Turn Your Glass Scraps into Art

When you remodel a part of your home or office, it’s best to order extra materials in case something goes wrong and fixes need to be made. However, you don’t always end up using that extra product. Don’t let it sit in your garage unused; instead, make something new from it!

If you have extra panes of glass just gathering dust in your home, pull them out and make some time to take on (or more!) of these fun weekend projects. It can be a good way to wind down alone from a busy week, or an excuse to get friends or family together for some bonding time!

Wall Art

A mosaic is probably one of the most versatile and creative ways to use left over glass pieces. Whether it’s standard or stained, you can make any kind of picture you want, or just abstract wall art made from little pieces placed at will. Use a sturdy background to attach the glass to, like thick canvas or a sheet of acrylic. After you’ve safely broken the glass panes into small, irregular pieces, the possibilities are endless. Lay your design out before to make sure everything looks right, then hot glue gun each piece to your backing. This is a great activity to do with friends and family, you could spend a whole day making tons of art to cover your walls.

Mirror Frame

Decorate a plain old mirror with pieces of stained glass. Just like with wall art, take small pieces of your leftover colored glass and arrange them in a pattern around your mirror. Be sure not to crowd the area, as you still want to be able to see your face in the mirror itself! Use either a hot glue gun to attach the pieces or simple craft glue that you can get at any home goods store. Let them dry for an hour or two to ensure proper setting before you hang your re-vamped mirror up to show the world.

Pieces like these make for the best creative mosaics!

Sun Catcher

Especially with summer just around the corner, creating your own sun catcher makes for a fun weekend activity with family. This project is also the perfect opportunity to get rid of even the most irregular and oddly shaped pieces of leftover glass. Glue colored or stained glass to a flat glass panel so it’s completely covered. Once it’s dry, securely hang it using fishing wire near a window or outside so it can catch the optimum amount of sunlight. 

Jewelry

Last but not least, you can use leftover glass pieces to make your own one-of-a-kind jewelry. Use sandpaper to soften the edges of the glass pieces you want to use so it’s safe to hold and wear against your skin, and glue your design to felt for comfort using craft glue. You can use all kinds of colored, clear or textured glass for this kind of project. To turn your creation into wearable art, glue the pendant onto jewelry cording or attach a jump ring to the felt to use as a bail.

When it comes to making your own art or fun creation, there’s no wrong way to go, as long as you’re being safe. If you’re making something with children, don’t let them handle glass shards on their own and always wear gloves while handling sharp materials. Have fun and craft away!