What Can You Do With Old (and Broken) Wine Glasses?
May 22, 2020You've spent quite a fortune for your wine glasses but found a couple with chipped rim and broken stem. You might want to cry but there's nothing you can do but make the best of what you can. Here, we've rounded up some repurposing/upcycling tips for your wine glasses, whether it's a chipped rim, a broken stem, or smashed through. We know you will love these, especially repurposing the smashed wine glass.
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Centerpieces
Intact wine glasses are the easiest to repurpose or upcycle since all you need to do is add a few embellishments and you’ve already given a new look to your old wine glasses that already lost its brilliance and luster. Turn these glasses into centerpieces to add glam and elegance to any occasion.
1. Wine Glass Centerpiece
Looking for some decor inspiration for a wedding reception or baby shower party? Here's a good centerpiece idea from your old wine glass. Glue some flat beads on the glue. Use flat beads of different sizes for variety and character. Add a ribbon tied into a bow, just below the bowl of the wine glass. Add a shiny embellishment on the bow by applying some hot glue. Use the same color as your theme.
2. Light-up Wine Glass Centerpiece
This centerpiece needs an oversized red wine glass, styrofoam ball, and battery-operated night light. More decorations can be added as inspiration strikes. Hot glue a battery-operated night light on top of the styrofoam ball on the inverted wine glass. Cut the stem of your flowers and stick it to the styrofoam ball. Work around the light, covering it slightly. Hot glue some flowers on the lower end of the stem of the wine glass to complete the look.
3. Lace and Applique It
Here's a good way to glam up an extra-large wine glass is to add some lace and appliques. Add some flat floral appliques or 3-dimensional appliques to the lower part of the wine glass. Make a skirt on the lower portion with some lace. Decorate with some bow and flowers. If your theme is not a naturally-occurring color and you can’t find a flower or colored satin flowers that can match your bow, just spray paint some white satin flowers.
4. Wine Glass Vase
For this wine glass vase, you can use the stemless kind or one with a broken stem. If using a broken stem glass, sand the edges off so it flattens. Add two layers of glitters after applying some glue, letting it dry well in-between applications. Decorate the vase by wrapping a piece of ribbon around it and tying it into a bow. You can add bling to the bow if you want.
For this wine glass vase, you’ll need an oversized wine glass. Start by filling the wine glass with water. Cut some bubble plastic wrap into 2-inch squares, careful not to puncture the bubbles. Stick it into the bubble wrap squares. Float the flowers slowly on the water. The bubble wrap lets the flower float while protecting the flower from being waterlogged after some time.
Candle Holders
Lend a new life for your wine glasses by turning them into candle holders. Whether inverted or right side up, a few creative ideas will go a long way. These are perfect centerpieces or gift ideas for any occasion.
1. Votive & Tea Light Holders
All you need are a few bicone beads, a spare circular or hexagonal mirror, and some glue and you're on your way to some classy votive candle holder. You can choose the color and shape of the beads, depending on your mood. Glam up the wine glass by adding the beads on the foot portion.Glue your scene or flowers on the mirror base you will be using. Be sure to stay inside the outline. Apply hot glue to the outline and carefully tip the glass on the glue.
2. Decoupage Wine Glass
Decoupage art gives this wine glass a vintage look. Its dainty design makes it look exquisite and perfect for the countryside setting. Cover a portion of the glass with a circle made from paper and double-sided tape.
Glue on some tissue to cover the wine glass.
Then glam it up by adding some decoupage design and finishing it with acrylic sealer and waterproofing varnish.
Give it a vintage look with some gold paint to finish the look.
3. Colored Mercury Glass
Colored mercury glasses are very good cancel holders since they evoke an ethereal feel. Just a few cans of spray paint will do. Spray paint the inside of the wine glass with silver paint and the outer with the color of choice. Do not cover it fully as the aim is to just add color and character to the wine glass without covering its glass. This is a purely decorative glass since the spray paint is toxic. Be sure to work outdoors or in a well-ventilated area to avoid the fumes.
