Hi and welcome aboard.We all have a lot of fun here and will try to help you if possible. Yes, thinset will work on stained glass. If I was doing the wings I would insert some type of armature into the wing to help support the weight of the crete, thinset and tess. Rebar is what I would use, but there are others here with more experience than I that might have a better idea. Be sure to double your lath, in other words, stitch your two pieces together with wire. The double thickness is what will hold your mortar mix in place. The cement is trapped between the two layers thus forming your wing and making it more lightweight. I could not get your link to work to the photobucket. You might go there, click on your photo and then copy and paste the url in the space provided on posts. This will give everyone a link to your photos. Good luck. Carol

Thanks for the info. The pictures are not very good but hope they will give the idea. The concrete is on.

Here is a link that might be useful: photobucket

WOW!!! Welcome! Love your birdhouse and lazy bill!!!(won't call it a girl!lol) LOVE the copper tubing for antenae!!! Is this pc all one pc of mesh? it should hold..unless the wings were attached seperately, then they might be trouble. I have to say...YOU are quite the perfectionist!!! Lovely work! My stuff NEVER looks this good...I tend to slop it on and yours is so nice!!! Good job! You are gonna be sooo HOOKED now girlie!!! Butterflies are just the beginning for you...I can tell!ha!

Well look at you go, girlie: Very neatly done. IMO, I think the wings are strong enough to hold any kind of tess you choose to apply. Yes, on the thinset. I use it for glass all the time w/no problem. I agree w/CALAM - the copper tubing is a wonderful idea. I LOVE your birdhouse. Also like those three little lights on the left of it. Did you make those? If so, please tell me your process, cuz I'm thinking of making a candelier for my back yard. Seeing your lights gives me new inspiration for yet another project. Welcome to the forum.

Pretty bowling ball too!!! Yup, those antenae are certainly food for thought!!! That's what I love about this forum...ideas, ideas, ideas!!!!

Welcome to our forum. In my opinion, you have come to the right place for help. We have some very talented people here, who are quick to share their knowledge and experiences. Do like your bh. Very pretty color combos. Can not wait to see your butterfly done. I have watched Flags' wire mesh pieces come to life, and do so like what she does. Keep us posted.

Kat

Oh, thankyou so much for all your comments for I have admired your imagination and work for a long time. I am most excited at the possibility of using broken tile instead of stained glass on this project. Calamity, the wings are in one piece going under body,second pair folded a little closer together leaving larger channel for concrete to form a sort of block base. Large scoops of concrete then placed to push body into. Body covered over with more crete and filled in about halfway up the body. Coat hangers added in wings just to allow a little more concrete to fill between double mesh. Copper tube was one of those 2a.m. revealations that just seemed right. Will probably add some type of balls to the ends to keep water out. Slowmedown, the lites you have been eyeing will have to be YOUR inspiration. For me it's a floor lamp in the corner of our lower level(dark) family/diningroom. Have added pics of birdhouse outside and a glass block/solar lite that was last winter experiment. Yep, I even had to try my hand at cutting cup in half. It worked and sat on my bench for a year so just glued to glass block. Still need to add plant. As everyone here knows, life won't be long enough to try everything. Not a one of my friends or family have any creative bugs so I'm sooo.... glad you are here.

Here is a link that might be useful: photobucket

Beautiful work!! Can't wait to see the butterfly finished. I love work done in just stained glass but once you start using tiles you get hooked in a different way. I scour thrift shops and yard sales for dishes to break and cut. It becomes an obsession and what a fun one it is. Mixing tiles and stained glass gives you so many options. Love all of your work

Hello Artglass! I havent got a mintue right now to look at your things, but a mo-buddy did a butterfly similar to what I think you mean. She used polystyrene foam to sculpt the wings, covered then with crete and then mo-ed. light weight and a gorgeous result.
I found some pics and stuff to give you the idea.
http://www.mosaicandstainedglass.org/forums/index.php?topic=2848.msg49933#msg49933

http://www.flickr.com/photos/cadonna/2466976878/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/cadonna/2466141009/

Just cut and paste into your browser

Here is a link that might be useful: Finished butterfly

Wackyweeder, thanks for taking time to give me those links. I had found this butterfly after I had my armiture built. Foam sculpting is definetly in my future. Always looking for examples. The butterfly you showed me is really beautiful. I can't decide between the bright colors of stained glass or the more mat looking tiles in earth tones of black, blue, brown, tan, and touch of terracota. My surface is pretty lumpy do to my concrete being a little dry when applied to the wings. Can I add a skim coat of something before starting to mosaic? And what would you use?

Can you rasp off the lumpiness?
If not probly thinset, but someone here will know Im sure!

There is a rasp for smoothing concrete. Use it all the time. Found it in the building section at Lowes. Also, in Riana's class, when she doesn't plan to mosaic her whole sculptures, she uses a watered-down grout for smoothness. That said, she makes her own mortar and grout from sand and Portland cement. In your case, you can certainly use a thinner mix of mortar for a second coat, if you don't have a rasp or file.

