We don't get snow here in Houston. That's pretty obvious, no? Our home state of New Jersey, however, just got dumped on by Mother Nature. So today seemed like the perfect time to post this project, considering the fact that faux snow is the closest I'm going to get to the white stuff for a long time.
You can do this project with any non-food glassware. I'm assuming that a majority of the ingredients are somewhat toxic, so please don't do this to champagne flutes or something. Let's be smart. I used a flip-top glass jar from Ikea that had been sitting around in our cabinets.
I should also note, that if you read my previous post, this project didn't turn out exactly as planned. I had intended for my jar to be opaque, but wound up with a much different result. With the coating on the outside of the glass it didn't make a huge difference, but it should be noted that this project will look slightly different if using a true opaque acrylic paint on the inside. With that being said, here's your how-to...
For the first part of this project you'll need your glass item, Mod Podge, diamond dust,* a paintbrush, and a mixing cup.
*I used a product called diamond dust. I've seen it at almost every craft store, and I think it's pretty crucial to the outcome of this project. It is not your standard glitter. It looks like little clear shards of plastic. You can use it to coat ornaments, fake fruit, etc.. It should be in the glitter aisle, so look carefully! You need the rough consistency of the diamond dust to achieve the icy effect.
Mix your diamond dust and Mod Podge.
It should have a lumpy consistency. If it is too watery you won't get the nice "ice clumps" on the outside of the glass. This isn't an exact science, but thicker is better (not too thick though!)
Don't freak out! Your glass WILL look like this, but I assure you that it will dry clear. I put on one thin coat, let it dry for a few minutes, then liberally applied a very thick coat on top. You'll want to let this dry at least overnight so you can easily handle it for the next part of the project.
See! It's clear! I told you so...
Once dry, you'll want to get out the most disappointing paint in the world, or any other acrylic paint of your choosing. You can use a white paint and tint it ice-blue, or buy one that is pre-colored. I chose a paint that had glitter in it, but that is definitely not a requirement since the outside of the jar is glittery on its own.
This is the color I mixed into mine. It was just a combination of a dark blue and a dark green. I used just a few drops of each because I didn't want it too dark.
Next, you'll pour your blue paint inside of your glass. You're going to need more than you expect, so be prepared. Turn your glass to cover the entire inside with a layer of paint. It takes a little while, so be patient.
Place your glass upside down on newspaper for 30-45 minutes. This is crucial. After sitting for the allotted time, prepare yourself for a paint wave. Pick up your glass quickly, and you'll see all of the excess paint quickly flood out onto the paper. Throw it away and put your glass, right side up, onto fresh paper.
You want to get rid of as much excess paint as possible to help with drying time, and to not have a dark pool of paint on the bottom of your glass. Wait out the full 30-45 minutes. Trust me. It's worth it.
Finally, allow your piece to dry, attach a ribbon or other decor that you have lying around your craft room purchased for this wintry project, and ta-da!
Your own frosty little piece of glass with absolutely no real freezing required!
Here is a close up of the exterior ice"
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