Sea Glass (or Beach Glass) Project #1 - Candle Holder

If you are an avid sea or beach glass collector like myself and have no idea what to do with it, have no fear I am here to help. I am going to start with the absolute easiest project that can be done with the glass you have collected. Fun for the whole family. I don't know if that's true, but it sounded good. Either way, it is certainly something that can be done as a family project, from the collecting of the glass to the construction, or it can be done on your own.

Step I: Gathering Glass

The first step is obvious: Collect your glass. It is easier said than done. Depending on the area in which you are gathering glass if may take you days or even weeks to collect enough beach glass for this project. You may wish to visit my previous post which details the best time and places to find beach glass: http://quoteamber.hubpages.com/hub/How-Sea-Glass-or-Beach-Glass-is-Made

Step 2: Washing Your Gatherings

The second step after you have collected your glass is to wash it. It is as straightforward and as obvious as it sounds. Usually, I fill the sink with dish soap and water and either hand wash, or gently scrub with a soft sponge, until the glass is clean. I highly recommend doing this step as soon as you bring the glass home. Because sometimes if you do not wash the glass right away it will start to smell, especially if there are small pieces of algae sticking to your finds. If you don't want to get your sink stinky, try using a large plastic pan or bowl to clean the glass objects in.

Step 3: Gathering Supplies

After your glass is clean, you need two things to make a decorative candle: a candle and a container to put everything in. I suggest using a clear glass dish as this will best display your glass finds. For the container I also suggest recycling an old container. You have a variety of options to chose from in regards to recycling: you can use something you have lying around the house that is not in use, something recycled or from the trash, or something found at a yard sale. For this project, I am going to use this heart shaped glass dish (see picture to the above) that I bought for 25 cents at a yard sale a few weeks ago. Going to yard sales is a great way to find items for these kind of projects, but if your house looks anything like my own, then you probably already have something lying around that can be used.

The second thing you need is a candle. All you need is a plain candle with no extra decorations. It doesn't need to be in a glass or aluminum casing and it doesn't even need to be scented. Something like what I've posted in the picture below will work just fine. But again you could probably find some at your local store for a few bucks, or maybe you even have some lying around the house already.

Step 4: Putting it Together

Once a container for your project has been decided upon, the rest is fairly simple. Just place the candle in the center of the dish (or wherever you would like the candle to be) and then fill the dish about halfway with a glass color scheme of your choice. I made two for your viewing pleasure (see pictures below). One is blue and white glass and the other is green and white, with a few brown pieces thrown in to fill out the container. I mostly use the white and amber or brown pieces of glass because I've collected them and have absolutely nothing else to do with them. This is just a clever way to get rid of them. For your project, you can add whatever colors you want. To make it really pop, throw in a few darker pieces of whatever color you chose.

After you've filled your container with the glass of your choice, add water to cover the sea (or beach) glass. Add just enough water to cover your beach glass, but not so much that you drown the candle. And that is all you have to do! Easy, right? Now you have your very own, inexpensive or even free (but handmade and from the heart <3) gift or a nice decorative piece for your coffee table.

However, before I show you the pictures of my finished pieces, there is one small catch. Water evaporates, so there is some upkeep involved with your finished project as you will periodically have to fill the dish with water.