Today is my first day to share in our A Homemade Christmas series. I been loving it so far. Make sure you head over and check out Christa’s pinecone cluster and Heather’s poinsettia pillow. They are both on my list to do now too. 
I don’t know about you but I LOVE mercury glass. It just calls my name when I see it in stores. I don’t know that I have ever seen a piece that I didn’t want to take home, but unfortunately my budget has allowed very few pieces to come home with me.
Like these Mercury Glass Ornaments from Pottery Barn – $29.50 for a set of six.
As much as I love them, $29 is more than my entire Christmas decorating budget so that is not going to happen. Since I knew even last Christmas that I wanted to do a different theme/color in my Christmas décor this year, I have been looking at yard sales and clearance sales all year. I was excited when I found several boxes of glass ornaments for $1 a box at a yard sale.
The key to making DIY mercury glass is one certain paint – Krylon Looking Glass Mirror-Like spray paint. I had a hard time finding it – Wal-mart, Home Depot, Lowe’s don’t carry it. And I couldn’t find it at Michael’s either. I FINALLY found it at Hobby Lobby! But make sure to bring/use a 40% coupon because it is expensive! You can also buy it on Amazon.
)
I also used some metallic gold craft paint, a spray bottle filled with water, a hairdryer and some q-tips (not pictured).
I read many tutorials that I found on Pinterest on how to do it. They varied a little, but basically had the same basic instructions.
1. Spray the INSIDE of the ornament with the Krylon Looking Glass spray paint. Some tutorials said to spray the inside first with water, but I found that didn’t work as well. The way this paint works is the reflective or mirror finish is actually on the opposite side of the paint after it is sprayed. So you want that to show through the glass.
2. Swirl the paint around in the ornament. But this paint is thin and runny and will just pool down in the bottom. At this point you will be thinking that I am crazy and this will never work. I promise it will – just bear with me a minute.
3. What worked best for me was to grab my hairdryer and while I was swirling the ornament around in my hand I was blow drying inside the ornament. I just did this for 10-20 seconds until the paint was ALMOST, but not completely dry.
4. Then I misted the inside of the ornament with water and shook it around a little. You want BIG drops, not little drops.
5. You can also rub the inside of the ornament with a q-tip to rub off some of the paint if you want. I did that with some when I couldn’t get big drops.
As the paint dries you will see it become reflective. And you will have the perfect mercury glass finish!
In one of the tutorials I read it recommended doing the gold paint as well and I do think that adds a little bit of antiquing to the finish. I dropped one drop of gold paint in the ornament and then misted again with water and swirled around drying with my hair dryer until it was dry.
And I painted the the metal tops. Mine were bright silver, but most vintage mercury glass ornaments have dark tops. So I sprayed mine with a light coat of Krylon Oil Rubbed Bronze spray paint to give them more of an antique finish.
I love them!
And they were pretty simple to create! I did 12 in about in a hour.
You’ll have to wait until I reveal my tree to see them all in place on my tree. I am still working on finishing touches on the Christmas decorating in the house – how about you? All of your decorating done, haven’t even started, or just about done?
And here’s the rest of the projects in our A Homemade Christmas series:
Laine at It’s Just Laine will be sharing her post tomorrow and I am sure you won’t want to miss it.
About Christina
Very pretty Christina! I LOVE mercury glass too!!
Tonya @ Love of Family & Home recently posted..Hallway Bathroom Makeover Reveal
Those are gorgeous. Thanks for the instructions.
This is great tutorial! I have some old clear ornaments I am going to have to try this on!
Jacque @thediyvillage recently posted..Black Bookcase Makeover
Your Mercury Glass look-a-likes turned out gorgeous. I have seen so many try these with silver paint lately and it just does not work. I want to do this so bad. I wonder if the ornaments that look like glass but are actually plastic would work? I have a bunch of those and a bit of Looking Glass paint left.
Sherry recently posted..Simple, Affordable Christmas Decor at the Cafe
They are gorgeous! Thanks for sharing your technique. I love mercury glass too and have picked up a few pieces at yard sales. I’m planning on incorporating them in my in-laws 50th wedding anniversary party…but until then, I’ll display them in my holiday decor.
Mary Anne recently posted..It was a sign!
Love this idea! Will have to put it on my list of ideas for gifts for next year. One of my daughter-in-laws decorates in silver and blue. These would be a lovely addition to her tree! Thanks!!!
