Before I get into the project, I want to share that Miss Mustard Seed’s Glass Glitter (used in this project) is the Decor Steals daily “steal” today! They are offering Tiara Silver, Fallen Snow and 14 Karat. I’ve partnered with them for a long time, so it’s fun to see them carrying a product with my brand on it. As always, it’s offered at a discounted rate due to their savvy shopping skills, so this is a good time to buy…
I’ve been browsing Pinterest a lot over the past few weeks and have been pleasantly surprised to find a lot of glitter projects and products out there. Hmmm…is glitter trending right now? Some of the glitter went a bit too far for me, but it was fun to see all of the ideas. I love glitter, but I prefer it in small doses…as an accent that adds a little sparkle. Then, it looks elegant and not like a fairy princess party, in my opinion.
As I was browsing, I spotted several examples of glittered glass votives, vases, mason jars, etc. in different styles and I was really inspired to do my own version. So, while I was out shopping last week, I hunted for some glass jars/vases/bottles/something for me to glitter. (That’s actually what I wrote on my shopping list. “Stuff to glitter.”) When I spotted a short, squat vintage milk bottle, I knew that was it. Here’s what I made…
I bought three milk bottles in varying sizes, so I could make a nice arrangement with them for a photo shoot. They were about $3-4/each.
I taped off the top or bottom of the stripe I wanted to create with some Frog Tape. (I’m not on their blog squad anymore, but I still love and use their tape!) I made sure the lines were mostly straight, but wasn’t hyper about it. Glitter is forgiving.
I first brushed on a moderate coat of Elmer’s glue…
…and then sprinkled on the glass glitter (I used Tiara) and removed the tape…
I got a nice, clean line, but there was some glittery goodness left on the tape.
I don’t like to throw away glitter like that, so for the next two, I applied the glue, removed the tape…
…and then sprinkled on the glitter…
I liked that method better, so the excess glitter fell back into the bowl to be reused. One nice thing about glass glitter is that it’s chunky and has some weight to it, so it doesn’t fly away like traditional craft glitter.
I kept this version simple, but you could do all sorts of neat things with this idea.
- Apply letter decals for monograms, apply the glue, remove the decals and then glitter. If it’s a votive you’ll see the light through the letter(s)…great idea for a wedding, anniversary, birthday, etc!
- Apply one stripe of glue at a time to create stripes of different colors
- Draw a design or words with the glue, then apply the glitter
Anyway, the possibilities really are endless. I’ll have to try some of those!
This photo shoot was a really fun one, so prepare yourself for lots and lots of pictures.
A few notes on the styling, for those who are interested. I layered a grain sack runner on the dining table top, which is an old barn door. Then, I layered an antique bread board on top of that to act as a base for the centerpiece. I found some lovely hydrangeas at Wegman’s and pulled some blueberries and pears out of the fridge. I think fruits and veggies can make wonderful additions to arrangements. They are usually cheaper than flowers and they can be eaten when you’re done! It’s a two-fer. I pulled out some of my blue & white serving pieces to give the shoot a “buffet” kind of feel. Like, just out of the shot there must be some food and things set up for a party.
To mix things up a bit with the bottles, I put two of the stripes on the bottoms of the milk bottles,which I ended up liking better, and one at the top.
I loved how, quite by accident, the water line made another stripe. It really worked with the linear pattern of the glitter. The scattered blueberries add color and some texture.
The sparkle created by the glitter, even when it’s out of focus, is really pretty.
From a photography standpoint, I did most of the shots with a 50mm lens set on a 2.8 aperture. The ones that are closeup were done with a 60mm at a 3.0 aperture.
We bought these blueberries at a local farm stand and they were just the prettiest (and tastiest) blueberries. I put them in a couple of vintage sundae dishes I found at yard sales.
I couldn’t resist the opportunity to use the blue handled flatware I found a couple of months ago, but I snuck in some of my silver to coordinate with the silver glitter. You can see how the silver ice cream spoons lead your eye to the glitter on the milk bottles…
I told you…
…lots of pictures!
This is obviously just a decorative treatment, so they aren’t waterproof, dishwasher safe, etc. One thing I like about it, though, is if you ever get tired of the glitter, you can soak them in water to loosen the glue and then use the bottles for another purpose.
…And one last picture to keep it real. All of my finds from the shopping trip were still hanging out on the dining table. It’s not exactly a mess, but it’s real…
And while we’re keeping it real… my preference has been for glass glitter for a long time. Long before I launched this line. But, you can use any glitter you like for this project and any of my glitter projects, for that matter!