Thanks all! Just what I needed to know. Hope to go into city in next day or two. Will pick up a rasp and glass , tile, or both to start my design.

Ooooohhhh, I'm loving these free form sculptures!! I would love more information on how it's done. Slow, I've followed your progress on your wall and it is amazing! I really want to try something small like artglass' butterfly, but need more detailed information. Is there anywhere on the internet that has great detailed pics for the whole process?

Artglass, I also love your solar light and was wondering if you get a lot of light through the sides? That is a great idea!!

Artglass!!! I too have done a solar glas block and I too have the same garden edging!!! Love the whole description of how you did your butterfly, sounds very well thought out and structually sound!!! You are going to be a very welcomed part of this group!!!!
China treasr: Just check on the search engine here and I believe there is a posting that Slow did on how to do this! If not, you can always take the course with Rianna, she is soooo awesome and is a LOT of FUN!

Here is the link to Riannas stuff...
http://www.concretemosaicsculpture.com/

China treasure I did just as Calamity suggested. I printed Slow's description of the process and then viewed all the pics on Riana's website. Hardest part for me is explaining to the guys at Lowes what I want for materials. They have told me you can't buy portland cement but that it is just an ingredient so they sold me a bag of sand mix concrete. Since then I found 100 lb bags of plain portland cement at a small Lumber yard close to my house! Next project I will make my own from the recipe in Slow's directions. The lathe mesh was a real treat because I was in a car and had to get a little grumpy to get some help rolling and tying it. Guess these things are why I get so hung up on just what it is I want to ask for. As for the glass block, it gives a nice glow. I never got around to grouting the sides and if I do another I think I would put the glass close together and skip the grout because I think it mutes the light some.

I took Riana's class three years ago, along w/KLINGER and CALAM. As far as I know, there aren't any instructions on-line. I can't remember my first posting after I returned from the workshop, but I can tell you, CHINA, that anything you can sculpt outta the diamond mesh lathe, you can mortar. Anything you can shape, fashion, whatever, be sure and make two layers - the mortar goes between the layers for strength. You "sew" your sculpture together w/18 or 19 guage wire w/a little twist w/lineman pliers. You'll need a tin snip or metal cutter - get Wiss for the best one. Get the garden gloves w/rubber palms. This process makes very strong sculptures for any kind of weather, if done right. Two layers, mortar mix - or you can make your own mortar mix by using three parts sand to one part Portland cement. Since the cement comes in 93 lb bags, I have been using the ready mix. Quickcrete brand from Lowes - MORTAR MIX - not concrete mix. Mix it to peanut butter consistency, and w/gloved hands, gently push it between the layers, and smooth it out as best as you can, cover w/plastic overnight, and it's ready to mosaic the next day. ART: You did such a neat job of your butterfly. I'm so anxious to see how you mosaic it. Whoever at Lowes told you you couldn't buy Portland cement is NUTS. That's where I purchased mine a couple yrs. ago. Still have most of it in the garage in a bucket, but the mortar mix is so easy, I haven't brought it out. Must do that on the fountain I'm beginning. Oh, BTW - silica sand is recommended for smoothness, if you should mix your own.

Artglass, I just got a moment to look at your things....They are beautiful! And wow! I cant wait to see that butterfly. Very original. Welcome to the club, LOL

So...How's that Butterfly comin'.....

OOPS! Did I neglect to mention that I operate at the proverbial snails pace and a first class procrastinator. I went to town today full of optimism. It didn't go well. The glass studio was closed and I really needed supplies for an order. Lowes had no idea what a concrete rasp was. Menards have every color of Mapei grout but no mortar and also never heard of a concrete rasp. Hobby Lobby was a bright spot and had the black glass I wanted for the butterfly.....and then came the unexpected purchase of a folding screen. I am so excited because I have been looking for a while and it was half price. The plan is to remove some of the panels and replace with some stained glass. My head is spinning with ideas. I promise to start back on the butterfly as soon as I decide how to smooth it out some where the thin glass will go. Sorry for being so wordy,whew!

ART: Sounds like you have a tough time at Lowes. I've learned not to ask them questions unless I just HAVE to. I know the store pretty well, and I go to the section where I THINK an item I want is and look for it myself. IF I can't find it, I'll call for help, and usually can get what I'm looking for. Attaching a link to the picture I took just now of what I'm calling a rasp. It's like a carborundum stone - just courser and tougher. I use it to smooth out the rough spots on the mortar when I don't get it quite as smooth as I should. It takes the roughness off pretty well. The name on it is "Rub Brick", and I found it in the building section - near the concrete blocks. Wear a mask.
Concrete rasp

Slow, the picture is a great help. Until I can get one I think I will try the carborundum stone I have for stained glass. It just won't be as rough. Last night I did tile the half concrete block my BB was sitting on. It looks good so far but hope the tile will cure and stay on all right with the block being very porous.