Home and Living has guest Angel McCleaster, PartyLite independent Senior Regional Vice President, in to talk about Mercury Glass and be on our Silver Christmas List feature.

Q.: Angel, what a great name for this time of year, Happy Holidays! Tell us what PartyLite is please.

A.: PartyLite is the number one direct seller of candles and home fragrance products in the world with nearly 60,000 independent consultants in 18 countries. PartyLite offers dozens of exclusive fragrances, and has a fabulous gourmet food line called Two Sisters® Gourmet by PartyLite. I’ve run my own independent PartyLite business for 17 years, and I’m proud to have reached the highest level, senior regional vice president.

Q.: Can you explain the process of where your goods come from and how they are marketed?

A.: Famous for their platinum quality candles made right here in the U.S., PartyLite sells exclusively through its Independent Consultants, who offer the products at home parties, and also online. The company can help someone find a Consultant nearest them through an online locator (Find a Consultant) at www.partylite.com. 

Q.: Today we are talking about mercury glass, it was originally the poor man’s silver and used in candlesticks as a tarnish-free substitute. What items do you have in mercury glass?

A.: Our Mercury Glass Candle Holders were new for the holiday season, and will be available through Winter/Spring 2011! The collection includes a pair of stunning pillar holders in two heights (8” and 11”) and a matching tealight holder. The antiqued silvery finish is applied to the inside giving the pieces an old-world, heirloom feel. They reflect candlelight beautifully.

Q.: Home and Living is really drawn to mercury glass, how would you use them in holiday decor?

A.: Mercury glass is so elegant for holiday decorating—and so versatile. Add white pillars and pair them with clear glass pieces filled with silver. You can keep it all white and silver, or add a splash of holiday color with red metallic ornaments, holly berry branches and red pillar candles. The pillars look spectacular in multiples on a dining table runner or in a foyer.   

Q.: We read that: 19th century critics condemned mercury glass for “looking too much like mirror and too little like silver”—we like the flaked look quality of these pieces and don’t think it would be confused with real silver, care to comment?

A.: Although mercury was originally used to make the reflective coating of mirrors, real mercury was never used to make décor pieces. Mercury glass tableware has its origins in the mid-1800s, when they used blown silver glass treated with a heated solution made of silver nitrate and grape sugar.  Mercury glass is original looking, and, to me, there is no mistaking it with real silver—and I sure don’t miss all the work real silver requires to keep it tarnish-free!  I inherited my father’s silver and it mixes beautifully with my mercury glass collection.

"I'm all for versatile décor items that don’t have to be boxed and stored after the holidays!"

Q.: Are you using the metallic-silver color over the holidays or what is your decorating scheme this year? It would be wonderful on a mantle.

A.: Yes!  For the holidays, I have several mercury glass pillar holders in my entryway holding white LED Pillars.These are mixed with hand-blown PartyLite Symmetry Pillar Holders filled with pine cones and tree branches (sprayed silver) from my backyard. On my mantle, Mercury Glass Tealight Holders with fragrant Iced Snowberries candles coordinate beautifully with my heirloom silver pieces and antique Christmas figurines. 

Q.: Where are customers going to find the products and do you have a website for more information? Is there also a Facebook page?

A.: Your readers can purchase the PartyLite Mercury Glass Collection and other wonderful PartyLite items through their own PartyLite Consultant. Or they can locate a Consultant nearest to them by calling 1-888-999-5706 or going online to www.partylite.com and clicking on Find a Consultant. And, yes, the PartyLite Facebook Page often has giveaways for Fans and is a great place to see what our Customers say about products. Just go to www.Facebook.com/partyLite. Look for us at www.YouTube.com/PartyLiteGifts, too!

Q.: Is there anything else you would like to tell Home and Living Readers?

A.: I love the mercury glass because I can use it all year long just by changing up the colors and accents. I’m all for versatile décor items that don’t have to be boxed and stored after the holidays!