Table Decoration the DIY way

“Dinner” is not just one of the three meals we are supposed to eat in a day. Apart from the food aspect, it can be ceremonial, significant, and even romantic. Think about it, you have probably been “invited to dinner”. Possibly been nervous before a “dinner date”, and you may have had an official “dinner arrangement”. And then after it was all said and done, your friends probably asked you, “so what happened at dinner”? All the more reason to make your dinner special, whatever the occasion. And we know exactly how to do it with some spectacular Glass Paint Jars and Napkin Rings.

And in case you are wondering what sea glass is, imagine little pieces of glass, rolling along the ocean floor, being formed and sanded-down by all those particles of sand. Eventually arriving at the shore, looking unique and precious. Sound like something you want to do? Read on.

Materials used

• Glass pebbles
• Glass jars or cups
• Wooden tray
• Montana GLASS PAINT
• Montana GOLD colors to compliment your GLASS PAINT colors
• Montana Universal PRIMER
• Wooden rings
• Glue
• Masking tape
• Covering material
• Gloves
• Mask
• Drop Sheet

How it was done

The first step was to locate the glass pebbles and the glass jars/containers. Your local home decor, major hardware or craft store will most likely have both. While you’re at these stores, keep your eyes open for a wooden tray, or bar tray of sorts. We used wood, however, if you find an alternate material, as long as paint sticks to it, you’ll be fine. If you don’t find glass jars, I’m sure there are some amazing glass jars available to you that could be up-cycled. Seek and you will find! Make sure all items are clean, free of dust or oils, and above all dry. Consider covering them with a towel to prevent dust settling on them till you are ready to use them.

We chose to first paint our glass pebbles. Laying them our on our drop sheet, with our masks and gloves on, we shook our cans for 2-3 minutes vigorously, ensuring we could hear the mixing balls moving freely. This process applies to all the cans being used. One even coat was applied per color, and then they were left to dry while we painted the other pebbles with the other colors. Once all colors had been sprayed on, we turned the pebbles around and started at the beginning putting each color on the unpainted surfaces of the pebbles.

The second step was to color-coordinate the glass jars to the painted pebbles. Having one jar per pebble color, we stuck our masking/craft tape on the lower half of each jar, so the GLASS PAINT would only stick to upper rim about two fingers width. Once spraying all the jars we removed the tape leaving a clean line of color at the top of each jar.

Our napkin rings were wooden rings normally used for curtains. Choosing a pastel Montana GOLD color in a similar tone to that of our pebbles, we then sprayed each ring in the color we thought complimented. One or two coats would be enough, but if you want to be super professional, you could even pre-prime the wooden rings with the Montana Universal PRIMER, or Montana GOLD Shock White, which are both white once dry. Leaving the rings to dry with their beautiful new colors, we then attached the complimentary pebbles onto their new homes. We used a classic multi-purpose PVA glue as it dries clear.

The napkin rings look stunning and with the glass jars, you have function table dressing and timeless table decor, all-in-one. The icing on the cake is your display/bar tray. We found a wooden version that brought an earthy feeling to our display. With its surface being ready, all we needed to do is apply one to two coats of the pastel Montana GOLD color of our choice. Again, if you want a sealed surface, why not first give it a lick of Montana Universal PRIMER, or Montana GOLD Shock White, which are both white once dry. Leaving everything overnight to dry, the tension built as we re-entered the studio the next day…

Wow! The whole set looked amazing. The napkin rings, discreet and timeless, the leftover pebbles in the glass jars were classy and warm, and the tray brought everything together. Now you are ready for your next “Dinner”.

This project varies from easy to hard. Hard not because you need particular skills to do any parts of it, but because you need to have the patience to do the steps with care. Ideally don’t do it in a rush so you prevent things happening, like rolling the pebbles over while they are still wet to paint the opposite sides.

“So anyway, what happened at dinner last night?”. Happy Crafting