Silver Trappings

How to Un-Paint Old Glass Christmas Ornaments

I have bought a few boxes of old glass Christmas ornaments at Goodwill lately and un-painted them to get this look. It's soooo easy!
The older the ornaments the better it works. I was trying to get an old mercury glass look. The old Shiny Brite brand seems to work the best. But other old balls will also work. Hopefully in these first few pictures you can tell that some of them have an old, faded silver look. Those are the Shiny Brite or other really old ornaments. The shinier silver balls are "newer" old ornaments that the color does come off of, but the silver inside is a more solid bright silver look.
I do not un-paint the balls that start out silver or gold, because a mixture of those two colors is what I am going for.

I love the old, faded look. And mixing it with the shinier silver gives more dimension. So - I will buy any of the old balls - but definitely the Shiny Brites.Just hold a ball UPSIDE DOWN under hot running water. You do not want the water to go inside the ball, because if it is one of the older balls, the hot water will wash all the silver out of the inside. After just a few seconds under the hot water, you will be able to rub off the colored paint. It usually just rubs off with your finger. Every now and then you may have to scratch at it with your fingernails. But it is really soooo quick and easy!


Thanks to Tales From an O.C. Cottage and Vintage Bella Studio for the instructions for this wonderful project!

Go to Goodwill!!! You will be glad you did!

Shannon