"Mirror Mirror on the wall, whose the fairest of them all?"
So asked the wicked queen in the story of 'SNOW WHITE AND THE
7 DWARFS'. Alice also had her share of Wild experiences 'THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS'. Frankly, for me, Mirrors are no longer 'user friendly'. Whenever I look in the mirror these days, I often don't recognize myself. I am sometimes even STARTLED by my own reflection; "Whose
IS that!?"....... oh,... it's .... Me!????? (very scary) especially first thing in the morning, when the lines from the pillow are still embossed deeply on my cheeks and my eyes are bleary from spending half the night on PINTEREST. I try to make it a habit now, to look in a mirror ONLY IF I HAVE TO and not any longer than necessary. I live in perpetual denial and I like it that way! Why should I want to be having to stare at a STRANGER? ( read a Strange- Her) No, ... Real Life mirrors and I are no longer the close buddies like we used to be, but I LOVE to have them in my doll's houses as they make the tiny spaces appear bigger and if they are placed strategically, Reflect and Maximize the light . All this preamble is to tell you about the mirror that I have pieced together from various objects that I would like to now show you. This tutorial is CHEAP and QUICK and EASY and hopefully you will enjoy making
a bull's eye mirror for yourself. This kind of mirror gives a new kind of viewing to the room because it allows you to see wider angles because of its con-vexed shape. I made this mirror to go over a fireplace( that I haven't built yet) , for the bedroom in #43 Green Dolphin Street. Here what I did .......
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I bought a mirror from the pet store that was meant to hang in a budgie cage. It has mirrors on both sides in a plastic frame.
I easily pried the pieces apart, by using a tiny flat head screwdriver and with just a little bit of maneuvering the plastic frames separated. |
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| I was at the DOLLAR STORE and found these bull's eye mirrors that stick onto your car side mirrors so that you can see what is behind you as you drive or if you are riding a bike. In the package there were 2 and they were about a $1.50. You could also get these at Auto Accessory stores such as Lordco, etc. but why pay MORE? |
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On the back of the mirror is a sticky pad |
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| The profile of the bull's eye mirror |
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| This Bull's eye mirror is the right circumference for the birdcage mirror that I want to put it into |
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| I traced the OUTSIDE of the frame onto mat board so that I could install a new back to the mirror |
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| Check the fit but DON'T GLUE YET! |
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| I had decided to embellish the frame and so I chose some chains that I wanted to use as well as some additional metal bits that I thought might work |
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| Here I used some flat chain and some broken earring bits that I glued to the plastic frame with Quick Grip glue |
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| Try the bull's eye mirror inside the frame and make sure you like it ! |
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| I used my favorite brown acrylic by Delta and painted the entire frame in Brown Iron Oxide. You can use whatever color you wish. |
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Make sure that you paint the inside edge of the frame as well as getting into the crevasses of the metal bits. I used 2 coats! Spray paint is BETTER to use if you can, but with the brush was fine.
I would also like to mention that using an enamel would probably adhere better, as I had to touch up the acrylic paint because of some peeling. To me the imperfections of the paint job is in character with the doll's house that it is going into but if you are a Perfectionist, use Enamel. |
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| I peeled the backing off of the mirror and stuck the mirror onto the pre-cut mat board and made sure it was centered then fitted the 2 pieces into the frame and used the Quick Grip glue around the inside edge of the mirror frame |
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I didn't finish the backside yet, but I will!
This would also look good shabby chic with a white wash overlay or a crackle finish. I might try the crackle myself. If I do I'll show it to you on another posting. Meanwhile this is what it looks like
for now.
viola! |
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A BULL'S EYE MIRROR
did you notice that
I have this positioned
so that you
CANNOT
SEE
ME?
heehee
see you later |
elizabeth
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Oh! I've got to make one of these. I'm building a fireplace for a new roombox, and a mirror like this would look great over it. Thanks for such a quick and easy, but still great looking, project.
