Decorative Painted Glass Bottle

When I wanted to paint some glass for a gift to a friend, but didn't have any money, I discovered that acrylic paint and varnish work pretty well. Here is the craft for painting dotted spirals on a jar and filling it with bath salts as a gift.

Approximate Time: 10-20 minutes

Supplies:

• apple green acrylic paint
• sage green acrylic paint
• red acrylic paint
• clear craft varnish/sealer
• paintbrushes
• glass jar with lid
• bath salts

Instructions:

1. Wash and dry the glass jar well. Dry off every single drop of water.
2. Dip your paintbrush into the apple green paint and begin making dots in a spiral pattern down the jar.
3. Repeat process with sage green paint, then apple green again.
4. Move down the jar and in the empty space paint red dots in a spiral down the jar.
5. Let paint dry completely.
6. Cover the outside of the jar in a light, even layer of the varnish and let dry completely. You can add a second layer for extra protection if desired.
7. Use a funnel or twisted paper to pour the bath salts into the jar.
8. Close jar. Add any bows or other embellishments you need and you're done.

Painting

If you have, or can afford, glass paints for this craft you certainly should use them. However I didn't have the money for glass paint, so I used acrylics and a light varnish. To my great surprise the decoration worked!

You cannot put this in a dishwasher or soapy sink and such, it's still delicate. The design will eventually wear off the glass. You can clean in gently with a damp cloth, but if you scrub it, the paint will come off. If you use the item in your everyday life it will wear away faster than if it's just a decoration on the shelf.

You can use the technique on almost any decorative glass, just don't put it in the dishwasher, oven, and so on.

By Aysha from Boise, ID