DIY Faux Stained Glass 

SUPPLIES
Egg Carton or plastic containers
Food Coloring OR acrylic paint
Clear glue or white glue
Paint brushes
Clear Tape
Glass picture frame
Aluminum foil tape
Craft Wire
Clear spray sealer
*OPTIONAL: Metallic powder such as eye shadow or pearl powder

STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS
1 Print image 2 inches smaller than the size of the glass so you have room for the silver tape.
2 Remove glass from frame. Clean with alcohol. 
3 Empty a small amount of glue from the bottle. Add black acrylic paint. Stir with a stick or pin. Add metallic eye shadow if you choose. Tap the bottle a few times on a table to help the air bubbles come to the surface. 
4 Tape your pattern underneath the glass. Start to outline the picture with the black glue, starting in the center and moving outward. Have a Q-tip or a baby wipes handy in case you need to wipe away a mistake. *TIP: All this will easily be removable when dry so if you make a mistake, you can take an X-Acto knife or a razor blade and easily cut out a portion and start over if need be.  Once you are finished outlining, let the outline dry for at least a few hours until it is no longer sticky. 
5 Take a Styrofoam or plastic egg carton and fill it up with a small amount of clear school glue or white school glue. The white will dry more opaque so I would say if you want the stained glass to have a very clear look choose clear glue. I used a little bit of both for varied effects. 
6 Put a few drops of plain food coloring in the glue and stir with a toothpick. Stir slowly to avoid air bubbles. You can also use acrylic paint for a more opaque look. You can add metallic eyeshadow, pearl powders or glitter if you choose.
7 Once all of the colors are mixed, start in the center of the picture and paint inside the black lines. Once dry, you may need a second layer depending on how dark the colors are. I did two layers on the pictures shown to get a more vibrant appearance.  
8 To make the colors last longer, I would suggest spraying this with a clear coat varnish. That way the colors don’t fade as much if you put it in a window.
9 Take aluminum foil tape and measure around the sides and the top and bottom. Allow an extra inch on all sides. Cut four pieces of aluminum foil tape. Cut them in half long wise to make them more narrow. 
10 Measure craft wire all the way around the picture frame.  You're going to need three times total the amount of wire so you can twist it. Start at the ends and twist the wire so you have two ply strength. Twist the wire and make a dent in the center. Fold it in half and make a small bend in the center so you know where the center is. 
11 Starting on one end of the tape, slowly remove the backing and place it on the bottom edge of the picture frame. Once the tape has been smoothed out, you’re going to place the wire on the outer edge of the glass. Then fold over the tape, so it covers the wire. Cut the edges of the tape or fold it over.
Next you’re going to go on one side of the glass doing the same thing with the tape, slowly push the tape all the way up to the top of the glass, then bend the wire around the edges and let it stick on the tape, then fold the tape over and smooth it down with a credit card. Repeat on the other side.
Now you’re going to do the top. We are just going to fold over the tape on the top of the picture frame. We are not going to place the wire inside. Smooth it over with a credit card.
12 Take the wire and twist it in the center make a loop and then twist the wire around the bottom portion of the loop to make a hanger.

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(C) Malena Chipps for WWLP 22 Mass Appeal 2023