ReplyDeleteHello Sharon! Thank you and I am so glad that you like it enough to give this a try! The most fun part is composing the ornamentation to go on the frame. Because there are 2 frames with the birdcage mirror and 2 convex mirrors in the package, you can make them in different styles and finishes. You can keep one and have one as a gift to a friend. I used the second mirror in another cottage project that has a very low ceiling and a very crowded interior and the mirror opens up the space and shows the viewer objects that would not otherwise be easily visible. Have fun making this project, Sharon, and thanks for your comment!
ReplyDeleteelizabeth
Hi again...I am going NUTS trying to find PLAIN little convex mirrors and a PLAIN little birdcage mirror. All the stores in my area have these little auto mirrors in a double frame; that is, there's a frame around the mirror, and the framed mirror is in a second frame (that it swivels around in to adjust it's angle). I'm going to have to "tear" them apart to get the convex mirror out so it can be put in a nicer frame.
DeleteThe only birdcage mirror I found has bells and dingle-dangles hanging off it...and there is a hanger for each "thingy" molded into the frame. I think if I try to remove them, I'll end up with a very chipped and uneven frame edge.
So now I'm on the search for something else 2" in diameter suitable for the frame's base. Nothing is ever really simple. I DO like the way this frame looks over the tall, narrow fireplace you've paired it with. - Sharon
Hi Sharon! I just sent you a email about your dilemma, so check your in box and get back to me okay?
DeleteA few suggestions to try out, first : THE DOLLAR STORES and thrift stores also try ,Drug stores, Bicycle stores, Wal-mart, Targets etc. You can Clip excess plastic off with a good pair of pliers and then use a coarse sanding block to lightly sand and gently smooth out the rough spots.
The circumference of the frame that I used was 2'' diameter. The bull's eye insert was just under but flat as you see in the blog with a sticky back so it is a very cheap variety. I hope this helps you some more Sharon. I know it is frustrating when you want to do something and your efforts are not producing but don't quit looking. Your pieces are out there somewhere. ( smiles) Please Keep me posted!!!
elizabeth
The results are fantastic, Elizabeth! So many of the steps you showed could be applied to other projects as well--very useful. Yes, Pinterest has gotten a hold over me too--I understand completely. There are too many wonderful ideas for making minis there! lol Thanks for the great tutorial, and catch a few zzzs when you can. ;-) xo Jennifer
ReplyDeleteHello Jennifer! Thanks for the comment and the advise about getting more sleep; I certainly do need it! hahha I am so glad that you enjoyed this tutorial and I do believe that you are right in that this technique could be applied to other projects as well. The pet store is also a really good source for mirrors as they are small and made with some depth to the plastic frames which are plain and perfect for adding the extras to! I think that both Flossy and Sophia would enjoy a mirror in each of their cute little cottages, don't you?
Deleteelizabeth
Now that's clever!
ReplyDeleteHello my dear Susan! I am delighted that you like this tutorial as I was concerned that none would. But since YOU do, I am happy!
Deleteelizabeth
P.S. I forgot to tell you, Susan that I have been researching the Aga stoves since you sent me the instructions. The world of Aga is huge and the style options are vast, so I am still sitting on it for now but, THANK YOU so much, Susan for sending the information. That was so considerate and so timely and I thought " What great friends, I have!" Friends that I have never met in person, but so helpful and caring all the same. In visiting Lidi's blog I got an opportunity to finally 'meet' you and Grumpy and Lidi's daughter and now when I see your little icon I know the face behind it!
Deleteelizabeth
Aren't the aga stoves lovely? Personally, I want something like a vintage Rayburn stove (like the one we had when I was young)in my dollhouse to replace the simple black iron stove I made 35 years ago. If you do a google search it brings up some beauty's.
DeleteIsn't the blogosphere a grand place Elizabeth? I've met so many lovely people, yourself included. Can you imagine the joy of meeting all of our internet friends at one big gathering?? Oh dear, there's me always hiding my face and never looking in mirrors because the stranger there scares me ;) and my good and very dear friend Lidi goes and plasters my image on her blog....
Susan, can you Imagine a Big Gathering of of ALL our internet friends! Everyone in the same room !!!? There we would all be together, each one of us WITH our GOOGLE TRANSLATORS, as we are babbling away! The picture in my mind is cracking me up! Too Funny!