But, there is a reason I prefer the glass glitter and, if you see it and use it, you’ll understand why.
The way the shades of blue are layered together is absolutely stunning! I would love to try this glass glitter project (and the milk bottles are so easy to find at any antique shops), but I do have a question: Is the finish pretty solid once it dries or does any of the glitter come loose?
Because it’s glass glitter, it does feel very solid once it’s dry.
Sounds great! I’m trying my hand on glass glitter – no more craft glitter for me 🙂
So very pretty!
I know you’re a glitter expert (seriously, it’s so pretty!), but I had a tip that I didn’t know if you knew. When using a colored glitter, oil paint in the same shade is a better base than glue. I don’t know that in this exact application it would give the right effect because of the clear glass, but on a solid, opaque surface (like paper) it ensures that none of the background color peeks through. Just something you can try sometime if you hadn’t heard of doing that before.
Thanks for that tip, Carrie! 🙂
Heading out for my lunchtime walk with visions of glitter dancing in my head. Yes, I am scheming ideas for fall and well, Christmas is wide open.
I am thinking some of my mercury glass pieces would look amazing with a touch of glitter. First I need to check your colors looking for a complimentary color for fall. ……
yea, this will be fun.
Thanks so much for sharing.
Enjoy your day.
Speaking of glitter, I just had to share what I came upon recently in a local antique mall. There was a print of Jesus in one of the booths – the old classic close-up of him looking to the side, wearing a white robe. Someone had decided that even Jesus would look better with a little sparkle and added glitter to all the edges and folds in his robe! I guess glitter must be trending after all if even Jesus is wearing it! 🙂
Very beautiful, and there are not too many photos! Maybe it’s just my “OCDness” kicking in, but I noticed a pretty effect in the water of the bottle on the far left…in pic #16 and 27, the water seems to have a light-reflecting, frothy/bubbly image in the water, almost like soap bubbles. Could be just the way it looks on my screen.
Speaking of light, I have another idea for using your glass glitter. You know the lamps that have glass shades? Perhaps the light would be thrown around even more if one applied glass glitter to the glass shade in some beautiful pattern. Would white glue work, even with the warmth of the bulb, or would a different glue need to be used?
Oh what an idea… I would love to know also! I have those hurricane(?) glass lamps with shades. They have a candle type bulb in it. What say Marian?
That is such a beautiful idea The glass glitter is gorgeous around the bottles. As usual the pics are amazing.
these are beautiful! I am thinking of so many places to use them…in the classroom on my desk to hold pencils, in the window sill….everywhere! thanks for the darling idea 🙂
I ordered the 3 colors that Decor Steals offered today – impatiently waiting to get my order! Will definitely be on the lookout for the others to appear. Thanks for the inspiration and love your photography!
Beautiful as always! Blue is my favorite color and I’m putting shades of it everywhere in my home after living with a lot of burgundy for years. Am just finishing a mini kitchen makeover with white upper cabinets and navy on the lower cabinets. With gold knobs (which we already had) it looks very nautical. I think I’ll go with it! Thanks for the inspiration.
Again, I love the “real” picture. All of the pictures were fantastic! I loved your tips and I love that you leave your sale find laid out for a few days. I do the same thing because I don’t want to stash them away right away because you never know when inspiration will strike and you need to utilize your new finds. 😉
LOL…yeah, I like to let them speak to me a bit first and I can’t hear them from the basement! 🙂
Marian, How do you determine when you have enough or too much in your styling? You always do such a great job.
I set it up in a way that looks good to my eye and then take some pictures. Sometimes I see that I need to add, move, change, remove, edit, etc. The goal is to achieve a composition that is pleasing to the eye. It’s such a personal taste thing, though, that it’s hard to provide strict do’s and don’ts. It seems we have the same taste. 🙂
Normally, I am not a ‘glitter person,’ but these little milk bottles turned out beautiful. Just enough sparkle – not overwhelming.
I just ordered some of the glitter from the Decor Steals today too and am looking forward to doing this same treatment on some glass bottles I have at home that would look so pretty as little bud vases. I do have a question though…(I’ve never done a glitter project before, can you believe it??)…should I use just a light coating of glue or how thick should it be?
Thanks for your beautiful pics and inspiration!!
I like to put on a moderate amount. It shouldn’t be dripping, but it should be a generous coat. I hope that makes sense…
Beautiful. Great DIY project for wedding tables or showers!
