August 13, 2025
I love adding garden accents to my landscape beds for interest. This week I am going to show you how to make garden orbs.
Gather your supplies
For this project you will need:
1. Non-stick cooking spray
2. A glass light fixture globe (find at the home improvement store) for each orb you want to make.
3. A bag of cement
4. A medium sized pail and stir stick for mixing the cement.
Optional: Mica Powder for color
Mica Powder can be purchased on Amazon. It comes in a variety of colors and can be used to add color to several things including nail polish, lotion, Epoxy resin, soap, paints, polymer clay, just to name a few!
Prepare the globe
- Spray the glass globe with cooking spray.
- Sprinkle the inside with Mica Powder. You can roll it around to get the sides.
- Find containers to set the globes in while the cement dries (also called curing).
Mixing the cement
- Mix up the cement in a medium size plastic pail. Make sure to have a stir stick (a paint stick works well)
- Pour about 8 cups of cement into the pail. You will add water to the dry cement. Be careful not to add too much water. You can always add a little more. If you do add too much water, add a little more cement. You want it to be the consistency of mayo, so it will flow into the globe easily.
- Make sure to have enough cement mix to fill the globe in one pour. You want the cement to come just up to the neck of the globe.
Watching the cement dry!
Allow 2-3 days for the cement to cure. The color of the cement will go from a dark gray color to a lighter gray.
Removing the glass to expose the globe
Supplies for safely removing glass
- A wooden mallet or hammer
- Gloves
- Eye protection
- A double lined paper bag
I put the globe in the grocery bags and set that in a garbage can. Use the mallet or side of a hammer to gently tap on the glass globe to break it. The cooking spray keeps the glass from sticking to the cement. Tap the glass and carefully remove the glass with gloves on.
Isn’t it pretty? Again, give the globe another couple days to dry all the way through.
Sealing the cement
The Mica Powder is just sitting on top of the orb, so it needs to be sealed to stay on the cement. By sealing the orb, it will also protect the cement from the elements. I did 2 coats, waiting a day in between coats.
Turn the orb upside down and give the bottom (which was the top of the globe when you poured the cement into it). Let it dry out for another day or two. You will notice a darker gray spot on the bottom that will turn light gray as it dries.
Seal the bottom of the orb after that has dried. 2 coats.
Place your orbs in your landscape to enjoy!
Kelly