How To Make An Antique Mirror

You can take any ordinary piece of glass and make it look like an antique mirror. The process is fairly simple and makes a big impact to any piece. I chose to try it on my curio cabinet, which is from the late 80’s. I was tired of seeing everything inside of it, so this is the perfect solution. For now, I’m only going to show you the door, but I’ll show the rest of the curio, when it’s completed. Here’s a list of supplies you’ll need to get started.

Painter’s Tape
Newspaper
Glass Cleaner
Paper Towels
Spray Bottle
Distilled Vinegar and Water
Mirror or Looking Glass Spray Paint
Flat Black Spray Paint

The first thing to do, is tape off your piece with painter’s tape. I also used newspaper to keep the paint from getting on the wood frame. The next thing you’ll need to do, is clean the glass, inside and out. You can use glass cleaner of your chosing and dry it with paper towels. You’ll be painting the backside of the glass, which is the side you will not be seeing, when the project is complete. You’ll want to make sure it’s free of any hair, lint or dust, because whatever you leave on the glass, will be trapped under the paint and visible from the front side.

Once your glass is clean, mix a solution of 1:1 water and distilled white vinegar in a spray bottle. Shake it up, so it’s mixed well. Spray the vinegar/water mixture over the backside of your glass. In my case, that would be the inside of my glass door. An even mist is fine, but if you add some larger random drops, it adds a little more character to the piece.

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Immediately after you’ve sprayed your vinegar solution, spray an even coat of the looking-glass paint over the vinegar. You’ll see bubbles, which is exactly what you want. The vinegar reacts to the paint and creates discolored spots and doesn’t allow the paint to adhere to the glass.

This paint starts to dry quickly. When it’s beginning to dry, use a piece of paper towel to dab all the vinegar and water spots. I like to use a slight twisting motion when I dab, especially along the edges. This removes more paint to give it that aged look. You can lift your glass up to see the other side. If you see enough spots to your liking, then you’re ready for the next step. Otherwise, you can spray more vinegar and water, spray another layer of looking-glass paint and dab some more. Just remember, there is no perfection to this.

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Once you’ve dabbed all of the droplets, spray an even coat of flat black spray paint over the looking-glass paint. You may need to do two coats of the black spray paint. Now, you’re not confined to black paint on this step. You may also use a gold or bronze paint. Do whatever makes you feel good. This is your piece. antique mirror8

Flip it over and check out your results. Once it has dried completely and you’re happy with it, remove your tape and enjoy your antiqued mirror!

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The Painted Recliner

This tired red microfiber recliner was orphaned to me. At first, I didn’t know what I would do with it, aside from donation or the curb, but then I remembered seeing something online about painting upholstery. I did some research and found several people who have tried it with success. So that’s what I did! painted recliner1

Isn’t she a beaut? I was over the red color and wanted to do something light and fresh. I settled on a pale lavender. I used a flat latex interior paint, fabric medium and water. The mixing ratio was 1:1:2. It’s very runny, so cover the surrounding area with something, if you don’t want paint on the floor. For this project I used about a quart of paint and almost four bottles (32oz.) of fabric medium. I used a regular small paint brush and 220 grit sandpaper. Yes, you need to lightly sand your fabric after each coat of paint has dried completely. It sounds really strange, but it works. The sanding keeps the fabric feeling soft and flexible.

Just give the chair a quick vacuum and once your paint mixture is blended well, you can start painting!

Here are the first, second and third coats. I will admit, after the third coat I nearly called it quits. I didn’t think it was ever going to start covering that red microfiber.

Since I had already told several people that I was going to paint this upholstered recliner, I had to finish it. Sometimes peer pressure and judgement are awesome motivators! The fourth, fifth and sixth/seventh coats were starting to show some promise. You can see in the third picture below, parts of the chair had six coats and parts of it had seven. I got excited and forgot to take a picture before starting the seventh coat, you understand.

By now the arthritis in my hands was inflamed and I was experiencing some mild cramping in my legs and hips, but the end was too close to stop now! The eighth coat would be the final coat. After the final coat, I used a hot blow dryer on low to heat set the entire recliner. Then I used a clear cream wax over the entire chair and buffed it out. The cream wax made it feel even smoother and softer. It also gave it a soft sheen.