Deletece miroir est superbe, facile à réaliser.
ReplyDeleteJ'adore votre humour Elizabeth, je partage votre réflexion sur ces miroirs, parfois indélicats, on y voit pas seulement les plis de l'oreiller mais aussi ceux de la vie, ceux là persistent ...
Bonne journée et merci pour les explications ! rosethé
Bonjour Rosethe' Thank you so much for your comment ! I got a good chuckle! However, I shall amend your statement from mirrors being "sometimes unscrupulous", to being Always unscrupulous! hahah I hope that you will be able to use this in your bookstore, Rosethe'. Even without a frame, a bull's eye mirror is a good way for a store owner to keep an eye on their merchandise, wouldn't you agree?
Deleteelizabeth
Je suis tout à fait d'accord avec vous Elizabeth !
DeleteBonne et belle journée ! rosethé
First of all, I hear you about mirror experiences, especially first thing in the morning! LOL. This is a fabulous tutorial. I must have a look through my jewellery bits and pieces. Also, funny you should mention the wicked queen from snow white. After watching the movie I want to do a scene around her when I have finished my sisters gallery. Maybe I can find something that will make a bigger mirror similar to this.
ReplyDeleteHello Sharee! I have been Greatly Influenced by reading your recent posts on the Seven Dwarf's cottage that you have lately acquired, so Thank You! My suggestion, If you are looking for a bigger mirror, is to try the pet sections of the Dollar Store as well as Pet Stores in the bird toy section. They carry lots of different styles of mirrors and many made larger for parakeets and cockatoos etc. The reason that I used this mirror from there was because of the depth of the plastic frame. They are lightweight and easily manipulated so that a Miniaturist can customize them to their hearts delight! Another plus is that there is a 'back up frame' just in case you happen to mess up the first one! hahah
Deleteelizabeth
Firstly. I am sure you are beautiful, beautiful! Beautiful people are always hard on themselves and set extremely high standards. In a way, that's the curse of beauty, isn't it? Let's face it, who will put a wake up in the morning face picture online for the world to see, huh?
ReplyDeleteNext, I think this is a wonderful tutorial. Your mirror is GORGEOUS! That little piece at the top looks like a part from a vintage brooch or pin. Stunning! And the whole effect is just great! And yes, I too love the part where you decide how to ornamentalise an otherwise boring plastic.
This reminds me of a post I read somewhere about using mirrors in dollhouses so that you can even see a hidden corner. I wish I can remember where is that post now.
Elizabeth, I use spray paint and it is much easier as a base for plastic. It also sticks better. If you finish the painting with a coat of varnish after it's dried, that should seal the paint even better. I am a bit of a plastic queen, teehee so I know :).
Hello Sweet Sans! Yes I was/ am still vain, but now I am forced to being more nonchalant! hahhaha I am ALWAYS hard on myself Sans, and as I mentioned to Susan, I didn't think that anyone would like this tutorial!!! It never fails to Surprise me, ( as well as Please me) that people like my work. I say this in all humility. It scares me almost every time I post something. I regain confidence when it is well received but I like I said there is much self-doubt. But enough! I am happy that you have enjoyed this tutorial Sans! You are RIGHT, the piece on the top was an old vintage pin that I snipped apart with some Mack-Daddy cutters. I also agree that spray paint is a Much Better Solution to applying the paint and it was just laziness that I didn't. I did use some varnish and YOU are once again Right , Sans, It adheres so much better! Thank you, Plastic Dancing Queen.
Deleteelizabeth
This is a stunning trash to treasure tutorial. Your mirror gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing.
Hugs, Drora
Hello Drora! Thank you so much for your comment and I have to say that this was a fun and easy project to do in an evening. I have just been to see the wonderful SWAP items that you had with Anna. They were Marvelous; both the ones that you sent to her and that she sent to you! Isn't this hobby Wonderful!? It gives so much pleasure to everyone that is involved in it. Like Pen Pals Plus! Sharing the talents that God has given, in whatever way and in whatever measure, is what makes this hobby one of the biggest joys in life. It is just plain Good Fun!
