5.07.2012

Tinted Mason Jars with Glass Paint...

So here we go.
The good, the bad and the ugly about painting Mason jars.

It all started when I decided I wanted to make May Day gifts for my neighbors.
I wanted to be able to actually put the flowers "in" a tinted Mason jar without the color melting away.  I had seen the Mod Podge/food coloring method, but you couldn't get water on it.
 I searched and searched till I found a blog that used this paint which my local Ben Franklin/ Michaels/Joanns sells:


The blogger added a paint medium to this glass paint because she wanted the look of old antique blue Mason jars.


She mixed the turquoise glass paint and medium together and poured it into the jars, then swirled it around and dumped out the excess. Her jars were beautiful! So I got busy...

Half of the jars I did with her painting inside technique and the other half I decided to paint on the outside using the left over paint that dripped out of the inside painted jars.
AND I made a bunch of them!

As they were drying it hit me...(Here comes the bad.)  It wouldnt' work. The more I got to thinking about the glazing medium she used the more I realized water in the jar would break down the molecular compound because the "glazing medium" wasn't made for glass or baking. Hence why I am not naming the blog or it's author.





By the way, Americana doesnt' make a clear glass paint other then one that has glitter in it... So there is no real way to dilute it's color 




After my jars were all done I tested my theory and added water to one of my jars.

This was the result after water had sat in it for a day. (Here comes the ugly!)





Kind of looks like botulism or something huh?

I was thankful that I had painted some of the jars on the outside! I filled those with flowers and gave them to my neighbors. I thought hard how I could use these jars with water and came up with a solution(There IS a GOOD part!)

Let me start by showing you what I made with the ones painted on the outside:

Here's one on our neighbors door.

Purple one that almost made another neighbor cry with joy!


Yellow flowers in a light blue jar.

My precious granddaughter who delivered them all!

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

Here is how I made them... I will make more because I love how they turned out:

Mix Americana Crystal Gloss Enamels Transparent Glass Paint with Americana Glazing Medium. I probably did 3/4 paint to 1/4 glazing medium. You can do less or more depending on the look you want. Pour into your jar and slowly swirl it around to cover the whole inside. If you are doing the outside just use a foam/regular paint brush and brush it on as evenly as possible. What you see is what you get even after it's baked. It will show some brush strokes but I think the effect looked nice. Just make sure your paint is EVEN!


 I got bored and just turned it upside down.



Once the whole inside of the jar is covered keep it turned over for 1 hour. Longer, and you will lose too much paint and it won't be even.  Shorter, and it will be too thick. I sat mine on baby wipes(above pic)and moved them around the wipe every 20 minutes. This kept the lip of the jar clean.

Now this is important... You must let them sit for 48 hours before baking them. They will completely change colors and become translucent. If you bake them before the 48 hours they will stay the solid color and not be transparent!

After the 48 hours pass: Put them on a cookie sheet that has been covered with parchment paper. Stick them in a cold oven, set oven temp to 200 degrees, WAIT for oven to heat to 200 degrees then set timer for 30 minutes. Once done,turn oven off and leave them in there with door ajar until they are cool. 

   I used 20 gauge silver beading wire for everything including the beads,wiring around jar and handle.

Now here is THE GOOD part on how I used and added water to the jars that were painted on the inside.


I did a trick I used to do in my floral shop. Smaller plastic containers. For this Mason jar I cut a water bottle to fit and shoved gently placed it in my jar.



The water bottle is clear so it's not noticeable.

Here it is along with two others that were painted on the inside. The blue one has a battery operated tea candle in it. Do NOT use real candles with this paint!


Here's a picture taken with the lights out.
I made the tags myself but couldn't for the life of me give you instructions or even remember how I made them!

Do not eat or drink out of these jars.

UPDATE: Below are two jars I painted on the inside with the same glass paint NO glazing medium. One I made with the paint alone, the other I diluted with the clear glass paint (50/50) that has glitter in it. Sorry they are orange, I made these in the Autumn!
 The great news is that they held water without getting spots in/on them. They even made it through the gentle cycle in the dishwasher without damage...
REMEMBER: These are not for drinking out of.
 