Now, the chair no longer looks or feels like microfiber. If you were to only use three or four coats of paint, it would feel similar to outdoor cushions. But because I had to use eight coats for coverage, it feels like some type of pleather. It’s smooth, cool and soft to the touch. It’s flexible and very comfortable. I really am pleasantly surprised with the results! painted recliner7

The Happy Tree

I saw a project in a magazine about two decades ago. It was one of those projects I was apprehensive about starting, maybe because I wasn’t quite sure I could pull it off. Well, I just got to it this spring! I know, it took me long enough.

I was in the mood for some whimsy in my backyard. I enjoy looking at things that make me feel happy and hope it does the same for others. There’s a large old maple tree in my backyard. Every year it loses a limb and looks more sparse. I spray it for bugs, particularly ants, for fear they may be killing it. It always buds out in the spring, but has lost its shape since lightning claimed its vertical stem. It looked a little sad, which is why it was the prefect model for this project.

tree man If you’re truly interested in doing something like this, know that it takes several hours. I mean several…enough to create days, which turn into weeks. I believe this took nearly six weeks for me. I didn’t keep track of the actual hours, but several of those days were rainy or things were too wet to work on. You’ll also need some time for your product to dry or set. We all have other things to tend to; jobs, children, dinner, laundry, family obligations, good television, etc. It’s not like we can devote several days strictly working on a happy tree, right?

The first step was picking a tree, of course. Once you’ve decided where you want to see your smiling tree, you’ll need to build a basic shape for your facial features. I spray painted a general smile so I could use that as a guide. I used pink foam insulation to build the base, because I already had several random pieces stored away. Why? Because I thought I might need it someday. You can also use styrofoam. You can tack them onto the tree or use glue. I used both.

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Next, you’ll need to build onto your base. For this part, I used bondo. Yes, the bondo used to repair the body on vehicles. It’s messy and stinky. You’ll want to wear gloves and if you have any type of lung issues, you may want to wear a mask. Mix the bondo per directions on the can. I mixed small amounts at a time, because you have a limited amount of time to work with the product, before it begins to set up. At that point, you have to stop, because it will no longer spread. To push the bondo into all the nooks and crannies, I used an old butter knife. It’s a knife I use for projects like this. You can also use a larger popsicle stick or small putty knife.

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Once you get going, you can add more foam right over the bondo if you need more depth or decide the shape isn’t quite right. You can see, I added eyebrows. Once the bondo has set up, you’re ready for another layer of bondo. At this point, I grabbed the mixed bondo with my gloved hands and began slathering the bondo onto the facial features. This was messy, but saved a lot of time and you’re able to mold and shape the face easier. When I first sat down with my gallon of bondo, I had no idea how quickly I would go through that. I would be running back to the hardware store for three more gallons! Once you’ve applied your final layer of bondo, you’ll need to give your face some lines resembling bark. Try to follow the same pattern as the tree bark. For this, I used a dremel tool with a small bit. Dust flies around for this, so keep the mask handy.

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This is where the face really comes to life. Once you’re done with your carving, you can paint. Try to match the paint to your tree bark. I used a dark shade for the base coat and then I dry brushed the lighter shades over the top. If your tree has a lot of moss growing on it, then you may want to add some green to your face. It may grow on its own over time!

And lastly, the eyes. I decided to go with something more natural looking that would blend with my tree. But you do whatever is in your ketchup bottle! Paint them any color you want and get as fancy as you want. This is your work of art.

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After you’re satisfied with your painting, you’ll want to spray it with a clear acrylic protective spray or sealer. This will help protect your art from the elements and prevent fading.

It feels good to see a smile first thing in the morning. My son is older now and has grown to hate mornings. He walks through the house like a crabby ogre who hasn’t pooped for days. Sometimes there’s brief eye contact and a grunt. So, I sip my coffee, pet my cat and look out the kitchen window.

Good morning, Happy Tree.

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