i paint my own jewels

Happy Monday to ya. Hope your weekend was good. If it was half as crafty as mine, I bet you are nursing a few glue gun burns as well. We Christmas'ed up the place and are now in full holiday mode. And all this week I'll share the results. Super exciting, I know.

First up is a little Pottery Barn hack.

I was looking at my 7th Pottery Barn catalog of the month on Thursday and feel in love with these mercury glass votives. I instantly thought of Mary McDonald ala Million Dollar Decorators. Loving the jewel tones. And of course the mercury glass, I'm always a fan of mercury glass.

Pottery Barn

However, the last thing I need are more votives, and I've got way bigger fish to fry...or gifts to buy right now. (I've got rhyme skills) So I recycled the catalog and went on with my day. It was very responsible of me.

When I started pulling out Christmas stuff the next day, these fell out of an overstuffed cabinet. I mean, I noticed them perfectly in line on a shelf labeled votives.

I got about 10 of these from the dollar bin at Target a couple years ago. And it just so happens I also have a drawer full of paints left over.  I could hear Mary McDonald's voice in my head, 'jewel tones. I'm in love with jewel tones.'

Who needs stinkin' Pottery Barn?  I can make my own colorful votives damn it. It was all very Norma Rae. Before I knew it I was painting one, and then another. I did it all so quickly that I didn't even take any progress pictures. Although, what is there really to photograph? Dip your brush in some paint and paint the inside. The end.

To give them a bit more of a weathered vibe and stick to the spirit of the mercury glass, I did make sure not to put on too much paint. Just a washed out effect.

Now I didn't have the exact colors I wanted so I mixed a few and made due with others. Not exactly jewel tones, but certainly jewel tone inspired. (Have you started a drinking game with the word 'jewel tone' yet?).

They look magnificent lit up, and work perfectly with the 'theme' of this year's mantel. (Although I really hate decorating with themes, so I shouldn't use that word). Anyway, take that Pottery Barn.

Come back tomorrow and I'll show you the mantel...if you show me yours.

Any luck with holiday DIY? What is your favorite holiday project? Need any votives? I've got a bag full of the suckers from IKEA circa 2002 and I'm STILL not out of them.