How to Stain Thrifted Glassware

Hello there! Welcome, and I’m so glad you stopped by today. It’s the first installment of the THRIFTED GOODIES series for the year. If you enjoy thrift shopping and love the thrill of the hunt, then this post is for you.  Thrifts are a great resource for fabulous glassware in all shapes and sizes at affordable prices. Today I am sharing how to stain thrifted glassware candlestick holders to give them a glow up.

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All About the Thrifted Goodies Series

Today I am sharing how to stain thrifted candlestick holders. These otherwise common glass candle holders are dyed for the upcoming St. Valentine’s Day holiday. Feel free to adapt the colors to any theme, using different colors to match a specific holiday, event or decor aesthetic. The transformation gives these thrifted glass pieces a new lease on life.

Rachel is sharing unexpected winter decor with thrifted finds. She always finds the most amazing pieces! You don’t want to miss her latest post. If you don’t know Rachel yet, when you are done here, head over to visit Rachel and introduce yourself, while you check out her newest post {Unexpected winter decorating hacks with thrifted and vintage finds}.

You can also find Rachel in her other spaces; give her a follow:

Inspiration Behind the Valentine’s Inspired Stained Thrifted Glassware

If you’re a regular reader, then you know pink and red are not popular colors for decor around here. So what’s a girl to do when Valentines’s day is around the corner? Create your own pink and red stained glassware, that’s what. And here we are!

Thrifts are always full of glassware pieces and today we’ll specifically focus on small decorative glass candle holders. There’s always a wide variety of these type of glass pieces for only a few dollars each.

With a little bit of decoupage medium and food coloring you can give these basic glass pieces a glow up into fun and festive Valentine’s Day decor. Come on in and let’s get busy staining some thrifted glassware.

How to Stain Thrifted Glassware

I picked up an assortment of glass candle holders at a couple of thrifts a few months back with this project in mind. By using a variety of shades in pink and red, these candle holders easily become a Valentine’s Day decor assortment worthy of Anthropologie or Terrain.

Supplies

• Glass candle holders
• Decoupage medium
• Food coloring
• Popsicle sticks

Tools

• Paint brushes
• Paint pots | palettes

Crafting Pro Tip: It’s recommended with all projects to read the instructions through once and then re-read everything again. This way, you are familiar with everything you need and know what to expect.

Instructions

• Read instructions thoroughly and assemble all supplies & tools
• Wash all the glassware and dry thoroughly

• Pour some decoupage medium in a paint pot or palette and add a couple of food dye drops in desired color (in this case red)
• Using popsicle stick mix dye and glue medium until incorporated fully, creating the stain medium
• Add more food dye until you reach desired hue (start slowly with one or two drops and go from there; you can always add more, but it’s not easy to remove food dye drops)

• Using paint brush gently apply a layer of stain on glass candle holder
• Set aside and allow to dry

• Once stain medium is fully dry apply another stain layer
• Repeat above steps until you reach desired color and opacity (I used 2 to 5 layers depending on the piece & color)

• Let pieces fully cure and dry (I allowed them to set overnight before handling to decorate and style)
• Voila! Enjoy you newly stained glassware

Tips & Tricks on How to Stain Thrifted Glassware

Colors & Hues

Since most food dye kits come with the four basic colors, red, blue, green and yellow, achieving the desired hue requires mixing and matching. It’s fun to play mad scientist and add more or less drops of the food dye to the glue to achieve the perfect color. I used the red food dye in different degrees to create different color ranges, from the palest pink to a cheery red.

Some pink food glitter in a couple of shades from Target also provided more color options with a bit of shimmer. This not only added color options, but additional texture as well. The shimmer provides an iridescent effect, which is a fun detail for the romantic and frilly Valentine’s Day holiday.

Shapes & Sizes

I recommend hunting for glass candle holders in different styles to increase the interest level. I used five different glass styles, keeping with the odd number rule. Some are bigger, while others are chunkier, and others are smoother adding variety and interest to the whole assortment.

I was lucky to find most of these at one main thrift store, but if you have glassware in your ongoing thrifty list you’ll find you start noticing glass candle holders more often than not. In no time you’ll have curated a similar collection.

Thrifting Pro Tip: Always have a list of items you are looking for and interested in along with any pertinent measurements for said items. Add the list to your notes in your phone so you always have the list with you.

Texture & Technique

I do not find it necessary to wipe the glassware with alcohol or nail polish remover before staining. I tried the staining technique with and without the alcohol rub and it yielded the same results. I good cleaning with sudsy warm water does the trick and is enough.

Paintbrush strokes are very evident when the stain is first applied. The strokes fade considerably upon drying, but some do remain depending on the shape of the glass piece. Interestingly enough, I found the smoother the surface the easier to apply the stain. I originally thought the nooks and crevices would disguise some of the strokes, but it was quite the opposite. Truth be told, they are really not terribly noticeable when fully dried and styled with pretty candles.

