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Writer's pictureJoe Reider, Austin Realtor

DIY : Mercury Glass Art


A Mercury Glass Project From Home Style Austin

Love Shiny Things?

You’re not alone! It’s hard to walk into any retailer these days without seeing some silver-coated this or shiny-awesome that.

For an easy way to transform mere glass into beautiful silver-coated objets d’art let’s set aside about an hour. The results? You’ll be proud of your very own talent!

Tips:

  • When selecting your glass objects, clear glass (vs. colored glass) works best. Try items that have unique shapes with raised lettering or design (e.g. hurricane lamps, or the mason jar and Jose Cuervo bottles shown).

  • An essential ingredient for this project is the “looking glass” paint. Don’t attempt to cut corners with a silver or chrome spray paint. Call ahead to find a retailer near you who carries the paint. Here’s a link to the Krylon® store locator.

  • The instructions on the looking glass paint said to spray from the inside of the glass object but we found that difficult to do; we sprayed from the outside and were totally happy with the finished objets d’art!

  • Your finished items are perfect for year-round decorating. Keep in mind that items decorated with red and silver ribbon transition well from Christmas to Valentine’s Day.  

A Close-Up View Of Mercury Glass

Materials:

A Few Sheets  | Newspaper or Paper Bags Assorted  |  Glass Items (vases, hurricane glasses, etc.) 6 Ounce Can  |  Krylon® Brand Looking Glass Paint (more details) 1 Spray Bottle  |  Filled With A Bit Of Vinegar A Few Sheets  | Paper Towels

A Jose Cuervo Mercury Glass Bottle

What To Do:

1. In a well-ventilated area (we suggest outside) spread your paper out on a flat surface – you’re about to spray paint!

2. Prep your can of looking glass paint by shaking it for 2 minutes.

3. Now get your vinegar bottle. LIGHTLY MIST your glass object with a few squirts of the vinegar, spraying all sides. If you “over-spray” your item the vinegar will dribble off your object; you want to avoid this and strive for bubbles and puddles, not dribbly runoff.

4. Using your looking glass paint LIGHTLY SPRAY your glass object. You’re going to apply a few coats so no need to try and completely cover your item on the first go. Let the paint rest one minute between rounds.

5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 above a few times until you’re happy with the coverage of the silver paint.

6. Spray the vinegar one last time and let rest a few seconds. LIGHTLY PAT (don’t rub) the silver surfaces with a paper towel and if all goes well you should see the characteristic mercury glass mottled silver-and-glass effect!

7. Let your item(s) rest an hour or two until completely dry. Decorate with ribbon(s) or insert a candle or battery operated candle on the inside of your objet d’art and enjoy!

Happiness starts at home!



Joe Paul Reider

Home Style Austin Founder Austin Realtor® Keller Williams Realty, Inc.


Email: JoePaul@KW.com

Mobile: 512-222-3302


A Mercury Glass Mason Jar Project From Home Style Austin

❤ Love Valentine’s Day? Visit our post called “Valentine’s Day The Home Style Way” for our ideas for how to make your day extra special at home. We’re pairing our favorite appetizer, main course, desserts and wine along with some great “at-home” movie recommendations sure to melt hearts.

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