Deleteelizabeth
You've changed it into a little piece of art. Lovely!
ReplyDeleteHello Gosia! Thank you for your compliment Gosia! However, I think that your bowls of berries is ART in its Highest form! But I am glad that you like the mirror, nonetheless. ( smiles)
Deleteelizabeth
Very nice mirror! Quite a chance from the "before".
ReplyDeleteHello Merja! Thank you and it really IS a change! I always enjoy t.v. programs of homes and even people that get a Make-over, and seeing the Cinderella transformations that seem to happen very quickly but in reality can take a long time. But with this mirror it really Does happen fast, the mirror can be made in a very short time and the more care you put into it the better it will look!
Deleteelizabeth
Oh, this is brilliant, so creative! The mirror would also look good done in gold leaf.
ReplyDeleteAs for the looking-in-the-mirror thing...I've seen photos of you and you're lovely! I enjoyed your witty writing about it though!
Hello Kate! Thank you for your comment and your compliment both for the mirror and towards myself. Beauty is always in the eye of the beholder, and I'm at the stage in my life where I am in constant 'Maintenance Mode'. Everything takes 3 times as long as it used to to try and look the way that I think I used to, only now I have much less to work with! hahah
DeleteThe idea for doing the mirror in Gold Leaf is a Really Good one! That would make it very elegant and rich looking! I Like it!
elizabeth
Brilliant tutorial! And I love your writing style.
ReplyDeleteXX
Ruth
Hi Ruth! I am so sorry but your comment has been lost in Googleland, until now! I am so glad have to have finally found you and I appreciate your patience!
DeleteThank you Ruth for your compliment on the tutorial and also for the comment on my style. I love to write and I try to make it entertaining to the reader and not take myself too seriously. I want to show something that can be easily done by others. If I have been able to achieve this end, then I am More than satisfied! :D
elizabeth
Dear Elizabeth,
ReplyDeleteWhat a great idea !!! That bull's eye mirror. The things you use for the frame are a great idea also. I always think to difficult. When I make a copy I always think it has to be made by the same material. The way I made my spool of thread. Pff there are simple ways to make that one.
The frame of a mirror I would make it out of wood or plaster. I wouldn't think about the way you made this wonderful thing.
Thanks for sharing!!!
Hugs Dorien
Hello Dorien! Yes, I have seen your marvelous spools and also the wonderful work that you are doing now with the sewing room scene. I Always admire people that have the kinds of talents that you have Dorien. I am not a good wood-worker and I know it. I made a footstool when I was in grade 9 and that was my Biggest woodworking achievement to date. Now, I struggle to cut a straight line, so it is better for me to Fake It, if I can't Make it! This tutorial is for any body who is as challenged as I am in their struggle with wood. I would never tackle cutting a frame from wood and hope to be successful at it. So this short-cut method works fine for me. If you can make your own from wood and still use the bull's eye mirror as an insert then Even Better! Just have fun with it!
Deleteelizabeth
Hello my dear Elizabeth,
ReplyDeleteStuff and nonsense...I'm sure that stranger in the mirror is a practically perfect lady in every way...I'll bet it is just the lighting! But I understand what you mean: that bas^&%$ in my mirror seems to be getting fatter every year!
Your genius has no bounds! The mirror is beautiful and it is amazing how your inspiration manifests itself in so many different ways. the embellishment on the frame is great. I just love it...but then again I have come to realize you can do no wrong ;)
Have a wonderful day my friend,
Big hug,
Giac
Hello my Generous Friend! I am sure that it is the Lighting too! hahha
DeleteGiac, I keep telling you that I am NOT an genius in any way!!!! I'm creative, yes, but only because I am thrifty as well as lazy. YOUR Bookcases and the Perfection of your Library floor, are the work of A Genius!
So there!
Big Hugs back and thank you for all your lovely words!
elizabeth
Hello Elizabeth,
ReplyDeletePlease don't say mean things to the lady in the mirror. I bet she is a warm and caring person who is extremely talented and creative.
Love the mirror tutorial. Another wonderful thing I am going to get Sam to make for me!
