Holiday Mercury Glass Tutorial

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday and that you have got a start on your holiday shopping!  I've been busy designing a beautiful breakfast room for a client and creating some great holiday projects!  After a brief holiday from blogland, I am refreshed and ready to blog!  Let's start with teaching you how to make your own mercury glass.  I've had a love affair with mercury glass (the real stuff) for a long, long time.  However, vintage mercury glass is very expensive and newer reproduction mercury glass isn't cheap either.  So, I learned how to make my own from my pals over at Krylon! 

Here is my inspiration...from Pottery Barn.

After searching my local thrift store for decent size glass containers....I came up with these three for $8 total!

Okay, I like the shapes and I wanted a taller one in the middle.  Although, I would have liked it to be more curvy.  Now that I had my containers it was on to the first step...

You'll need Krylon Looking Glass spray paint.  Purchased at Walmart for under $9.  This stuff can turn anything into a mirror-like surface.  Nifty!

Now you will need to clean your containers with alcohol and a soft lint-free cloth.  This will remove any grease and dirt.  Since you have no idea what was done with this container before you purchased it, maybe you should do it twice!

Next up...go to the pantry and get out the white vinegar and an empty spray bottle.  Put equal parts warm water and vinegar in spray bottle.

Spray inside (not outside) of the container with vinegar water mixture.  Making sure that entire surface is evenly wet.  You will see droplets start to form, which is what you want.  Spray a light coat of Looking Glass paint over wet surface and let dry (about 10 - 15 minutes), then repeat with additional coats of paint about 3 times.

Your container should start to look like this.

I wasn't satisfied with this and felt it should look more mottled.  So, I waited until the next day when everything was totally dry and sprayed it with straight vinegar.  Waited 10 minuets and then blotted with a bunched up paper towel until I achieved this look...

Well, that was much better.  Now, I wanted to add some depth.  After everything was dry, I sprayed a light coat of gold spray paint inside containers.  Very light!!!

The middle vase has received the gold treatment.  See the difference?

I finished up all three and let them dry.  I like how they turned out.  You should not use real candles in these, so I opted for battery operated candles from the dollar store.  Here they are on display in my foyer for the holidays....

I tried battery operated LED lights in the middle container and liked them very much!  What do you think?

Happy Decorating!

~Karen

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