Gold Mercury Glass Jar

I had read several different ways of faking mercury glass - one was using silver leaf like I did with the bowling ball and finial. Then I found this spray paint version by Domestically Speaking. I tried three variations. Here is the first one:

I photographed it outside so I could give you a better idea of the detail. I wanted to try gold mercury glass so I googled gold mercury glass and studied the images before I started this. Here is what I did for this one (the instructions at Domestically Speaking didn't work for this one because the mouth was so narrow - but I still like how it turned out).


Supplies

Glassware - I found mine around the house
Silver and gold spray paint - stashbust
Tape and plastic bags
Spray bottle with water

Instructions

Use tape and plastic bags to protect the outside of the jar.

Spray the inside of the bottle with water so that it beads up - this was the first step from Domestically Speaking - it doesn't do what she shows but it will in a couple other projects I plan to show you. Anyhow, you still need water in the jar.

Spray paint the inside of the jar with the silver paint. Because of the narrow neck I over-sprayed so that it pooled up in the bottom of the jar - this is not a problem.

Wait for twenty-four hours.

Dump most of the residual water and paint out.

Here is a step I am unsure of because I can't remember what I did. I can't recall if I spritzed with water again or not.

Spray the inside of the jar with gold spray paint (over-spray again).

Let the gold paint dry for an hour. Then you will spend an hour or two with the bottle near wherever you happen to be (I was making supper) because you will be rotating the paint around in the jar. Some of the silver will be completely dry as will some of the gold but some will not.

You will need to rotate the jar periodically so that the paint doesn't pool in one spot. Occasionally you will want to tip the jar over and let excess paint run out.

After an hour or so of doing this, tip your jar over in a container that will let it hang suspended (you don't want paint to dry in pools on the lip of the jar) and let the jar drip out. You will still want to check it periodically and rotate if necessary.

Details of the effect.

I've rearranged the bowling ball/finial/lard bucket arrangement and now this sits on the old lard bucket and the finial sits next to it and of course the bowling ball towers over all.

I really, really like how it looks. I am not sure if it looks authentic but I do love it. You will be seeing at least one more project in this vein soon.

I will be sharing this at: