"Sea Glass" Votive Holders

Hello! Dana Tatar here today sharing my first project as a Faber-Castell Design Memory Craft Guest Designer. I hope the month of May brings Spring to those of you who may still be dealing with snow! Here in Florida, I have been enjoying the warmer weather and have visited the beach several times already. My daughters and I enjoy collecting shells for our projects. Every once in awhile we come across a piece of sea glass. I love the beautiful blue/green weathered treasures and today I'm sharing how to create a gorgeous "sea glass" finish on a set of glass votive holders using Faber-Castell Design Memory Craft products.

Supplies:
Gelatos
Gel Medium
Glass Votive Holders
Paintbrush
Plastic Containers
Craft Stick
Water

Step One: Rub a Gelato, or several Gelatos, onto the bottom of a plastic container. Add 1 teaspoon of water and mix with a paintbrush until well combined. Note: I used a Metallic Mint Gelato.

Step Two: Add about 1/2 tablespoon of Gel Medium to the mixture. Use a craft stick to mix until smooth. Note: Feel free to play with the ratio of Gelato/water/Gel Medium to achieve the color intensity and consistency that works best for you. I found that a thinner solution yielded a more even finish.

Step Three: Brush a thin layer of the solution onto the glass votive holder. Dry with a heat gun. Note: My heat gun gives off a significant amount of air as well as heat, so I was able to dry my holder without the glass becoming too hot. Depending on your brand of heat gun, a hairdryer may work better for you. The warm air helped my holders to dry with less streaks and drips then when I let them air dry.

Here is my votive holder after one coat of the Gelato/Gel Medium mixture. Note: Add another coat of the mixture for a deeper color. Additional coats did make it more difficult to achieve a smooth, even finish. Once dry, the finish will not rub off, but will scratch off easily with a fingernail and a little pressure. If you don't achieve a desired look the first time around, just wash and redo!

If you would like to try this product, but don't have any Gelatos on hand, you can use Faber-Castell Stamper's Big Brush Pens! Mix up the solution just like above but rub the Big Brush Pens, instead of the Gelato, onto the bottom of the plastic container until you have a pool of ink. Note: I mixed May Green and Cobalt Blue to create a teal color similar to the Metallic Mint Gelato I used above. The resulting mixture will have a slightly thinner consistency. This thinner consistency yields a smoother finish, but drips are more of a risk.

Let's compare two finished votive holders side by side! I used a Gelato on the holder on the left and Stamper's Big Brush Pens on the holder on the right. Each holder received one coat of the color solution. They look almost identical! The holder on the left is slightly more opaque and has a subtle shimmer due to the metallic color Gelato I used.

Here is my finished trio. Can you spot the votive holder that was colored with the Stamper's Big Brush Pens? I'm thrilled that these products both create a beautiful "sea glass" finish!

I like my holders just as they are, but they could certainly be personalized with some embellishments like lace, pearls, shells, or fishing net. Try stamping or doodling! If your votive holders will be handled frequently I recommend protecting them with a coat of Glaze.

Thanks so much for stopping by today! I hope I have inspired you. If you'd like to see more of my work before my next post, please stop by my blog, They Call Me Tatar Salad.

Supplies:
Gelatos ^® Colors - Metallic Mint
Stamper's Big Brush Pen - May Green
Stamper's Big Brush Pen - Cobalt Blue
Gel Medium

Dana Tatar I am a stay-at-home mom currently living in Florida with my husband and two daughters. I started paper crafting about 6 years ago and have expanded from scrapbooking and now create a little of everything, including cards, tags, ATCs, arches and small gift and home decor items. I frequently find inspiration in music, poetry and pop culture.

I'm an active blogger and I like to share my tips and ideas. When I'm not creating art, I enjoy cooking and baking, reading, listening to music and spending time outdoors with my family and basset hound.