Easy Way To Color Glass on a Budget For Any Occasion or Holiday

I am so excited to share an easy way to color glass candle holders, recycled, jars, picture frames, etc. It is an easy way to change up seasonal decor, celebrate holidays and special occasions, and more. This project is fun for all ages. (and it’s so easy to do.)

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You’ll need a candle holder, recycled jar, picture frame of your choice, school glue, food color, and a paint brush.

Put your glue in a container and add a few drops of food coloring – you can mix and match to get the color you like. A little goes a long way. For this project I only needed about 2 tablespoons of glue and 3-4 drops of food color.

Mix the food color and glue together. If you find this mixture is too thick you can add a little bit of water to get the consistency you like best.

Paint the mixture onto your candle holder or jar.

Again, if you don’t like the way it looks you can add some water to smooth it. If you don’t like the brush strokes you can pour it on or roll your candle holder in the mixture and let the extra drip off.

Let it dry completely and it’s ready to go. I love how this one reminds me of sea glass.

The best part – you can wash it off and paint it with a new color for the next holiday or season!!!

So inexpensive and yet oh the possibilities!!!

supplies for coloring glass with candle holder

Easy way to color glass video

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You can mix food coloring and glue together for painting glass. This technique is not permanent, can be washed off which makes it great for small seasonal changes in your home. It will also sun fade so cannot be used outdoors. You can see the tutorial for this technique here - Easy Way To Color Glass

Print Pin

Easy Way To Color Glass!

Learn how easy it is to color glass of all different shapes and sizes with glue and food coloring.

Course DIYs

Keyword easy way to color glass, how to color glass

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 15

Total Time 20

Servings 1 Glass

Author Chas

Cost $3-$5

Equipment

Paint Brush

Ingredients

Elmer’s Glue
Food Coloring
Glass

Instructions

Put your glue in a container and add a few drops of food coloring to get the color you like.
Mix the food color and glue together.
Paint the mixture onto your candle holder or jar.
Let it dry completely

Chas

Chas, the creative force behind Chas' Crazy Creations, is a renowned DIY expert, innovator, and passionate crafter with over 30 years of experience in repurposing, upcycling, and home improvement. Combining a successful career in dance program management with extensive expertise in digital marketing, website development, and consulting, Chas brings a unique blend of artistic vision and practical know-how to the DIY and crafting world.

At Chas' Crazy Creations, visitors find a treasure trove of crafting and home project resources, including detailed tutorials, creative inspiration, and practical tips. Chas specializes in making creativity accessible to all, offering projects ranging from budget-friendly upcycling ideas to seasonal and holiday-themed crafts. The website caters to crafters of all skill levels, featuring easy-to-follow instructions and projects utilizing everyday materials.

Beyond DIY, Chas is a sought-after motivational speaker and business consultant. Leveraging deep experience in digital marketing, SEO, social media management, and brand building, Chas helps businesses grow and thrive in the digital landscape. As an advocate for hands-on creativity and sustainable living, Chas' mission is to inspire and empower others through engaging, innovative content that bridges the gap between traditional crafting and modern digital strategies.

24 Comments

JEANIE MCALISTER says:

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Wow! Love this idea! I don’t have the time for projects but this is something that would not take long and I think I already have everything I need. Thank you!!!

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1. Chas says:
  
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  I’m so glad you like this project Jeanie. I hope you have as much fun with it as I did 🙂
  
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LindaS says:

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I love the ease of doing this! Do you know if there is any way to set the color so the item can be used outside? I have some left over fan light shades that I want to combine with solar lights for some fun colors in my garden.

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1. Chas says:
  
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  Thanks Linda and that is a great question. I know they make an outdoor Mod Podge but I have heard that it still isn’t waterproof. I’m wondering if you mixed the food color with a small amount of clear coat or maybe glue, clear coat, and food color? Then maybe it would be more permanent.
  
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2. Kristi says:
  
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  I see comments about easy way to color glass but don’t see how to do it. Are there steps on how to do this?? I have lots of jars I would love to do this with.
  
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  1. Chas says:
    
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    Hi Kristi, can you see the pictures and instructions on the post if you start from the top?
    
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Kate says:

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This is brilliant – I can’t wait to try it!!

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1. Chas says:
  
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  Thanks Kate, and I’m so excited you want to try it too 🙂
  
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Michele Morin says:

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Amazing! And it really does have the color and appearance of sea glass!

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1. Chas says:
  
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  Thanks Michele, and I thought the same thing. I think I’ll try a green one and maybe figure out if I can do a frosted glass look as well to finish those sea glass colors.
  
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Mother of 3 says:

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That is so easy and such a fun idea. it would be a fun way to decorate a flower vase for different seasons too. Thanks for sharing with us at the Virtual Fridge. Pinned.

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1. Chas says:
  
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  Thanks so much and I’m so glad you like it. Love your vase idea and thank you for the Pin 🙂
  
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Debrashoppeno5 says:

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I love this idea. Especially because you can wash it off and change it up.

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1. Chas says:
  
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  Thank you Debra, and I love that about it too. So easy to change for so many occasions.
  
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Snap says:

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Love this idea and the possible colors!

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1. Chas says:
  
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  Thank you Snap – you are so right on the colors 🙂 Now you have me thinking about what I’ll make next 🙂
  
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Leanne | www.crestingthehill.com.au says:

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It looks great – I can imagine doing several different glass pieces in different colours and putting them together in a little group on a window sill (or somewhere that catches the light).

Leanne | http://www.crestingthehill.com.au

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1. Chas says:
  
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  Thank you Leanne, there are so many possibilities and love the sun catcher idea.
  
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Donna @ Modern on Monticello says:

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Great tutorial. And it always looks so pretty to color glass. Thanks for sharing at #HomeMattersParty

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1. Chas says:
  
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  Thank you so much Donna and thanks for stopping by.
  
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JaneEllen says:

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Love the sea glass items and the bug in the jar. Don’t have lightning bugs in CO but sure remember catching them in Cleveland, OH where I was born and lived til I was 10 when we moved to Tucson, AZ where there’s no lightning bugs either. Would be cute to make enuf of jars to line the railings on our front porch where we live in western CO.
Always enjoy your projects and blog.
Happy week

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1. Chas says:
  
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  Thank you so much! I love that you are out here in Colorado too and I also love the idea of lining them up on the front porch 🙂
  
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Patricia says:

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Love this technique. How could it be sealed permanently? Maybe with a gloss of matte spray?

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1. Chas says:
  
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  Hi Patricia, that is a great question. I think spraying it with an acrylic sealer might work, or maybe a small amount of top coat can be mixed in with the mixture.
  
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Easy Way To Color Glass on a Budget For Any Occasion or Holiday

Easy way to color glass video