Get The Crushed Glass Vase Look On A Budget With This Creative DIY

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If you're bored of your basic flower vase, why not zhuzh it up a little? With a clever and easy DIY, you can make a regular clear flower vase look like it's covered in crushed glass. Thanks to the crushed glass aspect, the vase will catch and reflect light beautifully. It also covers the vase to make it less see-through, which helps disguise flower stems when you want the focus to be on the blooms.

The idea is to cover a vase with Mod Podge and sprinkle small gems over top. At first, the Mod Podge is white, but as it cures, it becomes transparent. This leaves just the small gems visible around the vase, making it look like crushed glass. Because the gems are clear, you'll be able to see through them a bit and into the vase, but not completely. In addition, the shapes of the gems make them shine and sparkle beautifully with light.

This DIY can be done on a budget. You can upcycle thrifted vases, buy affordable ones from Dollar Tree, or choose online options, like this Nisoger clear glass flower vase. You'll also need Mod Podge, which you can buy online or at craft store for a few dollars. To apply it, use an old paint brush that you won't need again (the glue will damage it), or use a foam paint brush. And finally, you'll need the star of the show: some gems. Use small pieces that are completely clear, and not rhinestones that have a metal bottom section. That way, you can sprinkle them on the glue and the orientation won't matter. To make it look like real crushed glass, it's best to use different sizes and mix them up — this Worthofbest clear transparent resin rhinestones pack works well.

This DIY is easy but a bit messy. So if you want to avoid getting rhinestones all over your house, start by setting up a protective layer over your table. A simple piece of cardboard or newspaper will work just fine, or do the project inside of a large, shallow storage bin or tray to keep the gems from rolling. Then, use your brush or sponge to cover a 3-inch vertical section of the vase. Before it dries, sprinkle your gems or rhinestones all over the Mod Podge generously. The goal is to completely cover the surface of the vase, so do multiple rounds of sprinkling if needed, and don't hesitate to press some of the gems in place with your finger to make sure they fully adhere to the glue.

Repeat this step until the entire vase is covered, and let it dry completely. If you'd like to make the vase even more long-lasting and protected, you can spray a coat of clear acrylic spray on top of it to act as a sealant. When you're done, simply fold the cardboard or paper you used as a protective layer and drop the remaining rhinestones back into their container. You can use them to add sparkle and whimsy to your space with other DIYs. 

You can use this technique with many shapes of vases, so don't be scared to experiment. There are tons of thrifted items that can double as unique floral vases, like vintage milk bottles or glass pitchers. So if you have a receptacle lying around unused, don't toss it! You can upgrade it with this crushed glass DIY and fill it with flowers instead.