Transformation - Photo Frame to Vintage Mirror

Hello again Funky-Junkers,
Today I'm going to show you how I converted a wooden photo frame into a vintage style mirror and you won't believe how easy it is to do this!  Here's some pics of my finished mirror...click to enlargen and you can find my tutorial by scrolling down.

Vintage Style Bird Mirror 1

Vintage Style Bird Mirror 2

Vintage Style Bird Mirror 3

Vintage Style Bird Mirror 4

 

Vintage Style Bird Mirror 5

Before and After

I bought the frame on sale for €2.95 which made this project even more wonderful.  You can use a picture frame if you wish, you just need a frame that has glass as that;s what you're going to transform into the mirror.  For this project you will need the following items:

The frame (including the glass)
Mirror Effect Spray (I used gold)
A vintage style stencil
Chalk paint in two colours (I used Ochre and Cream)
Black or Charcoal acrylic paint
Rust acrylic paint
Mouldings or paper/card/wood appliqués
Dark patina
Crackle medium
Vinegar/Water mix 50/50
Spray bottle

First, I painted the frame using the Ochre chalk paint and when it was fully dry, I added a coat of one step crackle (Daily Arts). This has to be left to dry before the second coat of paint is applied (I used cream).  Take note that when you are painting this coat on you cannot paint over the same spot twice so make sure you load the brush well with the chalk paint.  This is so that the crackle takes effect properly and you can see the cracks which will start to appear as the paint dries.

Next, I worked on making the glass a mirror.  To do this, you first need to lay your glass flat, face down and place the stencil (I used a reverse stencil) where you want it.  This can be a bit messy so make sure you have some plastic or newspaper  protecting the surface you are working on.

Using the 50/50 vinegar/water mix, spray the back of the glass where ever you want the antiqued /corroded mirror look to be - in my case I mostly sprayed around the edges of the glass.  Using the mirror effect spray in a colour of your choice (usually gold or silver), spray all over the back of the glass.  You will soon see the reaction of the vinegar/water in the areas that you sprayed it.  After a few minutes most of the mirror effect spray will be dry with the exception of the areas that the vinegar was used.  Using some kitchen roll gently dab these areas to take off the excess.  This helps to create the corroded look that you're after.  Remove the stencil and leave aside to dry fully.

While the mirror is drying, paint the inside of the back cover of the picture frame using a dark coloured paint, I used a charcoal colour acrylic.  By the time you have done this, the glass will be dry and you now need to add your appliques.  I used a cardboard kind which I painted in Ochre and then dry-brushed lightly with a rust coloured acrylic paint to give an aged look.  I then tore these into odd sized lengths and stuck them here and there around the inside edge of the frame to give the impression of a broken trim to add to the overall vintage mirror look.

I used dark patina to darken the frame and enhance the cracks, concentrating more on the outside edge and adding the final touch to my antique style mirror.

I was so happy with the result that I went back to the shop and bought another two frames for €2.95 each!  Needless to say I will be doing this again.

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial, please contact me if you have any questions as I would be happy to help with any issues you may have with your project.

Bye for now

Easter Egg Decoration

I can't believe its that time of year again, it came around so fast!  I love the spring and this year I decided to add to the cheer by decorating some eggs and making my own Easter wall-hanging decoration.

The eggs were part of an Easter art gift set to my son last year which he never got around to completing so I felt obliged not to leave them there another year undone.

There was already drawings printed on the eggs and for two of them, as you can see, I just painted the eggs and coloured in the drawing using some felt tip pens.

For the second two however, I covered over the drawings with some chalk paint and decorated them using ribbon and some fancy silver sticky tape.  I added some coloured ribbon for hanging and then made the Happy Easter plaquette.  I added some hooks for hanging the eggs and a chick which I painted yellow.  I'm really pleased with the way it all turned out and this little decoration can be used year after year!

Thanks for dropping by, I hope you try some of your own - its easy!

Bye for now

Mother's Day Gift Idea

My last post promised more gift ideas for Mother's Day and with only a week to go, I said I'd better start posting.  I seem to be keeping things very simple this year and the heart below is just that.

I painted it in a grey colour called cement and added some nice words that I found online.  I used the pencil trick to transfer the writing.  Print your words the way you want them to appear on the heart, then, on the back of the page colour over the entire area behind your words using a HB pencil, place it in the position you want it on the heart (face up so you can see the words), secure it with some tape and carefully go over each letter using a pen or pencil.  When you lift the paper the outline will be imprinted on your heart.

Now all you have to do is go over it to darken it up using a marker or whatever you wish.  I used a black pencil and then I sealed it with some gloss varnish.  I added a bird motif which I glued on and some dashes around the edges to enhance it a little.  String for hanging it and it's done.  You could also use ribbon if you want a more fancy heart and you could add a rose instead of a bird or some découpage.

Thanks for following my posts, drop by again soon to see my final Mother's day gift idea and remember, if you have any questions you can contact me by email using the form on the right hand side of this page.  Bye for now...

Painted Bird Plaquette

I have definitely found my niche and my day job is getting in the way..........what to do?  A lotto win would remedy the situation but until then I will have to battle on with my blogging and creative work on a part-time basis i.e. nights and weekends!!

That said, I have a few new Plaquettes on the go and this here is the first of the batch.  It's great thinking up new ideas and designs, experimenting with colour and different textures and finishes and I am very happy with the results as my pictures are looking good.

This lovely plaquette is base coated with a dark grey chalk paint (my own mix) - I used 3 coats to get a more solid colour.  I then taped up a bouquet stencil with decorators tape just leaving out the sections I wanted to use on the piece and I taped it lightly to the dry painted wood.  I couldn't find a bird stencil that I liked anywhere so I made one. I found a bird outline on the internet, printed it out, traced it onto card and used a craft knife to cut it out.  Really handy as I can keep it for other jobs!

Be careful when painting over the stencils not to use too much paint.  I prefer to use a stencil brush but you can use a sponge if you prefer.  It's best if the brush is almost dry so blot it on some paper before applying it. Remember, you can always add more paint but you can't take it away.  I used a rhinestone for the bird's eye which I glued on.  I sealed it up with about 6 coats of sealant and then waxed it for the final coat.  I used some shiny silver ribbon for hanging it, which I found in my supply and which I thinks adds to the piece.

These make great presents for any occasion.