Mosaic-Framed Mirror

Steps:

1. Place a piece of copper water pipe on an anvil and hammer it flat. Use the printed writing on the pipe as a guide for the hammer blows.

2. Cut the flattened pipe into four pieces, two 12-inch pieces and two 16-inch pieces with a chop saw fitted with a metal cutting blade. Wear safety glasses while using the saw.

3. Place a tape measure next to the length of the flattened copper and mark off every 2-inches down the length of the pipe and 1/4-inch from the edge for drilling holes for the nails.

4. Drill 1/4-inch holes at the marks on the copper with either a drill press or a hand drill.

5. Attach the four copper pieces to a 12" x 16" piece of plywood using galvanized nails and a hammer. Line up the edge of the copper with the back of the plywood so the copper extends 1/4-inch above the front edge of the plywood.

6. Cut a 6" x 10" piece of rectangular mirror.

7. Wrap the mirror's edge in 1/2-inch black back copper foil. Burnish the copper foil with a burnishing tool on all edges.

8. Spread thick white glue on the back of the mirror and glue it to the center of the board.

9. Apply flux to the top edge of the copper foil on the mirror. With a soldering iron, use 60/40 solder applied over the top edge of the copper foil. Wipe the flux off with wet rag.

10. Apply copper patina to the soldered area with a cotton swab.

11. Cover the remaining visible wood border with white latex paint and a foam brush. Let dry.

12. Cut various colors and sizes of mosaic shapes with a glass-scoring tool and tile nippers.

13. Glue the glass mosaic pieces onto the wood around the mirror in a desired pattern. Cut short pieces of 3/16-inch copper rod to place randomly between the tiles. Let dry for 24 hours.

14. Mix sanded grout with water following package directions. Wearing rubber gloves, apply the grout to the mosaic. Let dry for about 20 minutes.

15. Remove the excess with a damp sponge. Let dry for 24 hours.

16. Wipe off the remaining grout haze with a damp sponge and dry with rags. Seal the mosaic portion with a sealer. Aly Winningham has been pursuing her artistic interests since she was child.

Aly tried the traditional art school route, but being the true free spirit that she is, dropped out of college deciding instead to strike out on her own. This path led her to try metal work and later glasswork, which she instantly loved.

Website: www.terrafirmastudios.com