Young House Love

Home Decorating & DIY Tutorials

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How To Use A Paint Pen On Drinking Glasses

You could call these tumblers titillating. That’s right. I said titillating. Who doesn’t love a good set of small glass cups that can be anything from charming votive candle holders to drinking glasses or even holiday candy serving dishes grouped en masse on a coffee table? I’ve always wanted to try my hand at glass paint (the kind that you apply with a pen and bake on in the oven) so I figured using it to create a cute little DIY holiday gift would be just the thing. Or it could be another epic fail- you never know when you start these things…

For this project I originally planned to go to a thrift store for cheap $1 glasses to paint, but when I stumbled across this matched set of four tumblers at Target for $2.50 (less than 65 cents a pop) I couldn’t resist grabbing it. Oh and I got the paint pen – called Vitrea 160 in Scandalwood Green – from Michael’s for just a few bucks (around $3 I think).

Diy Gift Glass Tumblers

When it came to application, I just followed the directions and freehanded some seasonal designs on the outside of each tumbler (feathery spruce trees line one cup, pine needles are the chosen scheme for another glass, and wavy lines and straight stripes round out the other two cups). After allowing the cups to dry for 24 hours (according to the instructions on the ol’ paint pen) it was time to bake them in the oven for 40 minutes at 325 degrees (instructions probably vary, so be sure to follow the ones on your pen when it’s time to get your cook on). Tip: we didn’t preheat the oven and we left them in there to cool for a while before removing them, which seemed to help keep the glass from cracking since major changes in temperature can cause that).

Diy Gift Tumblers Oven

The result was a gorgeously sweet and subtle design that feels festive without looking too over the top. In other words, we figure as far as gifts go, these cups could probably live in nearly any house without feeling too out of place (since we opted for a pretty subtle season-appropriate color scheme, and avoided more kitchy illustrations like colorful snowmen or santas- although those could be really cute if you’re sure your giftee would like them).

Diy Glass Tumbler Pine

They’re nearly impossible to take photos of (but are very charming and even semi “professional looking” in person):

Diy Seasonal Tumblers

Wouldn’t those look cute filled with candy and grouped on a table or even paired with small votive candles on someone’s mantel? They could also be used to serve warm cider to guests on Christmas or even New Years (since once the ink is baked onto the outside of the glass, it’s ready to use and can even be popped into the dishwasher). So I thought they made nice little versatile homemade gifts for around $5.50 (including the pen and all four glasses). And of course they could be personalized instead of seasonally decorated (with a scripty monogram, each family member’s name, a favorite icon like a horseshoe or a heart, etc). Have any of you guys tried your hand at glass paint? Do you have any other cheap DIY gifts on your to-do list? Tell me all about it.

Update: You can check out all of our favorite holiday decor finds here – many of which are under $15! 

Comments

  1. Danielle says

    MAXX ME!!!

    Top of my list = New bedroom set I’ve been coveting for months
    And, I am most excited to take my husband on a surprise vacation :)

    Reply

  3. Esther says

    This is a great way to personalize glasses for families with several members. I know there’s only 3 of us and we are constantly running out of glasses…if we each had a “special” one we would just rinse that one out each time!

    Reply

  5. Jyl says

    We have 75 clear glass Christmas ornaments left over from our wedding favors (the website I ordered them from sent me an extra box by mistake and told me to keep them) So I’ve been thinking about doing a little glass painting myself.

    In the past I’ve used the glass paints- I guess they’re like enamel? You wipe the glass off with alcohol first and then paint and bake similar to the marker process.

    Anyway, I saw some ornaments at the local Ace hardware where the artist had used those paints and a thin liner brush to make overlapping squiggles into simple poinsettia shapes. They were so delicate and pretty, and white and shiny so I instantly thought of YHL ;) The technique would look great on tumblers too.

    I’m busy building two walls, installing hardwood floor, and demolishing a kitchen right now, but once that’s all finished I might try it!

