Give me something—anything—available in a few hundred colors and I'm smitten, but that's even more the case with Glassybaby. These gorgeous glass votives hand-blown in Seattle from three layers of molten glass look opaque, but light a candle inside and they give off a soft, beautiful glow. I love the weight they give to the table—sturdy, grounding, gorgeous.
As Glassybaby writes on their Tumblr page, "it takes four Seattle artists, three layers of molten glass and two thousand degrees to make one glassybaby." They're not just candle holders, either: every glassybaby can be used as a votive, drinking vessel or vase. So, they come in hundreds of colors and they're versatile? Even better.
The company also has a strong give-back philosophy, with 10% of the gross sale of each glassybaby going to a wide variety of charities and philanthropic institutions.
So pretty!
Buy One! Glassybaby, $44 each. Also available in bouquets and sets.
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Gorgeous.
This is an awesome local company, and their products are beautiful and definitely well made, so my hope is that everyone runs out and buys one... but I personally can't imagine caring enough about candles to buy a $44 candle holder. Ouch.
If I was a candle fanatic, though, I'd struggle not to buy one in every color.
My friend in Seattle gave me one of these and I give them as gifts all the time. People love them. I get them for baby showers, housewarming gifts, birthdays, wedding gifts. They are so great!
These aren't just candle holders, they are art. When they don't have a candle in them, it is still a beautiful glass piece. And when a candle is in them, the glow is unlike any other candle holder. They really set a mood.
Beautiful. I'd love to receive them as gifts. But for $44 each, I won't be buying them for myself.
I know many of the glass blowers that have worked for glassybaby over the years, and it is a wonderful company with a great story behind it. The woman who started the company is a cancer survivor, and while undergoing treatment her husband took a glass blowing class and brought home a votive that he made. She loved how comforting the warm light from the votive was when she placed a candle in it, and the company idea started from there. Visiting their store in University Village in Seattle is a lovely experience-- a tiny shop with hundreds of the votives in every color imaginable, each one lit with a candle. So warm and glow-y and inviting!
These may be a bit steep but they make beautiful presents, are completely handmade and every purchase benefits a charity. When I do want to buy one for myself, I always wait for their seconds sale, which happens twice a year at their studio - that's when they sell the pieces that didn't turn out "perfect" at almost 50% off the retail price. However, even these "imperfect" pieces are gorgeous; some have unique color combinations (I bought a white and yellow striped one once), some have an ombre affect, some are shorter/taller/skinnier, etc. I own three glassybaby seconds and you can't even tell that they're seconds!
The glassybaby Seconds Sale is set for Saturday, January 26. They will have thousands and thousands of glassybaby with slight imperfections. Each one is made by Seattle artists. The price on the seconds is $28 each. And they are donating a huge check to a charity helping detect ovarian cancer and for oncology nursing scholarships.
Never in my right mind would I pay $44 for a votive holder. Except...the 10% spoke to me. Still wouldn't purchase one for myself, lovely as they are, but I'd definitely consider a gift.
I've always loved looking at the Glassybaby website. The colors and their names are inspiring and beautiful. One day I will treat myself to one, and picking the color will be the hardest part! They are pricey, but they are handmade, and I do like that they have a charitable backstory. Definitely better than just buying a mass-market candle holder.
I just bought a 'Hudson' piece, it was definately a spluge, but something I will cherish for many years to come. Will the Seconds Sale be online?
for $44/ea I feel like you could easily find a clear votive you like and use acrylic paint to change to whatever color your heart desires! DIY for a bajillion dollars less!