Design Happens

I love estate sales, digging through other people’s garages, cabinets and basements is how I spend most Saturday mornings and I ALWAYS bag a bargain. My latest find was an assortment of cut glass plates, small bowls and candlesticks. Just decorative tchotchkes on their own but I have bigger plans for them: They’re going to become the centerpiece for my holiday table.

Here’s a sneak peek of the end result, learn how to make your own after the jump:

This is definitely a big bang-for-your-buck project. All you need, besides the glassware, is food-safe, waterproof glue that is permanent and dries clear. This may sound like a tall order but I found the perfect thing at my local hardware store: an adhesive whose label states that apart from bonding glass to other items it can also be used to seal fish tanks, which must mean this is some heavy-duty stuff.

Start by thoroughly cleaning your finds. I filled a sink with warm water and bleach and soaked them for several hours to loosen up decades of dirt and candle wax then ran them through the dishwasher to create a sparkling, pristine surface.

Once all the parts were thoroughly dry, I added a bead of adhesive to the candlestick rim and set the plate (or bowl) on top, being careful to center it.

That’s it— set the joined pieces somewhere they won’t be disturbed for 24 hours to allow the glue to cure and your newly-created, vintage-look serveware is ready for service.

For my centerpiece, I layered bits of cut evergreens (from my backyard) with vintage mercury glass Christmas balls and glittered pinecones.

The glittered pinecones add a rustic touch of bling and are a snap to create: just gather a bunch from your backyard or nearby woods. Working one at at time, coat each pinecone with spray adhesive (like Super 77) and while the glue is still tacky, cover it with a dusting of crystal or metallic glitter. So pretty and so easy, these are a great project to do with kids. Add a bit of wire or ribbon to the top to create an ornament or tie several onto a wrapped gift in place of a traditional bow.

While I was at it, I also made a few accompanying pieces with non-glass candlesticks as bases. So, give new purpose to the mismatched pieces in your china cabinet or wander through a local flea market or antique store and see what you can come up with, then share your holiday centerpiece pics with us at Rate My Space.