The jar on the left is painted on the inside with the glass paint alone. The right one with the flowers is the glass paint with clear glitter GLASS paint from Americana. I made these a couple of years ago-Not sure if Americana has come out with a clear glass paint without glitter, sure would be great if they have.
 
 
 
With glitter glass paint under lamp for different lighting.
 
 
Up close of glitter glass paint.
 
 
Glass paint alone.
 
The jars were great for May Day but would be wonderful for Mother's day, birthdays, get well wishes, secretaries day, showers, WEDDINGS etc. etc.
 
Lastly, I have no idea how any other glass paints work.   I only used Americana glass paints for this project...So it is impossible for me to answer questions about any other paints.
Since I first did this post two years ago Martha Stewart has come out with a glass paint. I have no idea how well it works though it does look pretty!
 

68 comments:

  1. Those turned out wonderfully, Robin!!! Thanks for your honest opinion and for figuring out the ins and outs, because I've seen people do them before and they look difficult and I wondered about the water fastness.
    Thanks!!
    Elise

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  2. These are very charming and your neighbors were rightly thrilled to get May Day bouquets in the jars. You worked hard and creatively to solve the problems that came up.

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  3. Awesome. Thanks for sharing the instructions

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  4. Have you tried alcohol inks yet?

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    1. Hi Darla, I have used alcohol inks. We used them on Mason jars at my daughters wedding. I like them but am not crazy in love with them " yet". I'm thinking of giving them a try again then spraying the jars with a spray sealant. Have you tried them?

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  5. I am getting into the Adirondack Alcohol Inks pretty heavily right now. Making jewelry, coasters and such. I have researched that it is best not to spray to seal these inks. A brush on technique is best. BUT I have use the spray Krylon Clear Sealant on a few and so far so good. Mostly I have sealed with mod podge and then resin. Resin only on the pieces I need to look more professional, it is time consuming, expensive and tricky. Now, back to the Krylon. There is a Krylon Crystal Clear Gloss in a white can it has a MUCH better professional finish than the Krylon Fusion in a light green can.

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    1. Darla, Thanks for all the wonderful information. I used the Adirondack brand too. I'm just not sure how to dilute it for the jars. They are beautiful but can be too bright for the effect I wanted on the jars. I bet everything you've made is stunning. Love the idea of the resin! Thank you for the Krylon info, this is all GREAT info to have.

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  6. i want to attempt it..lol..eventually! they are amazing!!

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  7. That is one cool project..they are all so pretty!!! All the best,Chrissy

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  8. I am just wondering if it would be okay to use real candles inside as long as the paint is outside. What do you think?

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    1. Anonymous: I have no idea how the paint on the outside would hold up to the heat that the candle puts out. This is something you would have to ask the manufacturer of Americana gloss enamels. Which happens to be DecoArt and they are based in the UK. I would be interested in what they have to say, though I am really into the flickering battery operated candles. Please let us know what you find out. If you are using the medium with the glass paint you will have to let them know that too being it's not made to be mixed with the glass paint.

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  9. what a great post and tutorial....the jars and flowers look wonderful...as does the precious delivery girl!

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    1. Thank you! Good to see you on here-Hope you are well!

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  10. How did the jars with no glazing medium turn out? These look so great!

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    1. Sherrye, The jars without the medium held water perfect-No spots at all. BUT you have to bake them exactly as the directions say. I also let mine cure for a long time before I baked them.

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  11. Do you know of a way to tint that would allow if not a flame, perhaps a light to make a lantern? I know you pictured a flameless tea light, how about a small light bulb such as a night light?