Planters, Terrarium and Aquarium
Giving a new life to old wine glasses is literal in these repurposing DIY projects. An indoor terrarium or even outdoor planters are a good choice to use old wine glasses.
1. Wine Glass Moss Ball Planter
A stemless wine glass is a good choice for this planter. A stemmed wine glass with a broken stem also works well. Be sure to sand the broken part to avoid accidents. Prepare the moss ball by wrapping a plant of choice with some peat. Cover it with some moss to keep it together. Let it hold for a few days before transferring to your wine glass.
2. Layered Rock Succulent Planter
With the rave on succulents these days, finding a cute planter for the personality of your succulents is a must. The arrangement of this planter reminds you of a cocktail with a straw stuck into it. Choose the succulents that work best for your design. It is better if you can put it on paper to visualize it. Here, the succulents are planted in a separate glass, small enough to be hidden inside the wine glass and the layers of colored rocks. Start by adding a thin of white pebbles, then position the glass in the middle of the wine glass. Finish off by alternating the pink and white pebbles until the top of the smaller glass inside is perfectly concealed by the pebbles.
3. Wine Glass Terrarium
Give your wine glass a new life by turning it into a terrarium. This is very easy to do and can be done on almost any glass container although the wine glass version is cute. Choose a plant that will not grow big or you can just change it if it overwhelms the wine glass. Just add a layer of carbonated charcoal to keep the soil moist, pebbles to serve as drainage and some plotting soil.
Plant your indoor plants of choice. Add some decorative rocks or toys. Some vintage-looking toys and dinosaurs can be a good decoration.
For this martini glass, give it some character with small plants. Find one that will not grow big. Small vines can be a good choice too. Use a variety of plants but be sure not to swamp the glass.
4. Giant Wine Glass Aquarium
This is seriously and ridiculously large for a wine glass and I’d like to think this is actually a punch bowl but guess what, it served the purpose. A couple of fish is just enough for something this large but if you have a smaller one at hand, choose a solitary, smaller fish like a Siamese fighting fish. Adorn it with just enough aquarium decor to give the fish the space it needs.
Glammed Up Drinking Glasses
Some wine glasses can still be used for drinking even after glamming it up. Adding some decals, glitters, and even rhinestone won’t harm the glass but may hide the wine from view. It is best to glam up white wine glasses since you don’t have to swirl it.
1. Rhinestone Wedding Glass
This is basically the same technique as the applique and lace. Instead, go for a more sophisticated look by adding rhinestone roll on the stem and some rhinestone flower, too. To personalize it, hot glue a single string rhinestone roll on the stem of the wine glass, starting just below the top, wrapping it all the way to the bottom of the stem. Add some hot glue along the way so the rhinestone holds in place. Repeat on the second glass. Lastly, hot glue some rhinestone flowers on one glass for the bride.This is a good bride and groom glass for the wedding toast.
2. Glitterize
Add some dishwasher-safe glitter to your old wine glasses to glam it up. Yes, it’s dishwasher-safe, it’s not a typo. The secret comes from some dishwasher-safe finish.
Start by wrapping the upper half of your wine glass with some masking tape. Be sure to make a straight line so the glitter will be on a straight line too. Apply some dishwasher-safe Mod Podge using a sponge brush then sprinkle glitters over it. Repeat this twice. Then finish and waterproof it by applying 3 layers of Mod Podge Dishwasher-safe glue, letting it dry for 2 hours between coats. Apply three coats and let it cure for 28 days so it is top-rack dishwasher-safe.
3. Personalize with Decals
Glitter and decals help to personalize a wine glass. This can be a good gift idea. Apply some acrylic varnish over the glitters for that shiny and professional-looking finish. Then add vinyl decals - monograms or other designs can be used.
4. Etch it
Instead of using printed vinyl decals, you can use a decal stencil from premium vinyl. Cut out your design and position your design on your wine glass. Arrange and adjust it well so there are no wrinkles.
Apply some Armour Etch Etching Cream (it is available on a lot of online and craft stores) then brush it on for 3 minutes until the design is etched on the glass.
