I have made about two dozen mirrors. All of them have been round but you
can make them any shape or size that fits your needs. You can use window
glass or you can use plate glass or beveled glass (the one I like the best
because of the depth)

The glass bevels come in 5 and 7 inch rounds and can be bought at any
stained glass supply house or on line from stained glass dealers as well.
Larger bevel rounds may be available but they get expensive if you get too
large. I made a 12 inch round mirror for the Grove and I ordered the glass
form a place that sells replacement glass for windows and car windshields.
The thinker the glass the better.

Then you need to get copper foil from a stained glass supply house. This
comes in various widths and the one you need will depend upon how thick your piece of glass is. If you are a novice I suggest the black backed foil
because if you do not apply it evenly the copper will show through on your
mirror. The black backed foil eliminates this problem. The people at the
glass shop can tell you how to foil the glass. You can use a clothespin to
rub the foil tight to the glass.

Here is where you will need a special item. You will need to use a
soldering iron to tin the foil. I have an expensive glass crafters one but
I suppose you could get a cheaper one. Mine has interchangeable tips so I
can do decorative beading on the edges of the mirror but that is not
necessary. You will also need flux and solder. The folks at the glass shop
can help you out here as well. Better yet if you have any glass-crafting
friends who can give you a hand.

Some people want their mirrors embellished. I etched symbols ( runes,
oghms, pentagrams, goddess symbols) on the front of many of the mirrors I
have made. Again this is a personal choice and that should be done first
before any other work is done on the glass.

First:
1) etch any symbols you might want
2) copper foil
3) solder

The piece should be thoroughly cleaned after each step.

Next comes the painting.

I use One Shot Lettering enamel...it is a professional sign painter's paint
but you can get the job done in one application. It is a messy stuff so
don't get it on anything...it does not come off LOL (I learned this from
experience)

Allow this to dry at least 24 hours.You will need to look to see if you have to do any touch ups on this but most likely not

The last step is to back your mirror with felt to protect the enamel from
scratching. I suggest a product called tacky glue that can be gotten from
any arts and crafts store like Michael's, AJ Moore or Joanne Fabric. It
seems to work the best of any I have tried.

Cut the felt larger than your mirror. Brush the glue on the back of the
mirror and press on the felt. You can then cut the felt against the edge of
the mirror with no problem.

To make the mirror really shiny I suggest a glass polish for the finishing
touch.

I make my mirrors on the full moon. I place the glass out the night before
the full moon to let them absorbed her energy. And I work the mirror on the
full moon with the felt applied a day or two later. You can use oils and
incense to charge you mirror. I like to use bergamot for protection but the
choice is entirely a personal one.

Store your mirror in soft cloth to avoid scratching the surface.

We hope to use the one I just completed at the grove this Samhain. Best of luck with yours.

bb
Damiana Blume


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