Mercury Glass?

The other day I talked about Heather at Traveling Thrifter and I found out there is a way to make your own inexpensive mercury glass items! And I-was-ecstatic! I've always loved (LOVED) mercury glass but they can be quite the pricey item! So when I read that there was a way to make your own... well, I just had to try it.

For those of you who have been reading my blog for a while, you've probably seen my lamp that I put together. By that I mean. I got the stained glass part from my father and then I found the lamp base at a thrift shop. I had originally thought about painting the lamp base black or even silver. But when I saw Heathers lamp, I knew I had to try the faux mercury glass technique on this lamp base.

Heather was very nice and told me exactly what I needed in order to do this project. So I went and found the spray cans. There are really only 4 steps to doing this project.

First step: Spray metal item (in this case my lamp base) with a primer.

Second step: Next spray paint with black Krylon paint.

Use imagination for this one. I was doing laundry and cleaning my house while I was doing this project. So, I got distracted and didn't photograph it when I painted it black.

Third step: Spray with water.

I used a spray bottle that was set on the wide spray. And I probably could have used less spraying action on it. Although, I'm not sure if the water thing is really necessary.

Fourth step: Spray with Krlyon Chrome spray.

I found that if you use a kind of wide sweeping motion when you're spraying the Chrome paint it gives a better look. You don't want a super solid Chrome look to it on the whole thing. You want some of that black undertone to show through in swathes. And don't wipe the water spots off. Let the paint dry and the water will evaporate and leave little circles of areas that look like the mercury is beginning to leak out of the space in the glass.

Up close it looks a little too bubbly to me. But, if you stand back a bit and you have the lamp turned on... It almost has that mercury glass feel to it.

So... here is the before picture....

And here is the after...

So... which do you all like? And what do you think as far as this base looking like Mercury Glass?

Personally, I like it. Now I'm thinking about doing some more mercury glass stuff. I saw something about making it with sheet's of silver on the inside of a glass vase. Or...

I've got more ideas that I am going to be doing in the next few days. So... Have a great day and stay tuned! ;-)