How to Make Colored Glass at Home

If you have been to any home boutiques or scrolled through your favorite decor sites in the last year, it’s very likely that you have come across a shelf of chic, colorful, tinted glassware. From vases and candle holders to stemware and tumblers–this rainbow trend is a gorgeous way to bring color into your china cabinets and tabletops.

However, the price tag can make it difficult to take the plunge, which is why we knew we had to figure out a DIY version. 

Spoiler alert: we did it!!

How can you make DIY stained glass?

If you follow us on social media, you may remember the tutorial we shared last year for DIY colored glass candlesticks. This project was so much fun and one great method for tinting glass at home. However, the paint we used is Gallery Glass (an awesome paint meant for creating faux stained glass) that leaves a texture behind that mimics real stained glass.

And while we didn’t mind the texture at the time, since that post, the makers of Gallery Glass have released a new glass paint that tints glass without the texture, which turned out to be a MAJOR upgrade! 

Note: You can see our faux stained glass projects using Gallery Glass on this stained glass window project and this terrarium project! 

How to make tinted glass at home

The process for applying this glass paint is so simple–just brush it on! Then, once it is completely dry, the results are a lovely, colorful tint that looks straight out of a fancy boutique. No one will know this is DIY!

Supplies Needed to Make Colored Glass at Home

• FolkArt Murano Glass Paint
• FolkArt Murano Glass Paint Brushes
• Glassware (For this project we scoured our local thrift store for glass vases in all shapes and sizes and found so many good ones! Plus, they were SO affordable!) 

How to Make Colored Glass Jars and Vases

Watch us make them on Instagram by clicking here!

Step 1. Prep the glass

Clean the glass to remove any dust or oils. Let dry completely. 

Step 2: Apply the paint

Squeeze the paint directly on the outside of the glass. Using a paint brush, paint until smooth over the area you would like covered. Let dry completely. (The color will change quite a bit once dry so it’s important to let it try completely to determine if you would like another coat.) 

Step 3: Repeat

If you’d like a deeper/brighter color intensity, repeat step 2 and let dry completely. Repeat this process until you have reached your desired shade. 

Step 4: Let dry

Once painted and dry, enjoy!

Aren’t they lovely? The way the paint brought the glass to life is my favorite thing, and it couldn’t be easier to achieve! Just paint on and let dry. We love crafty innovation! 

So many possibilities for making with this method. What would you paint first?  

How to Make Colored Glass at Home

Print

Love the colored glass trend but don’t want to break the bank? Learn how to make colored glass at home with the best DIY dupe for tinting glass–perfect for vases, candlesticks, dishes and more! Keep reading for all the details!

Materials

• FolkArt Murano Glass Paint
• FolkArt Murano Glass Paint Brushes
• Glassware

Instructions

Step 1. Prep the glass

Clean the glass to remove any dust or oils. Let dry completely. 

Step 2: Apply the paint

Squeeze the paint directly on the outside of the glass. Using a paint brush, paint until smooth over the area you would like covered. Let dry completely. (The color will change quite a bit once dry so it’s important to let it try completely to determine if you would like another coat.) 

Step 3: Repeat

If you’d like a deeper/brighter color intensity, repeat step 2 and let dry completely. Repeat this process until you have reached your desired shade. 

Step 4: Let dry

Once painted and dry, enjoy!

Notes

The thrift store is a great place to find glass vases in all shapes and sizes at an affordable price!

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

• 
  FolkArt Murano Acrylic Craft Paint Kit, 15 Piece Set Including 5 Brushes and 10 Transparent Colors, PROMOMG24

Happy making!
ox. Liz and Sam

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DIY Paper Plant: Calathea Medallion

A few years we made a gorgeous Begonia Rex plant from paper that we still admire in the PLG craft room. It’s colors and leaves are still just as vivid as day one, and it makes such a fun statement.

Making flowers and plants from paper is a super fun, low-stakes way to be creative and bring the outside in without the added responsibility that comes with a live plant.

Plus, the Silhouette Design Store has tons of fun designs (we want to make them all) that are so easy to whip up and create something gorgeous.

How do you make a paper plant?

Our only experience with making 3-D paper plants has been coupled with using the Silhouette Design store plus one of our Silhouette cutting machines. It’s likely that any cutting machine brand of your choice has something similar, but this is the only machine we’ve tried this kind of project with so that is our point of reference.