So CUTE! I love glitter. Years ago I saw Colin Cowie take old light bulbs that were burned out, glitter them, and attach to Christmas greenery for the door. When the season was over you could just pitch them! Now that we all have light bulbs that last forever I don’t do it anymore. But now I have more reasons to glitter again! Awesome!
I got a peace-filled moment looking at the photos. So glad you did not take just one photo. You don’t have to keep it real. Unless you want. You were enjoying the moment at least all the photos, the graceful way your staging was done…a simple plug for your product but really, just wanting us to stop, enjoy this too. The lines of water and then glitter. The play off silver spoons and silver glitter. Why to not glitter before removing tape!! I felt peace.
Do you think that The Lord uses glitter (oh yes i was a glitter queen teacher letting the kids add glitter to anything they’d written that we hung up!!) to calm me? To provide pleasure in a little way? I’m too young I say to Him to be a shut-in, but then I’d not have time to see this post as a little gift from my Heavenly Father–sparkly and peaceful. And your blog the vessel
Beautiful! I think glitter should be scattered everywhere ~ a bit of a “happiness” shower. 🙂 Seriously, love it!
xo
Pat
Love this! I just bought some little cream bottles at a consignment store and was wondering what to do with them….it must have been a premonition! Thanks for the inspiration!
Now I know what I am going to do with all of those milk glass vases I’ve been collecting from thrift stores! Thanks for the creative “ah ha!” moment.
Love, Love, Love your photos!!!!!!!!!!! the blueberries were perfect!! (I need to use my 50mm lens) The glass glitter project was so cute! Will keep this in mind for a wedding on cobalt blue glass!
Simply brilliant! The vases would be perfect for so many different occasions and “just because” You can tell in the photos that this German glass glitter is way different than others (in a great way!) I must try it! ~ashley
Awesome! I’m a sucker for blue and white. Love your comment about your list items. One of our family requirements is once you get your drivers license you have the responsibility of shopping and it took my kids several times I think to figure out what my codewords meant on the grocery list!
Loved all the photos. I have a question about glass glitter. … When I have used it before it has tarnished after a while. Does this bother you or are you creating for a short time and will soak the glitter off your bottles? That being said, glass glitter is definitely prettier than craft glitter; it’s just the tarnishing that bothers me 🙁
Yes, the glitter does tarnish, but I have found when they are left out for months at a time, they tarnish. When I use things just for holidays and then I wrap them up for next year, they stay nice and shiny. I’m going on five years for some of my glass glitter ornaments! I am working on a spray to prevent them from tarnishing…
Just a suggestion if the little milk bottles are hard to find or out of your budget, the bottles that Starbuck’s Frappuccinos come in would work well. The label and date stamp come off easily after they have been soaked in water
I love them! I love the table, the milk bottles and the hydrangea blossoms.
Love this project! Glass glitter is so much prettier than regular glitter. It’s more sophisticated, if glitter can be that! And thanks so much for all the tips on styling and photography you provide in your posts. I love that you are always sharing your knowledge. 🙂
i love these!! thanks again for all the inspiration and i will be doing something with glass glitter for my Xmas gifts to my girlfriends this year 🙂 Glitter On !
I wonder if clear acrylic sealer spray would keep the glitter from tarnishing? It would protect the glitter from air, so that would prevent oxidation, right? I might give it a try, although I think tarnishing would look good on some projects.
I think this idea would be perfect to rim clear votives for a bit of bling! I also have a lovely gold glass candle holder with a tiny chip on the rim that I can cover with your glitter idea if I use the glitter to edge the glass….endless ideas dancing in my head!!! xox
Love these, and I love how you walk us through the photo shoot as well. All the little details make a huge difference. I did glitter vases like this for my wedding a few years ago and loved how they turned out. But they definitely shed glitter everywhere they went. I was totally clueless about glass glitter, so I love this tip!
Also, I’ve seen so many milk bottles like this from Hoffman’s Barn Sale in Red Hook, NY (our closest barn sale to NYC) and it makes me want to snatch them up for fun mantle pieces. Great project!
Hmmmm…my daughters wedding coming up. This just might add that little bit of daytime sparkle she’s looking for.
I was so excited to see this as the steal of the day – ordered all three and can’t wait to check it out. I have used other glass glitter so I want to see the difference – love to glitter!! And by the way, the price was GREAT!!!
Love this idea for the holidays! And, because I always admire the way you style for photographs, I loved hearing about your process!
I am very interested in the painting in the back ground of your photo shoot. Can you tell me the artist or the title?
Everything just looks lovely!