Hand Mirror Using Stained Glass Technique.

 

Once you are good at stained glass,you can apply the technique and create many different and beautiful projects.We have already done stained glass suncatchers and stained glass windows/doors,to beautify the outlook of yor place.It's now time to make something to carry with you, and get compliments.Many of you must have guessed,yes,we are talking about stained glass hand mirrors,something that you can not only carry with you but also serve as elegant gift.

Things You Need:

• Glass
• Mirror
• Craft knife(for cutting leads)
• Liquid lead(available in bottles and tubes from arts and crafts shop)
• Transparent glass paints(available in variety of brands and shades from arts and crafts shop)
• Paint thinner(available from hardware stores and are used to thin the tarnsparent glass paints)
• Thin marker(for tracing the design on the glass)
• Paint brushes of various sizes.
• Solder
• Soldering Iron
• Solder Flux
• Masking Tape
• Copper Foil
• Grey Patina

Method:

1. To make the hand mirror,enlarge the design you wish to use and ask your glass merchant to cut a piece of glass and a mirror the same size as your template.
2.  Make sure to ask your glass merchant to rub the glass edges with the sand stone so as to prevent your hands from cuts. 
3. Clean the glass with glass cleaner.
4. Surround the piece of glass with 10mm to 12mm wide copper foil as in the following video:
5. Repeat this procedure of surrounding foil with the mirror.
6. Copy the template to the glass and then apply liquid lead,let the lead dry for at least 2 hours before you paint your template.
7. For instructions on applying liquid lead and using transparent colors,follow : http://living4artncraft.blogspot.com/2010/09/stained-glass.html.
8. Once the paint has dried,use the craftt knife to scratch off any paint that may have got on copper foil.
9. Apply the transparent frost texture smoothly and evenly,to the painted areas,frosting will take from 1-10 hrs to dry depending on the room temperature,and will prevent the paint work from getting scratched.
10. Once the frost texture has dried,thin down the yacht varnish with a little bit of  turpentine thinner and craefully apply a coat to the painted areas.Allow it to dry for 24 hours.
11. With the adhesive lead side of the glass on top,tape the mirror to the back of the glass.With the two pieces lying flat and on the edge of your work surface,brush flux in about six different places round the edge of the mirror and glass and spot solder to secure the two sections.Remove the tape,brush flux along the copper-foiled seam and flow solder right round.For instructions on solder and flux,please visit http://living4artncraft.blogspot.com/2010/12/using-solder-and-soldering-iron-for.html
12. Please remember,that you donot hold the two pieces upright when fluxing and soldering as the flux and solder will run between the mirror and glass and ruin the effect.
13. Using a soft rag,rub grey patina over the soldered areas so that they co-ordinate with the adhesive lead http://living4artncraft.blogspot.com/2010/12/making-stained-glass-suncatchers.html
14. If you are using some coloured stones or beads then simply glue them in position and there you go,you have beautiful hand mirror with you.