    Reply

  6. Amanda says

    I love this idea! We are on a very tight budget and this is just awesome. Might be running to target this week to get started!

    Reply

  7. OnMon says

    Love the paint idea! I’m constantly looking for DIY projects I can do in short amounts of time, because ADD keeps me from completing longer projects (seriously, two hours or less, or it will sit half-finished forever! Like that steering wheel cozy I never got to cast off, when I learned to knit…). Does the marker work on ceramic as well? I have a bunch of friends at work who could use some personalized mugs (and whom I need to show my gratitude too, anyway). I was going to make everyone rolled beeswax candles (eco friendly!) but the list of folks I’d like to give to keeps getting longer and I’ve only got enough wax for 22 candles (it’s pricey stuff, though cheaper than buying candles already made). Holiday mugs might be the way to go, if you think it’ll work…

    Reply

  8. Katie Lake says

    I used to do this in college with martini glasses and other larger wine glasses (these can both be purchased at Target in sets of four for cheap cheap) for friends’ 21st birthdays. I also glued on lots of things like beads and tassles.

    I also like buying little chalkboards from Michael’s, staining the wood, adding a ribbon for hanging (you can drill holes to thread it through or staple the ribbon on the back) and writing something sweet in chalk. I am full of little crafts and can-dos.

    Reply

  9. Lindsey says

    I don’t know if anyone suggested this or not… but you also may want to consider etching the glass (as in your previous post) and then painting it. Then you will have some additional texture. I have some classes like that and I love them.

    Reply

  10. Loren says

    I keep seeing those cute ‘mustache’ glasses. And I want them but I don’t want to PAY for them… This may be my solution.
    Anyway this marker could paint darker? Did you try overlapping layers? Or is it a one shade deal?

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Hey Loren,

      They sell paint pens in all colors, so I bet the black or brown ones would work like a charm (they should be pretty dark even with one “coat”). Love the mustache idea! Send pics if you tackle it!

      xo,
      s

  11. Nicole says

    Thanks for the great idea guys! I think I’m going to try and find glass coasters or use 3″ tiles to paint on(and attach a cork backing)as coasters for the holidays. Thanks!

    Reply

  14. Amanda says

    This is cute. I love Michaels, I’d go everyday just to walk around if I could. (Gives me great inspiration!)

    Totally off topic .. If someone comments in a different post for a give away, and you notice it do you include it in the giveaway tally? I wouldn’t expect you to at all (talk about a lot of work – in my opinion people should be more careful) but I was just curious!

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Hey Amanda,

      We used to move the comments to the right post to help people out, but now we just don’t have a spare moment to tackle that. So we figure if the contest parameter is to comment on that post in order to enter, any comments on other posts don’t count. Hope it helps!

      xo,
      s

  15. Jess says

    I love this idea. How would you wrap them? Would you put them back in the box they came in or would you package them some other way?

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Hey Jess,

      I’ll probably put them in a square paper box without the lid (like a box you’d give a sweater to someone in) and pop votive candles in them and then wrap ribbon around the box to create a nice little x-shaped handle for delivering them. I guess I could wrap them each with tissue paper and pop them into a gift bag too…

      xo,
      s

  16. Catherine says

    These look great! They remind me of the glass that (my favorite!) Thyme’s Frasier Fur candles come in–very professional looking! I wonder if you could Martha Stewart it up a little more and melt your own wax and turn them into candles yourself. Of course, they look lovely as is, but it’s an option…

    Reply

  17. Jessica says

    I’m painting on pint glasses for our wedding favors. Each glass will have a rectangle in chalkboard paint for guests to write their name on and take home for future use. I used a primer with chalkboard paint over. I will post a short how-to on my blog today for anyone interested. Thanks for this great idea!

    Reply

  18. Natalie says

    I think they photographed fine! I can not draw for the life of me so thanks to the poster who suggested printing a design on white paper, popping it inside the glass then tracing.

