Mercury glass makes a lovely addition to your holiday decor with its aged, sparkling speckles. However, it tends to come with a hefty price tag, too. Why not save the money for your gift list and DIY faux mercury glass candle holders instead? It's an easy project to pull off and gives a very similar look at the fraction of the price.
Even better, you can completely customize the look according to the season. Here, I've used stickers featuring autumn leaves and retro stars to carry me from Thanksgiving through New Year's, but you could use pumpkins, snowflakes, or any other shape you'd like. Whatever you choose, it's sure to create a cozy holiday moment in your home.
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Video of the Day
Things You'll Need
Clear glass jars
Stickers
Painter's tape
White vinegar
Spray bottle
Mirror glass spray paint
Gold spray paint
Paper towels
Hair dryer
Candles or LED candles
1. Attach stickers inside jar
Adhere stickers to the inside surface of your jar in whatever pattern or arrangement you like. Be sure to press firmly around the edges of the stickers so that paint doesn't bleed under the sticker.
2. Cover jar with painter's tape
To protect the outside of the jar from paint overspray, cover it completely with painter's tape.
3. Spray jar with vinegar
Pour white vinegar into a small spray bottle and spray it inside the glass jar. About six to seven sprays ought to do it.
Note: Move to the next step right away.
4. Spray mirror spray paint
Spray the inside of the jar immediately with the mirror spray paint — directly on top of the vinegar.
5. Swirl, shake, and drain
Place a paper towel over the top of the jar, turn it upside down, and shake and swirl the paint and vinegar around inside the jar. The two will mix together to create a mottled paint effect that looks like mercury glass.
6. Dry with a hair dryer
Dry the inside of the jar with a hair dryer. This will speed up the drying process but also further swirl the droplets of paint and vinegar.
7. Repeat steps 3 to 6
Repeat steps 3 through 6 two more times. You want at least three total coats of the vinegar and mirror spray paint mixture.
6. Spray with vinegar
Once you're done with the last coat of mirror paint, it's time to add gold paint. This will add a bit of warmth and patina. Start by spraying several spritzes of vinegar inside the jar.
7. Spray gold spray paint
Spray gold spray paint inside the jar.
8. Swirl, shake, and drain
Place a paper towel on top of the jar, and swirl and shake the gold paint and vinegar together inside the jar.
8. Dry with a hair dryer
Dry the gold paint and vinegar with a hair dryer.
9. Remove the tape
Once the paint is completely dry, remove the painter's tape from the outside of the jar.
10. Remove the stickers
Carefully peel the stickers off from the inside of the jar. Be gentle, as you don't want to pull off the paint surrounding the stickers.
11. Add candles, and enjoy!
Place either regular votive candles or LED candles inside the jars, and enjoy the gorgeous flickering glow of candlelight through your new mercury glass candle holders!
