For this week – I am going to be showcasing a couple of the holiday crafts I have been working on around the house.  One of my big projects has been my outdoor decorations – and as soon as I saw these is the Pottery Barn catalog – I knew I wanted to do the same thing.  And it is a good thing – because they were sold out of these almost immediately.

Photo via Pottery Barn

So I was super excited when I found some BIG blue ornaments at a yard sale in late September.  I got five of them for $2.50.  A couple of weeks ago I gathered them up and decided to try my hand at a faux mercury treatment.   Here are some before pics!  Like my lovely spray painting set up?  Who said you can’t use a shepherds hook off season!

Ok – so there are a there are literally a ton of different ways out there to recreate mercury glass.  I am going to show you guys how I did it.  First, I sprayed the ornament with silver metallic spray paint that I happened to have on hand.

Then to create the mottled, aged look – I did quick burst sprays using some silver hammered metallic spray.  It created the “spots” you see on mercury glass pretty well.  And if you ever oversprayed on the hammered spray – you just needed to recoat with a little of the metallic spray and start over. 

So here is a final shot of them drying.   I think they turned out pretty well.

Now – I will have to say that they would have probably looked a little more like PB’s version if I would have used the mirrored spray paint.  But I still love how they came out.  I will have to show you my full outdoor display later this week.  

So what do you think?  Have you ever done a faux mercury glass project?  What technique did you use?  I wanna know!

Linking this up to

Before and After Party with Sarah @ Thrifty Decor Chick
Christmas Crafts Party with Kate @ The Centsational Girl
Get Your Craft On with Kim @ Today’s Creative Blog
Power of Paint Party with Mary Ann @ Domestically Speaking
Weekend Wrap Party with Jen @ Tatertots & Jello

Hey guys!  Sorry for being away for so long!  We traveled back to see my Dad for an early Christmas.  It was a lot of fun – but I didn’t have near the time I wanted to be able to get online.  Also – I know I owe a ton of you emails and and such.  I just switched over to a new computer and I don’t have everything transitioned – including all my software for email and such.  So I am running a little slow right now!  Don’t worry!  I will get around to everyone soon!! 

I know I had a ton of you ask how I made the little ornament tree that was in front of my NOEL sign on my mantel. 

Well it was really easy!  So I wanted to show you guys how to do it too.  First, I got a bunch of these mini ornaments from Target.  I think they also have them at the dollar store too.  I took off the little silver tops that you would normally put the ornament hangers through – they just twist right off.

Next I used a foam tree from the floral section of a craft store.  All you have to do is then is put a thin ring of hot glue around the pointy end of your lil ornament and then stick it into the foam.  The glue will hold it in pretty good.  I started from the bottom and went around until I got to the top. 

I was going to do it all silver but I ended up having too few lil ornaments to do a full silver tree – it will take between 4-5 packages of ornaments.  So I added in the little touches of red.  In retrospect – this looks WAY better!! 

So what do you think?  Did you pick up any of those little ornaments?  If so – what did you make out of them??  I have another project that I used them in that I will also share with you guys later this week! 

Linking this to

Made it for Monday with Cindy @ Cottage Instincts
Nifty Thrifty Tuesdays with Linda @ Coastal Charm
Boardwalk Bragfest with Jan @ Bobbypins Boardwalk

Creative Christmas Countdown with Rachel @ Rachel Cotterill

Make it Yours Day with Carolyn @ My Backyard Eden
Also linking this up to The CSI Project’s Handmade Holidays Challenge

I know I shared my faux Christmas mantel with you guys the other day – but I want to show you some of the other little vignettes that I have set up around the house. 

Here is a full shot of my entertainment center and “mantel”.  I really like how it came out – the entertainment center is the perfect place for us to hang our stockings! 

Here is a close up!  I think the whole theme is really pulled together! 

I love that I was able to use some of my silver glass ornaments to fill my wire basket!  And my lil Reindeer friend is propped up there too!

I also set up a cute little set of Santa’s and a Merry Christmas sign on my side table.

And finally I have a bunch of glass ornaments and some floral pinecone accents in the bowl on my coffee table.  Again – just a few touches but I really like how they bring a pop of Christmas all over!

So what about you?  Any Christmas touches around your house??  I still have some ideas for what I want to do in the dining room – but this is as far as I have gotten so far!!

Linking this up to

Christmas Vignette Party with Rhoda @ Southern Hospitality
Holiday Home Tour with Julia @ Hooked on Houses
Metamorphosis Monday with Susan @ Between Naps on the Porch
Tabletop Tuesday with Marty @ A Stroll Thru Life