You know me, I love rustic décor! I love galvanized metal, but it can be very costly unless you are getting a “faux” look. I’m not a huge van of glass vases, but I was lucky enough to receive flowers over the years that come in glass vases. So I’m going to repurpose those vases and turn them into faux galvanized lanterns! This is great for recycling and repurposing, and equally as great as décor or gifts! Here is how to get started!
You Will Need:
- Glass vases (assorted)
- Silver spray paint
- Acrylic paint in assorted colors (black, brown, red, green)
- Sponge
- Decals or sticker embellishments
- Candles to fit inside your lanterns (battery operated is best)
- Paper towel or rag
- Paper plate
- Craft knife
- Cotton buds
How-To:
- Make sure your glass vase is clean and dry.
- Pick a sticker or embellishment and apply that to the glass. This will become the only area that will be see-through, so choose wisely!
- In a well ventilated area, spray on a light coat of silver spray paint.Set aside to dry.
- Repeat this step until you have on that is completely covered (takes 2 – 3 passes depending on weather conditions and spray paint.
- Once dry, take your acrylic paint and pour out a few colors on your paper plate like a palette.
- Dab your sponge in a few colors to grab the paint and apply to your vase.Be sure that your sticker is still in place.
- Take a paper towel or rag to wipe the sponged area off. This will create a muted tone that mimics galvanized bucket.
- Continue this process until you are happy with the look your vase has.
- Taking your craft knife, carefully remove your sticker. If there is any bleed of your color on your glass, take a cotton bud, wet it slightly and remove the paint.
- Set aside to dry.
- Place your battery-operated candle inside and enjoy your new lantern!
Tips/Questions:
- Taking the color off with a wet cotton bud will only work on the acrylic paint. If the spray paint has bled, you must use mineral spirits or acetone to remove.
- Do you need a top coat? Depends where you want to place the lantern. If inside, the answer is no. You would only need a sealant if you were using this lantern outside and it will be subject to rain/snow. If you would like to use it outside, then add a few coats of clear sealant/polyurethane as a last step.
- Could you use a real candle? I suppose you could since this will be made out of glass, but I prefer using battery-operated for these projects for a few reasons – I have pets that could easily knock it over, we have friends with kids that could get hurt if these are on the ground, and a personal reason that the rest of the country probably doesn’t have to worry as much – we live in a HIGH fire risk area…so I steer clear from real candles!
Do you have a cozy winter DIY? Share with us on Instagram and Twitter @paigehemmis
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XOXO,
Paige