Mercury glass is glass with a silver finish.  The effect is achieved by blowing double-walled glass pieces and filling the space between with a mercury solution before sealing the space shut.  As you can imagine, real mercury glass is expensive, especially since the art was far more common in the late 1800s and early 1900s before the health risks associated with mercury were known.  If you enjoy the look of mercury glass but don’t have the time or money to hunt down vintage pieces, Maryann from Domestically Speaking has a great solution.  She figured out how to recreate the look of mercury glass using an easy technique.  [how to make faux mercury glass]

Project estimate:

• Glass vase or container, $1
• Spray bottle with water, on hand or $1
• Silver spray paint, on hand or $1 and up
• Masking tape, on hand
• Plastic grocery bag, on hand

Total:  $1 and up

To simulate the look of mercury glass, the paint is applied to the inside of the container.  The water creates imperfections in the finish, giving the pieces a distressed, aged look.  Maryann also recommends that you wear gloves for this project to avoid getting silver finger tips!