Festive & Fun

Like I mentioned above these can be adapted to any occasion using different color options. Not only that, but since only glue and food dye is used, the stain can be easily washed off to repurpose the glassware for another purpose.

I have not attempted this yet, but I already have another project in mind to give these fun pieces a different glow up. It’s a super easy treatment, which is also affordable. Give it a whirl and make it yours.

Thrifting Pro Tip: Look at the potential of an item beyond its current state or condition. Items can be altered, up-cycled and recreated with TLC, elevating them to.a trend forward piece.

Other Recent Thrifted Treasures & Tips

If you’re an avid thrifter, as Rachel and myself, you might enjoy reading about my latest finds. You might have seen some of these already popping up around here, and you will be seeing more of them in the future. I share thrifted treasures throughout my home regularly.

Brown Transferware Tureen

Brown transferware is a favorite of mine. Actually transferware, period, stops me in my tracks. The brown pieces are the first variety I started collecting. Plus tureens always get me with their pretty profiles and lovely ladles and practical plates.

Years ago, I saw a brown Transferware tureen at a local vintage, antique store for $30-35, and I passed it up. It has stayed in my memory bank, and I always kick myself for not buying it, insert thrifting regret.

Anyway, fast forward to today and I have added this pretty to my collection. She was priced at $20 which I thought was pretty good but then the nice lady asked me if I wanted a senior discount. I know, I should be mad about the age thing, but I was like wait, what? So… anybody over 50 gets 20% off. $16?!?!

I walked skipped out of the thrift store with a smile on my face and a new brown transferware tureen. Moral of the story? Always be aware of discounts at your local thrifts. I have been shopping here for years and never knew. I’ve been missing out on 20% off for awhile now. I must have looked particularly older on this given day. lol. Buyer beware, always!!

Copper Vase

If you follow along with the Thrifted Goodies series, then you know copper is also on the ongoing thrift list. Copper with brass accents in particular gets me every time .

This vase not only has the brass double handles, but I love, love the profile. It’s so pretty with so much personality. Its been moving around our home but I need to find a permanent spot for it cuz it deserves a spotlight.

Anchor Hocking Beverage Glasses

Ok, these glasses are amazing. The thing is, I really don’t want or need any new drinking glasses. I still peruse the glassware aisle since pretty cocktail glasses and goblets are always a possibility, but normal barware and everyday glasses? Not so much.

Well, I spied these Anchor Hocking tall drinking glasses in an end cap. And the amazing detail caught my eye. I lifted one up and the heft and weight was fabulous in my hand. There were only four so I was ready to pass them up, but my partner in crime, aka Miss Masterpiece, upon further inspection wanted them for shakes. Lol.

I told her I would want 6 or more. So she was on the quest immediately. She found two more mixed through the other glassware so the 6 glasses ended up in our cart. I go into more detail about what I look for in thrifted glassware here {thrifting for vintage glassware}. These glasses were $1.99 each. Yes please, but as I was saying, I did not need additional glasses in my home.

So to keep with my decluttering, purging and simplifying philosophy I immediately removed 6 other tall glasses from a kitchen cabinet. These said tall glasses were from our wedding registry so they have, had huge sentimental value BUT we never used them anymore. Into the donation pile they went and it was a clean swap with the new thrifted glassware. I’m super proud of myself. If you know me well, you know this is huge!!

Thrifting Pro Tip: Make a list of items you would like to find while thrifting on your phone, and you will always have the list with you whenever you pop into a thrift. Update the list regularly as you find treasures and seek others. Have fun!

Closing Thoughts

I hoped you enjoyed this installment of the thrifted goodies series. There’s plenty of thrift focus content scheduled for the upcoming months. What did you think of the glassware staining technique? If you give it a try, please share with me. I would love to see your finished pieces. I’m loving how the stained glassware amps up the Valentine’s vibes around here. It even beckoned a comment from my son, aka Master Masterpiece. That’s a huge compliment.

Thank you for being here today, and please hop over and visit my thrifty friend Rachel @ The Antiqued Journey for more inspiration.

Shopping the Stained Glassware Look

• Assorted Glass Candlestick Holders
• Taper Candle Holders Clear Glass 
• ModPodge Medium
• Basic Food Dye Kit
• Pink Shimmer Dust Edible Glitter
• Craft Paint Brush Set
• Palette Painting Tray
• Wood Popsicle Sticks
• 10″ Pink Taper Candles

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Thrift is that habit of character that prompts one to work for what he gets, to earn what is paid him; to invest a part of his earnings; to spend wisely and well; to save, but not hoard.”

Neville Chamberlain

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sharing @ between naps on the porch