Make a Faux Mercury Glass Cake Stand

This is Day 6 of Twleve Days of Gifts Kids Can Make!

This craft is so stunningly pretty, even I had a hard time believing that kids could pull this off. Creating this faux mercury glass look is as easy as using glitter – though I must admit it is just as messy. (OK, it’s actually a little messier – but it’s worth it! Promise!)

I used a dollar store clear glass items and adapted this tutorial from Dollar Store Crafts on how to make an apothecary jar.

What You Need to Make This DIY Mercury Glass Cake Stand

Safety Note: Metal leaf is very light and will blow up into the air at the very slightest air movement. I doubt the stuff is unsafe, but if you have  a child with respiratory problems, this project probably isn’t suitable for them.

A clear glass serving plate – if you can find one with a molded texture on the back, it will make the final result look even prettier!

A clear glass candle stick holder

E6000 glass glue

A soft dry paintbrush

Metal leaf – this is the same kind used for gilding. I used silver, but gold is also available. You don’t need full sheets, just a package of scrap leaf.

Leaf sizing or ModPodge. I recommend the outdoor ModPodge for this project because you may need to wash the cake stand at some point. If you use the metal leaf sizing, you will also need metal leaf sealant for your topcoat.

*Note: The finished cake stand is NOT dishwasher safe! Not even close! Get it only wet enough to clean your surfaces.

How to Make This DIY Mercury Glass Cake Stand

Wash and dry your glass pieces, and be sure to remove any price tags or stickers (and any adhesive residue left behind).

Apply your metal leaf sizing or a very thin layer of ModPodge to the BACK of the plate. You don’t want to risk your food coming into contact with your craft materials. Follow the directions on the product – mine told me to wait 30 minutes for the sizing to become sticky.

When the plate is ready, carefully sprinkle the metal leaf flakes onto the area you glued with the ModPodge or sizing.

Now take your soft dry paintbrush and simple start pressing the metal leaf onto the glass surface. This part is so much fun! It’s almost like you are painting with silver!

Don’t worry if there are tiny imperfections and holes, because it just makes it look more mercury glass-ish.

I’ll warn you now. When you are done with this part, you are probably going to need one of these:

Moving along, then…

Repeat this same process on the outside of the candle stick holder.

Here’s what you’ll have when you are done:

Let the project dry for a little while, and then use your E6000 glue to attach the candle stick holder to the very center of the bottom of the plate. Let the glue dry overnight.

Lastly, put on 1-2 coats of Outdoor ModPodge or metal leaf sealant over the bottom of cake plate and candle stick stem. Don’t put it on top of the plate – you want that to be just plain glass so that it’s safe to be in contact with food.

And you’re done! This is SO PRETTY when it is finished – really, it looks so totally store bought, your gift recipient will NEVER guess it’s dollar store origins!

Remember, this is Day 6 of Twleve Days of Gifts Kids Can Make! 6 down, 6 to go!