DIY Marbled Vases

3 Materials
$5
10 Minutes
Easy
Do you guys remember those eggs and pumpkins I marbled? And do you remember those vases I just painted? Let's just say you do, k? Ideas were starting to form in my head about getting those two projects to come together. If you have ever faux marbled anything like this you will understand why I marbled so many vases. Despite all of the fumes I inhaled, this project was so much fun...almost therapeutic actually (maybe that was partly due to the fumes). I might faux marble a vase everyday to calm my nerves this summer while the kids are home from school. I did this project a few different ways and I have my favorite way. Each way works but you'll get a slightly different outcome each time.
I call this first attempt practice round 1. For this round, I poured white paint inside my vase, flipped the vase over and let the paint cover the inside of the vase (just like I did with my painted vases). Once the inside of the vase was dry (well, sort of dry because I have no patience) I dipped my vase in a container of water and blue nail polish (just like my Easter eggs). I really did like this version but I wasn't getting the look I wanted.  And the nail polish was on the outside of the vase.  I wanted a smoother look and feel on the actual vase itself.
So I moved on to practice round 2. For this round, I added white paint AND blue paint to the inside of my vase. With a long skewer I marbled the paint inside the vase first.
I flipped my vase over and let the paint slide around the vase. And oh my goodness, I was having so much fun. Maybe too much fun...the kids kept looking at me like I was a nut. This practice round was going so well...but when I flipped my vases over to drain out the extra paint and to dry, the two paints started mixing too much into each other and I was getting a less definite marble look. Get what I am saying?
So then came practice Round 3 (and technically round 4). Instead of using white and blue paint, I used white paint and blue nail polish. The nail polish held it's own much better when mixed with the white paint. This round was my favorite. If you have a smaller vase this should be pretty easy peasy. But it's the larger vases that require some more work. Once again, I added paint to my vase, added in some nail polish, swirled it around in the vase with a skewer, flipped the vase on it's side and let the paint do it's thing.
For these bigger vases you will need to keep adding paint and nail polish as you go. My first attempt I didn't add as much nail polish as I should have so one of my vases has a less marbled look. The other vase I was very liberal with the paint and nail polish. I tried to work in sections and kept adding paint and nail polish as I worked my way up the vase. If you do not like to waste then this project might make you cringe. There was a good amount of paint that came out of my jar onto my plastic as it was flipped over drying. But you know, a girl has to do what a girl has to do to get that marble look.
Make sure to head over to my blog to see more details about this project as well as others! https://www.lanternlanedesigns.com/how-to-make-your-own-marbled-vases/
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Jenna Lantern Lane Designs
Want more details about this and other DIY projects? Check out my blog post!
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Frequently asked questions
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3 of 12 questions
  • Tammy Baggett George Tammy Baggett George on Sep 07, 2019

    Does anyone know if you could use a regular oil-based paint, or maybe Kilz and then you could use water/flowers in it later?? Or maybe coat with polyurethane afterwards to make it waterproof?

  • Mary schuetz Mary schuetz on Jun 11, 2022

    You mentioned about fumes. I use oxygen all day and night. Is this something I shouldn’t try to do?

    it looks like such a cool project but I can’t harm my health anymore than what it is already?

  • Thp89274118 Thp89274118 on Sep 09, 2023

    I have poured I think just about everything I can find. From canvases, furniture, to pumpkins for this fall. However, I have not poured any glass yet. But I am ready! The one thing I have not seemed to be able to find, is, what do you do to protect the paint and or polish from washing off, if piece needs to be washed?

    Thank you.

Comments
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3 of 35 comments
  • Pineapple Pineapple on Jan 29, 2021

    so pretty.

  • Shankara Shankara on Jan 29, 2021

    I have a lot of glass bottles and jars stashed away to use for a project like this. You did a great job. To create two projects at once, use an art canvas or large card stock to catch the dripping paint. Waste not want not. 😊❤

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