These swirled glass vases appeared in our post about discovering Venice. I received lots of comments and questions about them, so thought I’d feature the vases and instructions in a special post of their own.
While we were learning about Venice, my daughter was intrigued by the Murano Glass fountain pen I placed into her discovery box (although it did end up breaking).
We looked online at some other glass pieces and learned a little about working artistically with glass. In the New Year, I plan on taking her to the Abbotsford Convent where they have glass art on display. I think it would be great for her to see this process live.
In the meantime, I used Google to try and find a child-friendly activity that would help us to create something similar or experiment with swirls of colour. Although it didn’t involve blowing, colouring and turning glass, I came across some swirled glass vases at Centsational Girl.
Of all the activities we have ever undertaken, Cam seemed to get the most enjoyment from this one. She enjoyed swirling the vase and watching the patterns unfold before her. But, what I think she loved most was that she could just ‘go for it’; there wasn’t any particular technique that would create a better outcome.
You can visit Centsational Girl for original instructions. Otherwise, this is the process we followed (we altered the instructions a little bit).
You will need:
- An assortment of glass vases (you can use old jars from home or purchase them at a variety store)
- Acrylic paints in a range of colours
- Paper towel for draining
PROCESS
a) Squirt paint into the bottom of the vase
b) Swirl the vase continuously so that paint sticks to the sides of the vase
c) Add extra colours of paint as you go.
d) Continue swirling the paint towards the opening of the vase
e) Once the vase has been coated in paint and the paint has reached the opening of the vase, place the vase upside down over a paper towel, draining any excess paint
f) Let the vase dry for approximately 3 days before it is ready to use
g) We wanted to use the vases to display flowers. Even though the paint was dry; it started to break down when we added water to the vase. So you must seal the paint with a clear sealer before using it as a vase
Cam gave her vases to her Nannas for Grandparents’ Day. I think they would also make lovely handmade Christmas presents.
