You know those "Do it Yourself" tutorials you see on Pinterest - the ones that tell you how to make your own Mercury Glass? They make it seem like a piece of cake? I am here to tell you that for some of us, it is not a piece of cake! I consider myself kind of handy - I'm not totally unfortunate when it comes to "DIY" projects. I failed on this one but I still like the way it turned out! So, my tutorial is for those people who fret when it doesn't work the "right" way. There's still hope!
I purchased a red painted glass bowl from the Goodwill. The paint was scratched and missing on much of the inside. I decided it would be fun to make my own Mercury Glass Bowl using this discarded bowl and following this tutorial from Pinterest on Making Mercury Glass the "right" way! I purchased some Krylon Looking Glass spray paint and began my project - only for me, the paint was not covering, it was running, streaking and simply not cooperating. The "right" way calls for spraying a 50/50 mix of water and vinegar over the paint after it dries and then dabbing it with a paper towel. Ugh! It wasn't working! I had made too much of a streaky, runny mess! At this point, I must confess, I was ready to throw my $1.99 bowl away. But after spending $9 on the paint, I wasn't about to give up. Losing $1.99 is no big deal but make that $10.99 and I draw the line! I decided the vinegar/water combo wasn't strong enough for the mess I had made. I used pure Acetone (nail polish remover) mixed 50/50 with water and it worked. I sprayed the acetone/water mixture on a paper towel (and added some salt to make it a little gritty) to dissolve the globs of runny and streaked paint. Then I sprayed the acetone/water mixture and dabbed it all over. I painted the whole bowl again with a thin coat of the Krylon Looking Glass paint and sprinkled it with art glitter. I filled the bowl with pinecones, cinnamon sticks and dried apple slices. I then finished it off with a little filigree of lace, ribbons, vintage millinery flowers and a vintage rhinestone earring. Even though it's not the way it's supposed to be, I like the way my Mercury Glass bowl turned out!
I hope if you've tried and failed the "right" way, you'll give it another go! I'm happy I did!
Hugs & Blessings,
Janice
Supplies:
Krylon Looking Glass Spray Paint
Acetone Nail Polish Remover
Salt
Water
Spray Bottle
Paper Towels
Art Glitter
I purchased a red painted glass bowl from the Goodwill. The paint was scratched and missing on much of the inside. I decided it would be fun to make my own Mercury Glass Bowl using this discarded bowl and following this tutorial from Pinterest on Making Mercury Glass the "right" way! I purchased some Krylon Looking Glass spray paint and began my project - only for me, the paint was not covering, it was running, streaking and simply not cooperating. The "right" way calls for spraying a 50/50 mix of water and vinegar over the paint after it dries and then dabbing it with a paper towel. Ugh! It wasn't working! I had made too much of a streaky, runny mess! At this point, I must confess, I was ready to throw my $1.99 bowl away. But after spending $9 on the paint, I wasn't about to give up. Losing $1.99 is no big deal but make that $10.99 and I draw the line! I decided the vinegar/water combo wasn't strong enough for the mess I had made. I used pure Acetone (nail polish remover) mixed 50/50 with water and it worked. I sprayed the acetone/water mixture on a paper towel (and added some salt to make it a little gritty) to dissolve the globs of runny and streaked paint. Then I sprayed the acetone/water mixture and dabbed it all over. I painted the whole bowl again with a thin coat of the Krylon Looking Glass paint and sprinkled it with art glitter. I filled the bowl with pinecones, cinnamon sticks and dried apple slices. I then finished it off with a little filigree of lace, ribbons, vintage millinery flowers and a vintage rhinestone earring. Even though it's not the way it's supposed to be, I like the way my Mercury Glass bowl turned out!
I hope if you've tried and failed the "right" way, you'll give it another go! I'm happy I did!
Hugs & Blessings,
Janice
Supplies:
Krylon Looking Glass Spray Paint
Acetone Nail Polish Remover
Salt
Water
Spray Bottle
Paper Towels
Art Glitter
Finished Bowl
Supplies
Beginning Bowl
Make Sure to Paint Outdoors - the Paint has Strong Fumes
Almost There!
The Inside
Glad I Didn't Give up ...
My second attempt!
I've also added a tutorial on how to make the
Tim Holtz Jumbo Tattered Flowers
My second attempt!
I've also added a tutorial on how to make the
Tim Holtz Jumbo Tattered Flowers
HAVE FUN!
