Creating the Look of Stained Glass

• Paint a glass box to look like stained glass with translucent stained glass paint. The display features of the box are diminished, but the box becomes an art piece. You can find paint and patterns for stained glass designs at your local craft store. Tape the pattern on the inside of the glass box. Clean the outside of the box and then wipe it with rubbing alcohol to remove any fingerprints. Trace the pattern onto the glass with a grease pencil. Trace the outline of your design with liquid leading, self-adhesive lead strips or black glue sticks and a glue gun to create the effect of real stained glass. Paint inside the outlines and let it dry. You can paint all of the sides and the top of your glass box or simply paint the top. If your glass box is too small for a painted scene, freehand a pattern with sections delineated by curved lines to create an abstract work of art.
  
  

Decorating with Paint and Glue

• Decorate the lid of the glass box with sea glass or sea shells as an accessory for a beach-themed room. Paint the inside or outside of the box sky blue, sea green or sandy cream with glass paint to enhance the theme or to camouflage the contents. Leave the lid open while your paint dries if you paint on the inside. Lay out your pattern for the lid and then glue shells or sea glass onto the lid with a glue gun for fast drying or with strong craft glue like E-6000 for a more permanent bond. There is no limit to the ways you can decorate your glass box with a little glue or some paint. Create a jewelry box by adding vintage jewelry to the lid or decoupage pressed flowers on the inside of the box. Pansies press beautifully in a few days between wax paper inside a heavy book. Spread a layer of decoupage medium on the inside walls of the box, and then place the pressed flowers into the glue. Cover the backs of the flowers with more decoupage medium and let it dry.
  
  

Etching

• Etch the sides or the lid of the glass box to create a frosted, cut-glass effect. Clean the outside surface of the box thoroughly. Select a stencil and tape it securely to the surface you plan to etch. Carefully apply etching cream inside the stencil and let it set up according to the manufacturer's directions. Remove the stencil and run cold water over the glass to remove the cream.