Hugs Isabelle
Hahahaahh! Isabelle, I don't say any mean things to the lady in the mirror, in fact, I do my best ignore her! hahahhah You are such a kind and caring little elf yourself! I do hope that Sam makes this for your office, Isabelle. I see that you are Already in business and it must be by word of mouth, that you are attracting such well-paying clients so soon. You will do very well as a Small Property Manager, because you have beauty, personality and best of all, Integrity.
Deleteelizabeth
Hi Elisabeth! Your tutorial is a beauty and a golden one :D, thanks for sharing! I love the results of your hard work on the mirror. The bull's eye, is fantastic!!
ReplyDeleteHugs, Ilona
Hello Ilona! Thank you! I am so pleased that you have enjoyed this tutorial and I can see that you would be able to use the bull's eye in some of your own miniature creations. I know that you use a number of different mediums, Ilona and are a Master at sculpting in all of them! The mirror itself is the Find and that is what makes this worth showing. I have a small con-vexed mirror in my REAL LIFE hallway and the effect is wonderful!
Deleteelizabeth
Great idea! Your mirror is gorgeous. Thanks for the tutorial.
ReplyDeleteGreetings, Faby
Hello Fabiola! Thank you for your comment and I am glad that you have enjoyed this quick and easy tutorial, Faby! I have given the mirror a new finish and have now made it look SHABBY and I think that I like it better. I say Think because I have to see how it will look once I get the fireplace made for this to hang on. As usual, I have put the cart Before the horse!
Deleteelizabeth
Que gran idea!!!, el resultado es fantástico, una maravilla llena de originalidad.
ReplyDeleteUn abrazo.
Yolanda
Hola Yolanda! Thank you for your wonderful comment and I am so happy that you like this idea! These are so easy and such a lot of fun! I had wanted to use some cherubs on the frame, but I have put them away where they cannot be found; they also would look nice attached to the mirror. The possibilities are endless!
Deleteelizabeth
Привет, Элизабет!
ReplyDeleteО, я вас понимаю! Действительно бывают моменты по утрам, когда задаешь вопрос зеркалу : "Кто ты?". Думаю надо вежливо поздороваться:):):)
Вы предложили интересную идею! Расширить обзор комнаты при помощи зеркала!!!! Можно увидеть сказочный мир.
Спасибо за интересный обзор!
Татьяна
My dear Tatiana; Your comment made me laugh! " Hello ???" I also like your observation of "expand the room with mirrors so that you can see the fairy-tale world'. And that is exactly what it does Do. It makes the Fairy- tale more visible I love dollhouse mirrors but I am not like YOU, who can make things from wood and make them look Good. ( I have just viewed the tiny rabbit that you have hand sculpted from plastic clay and WOW! You are sooo talented! )
DeleteYou know, Tatiana, I was born to compromise it is my nature, hahah My aim is to make things to try to look like what they are not, meaning wood. But I love it! We all have our special gifts and mine are faux!
elizabeth
Thank you for this inspiring tutorial; it's great to see how you transform ordinary things into real pretty miniatures. Hugs, liduina
ReplyDeleteHello Liduina! Thank you for your compliment and may I say that you have such a gift yourself! I think that we are on the same page, Liduina as I have been to see your Iron Beds made of bits and pieces that have come together so wonderfully and produced a beautiful painted Iron Bed! It is amazing from what humble beginnings some of our miniatures come from. And it is also wonderful how PAINT can hide a multitude of sins! hee hee
Deleteelizabeth
Oh Elizabeth,
ReplyDeletemy dear you are so wicked! you had me up to the very last when you pointed out that I couldn't see you! I laughed out loud what a trickster you are! thank you for the mirror tutorial I will give it a try.
Hugs
Marisa :)
Hello Marisa! I am so glad that you got a chuckle out of the ending! I always anticipate how YOU will conclude your posts, and they are Always a enjoyable surprise! I hope that you Will give this a try Marisa. it is a lot of fun to do but make sure that you gather all the stuff that you think might be usable and have it front and center. I got going on the frame and then thought about the tiny gold cherubs that I had somewhere. I stopped, to try and find them but I couldn't and so I got frustrated and then I got sidetracked right in the middle of it all. Also do as Sans, suggests and use spray paint, or else you'll be saying... " Raspberries"!!!!!
