Design Folder: Your Online Design and Decorating Resource

d.i.y.: stained bottles

Speaking of handmade, here’s one easy craft project to up-cycle your empty glass jars and bottles into decorative vases.

MATERIALS

1. Empty glass bottle/s (make sure it’s clean and free from grease/oil)

2. Vitrail glass paint (P99 in National Bookstore; available in several colors)

3. Acetone or nail polish remover (used as a thinner for the paint)

DIRECTIONS

1. Combine glass paint with a small amount of acetone (just enough to partially thin down the paint’s consistency) in the bottle.

2. Mix them together. Slowly swirl the paint mixture until the entire interior of the glass is coated with paint.

3. Don’t worry if the paint looks cloudy. It will eventually become translucent with a glass-like finish as it dries. Let the paint dry completely for a couple of days before you put water in it and use as a flower vase.

Fuchsia looks great with turquoise, so I went out and cut some bougainvillea flowers. I never knew these flowers would look great in a vase! I’ll let you know how long they’ll last. (UPDATE: The bougainvillea flowers lasted for five days! Not bad.)

If you have a lot of bottles, you can stain/paint all off them in the same color and display them together near a window like some sort of vintage glass collection. They also make great containers if you want to give small flower bouquets as gifts. df