Kristina Wentzell Fine Art: Stained Glass Poppy Votive Tutorial

How to make a stained glass poppy votive

Here's a fun little project that would make a lovely teacher or hostess gift for the holidays.

SUPPLIES:

glass jar (recycled or purchased)
modge podge--gloss finish
scissors
paint brush (1/2 inch flat brush or similar)
tissue paper in red, orange, light blue, navy blue, 3 shades of green (lighter is better)
small candle

1. Using red tissue paper, cut out approximately a dozen small ovals about 1.5 inches or so in diameter and several elongated triangles as pictured. These will be the poppy flowers and buds. Using the paint brush, brush a thin layer of Modge Podge on the glass--it will go on white and dry clear. Lay down one of the ovals and paint over the tissue with the Modge Podge. Make sure to completely cover the tissue paper, going over the edges and smoothing out any bumps in the tissue and any globs of Modge Podge. Arrange the poppy flowers and buds going around the glass about half way up. Some can be a bit higher, some lower. Vary the arrangement--some flowers can overlap a bit, etc.

2. Using the light blue tissue paper, rip it into small pieces, roughly an inch or so in size. Going around the glass, using the same technique start laying in the sky. Make sure to completely cover the top of the glass all the way up to the rim, overlapping blue over blue as you go. Carefully cover the spaces around the poppy flowers with blue going about half way down the glass.

3. Using the 2 lightest shades of green tissue paper, rip it into small pieces as you did with the blue. Cover the bottom half of the glass, going in and around the poppy flowers making sure to go all the way to the bottom of the glass making sure there are no clear spaces left.

4. Using the dark shade of green (or two if you have them) cut up long, skinny stems. Going around the glass, place a stem for every poppy flower and bud, making sure stem goes all the way to the bottom of the glass. Curve the stems or cross one over the other.

5. Using red and orange tissue papers, rip up some small pieces. Going around the glass, add some extra layers to some of the poppies and buds with red and orange. Think of it as painting with tissue paper--these layers will add extra dimension and shading when the light shines through.

6. Using the navy blue tissue, rip up some tiny oval center shapes and place one on each poppy.

7. Go over the entire glass, smoothing out any globs of Modge Podge and painting down any bits of tissue what aren't smooth. Make sure you have covered the entire glass with color.