AliLarter.com

April 4, 2014

Be honest…how much time do you spend standing in front of the mirror, just wishing it would say something encouraging back?

Recently, I had a friend going through a bit of a tough time – a breakup had her down – and while making my best-gal go at cheering her up I rattled off one of my favorite Marilyn quotes:

“If you can’t handle me at my worst, then you sure as Hell don’t deserve me at my best.”

My friend joked back “man, I wish you could tell me that every day.” Turns out, with the power of a repurposed mirror and some inexpensive items from a local art supply store, I can!

This mirror project is easy, fun, and really packs a gift-giving punch.  If you want to keep costs down, check out a thrift shop or even your local Goodwill to provide the mirror – even if it isn’t perfect, a little spray paint and creativity will spruce it up just fine.

We often wish we could be the mirror that shows our loved ones all the things we see in them – now, with a little DIY magic, we can.

xx,

A

DIY INSPIRATIONAL MIRROR PROJECT

(A note: Steps 1-4 are only necessary if you don’t already like the color of your frame; otherwise, you can start with step 4!)

STEP 1: 

Remove the mirror from the frame.  You may need a small knife, depending on how the mirror is affixed.  Be careful not to bend the mirror at any point, as it will break!

STEP 2: 

Lay down a thick, fully overlapping layer of disposable bags, with a plastic bag directly underneath the frame – this area will receive the most spray paint and is the most likely to bleed through if you go paper.

STEP 3:

Spray an even layer of spray paint of choice – we went with a tangerine colored Gloss Enamel spray, as our frame was porcelain and we were concerned about the coverage being even and lasting.  That said, if you’re going with a wood or less “slippery” surface, you may want to check with the art store.  We here at Kitchen Revelry are big fans of asking questions!

Regardless of which paint you go with, make sure to leave several hours for the first coat to dry, then apply a second coat.  If you’ve chosen a gloss spray, you may even want to go for 3 total coats to get that extra gleam!

Oh, and we loved our frame, so chose simply to go with a change of hue, but if you want to spice things up masking tape can be used to create stripes or other patterns.  Get creative!  

STEP 4:

Reapply the mirror to the inside of the frame.  Ours didn’t have brackets, so we used Epoxy to seal it back in.  After applying the goop carefully to the edges of the mirror, we set it in place facedown on a table, then set heavy books on top of it and left it to dry overnight.

STEP 5:

This is the fun part.  Use an oil-based paint pen (water-based will not be permanent on the mirror’s slick surface)- they come in a rainbow of colors and a variety of thicknesses- to write your message of choice on the mirror.  We recommend practicing with a mirror-sized paper cutout first, to make sure you leave enough space for all of the words.

Voilà!  Giftwrap, and watch as #quotestoliveby becomes a real live thing on your loved one’s wall.