Fake Geode W/ Jazzy Glass

You're in love with Geodes, aren't you? Big sparkly ones? Me too!

These super sized faux geode cathedrals will bring all kinds of excitement and with just a few customizations the project will Jazz up your indoor or outdoor environment. My project started when, after years of admiring these rich, glittery cathedrals filled with real amethysts and researching the cost led me to develop my own glass. I work with various mediums and adding beautiful colored glass in pretty uniform shape, stable color, washable, safe to use, endless colors and combinations, could withstand temperatures up to 300°F and fade proof. Well, here we are able to construct our very own faux geode cathedral. Guess what? You can even make it larger than 22”. Design as garden light, swimming pool side speaker with lights, designer tables and the list goes on. So come on grab a snack, sit back and enjoy my Instructable.

Jazzy Glass, and other supplies sold here.

A step by step video just for you! Little note I’m no professional videographer just an artist with a mission to create and share.

Gather up these items from the supply list. Scissors, shaper sheet, ruler.

Measure out a length of 36”. The material is 18” wide so this cut Shaper Sheet will yield a very nice large geode cathedral (finished piece is roughly 22” tall). Now time to scrunch it up. Come on I know you have some pent-up aggravation, I believe it has been going on for close to a year now so give it a good scrunching. Feel better? Now let’s have some fun, unfold the Shaper Sheet and start to form it into the shape of the cathedral with the fiber side outward. (See photos). It’s this fiber side that gives us the tooth, we need to attach and lock on our hard coat, in this case it will be Sculptcrete (a concrete, clay) The interior material is made from strong form locking aluminum, it’s properties provide the strength to our structure and hold it in place while our coating drys or cures. I roll the edges inward and flatten, this will add even more stability, but give us a nice edge to adhere our Jazzy Glass appliqués to, plus allow an area for painting the geodes matrix structure. (See photos)

Once the desired form is created we can move on to the coating process. Let’s go.

Start by preparing your area to work with water. Gather general housekeeping supplies.

This process will require an area to let the cathedral dry undisturbed. You will need a spray bottle filled with water and your mixing bowl and brushes for mixing Sculptcrete. Mist the entire Shaper Sheet Geode shell with water. Put about 1.5 cups of Sculptcrete in the bowl and gradually add in water and stir. You're looking for a batter consistency. I’m using Woodland Scenics silicone collapsible bowls and silicone brush and spatula for mixing and spreading. After the mixture is ready coat all the white areas. You can spritz water a little as you go to get concrete deep into the fiber. Use the brush to smooth out the texture. We will apply another thin coat after it sets for a bit.

Approximately an hour. ( Just stiff to the touch, but still damp). See photos.

Next make a thin batch and do final coat. You can check to see if more is needed in areas that may be thin.

In this step you will have defined were or if you piece will have lighting, a Bluetooth speaker or maybe house numbers etc. Mark and drill out those areas if needed. I love just a spotlight when used in garden settings. It’s at this point I drill holes in the bottom for rain water to escape from, the holes are sealed with concrete sealer but can be done at the end.

Set to dry. If you can move to another area to create Jazzy Glass Amethyst appliqués.

Time to get our Shaper Sheet shell dry and apply the color. I use Woodlands liquid pigments (Earth Colors black and slate gray). Black was used.

You can use whatever you want we seal the concrete coating for outside use afterwards. Mix the Earth color as directed. It can be thinned and put in a small spray bottle this is good for hard to reach areas. A chip brush was used to do final an all over coat on Sculptcrete areas.

Let dry. Two coats we’re applied to give a darker appearance this was best for a good contrast to the Amethyst.

This process requires gloves, resin (UV resin was used plus two part epoxy Liquid Diamonds) and Jazzy Glass in two colors. Jazzy Glass, Shaper Sheet, Liquid Diamonds , QuickCure Clay, Sculptcrete, Jazzy Glitz Fusible Glitter, etc. comes in over 40 colors plus custom, it is perfect for many projects and this geode is gorgeous.

