Driftwood Gardens: Faking a Collection

So, we have been working on our table and chair makeover for our dining room, and it is a really big job. It's going to be rewarding in the end, but it's not giving me the instant gratification that I crave from my projects. Looking around the dining area, I realize that there isn't going to be room for much else once the big table is in there, but I am lucky to have two sweet built in cabinets in the dining room, separating it from the kitchen. These cabinets were actually a selling point for me when we purchased our home. They add a lot of charm to this small space. I was thinking that it would look really great to have a collection of some type in there but I didn't have enough of any one thing to make it work. That was before I stumbled upon a plethora of DIY mercury glass tutorials on the internet. The technique is super simple and it involves my BFF, spray paint. The only materials needed are glass objects to change, a spray bottle of vinegar and water, paper towels, gold spray paint and Krylon Looking Glass spray paint. Who doesn't have a bunch of glass vases and things laying around the house? I rounded up some of mine, and bought a few cheap knick knacks at Goodwill. The total cost was about $20.

It only took about an hour for me to make 9 pieces of faux mercury glass, and even though it couldn't actually pass for the real thing I really like the weathered look of it.

This was the first piece I made/

This jelly jar style light globe that I picked up at Goodwill is my favorite piece. Something about it feels nautical to me.

I used the gold spray paint on some of the pieces, and some just the looking glass paint. I think the gold gives it a more antiqued look. I like it both ways and I'm glad I decided to mix it up.