I love cut flowers. I love them so much that every time I walk into my local grocery store I forget everything that was on my list and just want to stop and smell the roses… literally. Don’t even get me started on Trader Joe’s.
Flowers themselves are not cheap, especially if you are always buying them. But have you seen what places are charging for a fancy vase? It’s ridiculous.
To avoid dropping all my dough on vases for my flower obsession, I found a way to recycle vases I already had by turning them into something new. That makes Luna happy. More snacks for her!
If you have ever gotten a flower delivery, then you probably have also received a generic clear glass vase. While these are nice, they aren’t very personalized or seasonal. If you don’t have any extra clear glass vases laying around, you can find them at garage sales, Goodwill’s, and anywhere else people get rid of stuff they don’t want. All because they don’t know how to turn it into something awesome!
Old glasses or beer pints work great too. If you break a glass and no longer have a full set, then paint the rest!
If you still can’t find a glass vase to use, the Dollar Tree or your local dollar store is another good bet.
DIY Painted Glass Vase
Required Materials:
Glass Vase
Dishwasher Safe Enamel Paint
Water
Paint Brush
Newspaper
Paper Towels
Instructions:
Peel off any stickers. I hate stickers with a passion, but I have learned that a little water and a Magic Eraser actually works like magic.
Wash the vase with hot soapy water and thoroughly dry. I air dried my vases for few hours to ensure all the moisture was gone.
Check the thickness of your paint. If it is too thick (doesn’t move much with gravity), then add a few drops of water to thin it out. I used the brand FolkArt and it was extremely thick. Be careful not to add too much water though.
Paint the inside of your vase with your paint brush or if your paint is cooperative let gravity do the work for you – pour some paint into the bottom and rotate the glass until you get complete coverage.
You can also use multiple colors of paint to get a tie-dye effect.
Once the interior of the vase is covered, turn the vase upside down on top of a paper towel to let any excess paint drain out. Leave it for a few minutes.
Flip the vase over and let dry for about an hour.
Then, stick the vase right side up into a cold oven and heat to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Bake the vase for 30 minutes. Turn off the oven, leaving the vase inside and allowing it to cool down slowly.
Now you are ready to use your vase! You can just use it as decoration or put your favorite, pet friendly cut flowers in it. If you use dishwasher safe enamel paint, it should hold up against water. Overtime you may see the paint start to fade or deteriorate. Don’t worry, you can always upcycle it again!
All in all this DIY project only cost me $4 – $1 for the vase and $3 for the paint!
Stay tuned to see exactly what cut flowers are pet safe and which ones are extremely dangerous for your furry friends!
If you are in the Northern Virginia area, you can get an early peek at pet friendly flower and gardening options by coming to visit me at the Grow Your Health – Gardening, Food, and Wellness Festival in Fairfax, Virginia. I’ll be presenting How to Plant a Pet Safe Garden tomorrow Saturday, March 28, 2015 from 10 AM to Noon.
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