Deleteelizabeth
Hi Elizabeth! I LOVE your creative use of ordinary things!!! The bulls eye mirror is Beautiful and your technique is Flawless!!! I would never have thought of the combination of new mirror in the bird toy frame!! Not to mention such great decoration made from bits of jewelry! But it is something I am going to have to try!!! I love mirrors too... they are essential in decor! But it is hard to find really good miniature ones without paying a lot! And I agree with you... the best mirrors are ones that don't reflect me... HAHA! Our mini worlds are the perfect places to Dream forever.... Agelessly!
ReplyDeletehahahhah!!!!! I Love your comment, Betsy! I couldn't agree more; to daydream , Agelessly! Love It! heeheehee. I think that is one of the great benefits that comes with this hobby that no one ever thinks to mention. You can be however Young, or Famous or Rich, or Spiritual , Adventurous or Ordinary or Whatever, you want to be, in our miniature world, like Bob Ross use to say about his "happy little paintings." I am delighted to say that in My World, there is no one suffering from ill-timed HOT FLASHES or receding gums, either! I recall that in my last post about the lights, you asked me about picture frames and I replied by naming some of the things that I use for them and This is yet another option. I think that they would also make good window frames by replacing the mirror with clear Plexiglas or acrylic , it would all depend on the bird toy that you choose to take apart. Anyway, I hope that you have some fun with this Betsy, and keep on daydreaming forever!
Deleteelizabeth
Beautiful!!!! I love all these mirrors. :-)
ReplyDeleteThe result is totally perfect
Hello Mara and a Big Thank you! I have recently been to your site and discovered the Marvelous little bakery corner that you assembled with so much skill and ingenuity and it blew me away! There is so much creativity in this world and your work always leaves Marveling at just how Brilliant You are!!! So I humbly and sincerely thank you once again and I hope that you Will be able to adapt this bull's eye mirror into some future project of yours. That would be so exciting!
ReplyDeleteelizabeth
Lovely, Elizabeth! Thanks. ;)
ReplyDeleteHello Eliana! You are most welcome and Thank You too! I look forward to seeing how you decorate the Lumby Dollhouse that you won in a Givaway! Your birthday gift of the mother of the house, will have a lot of work ahead of her, but with Your help, I am sure the house will soon become a Home. Have fun!
Deleteelizabeth
Hi Elizabeth! Another exciting tutorial! Another winner and so well explained. It could also be done in gold or silver or shabby chic as you say. It's such a versatile project. The sky is the limit, really! Thank you very much! Why did you hide yourself? Naughty girl! I would have liked to have seen you in the mirror! I could have said "Cuckoo Elizabeth"! No, I'm not having a cocktail. I'm having a cup of Tetley tea and there's nothing in it except for a drop of 2% milk. It's 10:15 at night and I still haven't done my workout. I had better get started.
ReplyDeleteHello Lucille! You are so right, my dear. The mirror would look stunning in gold or silver! As I was composing it and adding the metal bits to it, I thought, " what a shame to have to paint it all over, and lose the gold". ( sigh) However, after having painted it brown, I did decide to make it look Shabbier and gave it a white wash which highlighted the carved details while still allowing the brown to show through. It looks Really beat up now! Yippee!
DeleteAs far as seeing me in the mirror..... Have you ever been to the Fun House at the Fair, Lucille? You know those crazy mirrors that distort out of all recognition..... ? Well, if I have a difficult time looking in a regular mirror, just imagine the Horror of seeing a pin head in this con-vexed one! Some things are just better left to your Imagination. hahaha
Enjoy your tea!
elizabeth
So sorry, Elizabeth, but I meant to say "Yoo hoo, Elizabeth" and not "Cuckoo Elizabeth". I guess there is sometimes a language barrier and I get mixed up with my words. You must have wondered what I was talking about.