Wash it under running water until all the cream is washed off. Remove the stencil and dry.
Painting
Glass is a good medium for painting. You can use acrylic paint, nail polish mixed with water, dirty painting (pouring all the paint and letting it do its job), or use chalkboard paint. Find one that fits your specific needs and mood.
1. Acrylic Painting on Wine Glasses
Acrylic paint works well on glass and holds it on too. The vivid colors of the acrylic paint makes the painting stand out.
Start by cleaning the glass with isopropyl alcohol and tissue to remove all smudges and oil on it. Paint on the desired design on the outside of the glass.
Finish off by painting the stem and the foot. Let it dry for at least 3 hours, depending on the thickness of the paint. Cure it for 21 days or pop it into the oven set 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes.
2. Watercolor Wine Glasses
Nail polish plus warm water is all you need to make this DIY project for your old wine glasses.
Fill a pail with warm water, then add a few drops of nail polish. Mix it up a little with a toothpick.
Cover the upper half of the wine glass with painter’s tape. Dip the sides of the wine glass into the nail polish until all the sides are covered. Let dry.
3. Chalkboard DIY Glasses
You want people to know which your glass is while at a party or simply give it without the need of a gift tag? Chalkboard paint it!
This DIY is as simple as 1-2-3. First, cover the stem with painter’s ink, up to the point where you want the paint. Dip it into a can of chalkboard paint for even application. Remove all excess paint with a sponge brush. Lastly, let it dry propped up on its side so not to touch the foot of the wine glass.
Food Holders
Wine glasses can also be used as food holders, servers, or stands. Both intact and broken wine glasses can be used for this project.
1. Birthday Party Favors
Throwing a fun party for kids is a breeze with this simple setup. Treat the kids with sugar overload by filling an old plastic wine glass with some candies and top it with a cupcake. You can wrap the wine glass with some ribbon with the celebrant’s name and picture. Sky is the limit for this blank canvas of a wine glass.
2. DIY Cake Stand
This cake stand is made by gluing together a beautiful glass plate and an old wine glass. The broken stem of the wine glass also works well on this project. Not only can it be used as a cake holder, it can also be used to serve cupcakes or hors d oeuvres.
Organizers
For these organizers, you will need a sturdy stem of a wine glass to support the weight of the things you will fill it with.
1. Jewelry Stand
Use some chalice or goblet stem for this project. Use acrylic plates so it won’t be too heavy for the stem. Just hot glue each layer, starting with the largest plate as the base, working up to the smaller plate as you add layers. It is best to stay at 2-3 layers, depending on the stem you are using. You can also use some vintage wine glasses. Turn it upside down to provide a sturdier stand.
2. Apothecary Jar
This apothecary jar DIY can use acrylic jars or mason jars. The stem to use here should be the sturdier stem of a goblet or chalice. Glam it up with crystal beads and rhinestone rolls. These can be used as a glammed up organizer for your facial regimen - cotton balls, cotton pads, and Q tips.
Decors
Turn your broken or even intact wine glasses into works of art. A little imagination and creativity, some basic tools and everyday supplies are a good way to start with.
1. Easter Glass Display
Some bunny-shaped and egg-shaped candles find a home in this broken wine glass DIY placed strategically to give your broken treasure a new life on your coffee table. Perfect as a home decor for Easter.
Assemble the base by hot gluing the sanded stem and bowl of the wine in a heart-shaped plate. You can use ceramic or acrylic plates for this.
Decorate the wine glass with some paper twine, abaca rope or shredded paper. Add other items to present it beautifully. Position the candles well and cover glue drippings with flowers and more abaca ropes or paper twine.
3. Wine Glass Snow Globe/Candle Holder
Who needs the regular snow globe when you can have a great conversation starter that is both lovely and functional? This can be used as a centerpiece or decor on the mantel or foyer table.
Fill the wine glass with styrofoam dust to resemble the snow. Glue some figures to a coaster.
Hot glue the base to the rim of the wine glass. Cover the seam with a cord. Glue some styrofoam dust to the foot of the wine glass. This can be used as the candle holder.
