Vintage finds inspire me.  One of my favorites is mercury glass.  It can be mixed in with so many decor styles and is super glamorous.  I read quite often about people finding great pieces at flea markets and other antique sources.  However, I have never been lucky enough to find a thrifty piece at one of these locations.  I have found some pretty great non-vintage pieces at TJ Maxx, but if you’re trying to create a display with multiple pieces, this can get pricy fast.

I’ve seen several posts on how to make diy mercury glass.  So I tried it, here’s a way to create the look of mercury glass at home.

What you’ll need:

• Clear glass vases
• A spray bottle filled with water
• Mirror finish spray paint

Step 1:  Wash your vases.  Do not worry about letting them dry completely.

Step 2:  Spritz a little water into your vases.

Step 3: Spray your mirror-like paint inside the vases.  Use short quick sprays, creating a thin layer of paint over the water surface.  It will be runny looking and seem pretty messy.

Note:  Make sure you use mirror-like finish spray paint, regular silver spray paint will not give you the same reflective quality.

Step 4:  Place the vases upside down to dry.  Paint and water will run out of them, make sure you don’t care about the surface you place them on, as it will get messy.  Let them dry for about an hour.

Step 5:  Add another coat of paint to the vases if they seem too transparent.  To do so, repeat Step 3, and place them upside down again to dry.

Another note:  I do all of my spray painting outside because I am not a neat painter!  However, I do not recommend leaving them outside to dry in this cold winter weather.

The water spots create that splotchy appearance we all love in mercury glass.  Once your vases have completely dried, fill them with your favorite blooms.

Now I’m not going to sit here and pretend that this looks exactly like mercury glass… because it doesn’t. But mix these DIY vases in with same authentic mercury glass to make your decor budget stretch a little further.  I like mercury glass with wintery greens and snowy accents and since we haven’t seen the last of the snow yet here in West Michigan, I used cedar and some other floral leftover that I had laying around.  Hopefully I’ll be adding some spring projects soon!  Adding ribbons, jute or other embellishments to these vases can add a little extra flare. Personalize them and make them truly yours.  And have a Happy Friday!

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