leave undisturbed for 28 hours before placing the stained glass stepping stone out in the garden or yard.

References

• Creativity-in-Glass; How to Make Stained Glass Stepping Stones
• Art of Stained Glass; How to Cut Glass

Resources

• Free Stained Glass Patterns on the Web
• Whittemore-Durgin Glass Co.; DiamondCRETE Garden Stone Cement