"Fake" Pottery Barn Mercury Lanterns

For me, the Pottery Barn catalogue is a wealth of ideas of which I might steal and fake-it myself!  One of my favorites that they're featuring for this summer are the Mercury Lanterns:

Really pretty in a grouping for the Summertime Mantel.  What I like about them most is that they are imperfect, and when trying to Fake an expensive item, imperfection can be your friend!  So, let's get started!

I've gathered a bunch of cheap glass containers and vases. I picked up most of these at a yard sale for between $0.50 and $1.00.  I found the ruffled one at Walmart for $0.97.  Also at Walmart, I picked up a can of Krylon Silver Metallic Spray Paint:

 

Outside we go to give each vase a spray.  I simply sprayed inside each vase, a little at a time.  Some of the paint may run inside if you spray too much at once (it happened to me), but that just adds to the imperfection!

Oh, and I had a helper during this process as well!

I scratched the insides of each vase to make it look antiqued and to let the light shine through, like the lanterns from Pottery Barn.

Don't ask me where I got this crazy crab shucking tool from, but it did the trick!  A screwdriver or an old knife would also work.

Finally, it's time to decorate the Summertime Mantel!  I like to use white lights instead of candles because I have a four-year-old and because I can keep it shimmering all night or day. 

You could also add a bit of wire around the tops of the vases to hang them under your market umbrella outside or around your yard as they feature in the Pottery Barn catalogue...

...but I decided they would be best enjoyed on my mantel.

Now let's do the Fake-It Yourself Breakdown!

5 Fake Mercury Lanterns, Sizes Small through X-Large ($4.00 for Vases, $3.24 for Paint)

Total Fake-It Cost $7.24

5 Mercury Lanterns from Pottery Barn,  Sizes Small through X-Large   ($117.50)

Total Fake-It Yourself Savings $110.26