DeleteHi Lucille, I AM CUCKOO! I have to be to invest the kind of time and energy that I dedicate to this hobby, so you Were Right Lucille. Sometimes, I sit down to see what is happening out in our mini world and the sun is up and shining brightly and the next time I look up the sun is DOWN, and then I shrug and get back to whatever I was doing and then look up and the sky is getting bright again as the sun is COMING UP AGAIN! I have time for maybe 2 hours of sleep and there have been times that I forfeit that too; CUCKOO ELIZABETH!
DeleteElizabeth, you're very kind and funny. I enjoyed reading your post. Thanks for the tutorial! I used chains to decorate a couch and I liked to see what you do for a mirror.
ReplyDeleteDon't you use polymer clay? I'd like to send you some mini in Fimo, if you like to swap with me. I'm not a perfect Fimo maker but we can help eachother!
Have a nice day! :)
Hello Sognatrice! I am so glad that you have enjoyed this post, Sognatrice! I think that it is always good to be able to laugh and laughing at ourselves helps to keep us from getting a head too big for our shoulders! You know, I DO use polymer clay, but not very often, although every time I make a trip to the craft store, I look to see if there is something in it that maybe I could use, then I bring it home and put it in a drawer and there it seems to sit...... I prefer to use Air dry clays because I am not so intimidated by them. A long time ago, I used to make doll house dolls from polymer clay, and I was toying with the idea of maybe even trying them again. Jane Smith of Mini Fanaticus, has made some wonderful woodland figures with the clay and others, like Ilona of Minimumloon, make their own dolls too! In any case, contact me on my gmail address which is listed at the top of this page, okay? Talk soon!
Deleteelizabeth
I never use air clay! I have to try :)
DeleteElizabeth, I can't find your email, here mine: sognatriceabordo@gmail.com
So we can talk better!
XOXO
What a great idea. If only I had kept my mirrors from when I did my learner driver course years ago! He he.
ReplyDeleteHi Indy-Poppy! I suppose that in the elation of having completed your diver's course, having to ask for the souvenir mirrors would not have crossed your mind, at that time, and that is perfectly normal. Nevertheless, now that you know their INCREDIBLE value, you could go and stand outside the testing station with a sign, asking for donations! hehehhehe
Deleteelizabeth
Holy moly that's a fine looking mirror! You my lady, are a fantastic finatico of finery! ;P
ReplyDeleteI myself have recently become addicted to findings and pieces, I don't know how I lived without them!
Another masterpiece!
HAllllloooo Jane! Lady of the woodland nymphs and no stranger to mysteries of minifanailia! Always a pleasure to hear from you Jane! Thank you for your compliment and I am so glad that you too, are now a serious collector of Findings and junk jewelry and such like. It is like the icing on a mini cake when you have stuff like this at your disposal. I love rummaging through the stockpile that I have. My biggest concern is trying to decide what to use now and what to save for later. I always seem to find what would have worked better AFTER I have already committed myself. Oh woe is me.... LIFE,.... why must it be so hard? ( smiles)
Deleteelizabeth
Once again Elizabeth you have created something from nothing! Very creative. I often use plastic and spray it with a primer paint before using craft paint on it - that way the craft paint sticks well. But I love the effect you have achieved on your mirror. I too avoid looking at myself in a RL mirror - who is that strange old woman who looks back at me? Where did the 'real' me go I wonder? Never mind, I don't have to look at myself so I can go on kidding that I am not growing older. Shame about everyone else though lol! Sandie
ReplyDeleteThank you Sandra for your lovely comment and the praise! You are absolutely right! I SHOULD have used a primer for the surface of the plastic prior to beginning but I was too impatient to get moving on it, once I started, and therefore learned the hard way yet again! I live in a world of make believe too Sandra and I not getting older either! That's at least 2 of us, that have escaped! :D
Deleteelizabeth
Hello Elizabeth! I just wanted to let you know that I finally found a hanging parakeet mirror that is "plain". My frame had a more rounded front, and no little channel in which to glue decorations, so I transformed it with some gold dreseden trim that has a nice decorative edge. I glued the plain edge of the trim flush with the outside back edge of the frame, then wrapped the decorative edge over and across the face of the frame. As the little deocrative "bits" on the fancy edge were not attached to each other, they all folded in very neatly over the front of the frame towards the smaller inner opening. I trimmed the inner edge of the frame with a very narrow edge cut from the plain edge of dresden trim. I'd given the frame a base coat of brown paint first (did NOT want to stick...next time I'll have to sand the plastic to give it more "grip"), and after applying the gold trim, I gave it all a thin coat of metallic gold paint. After the glue and gold paint dried, I wiped on brown gel stain to knock back the shine. It looks like an old brass or bronze frame, now.
