How to Make Mosaic Votives With Beach Glass

Decorate votive candle holders with a mosaic design using translucent beach glass in a variety of colors and sizes. Inexpensive glass votive candle holders are available in dollar, discount and craft stores. These clear or frosted candle holders are small, often cylindrical or square shaped and are designed to hold votive candles and tea lights. Beach glass mosaic votives add whimsical color to events, such as receptions or garden parties, or to your home's interior design.

Things You'll Need

• Clear glass votive candle holders
• Wax paper
• Beach glass
• Viscous jeweler's glue
• Toothpicks

Instructions

1. Stand a clear glass votive candle holder upright onto a sheet of wax paper. The wax paper protects your work surface from dripping glue.

2. Arrange a selection of small bits of beach glass, also called sea glass, on the wax paper near the votive holder. Turn the beach glass pieces face down. Craft stores sell bags of tumbled sea glass. Many of the glass bits are curved, select the flattest bits available for the votive mosaic.

3. Apply a bit of viscous jeweler's glue onto the backside of ten bits of beach glass. Run a bead of the same glue along the side of the votive candle holder, near the bottom. Use a toothpick to transfer the glue from the tube to the votive and the beach glass. Wait one minute.

4. Press the beach glass into the glue on the votive candle holder. Work your way around the perimeter of the votive holder, adding beach glass bits in a horizontal row across the base of the votive. The glass bits will be different sizes and shapes; press the pieces to the votive so that the sides of each piece meet. Do not leave spaces as this mosaic style needs no grout.

5. Follow the process to add beach glass bits in horizontal rows around the perimeter of the votive candle. Each successive row should touch the glass on the row beneath it. The mosaic design emerges from the various shapes, sizes and colors of the glass.

6. Leave the mosaic votive undisturbed for at least 24 hours.

Tips & Warnings

• Periodically press the beach glass pieces against the candle holder as the glue is drying. Apply the beach glass to the votive with a hot glue gun for a quick-drying project. Beach glass attached to a votive candle holder with hot glue removes easily.

• Apply glue in a well-ventilated area.

References

• Land of Odds: Crafter's Dilemma: What Glue Do I Use?

Resources

• The Housing Forum: How to Use a Glue Gun?