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| When I first began my life as a "Trash to Treasure Junkie", I was surprised to find that old mirrors were in abundance at the sales. Most of them needed some TLC, and if the silvering was damaged, you just had to appreciate the "character" of the piece. Over the past few years, I have found several different styles of mirrors, and have sold many on eBay. In this section, I show three mirrors that I have re-done, and are using in our home. |
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 When I found
this large oval mirror for $4.00, I just could not pass it
up, even though the mirror had some flaws. It sat in my project closet
for quite some time, before I came up with a plan.Step one was to remove several layers of orange & green paint from the frame. I then applied alternating coats of FolkArt Antique Gold, and Solid Bronze paint. To create a more aged appearance, I applied a diluted coat of Burnt Umber, wiping off the excess. |
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 Now, what to do
with the damaged mirror. I tried frosting it, but I was
not pleased with the look, so I removed the frosting, and decided to
try
something entirely different.I have a large stash of lace window panels, and I love the delicate designs. So I used one of the panels as a stencil. The mirror was cleaned with rubbing alcohol, and the lace panel secured over the mirror. I then sprayed a light coat of white spray paint over the lace curtain panel stencil. Fifteen minutes later, a second light coat was applied. To accent the gold in the frame, a very light coat of gold paint was sprayed on in a few areas. |
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 This
mirror was a wonderful find, for $7.00. It had been part of an
antique dresser. The beveled mirror was in fabulous shape, but the
frame did need some work.I stripped the paint that was on the frame, and applied a walnut stain. I usually put on two to three coats of stain. When refinishing the frame of a mirror, I usually remove the mirror, however, the backing on this piece was in such good condition, I decided to cover the mirror with craft paper during the refinishing process. |
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 To add a little glitz to the piece, I attached brass filigree to each side of the frame. These pieces were purchased at The Bombay Company about ten years ago. They were designed to be used as spacers between pictures in wall groupings, however, they are the perfect accent for this mirror. |
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 This little piece did not begin as a mirror. I found the elegant frame as a separate item. It just required a little cleaning, and I used Rub 'n Buff Antique Gold on the relief areas, to add some highlights. |
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 I have acquired many
pieces of mirror from local yard sales, so I
decided it was time to see if I could actually cut glass &
mirror myself. This piece came out OK, however, I do need a little more
practice.The cutting tools I have, were ordered from QVC a few years ago, however, they no longer carry this product. I am in the process of trying to collect more information on what is now available. |
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| RESOURCES: METALLIC TINTS Rub 'n Buff by Amaco is magical. Most Craft Stores only carry the silver & gold, but there are many more wonderful colors/tints available. The following are some Online suppliers I have located: www.createforless.com This place has great prices. www.framingsupplies.com The prices are very good and they also have many other unique supplies. I plan to spend a little more time checking out this site. www.mccallisters.com Their prices here are not discounted, however they do have a very good selection. Also, this is the only place I have ordered from. I plan to try the other places listed, and will update this page when I have more information. Comments: If you have never tried the Rub n' Buff products, you are missing out on a "Golden" opportunity. This product, combined with Folk Art Paints can turn very plain and ordinary items into real "Gems & Jewels". When you use the Rub n' Buff, it works best to apply it with your finger. The product has a wax base, so the body heat helps make the paint transfer more evenly. METALLIC PAINTS FolkArt has a wide variety of metallic paint colors. You can find FolkArt Paint at Wal-Mart and Craft Stores. If you prefer to shop on-line www.createforless.com has great prices. |
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