Hi and Welcome, Edwena. The only thing Totems do is addict us to make even MORE of them. LOL. But actually, they look very pretty in a garden with the sunlight hitting the glass. Some of those here have made the top part to be a birdfeeder or birdbath instead of just decorative.
Did you look thru our Totem album to see the different ones?
If not, here's the link. There are 100 in there at the moment.

hugs, Karen

Here is a link that might be useful: GJ Totems

Here is a link to a few Of mine and I am still making them!!! They are Addicting, I made 10 more plate flowers yesterday and hope to have them "planted" First of the week! Hold on to your hat edwena....you are in for a crafty ride!
{{gwi:158741}}3 New Cobalt Blue Totems{{gwi:158742}}Glass Totems

Here is a link that might be useful: Junk Daily

welcome..I'm new here too. My name is Tiffani, and I'm a glassaholic..:)

Welcome Edwene and Tiffany! I found this forum last year, and got hooked the first time I walked in. Never knew about glass totems till then either, but I am collecting pieces and hope to make my first one soon.

Purplemoon's Inspiration Album condenses it all so conveniently for us, and we sooooooo appreciate her for doing such a great job of this for the GJ Forum. A stroll through the Totem Album will say much more than words we can tell you :-) ~tenderlee

Hi~~~ I am new here also and I see that I am going to have a new addiction to making totems!! I thought the Totem Album was so cool! I made it a point to go to some garage sales this morning on a " Glass Hunt". I do have one question about them, could someone please tell me if you use a certain glue or what to hold everything in place? Thanks ;)

Oh, goody, some more glassaholic future totem makers! Welcome all!

What to do with glass garden totems!!! Well, I've made a lot and sold about 2 dozen. Have made probably another 2 dozen (afraid to count haha) and may sell some more. So far I'm enjoying them in my garden, on my patio and decks, and we're enlarging the garden so I have space for more. My DH doesn't yet know that's the reason I need a bigger garden! ;-)

I've been making totems for many years altho haven't been on this forum all that long. As for glue - I always used GE Silicone II clear which is for exterior windows and it works really well altho doesn't dry *totally* clear. I recently started to use Lexel which dries clear but is not quite as user friendly. I might go back to the GE Silicone II, haven't decided yet. Still trying to get a good result with the Lexel. I think most people use the GE.

The best part is collecting the pieces and fitting them together like a puzzle, it is very relaxing for me, the time just flies. I have been using Lexel to glue them, because it dries so clear, but you really have to let it cure for 4 or 5 days. The ones I have moved out in my garden seem to be holding up well. Also they make great gifts. Glad to hear from another newbie.
Syble

Thank-You Syble and Luckygal for the glue information. Of course after I got back from garage sales, I HAD to run to our town's Dollar Daze and see what kind of " Totem Junk" they had there......well, they not only had some mosaic bowls (?) but also some very cool mosaic frogs and lizzards for $2 each that I think will be awsome on a totem! Yes, I believe I am addicted~~~~~~~~

WELCOME to the junkyard ladies!!! We're always glad to have to "addicts" join our little forum! Totems are one of those things that just make you happy to look at...eye candy for the garden! The sun shining through them is beautiful and they also help give the garden color when the flowers start to fade! I am TOTALLY addicted to them and have so much fun collecting glassware and other items to make them! I'm looking forward to seeing your creations as well! And, I use GE Silicone II as well...just need to make sure you give it a few days to dry well before putting your totems outside.

Again, WELCOME!!

~Marlene ;-)

Glad your DH planted the toilet!
You also need to look at those photos
on the inspirations site, too! There was
a great toilet recently posted.
Welcome to this wonderful site full of goodies!

Tiffani, you definitely fit right in...admitting up front you're a glass-aholic. LOL.

