Even though I’m still folding kusudama for my bridesmaids’ bouquets, I decided to start on a new project for the sake of time. Since my fiancé and I haven’t set a date for the wedding yet, I’m on a somewhat confusing timeline, and I haven’t been sure what needs my attention right now. I decided to work on my centerpieces while we figure out the big details.

While hunting around Michaels in a desperate attempt to use up my 40-percent-off coupon, I happened upon one of their craft idea sheets in the ceramics section. I was instantly inspired by a particular project: frosted glass bottles in sea glass colors.

Anyone who has ever swam in the ocean knows the beauty and peril of sea glass. For those who don’t know, sea glass is made from glass bottles that have been thrown into the ocean and beaten on the sand until the sharp edges have worn smooth. The glossy surface of sea glass has been ground down to a soft frost. It’s beautiful in the latter stages, but you definitely don’t want to get smacked in the face by a broken bottle when you swim under the waves.

I decided that for my vintage California theme, I would include antique frosted bottles that look like sea glass in my centerpieces. I thought I would throw in little fortune cookie messages, or maybe sand and shells, to create a tiny beach right on the table!

The craft sheet called for two shades of Martha Stewart paint (one opaque, one frosted), a bottle, some alcohol and a “pouncer.” I had no idea what a pouncer was, so I just got two of the spongy brushes that I used to use in kindergarten.

The concept was simple enough; clean the bottles with the alcohol, pounce a layer of opaque paint onto the glass, and then pounce another layer of frosted paint over the first layer. Voilá, instant beach-worthy frosted glass, right?

Unfortunately, the booklet gave no clue as to what “pouncing” actually meant, and Google didn’t give any hints either. At first I decided that pouncing meant gently stroking up and down to make the lines as smooth as possible, but the end result was too calculated — it didn’t look wistfully antique, while still being fresh and breezy like the ocean. I next decided that pouncing was actually slapping layers of paint on the bottle in the most aggressive way possible, and it appeared to work until the paint dried and my bottles looked like some sickly barnacle cluster had crawled on to them and died.

In frustration, I began painting crazy circles on my bottles with long strokes, continuously manipulating the paint even as it dried. A few layers of this madness later, and what I had came the closest to looking like a professionally frosted bottle. Sure, I can see a few swirls and scallops where the paint didn’t settle perfectly like I wanted it to, but I doubt anyone will actually be picking up the bottles and comparing swirl patterns.

Although I’m using my painted glass bottles for wedding purposes, they’re actually really versatile and will make pretty apartment decorations once I’m married. For a dorm room or apartment, frost glass paint is a fast way to add an antique look to any glass surface, and the paint is easily available at any craft store. I would love to buy simple glass ornaments next Christmas and add frost paint to make them look like they’re covered in a layer of snow. I’d also love to buy a bunch of glass tea-candle holders and frost them in sea glass colors. That would be a nice touch for my centerpieces.

Whatever you end up painting, make sure that you learn how to “pounce” or your projects might end up looking barnacle-y — like mine.