ReplyDeleteMy convex mirror fit the diameter of the decorated frame perfectly, but the mirror was a tad too deep. When I put my frame over the mirror, the back of the mirror was still exposed. My convex mirror originally had an adjustable plastic housing, and after I'd removed it, there was no backing on the mirror (and yet it was still too deep).
Luckily, the lack of a backing made it simple to sand down the frame's outer edge. I laid a piece of black emory sandpaper on my work table, put the mirror on the sandpaper, and with my fingers on the bulge of the convex mirror, just swirled it around and around on the sandpaper until the mirror back fit flush inside of my decorated frame. While this "frosted" the outside edge of my mirror (and removed the mirroring), the part of the mirror that shows through the frame was unaffected. It also left a flatter and wider edge on the mirror, which made it easier to glue the mirror into the frame and backing.
I traced my decorated frame on light cardboard as a backing for the frame, cut it out, and gave the top inside and side edges a rub of gold paint. I put the frame backing on a piece of waxed paper, painted a quarter inch wide ring of glue around the edge where the mirror and frame would sit, centered the mirror on the backing, placed the decorated frame over that, made sure my edges were aligned, put more wax paper on top of the framed mirror, and piled two draftsman weights (those little leather bags filled with metal shot) on top of it all to make sure I had good contact between the (very thin) frame edge and the frame backing while it dried. I was worried about gluing that thin plastic frame edge to the backing, but I'd just bought a bottle of Aileen's new Turbo Tacky and decided to try that. It worked very well (although maybe any white glue would have worked, too).
I wish that I had thought to make two tiny holes in the cardboard backing, and threaded a hanging wire through them, like you would put hanging wire on a picture frame, BEFORE I glued the backing and frame together. I'd prefer to hang my mirror from a tiny brass pin in the wall, by a hanging wire, that "STICK" it to the wall with a poster dot (my usual method), or glue.
I am very happy with the way my bull's eye mirror turned out. Now I need to get a fireplace built over which my mirror can hang (I'm planning to use more of the same dresden trim in its design). The trouble is, I just want to make more mirrors!
Hello Sharon! I am ecstatic that you have, AT LAST, been able to get your mirrors made! This is such good news and they sound just Wonderful! I know exactly what you are describing and your finished mirror sounds fantastic! I agree that a nail to hang the mirror from is far more interesting and authentic in this case. I use blue tack as a rule for a lot of wall decoration but for things that look heavy, a nail is the best and if I need to keep it from shifting then I use a tiny bit of blue tack just where the mirror or picture hits the wall. For the plastic frames, you can always give it a light spray of flat primer ( as both Sans and Sandra have rightly suggested ) and then proceed to adhere your dresden pieces. That is what I should have done too, but I took the short cut and had the same difficulty with the acrylic paint not wanting to stick! Nevertheless, Sharon I must commend you on your success! I am so happy for you and look forward to hearing MORE about the fireplace when you come to make it! Thank you so much for sharing this with me! I just love a HAPPY ENDING!
ReplyDeleteelizabeth
I missed this post Elizabeth, what ingenuity, your mirror looks great. I must keep an eye out for pieces to make one.
ReplyDeleteBTW, I didn't realise my old email was still attached somewhere in the depths of my blogger. I have now updated it and would appreciate it if you could re-send your info.
Thanks,
Margaret
Hi Margaret! I have done so and hope that this time all goes well! Thank you! I am so glad that you have enjoyed this tutorial and I hope that you will not run into the same obstacles that Sharon S. experienced in trying to track down the materials.
DeleteI am certainly looking forward to seeing the wonderful cushions I won from your latest Giveaway. They are so beautiful and I have just the right spot to display them Too!
elizabeth