Let’s talk Resins. In the video I use UV resin to create quick appliqués however, I use the two part Liquid Diamonds and let the segments cure over night.

Take the clear vinyl sheet and lay flat, put hand fulls of JG Amethyst out onto vinyl (see picture). Glitter can be sprinkled on at this time or later.

Drizzle UV resin all over the top of the glass, letting it settle, turn on UV lamp to cure. This resin comes in a black bottle to keep the UV rays from hardening it. UV resin can be cured in the Sun but it takes time, so we use a UV nail lamp.

Very quick and simple, there is a slight odor so work in a ventilated area much like the nail salons.

In about a minute the glass and resin have now formed a rigid shape that will peel free from the vinyl. Repeat this process until you can dry, fill the interior shell. Make various sizes it will be easier to join later.

Reserve some of the amethyst and clear for edge details.

In the video I use approximately 4.5 pounds for the interior to start. Just a note. Aluminum foil snakes can be placed under the vinyl sheet to create a reservoir for the two part epoxy. Basically, several of these are created and left to cure for several hours or overnight. Great things about Jazzy Glass is you get multiple color variations with just one color top, bottom and sides have different colors that gives shading plus the glass creates volume saving on the amount of resin needed. Moving on

The interior is primed with multi-surface white matte spray paint. See photos

After the primer is dry acrylic purple paint in a matching shade is used to paint all the white areas and dried.

Take a look at everything and gear up for Adding Jazz to your JUMBO GEODE.

This next step you should have your hot glue gun ready with glue sticks, gloves, all your JG appliqués, remaining unused JG both clear and Amethyst colors. Plastic tweezers a towel or something to lay the geode to protect and to help hold in angles for applying JG. Plus, you will want to have either UV resin or two part epoxy ready for drizzle and coating. Do not mix up the two parts until all appliqués are put into place.

I dry fit the sections, breaking some apart to fit in areas for the best look, there is no wrong here just play around until the area is filled. Take the hot glue and begin gluing down you jazzy sections securing everything well. You will want to avoid lots of glue showing buy pressing pieces of the glass. Next, you will take small sections and strips the glass and glue all around the inside edges building some areas up even with the lip. See photo. Place remaining JG any areas where gaps may be. I lift my piece up to check for loose glass. Final step coming up just take your time doing all of these steps this is we’re the realism starts to appear.

The edges of a cathedral are relatively smooth considering the real geode has been extracted from the earth and the face is cut and ground smooth the dark black casing is concrete that has been added to all the outer area, this is done to protect the delicate beauty that nature has taken hundreds and thousands of years to create.

At this point it is time to take black, white and purple acrylic paint and an artist flat brush and paint the edges. Thin the paint with a little water to get up to the glass at the edge. See pictures. The purple is just used to create the illusion that crystals are forming so very little is thinned and placed around different areas where the glass and concrete edge meet. Look at pictures of other geodes for reference.

Let dry thoroughly. Now either use the UV resin or mix up your two part Liquid Diamond (as directed on the bottles) In this final step we are glossing edges and doing final drizzle coat and applying glitters that will be secured in place. Use a disposable small brush (flux brushes work well, as do silicone makeup brushes).

Drizzle and brush, resin all over the insides dusting glitter were desired. Work to the front top edge putting a nice thin coat all around. Look the project over and make any adjustments. You can add bracketing inside for your added lighting, etc. at this time. Resin will help secure into place. I have been asked if led strand lights can be permanently put in place. I do recommend this because if you ever need to change you can’t so put in little clips just inside the edge to hold lights in place etc. Let it cure overnight. Brush sealer to the outside Shapecrete area I do it even if I display inside just in case it goes outside in the future. That’s it finished, ready for your special place.

There is truly no substitutions for real geodes and their healing power. Our Jazzy Glass Geode has been just a stepping stone until you can acquire the real treasure. But let’s face it everyone needs inspiration, so hope this project does that for you! Peace my friends, stay safe and please go get you some Jazzy Glass because Broken is Beautiful it’s a facet of life. ❤️❤️❤️ Thank you! Please follow and share. The Juliart signing out.