Hypertufa Finials

Topping it all off

Finials have been used for centuries (usually carved out of stone) to finish off a stone wall or as a really interesting decorative accent on top of a garden fountain or almost anywhere else, for that matter.

Sometimes they're just a simple round shape, other times the artist gives it a lot of interest and character and carves it in the shape of a pine cone or even a pineapple.

Here is my take on finials; those glass globes scavenged from the dump are finally getting a use. 

The ones that have crackle glass are extremely fragile, and in my garden tend to get chipped and broken very easily. 

So, this will give them a final use, and I'll get rid of them (in shards).

Some tutorials would like you to spray the inside of the globe with Pam, or use vaseline, but I was too lazy to come back up to the house and get it, so these are made without any kind of release agent.

Besides, there would be no way of getting the glass mold off without breaking it.

Two of the globes are plain, the other has a little finial of its own, so I thought I would try and retain that, by packing the mix quite firmly around the inside of it. 

Hopefully, once the glass is broken and removed, that part will stay.

Remember when I said this type of globe is very fragile?  This piece just popped off without any reason, so use caution making these as the glass can shatter very easily.

The next day you will be able to carefully tap the glass with a hammer, and it will fall to pieces. 

Use gloves to handle the glass, and safety glasses, of course.

In time, and with the right conditions, moss will grow on the hypertufa.  Encourage it by spraying some buttermilk or yogurt on the are you want it to colonize.

See more ideas about finials and balls on my Pinterest board;