    Reply

  20. Amy says

    Ahhh, I love DIY gifts. This one is so nice… it reminds me of the time I made a vase for my mother for mother’s day :)

    This year my DIY gift project are marble magnets http://www.notmartha.org/tomake/marblemagnets/

    I’m photoshopping the designs especially for the recipients and got a special hole punch from Michaels to make cutting go much more quickly. I don’t have little tins, so I’m going to use my sewing machine to whip up some little bags with spare fabric I have lying around.

    Reply

  21. Natalie Ramello says

    MAXX ME
    Since we are moving this Holiday Season like you guys we are focusing on items for the home over here..IKEA GIFT CARDS are at the top of the list..

    Reply

  22. Ana says

    What’s great about the timing of this post is I just bought a set of 4 plain glasses for $1 at an estate sale. I might try the paint pen, but I’m eager to do the etching paste, too. I’m going to make truffles for co-workers and put them in the fancified glasses.

    Just a tip: The last day at an estate sale things are generally 50% off — or even whatever you want to offer. At just about every estate sale I’ve ever been to, glasses like the ones you used are left over at the end. It’s a great way to pick up some crafting materials extremely cheaply.

    Reply

  23. Jamie B says

    While normally I am a fan of most of your projects, this just isnt one of them! (Said with love…) I think they look like a CHEAP, DIY gift…but dont hate me for saying it!

    Reply

  27. Rachael says

    this year for xmas & hanukkah we’re giving everyone coasters painted w glass paint! we use sticker paper to help with the silhouette, then peel it off BEFORE the paint dries for nice crisp lines. we have between 10-12 gifts to give and spent $50 on the whole project. bought 4×4 white tiles at Lowes, 4 tiles to a set, with the little felt stickers on the bottom so they won’t scratch anyone’s furniture. I was pretty proud of that little project!! but now I’m ready to try my hand on clear glass. the paint I have is brush on, not my fave, but it works!

    Reply

  28. Rachel B says

    MAXX ME!

    On the top of my list is a new lens for my Rebel XTI and im most exciting to be giving my mom the 3-tier buffet station she has been eyeing up!

    Thanks.

    Reply

  29. Kalen says

    Love this idea!

    Last year for Christmas we saved up wine bottles for a while (we don’t drink very often so it took some time), and I painted them with a similar paint. The paint didn’t come in pen form, I used paint brushes to apply it to the bottles, then popped them in the oven. I found some cheap spouts to stick in the top from a kitchen store. They are great for holding olive oil or just for displaying! Save a few beer bottles for soy sauce. ^.^

    Reply

  32. Emily says

    For some reason when you mentioned painting on a favorite item -like a horseshoe- that cracked me up! My husband shoes horses and I hate the cheesy horse things we get as gifts! But there are definitely some who LOVE it. lol! Great idea

    Reply

  36. Katie C says

    I’ve actually done pretty well buying cheap white ceramic dishes and decorating them with ceramic paint, which is right next to the glass paint in Michael’s.

    Reply

  38. Sarah says

    This was such a cute idea, I had to try it, and it turned out to be a perfect, cheap and personalized gift for my grandmother. I switched it up though so I wasn’t stealing your idea exactly and used a silver paint pen to paint little snowflakes on the sides. Thanks for the idea!

    Reply

  39. stephanie m says

    Your the absolute best. I was looking at the mug version of this an thought to my self I want to do a glass cup one so I Google DIY monogram glass cups am you popped up again thank you my Christmas is complete an now very special

    Reply

  40. Amanda T says

    These are so cute – and so easy! I really liked this idea but thought that since I lack any real artistic skills I wouldn’t be able to pull it off. I just stuck to simple themes – polka dots, stripes, pine needles and trees – and they turned out great! I’m so thankful for the constant inspiration I get from your blog.

    Reply

  41. Angie says

    I just got married and monogrammed champagne glasses and the date. Took 15 minted or so and they came out great! If you are not very artistic you can design and print what you want on the computer to and stick it face up on the inside of the glass to guide you.

    Reply

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