It's pretty amazing how easily you can turn a $1 purchase into a beautiful antique looking vase. See how you can take thrift store purchases to create mercury glass vases and how to arrange flowers in them.

DIY flower arrangement in mercury glass.

I'm sure you've seen mercury glass everywhere over the last few years. Pottery Barn has it all over its catalogs. I bought some candlesticks at the holidays from TJMaxx. The trend is not exactly new but I like the look. During the holidays I noticed that many bloggers were making their own mercury glass ornaments and I even bought the glass balls and paint to make them myself but I never found the time.

Thrift store glass vases turned mercury glass.

DIY Arranging Flowers & Mercury Glass Vases

On my trip to Trader Joes, I found so many beautiful flowers and really wanted to bring brightness and beauty into the home so I thought I'd post how I arrange flowers. On my way home I stopped at the Goodwill and found a couple of great glass bowls to use as vases for my flowers. Total cost, $2.10. Then I thought, why not try the faux mercury glass effect on these items.

How to Create a Mercury Glass Vases

Pick up some Krylon mirror spray paint.
Fill a fine mister bottle with water and white vinegar in a 1 to 1 ratio.
Spray the inside of your item lightly with the paint.
Wait a couple of minutes and then spray the water and vinegar mix over the spray paint.
Next, take a paper towel and dab here and there to get the effect you desire.
Wait another couple of minutes and repeat.
Continue the process or stop if you like what you have done.

Overall pretty easy and the more you practice the better the effect. Isn't that true with everything?

Flower Arranging in Vases

Use some chicken wire for structure. You can also use thin pieces of tape in a criss-cross fashion across the top but the chicken wire works really well for a short bowl like this one.

Blue and peach flower arrangement in a mercury glass vase.

Simply arrange your flowers by placing the largest first. In this case the hydrangea. Add the next largest flowers in next. Fill in with the filler material or the most delicate flowers last.

Flower arrangement with blue hydrangeas, peach button mum and small white clusters.

Turn as you go to make sure it looks good from all sides. Then, fill it with water and set out for all to admire.

More Floral Arrangement Ideas:

Flower arrangement in a short mercury glass vase.

DIY Mercury Glass Vases

Yield: 1

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Active Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

Difficulty: easy

Estimated Cost: $10-$15

Learn about easy ways to arrange flowers and how to make your own inexpensive mercury glass vases from thrift store finds.

Materials

Clear glass vase from Thrift Store or Home
Krylon Looking Glass Spray Paint
White Vinegar
Water

Tools

Fine mist bottle
Paper towels

Instructions

Pick up some Krylon mirror spray paint.
Fill a fine mister bottle with water and white vinegar in a 1 to 1 ratio.
Clean the glass vase inside and out.
Spray the inside of your item lightly with the spray paint.
Wait a couple of minutes and then spray the water and vinegar mix over the spray paint.
Next, take a paper towel and dab here and there to get the effect you desire.
Wait another couple of minutes and repeat.
Continue the process or stop if you like what you have done.

DIY Mercury Glass Vases