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    1. I'm sorry, I don't. But Martha Stewart just came out with a new glass tinted paint that goes on the outside of the jars-I haven't tried it but it looks to be a winner. You might want to look into that-maybe with it being on the outside ???? I'm not sure-Wish I could be more help...Please let us know if you learn anything! :)

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  12. Hi these are gorgeous! question.. the plastic water bottle was only use for the jars painted with glaze right? If i dont want the plastic bottles inside but want to put water iside i just have to use gloss enamel paint? also can i purchase that gloss enamel paint at michaels or online? thank you!

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    1. Thanks, they are addicting to make. Right, the plastic was used in the ones I added the medium glaze in. You can add water to ones that you "just" use the gloss enamel glass paint. Just make sure you read the instructions on the paint and go by them perfectly. I even put mine in the dish washer on a low gentle cycle on the top rack without any problems (though you CAN'T drink out of them!) I'm pretty sure you can get these paints at Michaels, I bought mine at Ben Franklins. Call before you go :)

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  13. Thanks so much for this. I want to try it. Could you tell me how much DecoArt Americana Crystal Gloss Enamel it takes to coat the inside of a pint sized Mason jar?

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    1. Ressa, I was pretty wasteful while making mine due to being impatient. I used 1/2 bottle. You could probably do it by using 1/4, though it will take much more time(and patience) to work it down the jar. I noticed Martha Stewart has a glass paint out now too~

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  14. Hi! I'm glad I stumbled upon your post. I have just started experimenting with staining mason jars. So far I have only used Mod Podge (original) with food coloring on the inside of the jar. Now I would like to stain more jars but for the purpose of using them as flower vases. Which staining method would you recommend and would you suggest staining the outside of the jar not the inside? Thank you!

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    1. It depends on the coloring you want,... For lighter color paint on the outside. Darker squirt paint on the inside and use the technique I showed here. I'm by no means an expert but I did like the paint I used in this tutorial and I heard Martha Stewart has a new glass paint line that is really good too. The key to using glass paint is to read all the instructions when using it and baking it...Hope this helps!

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  15. Hi Robins Nest - thanks so much for posting these directions and tips. I am using the black crystal gloss enamel without the glazing medium applied to the inside of the jar. So far, I am at day 2 of curing. I noticed that most of my paint has gathered on the bottom of the jar with streaking along the sides. Should I turn them upside down and back onto a baking sheet? Since it's a dark color I am hoping to have a more universal tint like your photos rather than a streaks - I'm worried that it might look like a zebra with a pile of black on the bottom. Thanks so much for your help :)

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    1. Hi Jksas,
      Wow, I didn't have any issues with streaking at all...Did you shake the paint before you used it? As far as it gathering at the bottom, very little stayed on the bottom of mine after I had it upside down for an hour and turned them right side up. Also when I baked them I baked them right side up~Wow, I'm afraid if they looked streaked they will turn out streaked! Mine turned out just like the top photo showed, I made them over a year ago and they are still just as beautiful. I do hope you get it figured out, sorry I haven't been much help...I haven't made anymore since this post... I do want to try the Martha Stewart glass paint cause it seems to look even smoother.
      Best to you!

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    2. thanks for your reply, help and wishes. I'm going to stop by Michael's or Joann's today to see if the carry the M.S. paint and try again. My daughter's birthday is on Saturday and it's a firefly theme. I am painting the jars transparent black and putting christmas lights inside to look like fireflies at night. Since it takes a while (4 days) to cure I figured I have two more tries left before I take on plan B.

      Thanks again - I will post how the M.S. paint works.

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    3. You're welcome, I'm just sorry I couldn't be of more help! The idea you have sounds so cute. I hope you can somehow make it work~I'd love to hear how the MS paint works~

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    4. Hi again - just tried the Martha Stewart Liquid Fill (found it at Michael's - tons of fabulous colors). I used this blog for instructions and had some good success http://somethingturquoise.com/2013/01/11/diy-tinted-mason-jar-candles/

      The one thing I noticed is that the final product is very transparent - I was hoping for a bit more color saturation but am happy with the overall effect. I think the thing I messed up is the tip that was included on the blog is that it's very important to shake the bottle (even set it upside down for a few hours) to get the pigment to mix well. I also think I was a bit stingy since I only had two bottles to work with - I needed to apply more to the jar rather than let the dripping do the work for me.

