Banish the Winter Blues with Colorful Mercury Glass Votives

It was -10 degrees the other night. 10 degrees below zero buuuuuuuut, the windchill made it feel like -25. I know what you’re thinking because we are all thinking it: holy freezer burn, brrrr! At that temp, the house creaks and groans and outdoor activities are a no go. Instead, we stay indoors together buried under blankets and drinking hot drinks. I’ll be honest – it’s not a terrible way to spend time. :)

At this time of year, I like to light candles to generate an extra ambience of warmth in the house. Their flickering light make things feel even cozier, even more comfortable and they ward off the dark of the long nights. I’ve always been a fan of mercury glass but I gave it a little upgrade with color. With the current outdoor color palette so drab – whites, darks and lots of gray – the color really pops.

The DIY mercury glass process so easy. With a few spritz of water and a few sprays of paint, colored mercury glass votives can be yours.

Supplies:

-glass votives
-spray paint (both color and metallic)
-a spray bottle with a 50% water/50% vinegar mix
-acetone
-cutting blade
-blow dryer

Clean and dry the votives. Lightly spritz the interior of the votive with the 50/50 mix. A light spritz will allow more color to adhere to the glass, a heavy spritz will prevent more adhesion.

Immediately after spritzing, spray the interior with the color spray paint. A light, even coat is best. Turn the votive upside down to dry to prevent the color pooling at the bottom of the votives. A blow dryer helps to speed up the drying time.

To get deeper color density, repeat the process above.

When the desired color depth is achieved, repeat the process again with the metallic spray paint.

When all the layers are dry, use acetone and cutting blade to clean up the edges and outside of the votive.

Place the candles inside of the votives and light!

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Tell me: Is it cold where you live? What do you do to bring warmth and light to winter?