Twotoomanycats....LOVE your name. (probably cause I have 5 cats. LOL).
Most of us use the GE II clear. I love the stuff.

hugs, Karen

Welcome to an awesome site, ladies! It is always great to see new faces and the wonderful ideas and projects you come up with. Just make sure you have a digital camera and are able to post! Good to have you in the Junkyard :^)

thank you all for the welcomes. Do you buy the glue at the craft store or the hardware store?

Hi Edwena, I'm sort of new too.
I've bought the glue at WalMart and at Lowes. It's pretty easy to find.
Welcome to the forum :)

Be careful with Walmarts, sometimes its out of date and then it doesn't work so good. I now usually get it at Lowes or Home Depot or Ace Hardware. And I got a caulking gun and the big tube of the GE. Easier for me to use and if you're gluing a lot, those little tubes run out fast.
When I'm done gluing, I just squeeze a bit out the end of the gun and let it be. Then when you go to use it next time, you just pull the 'plug' you made out.

hugs, Karen

Thanks ladies also for making me feel so welcome here! Now, going into Dollar Stores or garage sales is going to be more like a "Treasure Hunt" for me!!!!

Sorry for the mistake-- I misread that you DH planted the toilet!!!!
I like the name too--I feed 8-10 strays and have 3 indoors. one of them 'Bitsy' is the world's smallest cat. We are scheduled to see the Guinness Book folks next weekend in Atlanta. That's not to say that she will be accepted but proves that she IS a smaller cat than most. She is not real well right now--crossing my fingers that she makes it.

Thank you everyone for all the great "help". I'm hooked. Nona, my grandmother named me after my dad. There are now 4 ed's in the family my father, brother, and nephew 1, 2 and 3 respectively and me. I'm the original. Actually my name is english but my mom spelled it phonetically the english spell it Edwina.

Hi ncshabbybeach,
I love your totems. Here in Ga we are using wine bottle on the bottom upside down and putting the neck of the bottle over a rebar pounded into the ground. I've finished one and I'm working on several more. Love the cobalt.

Forgive the dumb male, but do the garden totems have to be in man made materials or glass?
Can they be clay,wood, metal?

Hello jolj,

I'm sorta kinda new but I puzzle together old pottery pieces, (i.e. goblets, plates, vases, bowls, etc. Chip and dip pottery pieces are my favorite.) I've been calling them totems but I don't know if that is GJ "correct".

The top pieces of my totems serve as either a bird feeder or a bird bath. I sometimes use an old brown ale (beer) bottle, turned upside down as the bottom piece. That would be in place of an upside down wine bottle or glass vase. I put a piece of copper and/or rebar into the ground and then put the pottery "totem" on top. This helps stabilize the piece in case of bad weather, hoses, and a variety of four legged creatures (including grandchildren.)

Since my pieces are for outdoors and I live in Minnesota, I don't glue the pieces together. Instead I drill holes in my pieces with a diamond core drill bit and then secure them with flat top bolts, nuts, threaded rods, odds and ends of old lamps, etc.

If the totem is serving as a bird feeder I usually drill small holes in the bottom of the plates and seed containers to let the rain water drain out. My fussy birds won't eat wet or stale seed.

If the totem is serving as a bird bath I add a few rocks to the bottom of the top piece.

My pottery totems are more rustic but I also adore my crystal and glass totems. Especially the cobalt blue ones. Unfortutely in my area the pottery pieces are harder to come by than some ubiquitous glass pieces.

Can you tell that I'm also addicted? I could go on, and on, and on.

Cheers

A girl named Max

ncshabbybeach- LOVE LOVE LOVE that red bird feeder!!!!

I've got my glass put away for a while, cause it's winter here, and they take up so much room to store until April or May, but now I want to make some more!

There are NO rules for totems- if it's in your garden, it fits here at Garden Junk!

Welcome to all you newbie junkaholics!

I've been here for awhile but have been AWOL LOTS!

Um... girl named Max - can you please show us some pics of your totems? They sound super duper interesting and I wanna seeeee! Thanks!