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    5. Hi! I saw that Martha Stewart had lots of different colors-They are much lighter than mine were... I wonder if you did another coat if it would make a difference? ~Yep, shaking paint is major! Been there, done(or didn't shake)that myself! ;)

      I'm so happy you wrote me back and let me know how MS paint worked...I'm glad it's going to work for you!
      Hope the party goes well!
      Robin~

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  16. I also had issues with MS paint. Will shake better! Did you use the medium ever?

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    1. I haven't tried the MS paint yet, bought it but haven't tried it. I used the medium in making the jars that I posted here though. Sorry you are having issues-I really dislike having issues while making crafts! But I guess it's all a learning experience. Hope you have a Merry Christmas!

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    2. Hello Robbins nest! I'm so happy you wrote about this cuz honestly I was shooting in the dark on this one...I have 3 different types of paint and really didn't know where to start...now honestly all I have been trying to do is get the old school antique blue colored mason jars...that are just sooooo beautiful...but now just kind of getting discouraged :-(...I thought this wud be allot easier...anyways I'm really hoping you can please help me figure this out haha...everything I've seen and tried is just to light...wud prefer a little bit richer and deeper of a blue..but I guess beggars can't be choosers haha...please get back to me asap please...and much thanks...have a beautiful rest of the day love...thanks again!!!

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    3. Hello Babeos! I wish I could help you but I have no idea how other paints work - The paint in this post is the only one I have ever used. To get a richer blue you would use this paint alone with no medium. Sorry I can't be a bigger help~ I'm not an expert on this, just posted my findings to try to help others out there. Hope it all works out for you~Have a very Merry CHRISTmas!

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  17. Thanks, for the blog. I used mod podge/food coloring and I did not like the look. So HAPPY. I found your post. Going today and getting the paints.
    THANKS A MILLION
    STEFFANIE

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    1. Thank you and you're welcome~ I hope they turn out great for you!

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  18. Your Welcome. Got my first few in the oven.

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  19. Robin, when you used the glass paint did you use this on the inside? Also did you wait the 48 hours before baking them? I am trying to tint some mason jars for my wedding and I will be using water on the inside, so I need a way to tint them without the paint coming off.
    -Dulce

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    1. Both. If you use it on the inside it can't be mixed with a medium and will be darker. If you read this whole post it gives very good directions on how to do it~I made sure to be very clear. Make sure you read the directions on the back of the glass paint for how long to let dry before you bake them-Remember: All glass paint is different, not all of them work like this one I used.~Congratulations on your upcoming marriage!!!

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  20. Thank you! And sorry I should been more clear. I was asking about the end part when you only used the glass paint with no medium. Were they translucent? And did the two look different (the one with the no clear glass paint and the one with clear glass paint to dilute)?

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    1. Dulce~they were not as translucent. They were very pretty though. The one with the clear paint was a bit lighter but at the time I made these Americana didn't have clear glass paint, only clear glass paint with glitter ( I made these 2 years ago maybe that has changed) -The ones with the glitter in it were nice but VERY glittery. I suggest two things if you want them translucent...1. See if Americana has come out with a clear paint without glitter 2. Mix it with a medium and use a clear plastic water bottle inside to hold the water. Give me a couple of days and I'll post a photo of the ones I did without the medium and with the clear glitter paint. Sadly the only color I tried this with was orange-It was before Halloween! I'll post the pics on the bottom of this original post. :)

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  21. Awesome!! Thank you for all your help! I can't wait to see them!

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    1. You're welcome-Hope you find something that works for you!

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  23. The Old Guy has a problem. My outside lights all have amber bulbs, but alas our Gummint has made them illegal. I have stockpiled a quantity of clear bulbs, but they look like prison lighting. I decided that tinting the glass fixture itself, from the inside, protected, no heat or weather, is a good workaround. True amber needed, "bug-light yellow" ain't gonna get it! The inside glass is almost a globe, any ideas? You have quite a following! Thank you in advance. :-)

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    1. Sorry Uncle Todd-I can't help you on this one! I am not an expert on glass painting-Best to you!

