Mod Podge Colored Chandelier Crystals

Maybe some of you have noticed bloggers writing about various projects that use Mod Podge mixed with food coloring to color glass?

Have you also noticed how things kind of end up going "viral" in blogland, especially thrifty, easy crafts?

I noticed this on photo on Pinterest a couple of weeks ago.  It was "pinned"by several people.

I googled a bit and found several blog posts going into detail about how to Mod Podge and bake glass in order to add color.

Creative Little Daisy gave a little tutorial that helped encourage me to try it out.

The colored coating on the glass won't be food safe or water proof, so you won't be eating, drinking or cooking with those pieces but it's very easy to change a piece of clear glass into a piece that looks like vintage depression glass!

I knew I wanted to try this out sometime and it just so happened that I had finally gotten around to painting an old chandelier the night before.  

Here are some before pic's.

This had been salvaged out of an old house by our office handyman, Robert.  There was nearly no finish left on the metal.

Still, the birdcage shape and intricate details were beautiful!

 I decided to spray paint it using Heirloom White by Rustoleum.

That paint is another viral trend I read about in blogland!

Rust Oleum should now add the phrase 

"As seen in blogland" to their label! Heehee!

If you ever blogged about that paint back then, thanks! It was easy to spray and covered in two coats.

Last night I was looking around and found this picture!  

So gorgeous!

I am not sure of the original source 

but this photo really inspired me!

I had to try it, but what color to use?  

This chandelier will hang in my bedroom, so which one - pink or aqua? 

I guess I spied red first and just rolled with it, in my excitement to try this project!

I already had a bottle of Matte Mod Podge.  I poured about 1/2 a cup into a bowl and added about a drop of red food coloring and stirred well.  

Note:  If your mixture is too thick, add just a drop or two of water to thin.  I needed to thin mine a bit.

At first it was a little too red, so I added more glue.  It lightened up to a nice pale pink then. 

I decided to do a test first on just one crystal.  I brushed the mixture on with a soft brush and placed it on a parchment paper covered metal baking sheet in a 175 oven for just a few minutes.  I didn't time it, but it was probably 10-15 minutes.

When I came back, the crystal drop was pink, it was dry and it looked o.k.   I was willing to risk all my crystal drops in the name of having a cool project to blog about!

 I decided to try dipping the crystals in the bowl so there wouldn't be any brush marks.

At first I dipped the whole drop, the round top crystal and all.  

 

After a while, I decided it might be really pretty and easier to just coat the dangling teardrop, leaving the top button clear and decided I liked this better!

This is a messy job and food coloring will stain your counters.  Use lots of paper toweling! 

Because I didn't want them to lie down, I went to great pains to hang the drops from a cooling rack that I set on top of another rack in the oven.  

I placed a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper underneath to catch any drips that might want to fall onto my oven floor or the coils.

 

Going into the oven, wet and still a dripping a bit.

I baked them at 175 for about 20 minutes.  With the heat this low, you can't burn them so if you go over, it's not going to matter.

The only small mishap was that once I pulled the crystals out of the oven, some of them swung toward each other and they stuck together instantly, but they pulled apart easily and weren't damaged.

Pretty pink drops coming out of the oven

 A note:  Resist the urge to peel or pull on any bits that stick out a little.  You can end up pulling all the colored coating off.  It is literally dried glue.  

Remember your Elmers bottle that you had in grammar school?  It will pull off, though not as easily as Elmers since it's baked on.  Getting it all off once you start that peeling is difficult!  So don't go there!

The finished colored drops are not exactly clear. They are sort of opaque.  They're not flawless, in spite of my effort with the rack but they are still very pretty.

 They turned out the prettiest soft shade of pink.

 

 

I have to order 20 more drops to finish my chandelier.

  I haven't decided whether I will color the remaining crystals or mix and match clear drops with my pink drops.

I will be sure to post pictures once the chandelier is up but here is what it looks like now.

These pictures were taken in my closet... It's pouring rain and there was more light there than any place else in the house tonight! 

  

I could also hang the chandelier from the clothes rack 
for the best view!

Clear crystals cost just under $1.oo each.  Colored crystals purchased from the same store average between $2.50 and $3.50 each.  It's makes a big difference when you need 35 pieces to outfit a chandelier that you only paid $25 for!

I got my prices and will order my clear crystals from Antique Lamp Supply.

I hope you enjoyed my impromptu pink project!

As always, my favorite projects are done spontaneously with things I happen to have on hand because I'm somewhat ADD and drift from project to project!

Have a wonderful rest of the week!  Fall temperatures and clearer weather are expected here after tonight and I can't wait!

xoxo,

Jennifer

BTW, don't forget it's Share the Love Wednesday at Very Merry Vintage Style!!

I am joining Transformation Thursday at Shabby Creek Cottage for the first time today too!

Yay!  It's time for Show and Tell Friday at Cindy's Romantic Home!

It wouldn't be Saturday without Beverly's Pink Saturday!!

I'm joining in for the first time at Metamorphosis Monday at Between Naps on the Porch




Yesterday, I was invited to join a new linky party over at The Vintage Farmhouse.  Please check out Creative things Thursday!