Upcycled Glass Chandelier into DIY Candlesticks - easy and elegant!
Glass prisms can be very expensive. I was looking for some bobeches to add to some DIY wooden candlesticks. Then, I remembered the glass chandelier I had in my stash. So, all I had to do was use the upcycled glass chandelier parts for my new DIY candlesticks!
Look at all of those precious baubles on the glass chandelier. However, first I need to take all of those pieces apart.
This is our Thrift Store Day, be sure to check out all the projects below.
Dismantle Glass Chandelier
Carefully, I removed all of the parts that would later help me make my fancy DIY candlesticks.
Clean Glass pieces
To clean the glass, pendalogue pieces, chains and bobeches I started off with Dawn dish soap and alcohol solution. I used warm water, and soaked the pieces.
The glass is pretty, but I'm not a fan of of the vintage wire pieces. It's amazing how much was harvested from this one glass chandelier. There were five arms, five small bobeches, two columns, tons of small glass bead chains, and a lot of the larger glass prism pendalogues. I'll easily have enough glass pieces for my DIY candlesticks, plus a lot of baubles for other random projects!
Don't have a glass chandelier? You can find prisms on Amazon!
Because I'm allergic to Dawn, I wore gloves. After round one of washing the glass pieces, there was still a lot of nicotine on the pieces. Seriously, can you believe it?
Spray On TSP Substitute
Using the spray on TSP substitute made my job a lot easier. I let it soak on the pieces for awhile, then rinsed and dried all the glass chandelier pieces again.
Buff and Dry Glass Chandelier Pieces
Do you use flour sack towels? I bought some to make decorative towels, and had a bunch left over. The towel dried and shined the crystals!
So many fun glass pieces! Plenty enough for some DIY candlesticks and more!
Wooden Spindle DIY Candlesticks
Looking in my stash of spindles, I found these three pieces that matched. I've had them for years, and used half of them for my DIY kitchen island.
I felt they would be perfect for my DIY candlesticks with the glass bobeches. I cut off the base, trying to make them varying heights.
Paint & Distress
Isn't this blue beautiful? I used this Wedgewood Blue on a hook shelf. I love these small brushes, you can find them in my Amazon store.
Shop My Amazon Storefront to See my Favorite Tools and Products
Did you see my Best Craft & DIY Tips? One of the tips shared from Kathy @ Petticoat Junktion is about an easy distressing technique using a layering block. I don't have a layering block, so I used a scrap piece of wood I cut off of the spindle candlestick base. It's really simple, I just painted some white paint on it and rubbed it on the edges of the spindle. It gives the look of white peeking through the blue. So EASY!
See? Doesn't it look like the white is peeking through?
Blue Candlesticks with Glass Bobeches
The upcycled glass chandelier pieces work perfectly for my new DIY candlesticks! Only one of the bobeches were intact, I had to reattach the glass crystals on the other two.
I didn't attach them yet, but the choices are plentiful. You can use E6000, GE Silicone for Windows and Doors, Hot Glue, or Gorilla Glue.
More Great Thrift Store Ideas
- Old Coffee Pot Upcycled as a Flower Pot
- How to Update an old Mirror
- Whitewashing Bookends
- Thrift Store Upcycle for Spring
- Upcycled Glass Chandelier (You are Here)
- Chicken Wall Decor Idea
- Pallet Herb Garden
- St. Patrick's Day Wreath
- Thrift Store Painted Side Table
Jump over to see your favorite before pictures and let 'em know Gail sent you. 🙂
Cheryl Atkinson
What a creative project. All of those pieces worked perfectly! Thank you for sharing.i do have a distressing block but mine never looks good. I guess practice makes perfect
Gail Wilson
Cheryl,
I have so many more crystals. More projects coming, someday! I used my own scrap wood, but ended up buying the layering block off of Amazon. I like that it has a big knob/handle. I'm anxious to try it on a few projects.
gail
Christy Little
Gail,
This is so freaking cool! I love that you looked past this as a chandelier and looked at what parts you could use from it. You are always so very clever!
Gail Wilson
Thank you Christy!!! Your sweet comment made me smile after a long, long day!
gail
Maryann
I love how you dressed up your candlesticks - so pretty!
Jennie
You have a lot leftover. We hade a problem with crows in our grassy courtyard. They are really mean birds. They swoop down on people and the dog and eat smaller birds. So I made bird twirlers to hang from the patio. I used the prisms and the canopies off the tops of a few ugly hanging lamps drilled small holes in the canopy, hooked the lines of prisms on and hung them. The only birds it wards off are the crows and hawks.
Gail Wilson
Awesome idea Jennie! I always worry about Lulu Mae and hawks. She knows the term "bad bird, go in". If we're out together, she comes to my side for protection, and often times will alert me to a hawk by looking up. My goal has been that she will come to the porch when I'm not around. You're idea sounds great.
gail
Cindy Rust
There was so much nicotine one those! Agh!! You did a great job on this project - you are so creative Gail! Pinned 🙂
Gail Wilson
Thanks so much for your sweet comment Cindy!
Carlene @ Organized Clutter
Beautiful Gail! I love how the chandelier parts ramped up the glam on the wood bases! Pinned!
Gail Wilson
Thank you Carlene! This was a fun project, now what to do with all the leftovers!
Kristin salazar
I love how your DIY Candlesticks came together, super cute and I love that color! How did you find out you are allergic to dawn? That's even crazier than me being allergic to cobalt blue lol.
Gail Wilson
Kristin,
While visiting other people, and helping with dishes.... dawn breaks out my hands.
I love that color too! Blue is my favorite color, and that shade is so pretty.
Gigi S
Very nice!!
Sue at Blu
Just when I thought I knew it all in the painting world…a layering block??? Goodbye to dusty messy distressing! Great way to use those crystal parts. I get so angry when the old glitzy Chandys have rust beneath the fittings. Great option here to recycle!! And the cleaning tips are excellent!
Gail Wilson
I know, right? It was the first time I used the layering block technique, but it's not my last!!! Happy to share Kathy's tutorial with my friends.
gail
Sarah @ Sadie Seasongoods
So pretty, Gail!! I love how your candlesticks turned out and can't wait to see what else you can make from all the harvested baubles!
Gail Wilson
Thank you Sarah! I know you have used these kinds of baubles, so I may be picking your brain for ideas friend!
gail