DIY Drinkware for the Holidays: Anthropologie-Inspired Icon Glasses You Can Make in an Afternoon

Anthropologie’s Icon Juice Glasses are such a viral hit, customers are willing to pay $16 each for them. That pricetag is painful (a pain in the glass, you could say), but the holiday collection is gorgeous:

You’ll find dupes of the Icon glasses from Amazon and Walmart’s third-party sellers, but those aren’t much cheaper. Why not give DIY a try?

That’s what I did, and the (quick and easy) results were cute, festive, and perfect for any holiday gathering. If you’re looking for a low-cost, high-impact craft you can finish in an afternoon — without investing in a bunch of specialty tools or machines — this one is definitely worth trying.

What you’ll need:

• Acrylic paint pens
• Dimpled glasses (or any other glass or glazed ceramic drinkware!)
• Rubbing alcohol and cotton swabs

Instructions

1. Choose your inspiration and design

Personally, I wanted to replicate Anthropologie’s simple red bow design. And since the original glasses are handmade, there wasn’t as much pressure to make each bow perfectly uniform.

Other seasonal motifs like snowflakes, hearts, candy canes, and stars always look great. If freehand drawing feels intimidating, sketch out your design on paper first or practice on a scrap surface. Simple repeating shapes — like polka dots, leaves, swirls, and geometric icons — are easy to replicate and look polished, even for beginners. If you’re painting onto a transparent glass, you can always place a stencil on the inside and trace over it.

2. Wipe down the surface with rubbing alcohol

Before you start painting, make sure your glass is clean and free from dust or oils. Use a cotton swab or paper towel to clean your surface with rubbing alcohol, then let it dry fully. Even the natural oils from your hands can prevent paint from sticking properly, so try to avoid touching the area after you’ve wiped it down.

3. Paint your design

Once your surface is prepped, begin drawing on your design with the paint pens. I opted for the acrylic paint pens because they offer precision and control compared to brushes, but any paint suitable for glass will do the trick!

4. Let it dry and cure your design

My favorite part about this DIY is how stress-free it is. Any mistakes or old designs could easily be wiped away with rubbing alcohol. Not only does this make it typo-friendly, but it also opens up opportunities for reuse (New Year’s, Valentine’s Day, Halloween Thanksgiving), or a more functional twist on placecards.

But if you want to make your design permanent, you can cure it in the oven after you let the paint dry. “Bake" the projects for 30 minutes at 350 degrees or so (if your paint has specific temperature directions, follow those). Don’t remove the projects yet — let them cool to room temperature while still inside the oven.

Once everything is cured, your drinkware is ready to enjoy or to gift. Customized drinkware makes thoughtful holiday presents, party favors, and housewarming presents. The best part is that no two pieces come out exactly alike, giving every project that handmade charm that store-bought items just can’t replicate. Happy crafting!