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  24. Thanks for figuring out how to make these waterproof. I plan on making soap dispensers out of canning jars. They'll look wonderful painted. About how much paint would you use for a pint size jar?

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    1. Hi Melissa! It's been a couple years since I have made these... I don't really know how much paint you would use for a pint size jar...I figure one tube of paint would cover at least 4-5 pint jars but please don't hold it against me if I am wrong! ;) I am a bit concerned too on whether the finished project will be "soap proof"-I know they are waterproof but soap is a totally different chemical that may breakdown the glass paint??? Hope it works for you!

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  25. How does it turn out if you paint them on the outside..want to put a body sugar scrub inside??

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    1. Turns out nice... There are some fine lines and they look more faded but some like that look better.

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  26. If you use pure glass paint do you still let it sit 48 hours before baking? And do you sit them upright or keep them upside down?

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    1. Emily~Keep the jar turned over for 1 hour then set it upright... Not sure what paint you are using-Detailed instructions are on the back of the paint. The paint I used said wait 48 hours so that's what I did

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  27. Thank you Robin for sharing Jesus with others firstly. Thanks for the work you shared here on painting your mason jars. I found this by searching the process to use glaze on glass. I'm planning to paint the inside of glass blocks, I hope I can do as good a job as you have. God bless.

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    1. Thanks so much for the nice comment! I hope your glass blocks turned out nicely~God bless you too!

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  28. This comment has been removed by the author.

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    1. Hi Robin, I love the purple jar (the one that made your neighbor almost cry with joy). Did you paint it from the inside or from the outside? How many coats did you apply if painted from the outside? Did you use the glazing medium? Lots of questions... :)

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    2. That one was painted on the outside, with medium. 1 coat, heavily coated. It's real light so you may want to try just paint without the medium.

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  29. Hi, I love your tutorial! Been looking for one where someone painted the jar from the outside. Wondering have you tried tipping it into the paint? Do you recommend using the medium or not if you paint it from the outside. Also did you use a sealant? I wonder if the paint comes in a spray can. Thanks!

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    1. Thank you! No, I have not tried tipping it into the paint. I wouldn't use the medium again if I painted on the outside. No sealant. Have not seen it in spray cans! Best to you!

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  30. Hi, Not sure if you are still checking this comment thread but I had a question. Beautiful work by the way. I wanted to know what you thought about filling these mason jars with soap or hand lotion. Do you think that by soap sitting in these jars over time, will break down the color on the inside? Thank you!

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    1. Hi Michele-
      Good question!!! I have no idea about the answer though! Water is one thing but the solvent in soap is a whole different deal. Sorry I don't have an answer. I appreciate all your kind words and yes, I'm still around just not blogging anymore for now.

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  31. Do they have a mint green color if not do you know how to get mint green

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    1. It's been years since I've written this post... But I'm sure if you got the green and added white you could get a mint green. But if I were you I'd Google the brand name and see if they have mint green!

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  32. Hi! I just had a question. The part where you say,

    "Now this is important... You must let them sit for 48 hours before baking them."

    My name is Priscilla by the way. Didn't know how to get my name in.

    Do I keep the jars upside down for 48 hours or right side up? This is after you mentioned to keep them upside down for an hour.

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    1. Hi Priscilla~ Right side up!
      Just to let you know... I did this post eons ago! There are more glass painting products out there that are probably easier. Like Martha Stewart's new line of glass paints. Just FYI

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  33. i have a couple questions...what happens if you don't bake them? Can they dry without being baked? And did you put the glazing medium on after the paint or did you mix it?

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    1. Juless~I have no idea, I baked all mine. You would have to read the directions on paint to see if there is even a possibility of not baking them. It's been years since I've made these so I don't have the paint anymore. I mixed the paint and the medium together.
      ☺️

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