3. Epic Goblets
Turn your boring wine glass into epic goblets. You would need some modeling clay, metallic paint and acrylic varnish for finishing. This may be hard to make but with patience, you can do it.
Make your design on paper. You can stencil it on the wine glass. Flatten out some modeling clay for the leaves.
Add some vines on the stem by rolling some clay into long strips. Attach the flattened modeling clay for the leaves. No need for glue. Carve out your design using some wooden modeling tools.
Bake it for 25 minutes at 110 degrees Celsius (250 degrees Fahrenheit). Let it cool and paint with metallic paint of choice.
4. Hourglass Diorama
Make this diorama from your old wine glass. This will remind us of our responsibility to the earth as well as serve as a good table decor.
Using two unbreakable wine glasses, cut off the stem and part of the glass off. Be sure both glasses are of the same size. Sand off the cut pieces. Hot glue these pieces together so it resembles an hourglass. Cut about ⅓ of a tennis ball with the hacksaw and cover it with an artificial moss sheet. This will be your “earth”.
Cut a few pieces of copper wire and form it into a tree. Apply glue to the branches and dip it to some crushed floral foam as the leaves. Add more glue and leaves if necessary.
Superglue the tree on top of the earth. Mold and carve some chalk into tree stumps and paint it. Glue it to the earth.
Position your fingers as if you’re picking up something. Touch all your fingers together. Using this as the mold, wrap a piece of aluminum foil. Mix plaster of Paris with water and pour it into your aluminum foil mold. Let dry. Carve it so it resembles a “glacier”. Stick a small glacier so it is visible above the “water”. Paint it with some very faint electric blue paint. Apply some GVA glue to cover up the holes.
Hot glue some rope on the smaller side of the glacier. Let dry. Mix 132 g epoxy resin and 66g epoxy hardener and add a drop of alcohol ink (blue) into the resin mixture. Mix well. Suspend the glacier sculpture into the other end of the hourglass. Pour the epoxy mixture up to half until just a small part of the glacier is visible on the surface. Let dry. Remove the rope.
3. Wine Glass Sculpture
Broken glass? Turn it into a sculpture with some styrofoam, modeling clay and some decorations. It would look like a limited edition home decor.
Decide what design works best for your broken wine glass. This design works best for a broken wine glass with parts of the bowl and the stem intact. Draw or print your design so it is easier to visualize. Glue together some styrofoam pieces and add it to the bowl of the glass to fill it. Add some
Make a tree model from copper wires. Wrap it with cotton rope and paint it with dark brown paint.
Hot glue the tree to the “rock”.
Add leaves and fruits to the tree. Add some grass and plants to the rocks around the sculpture. Let it set for at least 3 hours before moving it.
Broken Wine Glass DIY
These projects involve some stemless wine glass or a wine glass with a broken stem. Be sure to sand off the broken parts to smoothen it and prevent accidents.
1. Mirror Mosaic Vases
This project needs a wine glass with the stem removed. This works well for an oversized red wine glass. Cover the surface of the glass with some broken mirror and broken wine glass. The stem is a glass candelabra.
2. Glammed Candle Holders
These candle holders are made with wine glasses (stem broken or removed) and attached to a glass candelabra. Crushed wine glass pieces are glued to the wine glass and some bling added. This works well as a candle holder.
3. Glass Goblet
Assemble three glasses to make this decorative goblet. The finished product would look like a stylish and high end home decor. Hot glue a small fish bowl to the rim of a hock glass. Attach the foot of the hock glass to a rocks glass to serve as the base. Cover the base with feather lace by hot gluing it to the rocks glass. Apply glitter to the fish bowl. Let dry. Add beads and broken glass. Finish off with stringed beads on the rim of the glass.
Conclusion
There you go! Thirty ideas to repurpose your old wine glasses, giving life to even broken ones. You’ll never go wrong with this list. At least one would spark your interest. If you think that you can drink wine from any glass, given that wine glasses can really be flimsy being so thin , then read this .