The Silhouette Design store has endless 3-D projects to choose from. After you choose one and purchase it, it shows up in the Silhouette Studio software ready to use. Then, all you have to do is choose your paper color scheme and start cutting.

Supplies needed to make a Calathea Medallion DIY Paper Plant

• Cardstock in mint, light pink, emerald green, and maroon
• Silhouette Cutting Machine (we use a Portrait or a CAMEO)
• Calathea Medallion cut file
• Hot glue gun + sticks
• Wired wood picks
• Scissors
• Floral foam
• Vase

How to make a Calathea Medallion Paper Houseplant

Step 1. Load your design into your Silhouette Studio software and assign your design to cut by fill color. If you aren’t familiar with how to do this, visit our tutorial here. (You can also cut your pieces by moving what you are cutting in and out of your cut tab, but we think cutting by fill color is pretty slick!) Adjust your settings to cut cardstock.

Step 2. Load your first color of paper into your machine and send to cut. Repeat until all of the pieces in the various colors have been cut.

Step 3. Remove your leaf pieces from the cutting mat.

Step 4. Assemble the leaves by layering them on top of one another and securing each layer with hot glue. The white leaf pieces are on the bottom followed by the green, then the salmon, then the plum.

Step 5. Cut a 1-inch strip of white paper for each leaf. These will be used to secure the wired wood picks to the back of the leaves. To do this, flip over the leaves so the white side is facing up. Apply some hot glue to the paper piece you cut. Lay the wired part of the wood pick against the leaf and press the glued piece over the wire to secure it. If you would like your leaves to be more upright in your vase, apply the glued paper as close to the top of the pick as you can. If you would like them to bend/droop, apply the glued paper further own the wire.

Step 6. Cut your floral foam to fit in your vase using scissors and place it in the vase.

Step 7. Stick wood picks with the leaves on top into the foam and enjoy!

DIY Paper Plant: Calathea Medallion

Print

If your thumb is more black than green, make your plants from paper! This gorgeous Calathea Medallion is the perfect DIY paper plant you’ll never have to water. Keep reading for the tutorial!

Materials

• Cardstock in mint, light pink, emerald green, and maroon
• Silhouette Cutting Machine (we use a Portrait or a CAMEO)
• Calathea Medallion cut file
• Hot glue gun + sticks
• Wired wood picks
• Scissors
• Floral foam
• Vase

Instructions

1. Load your design into your Silhouette Studio software and assign your design to cut by fill color. If you aren’t familiar with how to do this, visit our tutorial here. (You can also cut your pieces by moving what you are cutting in and out of your cut tab, but we think cutting by fill color is pretty slick!) Adjust your settings to cut cardstock.
2. Load your first color of paper into your machine and send to cut. Repeat until all of the pieces in the various colors have been cut.
3. Remove your leaf pieces from the cutting mat.
4. Assemble the leaves by layering them on top of one another and securing each layer with hot glue. The white leaf pieces are on the bottom followed by the green, then the salmon, then the plum.
5. Cut a 1-inch strip of white paper for each leaf. These will be used to secure the wired wood picks to the back of the leaves. To do this, flip over the leaves so the white side is facing up. Apply some hot glue to the paper piece you cut. Lay the wired part of the wood pick against the leaf and press the glued piece over the wire to secure it. If you would like your leaves to be more upright in your vase, apply the glued paper as close to the top of the pick as you can. If you would like them to bend/droop, apply the glued paper further own the wire.
6. Cut your floral foam to fit in your vase using scissors and place it in the vase.
7. Stick wood picks with the leaves on top into the foam and enjoy!

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

• 
  Fiskars 12-94518697WJ The Original Orange Handled Scissors
• 
  Cowee Wired Wood Picks 4'' Package of 50 =.20 oz Professional Floral Stem Supports Dk Green (50, 4 INCH)
• 
  SHJADE Hot Glue Gun with 30 Glue Sticks, Fast Preheating Hot Melt Gun, Mini Glue Gun Kit for Kids DIY School Craft Projects and Quick Home Repairs, 20W White
• 
  Silhouette Portrait 3 Electronic Cutting Tool,White
• 
  Astrodesigns Crafting Cardstock, 12" x 12", 65 lb./176 gsm, 8-Color Breezy Boho Assortment, 80 Sheets (91823)

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