Myra
Ok…my Christmas to-do list keeps growing. It’s gonna be a mile long before this series is over. lol! And I may just have to support your spray paint habit (through Amazon), since we don’t have a Hobby Lobby nearby. I’ll check my other local stores first.
I love it!!! Thanks for sharing. :)
Heather@ThriftyStories recently posted..Poinsettia Pillow (Pottery Barn Knock-off)
try Michael’s. I read on a tutorial that they (might) have it. But not with the spray paint (I checked ours and they didn’t have it there) The other blogger said it was in the glass painting supplies.
And yes, my Christmas to-do list is growing by the minutes. I already feel frantic and it isn’t even December yet. Craziness!!
Very pretty! Can’t wait to see your entire tree. ;)
So pretty!! Can’t wait to see everything together on your tree! : )
I love mercury glass. I have a few precious pieces that I decorate with every year, but now I can make my own. Thanks so much :)
I am also a huge fan of mercury glass, and as far as ornaments go, I have only 2 that I found in pink. I never, ever thought about making them, but your tutorial makes it look so easy! That’s great.
I have just a tree to put up, maybe a few other things too. I’m trying to change my look as well. My latest post shows some photos.
Have a good day!
Antonella @ The Comfortable Home recently posted..Some Christmas Decorations
Love these Christina!!!! You did a great job! I hope your cute little nephew does not break any of them.
Beautiful!! Never would guess those were DIY!!!
Renee@ Living Laughing & Loving recently posted..Finally. A Classroom Tour!
These turned out beautiful! I have been trying to find this spray paint everywhere, I will have to hit up Hobby Lobby. Thanks!
Kelly@lilypadcottage recently posted..Chocolate Fallen Cake
I have been wanting to do this! Thanks for providing an honest tutorial- it will save me time! They look beautiful!
These turned out really well. I’ve had 3 boxes of these glass ornaments for a few years now. Think it’s time to do this with them! Thanks for the tutorial.
Oh my goodness I have been drooling over those same stinkin’ $29 ornaments in the PB catalog and simultaneously wanting them and wondering who would actually pay that much money for 6 little balls of glass. You are now officially my hero with this tutorial…..love love LOVE!
Ruth @ Living Well Spending Less recently posted..a season of hope {experiencing a joy-filled christmas in an imperfect world}
Christina! This is the best faux mercury glass tutorial that I have ever seen (and I have looked at A LOT)! I had gotten the looking glass spray paint before but was underwhelmed with how it looked on a solid piece…now I know why thanks to you. I am going to try it again. I am going with a silver theme on my tree this year so I hope to make some ornaments using your tutorial.
Miss Kitty recently posted..How To Make A Santa Belly Deco Mesh Wreath
Wow Christina, these are absolutely gorgeous! I love them…and with my tree theme gold and burgundy, I think they would add so much to it! Thanks for sharing, I’m pinning this!
Debbie :)
Debbie recently posted..Snowflake Mobile
Wow, what a great project. I have to say, when I first started reading the post, I couldn’t tell which picture was of the original and which one was the knockoff. Yours look just as beautiful!
Pamelotta recently posted..D.I.Y. Felt Mistletoe Wreath or The Only Christmas Craft I’ve Managed To Do This Year
I am running out of time to make these this year but I think they will be a project for after Christmas so that I have some new pretties for NEXT Christmas. Thanks for sharing your tutorial!
Suzan recently posted..Day of Remembrance
Great tutorial on mercury glass ornaments. Visiting from KnockOff Decor. I too have read about spray painting the inside, some crafters say to cover the outside while spraying. How on earth did you spray the inside with that tiny hole the ornaments have without it getting all over everything? Just curious. I’ve sprayed vases and had a hard time keeping it inside.
Gial recently posted..Iced Glittered Trees
These turned out so pretty! I love mercury glass ornaments. I bought a couple of them at Walmart for a lot less than PB’s! I have a dozen clear glass bulbs I never did anything with. I’m going to try these! Thanks for sharing :)
loved the ornament i had made some with spray paint a bucket of water and u dipped the balls in the spray painted water but these were much better thanks
You’re site finally made sense for me!! I tried the Mirror paint on a lamp and couldn’t figure out why it wasn’t shiny like all the pictures I’ve seen.. SPRAY ON THE INSIDE….. Got it.. So now my idea won’t work.. so perhaps silver leafing… Big time bummer.