Stained Glass Jars

Transform glass or plastic jars into beautiful stained glass decorative jars, candle holders, pencil holders, or flower vases.

See Earth-friendly tips for this craft Earth-friendly tips for this craft

Materials Needed

  • Glass or plastic (PET) jars
  • Puffy paint (or acrylic paint
    and white glue)
  • Glass paint (or food coloring
    and liquid glue)
  • Paint brushes
  • Palette
  • Washable marker or whiteboard
    marker (optional)
  • Cotton buds (optional)

Stained Glass Jars

Safety Guidelines

  • Younger kids can work with plastic jars instead of glass jars.
  • Children working with glass jars require adult supervision.
  • If you plan to turn your stained glass jars into candle holders, an adult should put and light up a candle inside the jar.

Steps

Step 1 Stained Glass Jars 1. Scout around for glass or plastic jars with interesting shapes. This craft requires a little bit of planning and patience so think of a design for your stained glass jar before proceeding.
Step 2 Stained Glass Jars 2. Use any of these materials as the "lead" or outlines for your stained glass work:

a.) Puffy paint (or 3-D paint) or outliner paste for glass paint;
Step 3 Stained Glass Jars b.) Make this homemade version: Mix two parts white glue with one part acrylic paint in a squeeze bottle (smaller nozzles are best). Mix thoroughly by stirring with a stick or small spoon.
Step 3 Stained Glass Jars 3. You can make a sketch of your planned design using a washable marker or white board marker.
Step 4 Stained Glass Jars 4. Squeeze out the "lead" to make the outlines on your glass or plastic jar.
Step 5 Stained Glass Jars 5. Continue making the outlines until you've achieved your desired design. Allow the outlines to dry for several hours.
Step 6 Stained Glass Jars 6. If you sketched on your jar with a washable marker, erase the marks with a cotton bud.
Step 7 Stained Glass Jars 7. Glass paint would be the ideal medium for creating the stained glass colors but you can also make this glue-based recipe: Place liquid glue on your palette.
Step 8 Stained Glass Jars 8. Add 1 or 2 drops of food coloring and mix. You can add more food coloring to achieve deeper hues.
Step 9 Stained Glass Jars 9. Paint inside the outlines of your jar. If you made the homemade recipe, you might notice that the paint recedes or "bubbles" may appear on some areas. Simply paint over the bubbles.
Step 10 Stained Glass Jars 10. After you have finished painting, set your jar aside to dry. Keep in mind that the homemade glass paint recipe is water-based, so try to keep moisture away from your finished work.

More Ideas

Stained Glass Candle Holder craft Stained glass jars can be made into beautiful candle holders. Always let an adult handle and light up the candle inside the glass jar.
Christmas Stained Glass Jars Christmas-themed stained glass jars are a lovely addition to your holiday decorations.
Stained Glass Vase for Mother's Day Create a stained glass flower vase for your mom on Mother's Day. Place real blooms or craft paper flowers from our printable flower templates. Use pipe cleaner or drinking straws for the stems.
Stained Glass Pencil Holder You can also make plastic jars into interesting stained glass pencil holders.

Earth Friendly Tips Earth Friendly Tips

  • Use homemade paint recipes (such as our glass paint recipe) that are water-based and chemical-free as an alternative to commercial paint.
  • Recycle glass and plastic jars into lovely craft projects like this one. Once you've decided to dispose of your crafted jars in the future, don't forget to sort them for recycling.

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