Thrift Store Rainbow Ombre Glass Display

Monday (June 26th) is my 48th birthday 😯 .  This post is not about me and my 48th birthday.  Thank goodness, right?  I wouldn’t do that to you, ha ha.  It is about something I LOVE though.  RAINBOWS.  I completely freak-out when ever I see one, don’t you?  I just can’t get enough color lately, but I think this idea might help fill the void.  Welcome to my colorful “Thrift Store Rainbow Ombre Glass Display”.  It just might be my most favorite project ever.

I counted and there are 48 pieces of colored glass on those shelves.  I’m turning 48.  Coincidence?  I don’t think so!   Okay maybe, but lets pretend.

Now listen.  I have a feeling you don’t believe that I found all of these cute colored glass items at the thrift store.  Am I right?

Well, I have news for you.  I did not.  HOWEVER, exactly 61% of these colors glass items are from the thrift store.  Yes, I actually did the math.  This next photo has everything I purchased from the thrift store with a check mark.  It is definitely the majority, and I could have found tons more if I really needed to.

Here’s a little “key” I made with different labels of where I found each piece…

KEY: WHERE I FOUND THE GLASS 

CHECK MARK : THRIFT STORE

MOM: FROM MOM & DAD PREVIOUSLY

STAR: ON-LINE PREVIOUSLY

QUESTION MARK: I DON’T REMEMBER IT’S OLD

I was a little worried you still might not believe that the majority of the glass dishes are from my local thrift store, so I took photos to prove it 😆 .  Here’s when I was trying to figure out how I was going to display it all.  I was very unsure at this point, but I knew it would work eventually.  You can see that I was missing the bottom shelf.  I had to go find that in the basement once I realized it didn’t look right all uneven.

Here’s the built-in shelves BEFORE.  I moved our photo to the mantel, and I used what I could like the bowls are still there, but I put them inside the big yellow one.  I needed more yellow anyhow.  I also used the colorful glass tumblers for fillers and we use those daily, so it’s convenient to still have them there.

Here’s more proof.  You can see the price tags.  I paid $50 total for all of the thrift store glass.  Not a bad price when you consider how unique and cool this is.  The thrift store worker ladies really thought I was nuts.  They watched as I loaded up.  I used 1 cart and just studied the shelves searching for every color.  I suppose I got lucky, but if you look you will certainly find colored glass at the thrift store.  Just one up it by looking for the different shades, too.

Here’s the view as your coming down the hall from the laundry room into the kitchen.

Here are a few close-up shots that really show the “ombre” effect.  I started off on the left with the lightest shade piece and finished off on the right with the darkest shade piece.  I also followed the rainbow going upward and kept 1 color on each shelf.  Some of the pieces didn’t fit correctly like that pretty green one where I had to set the top of it down next to it.

I threw in a few funky items that I had like the little glass cat my Mom gave to me, the red bottle stopper that fit in the pink thrift store bottle, and the greenish yellow ashtray that has been in my family for centuries.  My sister tries to steal it, but she will never succeed (I wonder if she reads this?).

This “Thrift Store Rainbow Ombre Glass Display” is honestly one of my most favorite spots in the house now.  It’s pure eye candy and I can’t stop looking at it.  I have another built-in shelf on the other side of the fireplace.  Hmmm…

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Christmas Ornament Ombre Rainbow

Blue & Green Bottle Decorating