How to Antique, Stencil and Frame an Old Bathroom Mirror to Turn it into Art

Yesterday I shared my tutorial for how to "antique" a mirror with muriatic acid.  Now I can show you the rest of the project: how I turned an old bathroom mirror into a unique work of art!  After antiquing it, I stenciled a famous Hungarian poem onto the mirror and then Hubby & I built a simple, inexpensive frame.

Here's a sneak peek at the finished product, but keep reading for tutorials on how to stencil a mirror and how to frame a mirror - plus tons more photos!

How to stencil a mirror:

Supplies:

• Custom Stencil from Stencils Online
• Large Mirror ("Antiqued" is optional )
• Temporary Spray Adhesive
• Painter's/Masking tape
• Scrap Paper or Newspaper
• Krylon Brushed Metallic Satin in Oil Rubbed Bronze

After antiquing the mirror, I laid it back down on my work surface, reflective side up, and positioned the stencil I ordered from Stencils Online (I collaborated with them for my my feminist DIY mirror as well).  For this project, I used a famous Hungarian poem by Sándor Petőfi (the translation is at the end of this post).  The poem is beautiful and the proportion was perfect for the mirror (this is exactly how I found the poem written).  I sent the poem to Stencils Online and asked for "typewriter-ish fonts".  After looking at a few different proofs, I chose this font, and it's perfect.

To make sure it didn't end up wonky, I measured and marked with masking tape where the stencil should go.  Then I covered the edges of the mirror with scrap paper to protect from over spray.  When I was all set, I misted the back of the stencil with spray adhesive and laid it down on the mirror.  Using Krylon Brushed Metallic Satin Oil Rubbed Bronze spray paint, I misted the stencil in multiple, thin coats, working quickly.  When the letters looked opaque enough, I quickly removed the stencil and allowed the paint to cure fully.

Here's a better look at my custom stencil, once I'd already done the painting:

I had one little "oops" moment: a tiny area didn't get enough spray adhesive so the paint blurred a little bit.  Luckily, it is hardly noticeable.

How to build a frame for a mirror:

Supplies:

• Sheet of 1/4" plywood, larger than the mirror
• Casing (model # 1541 at Lowe's)
• Screen mould (model # 144 at Lowe's)
• Lepage PL Premium Construction Adhesive
• Screws/screwdriver
• Drill
• Jigsaw or table saw to cut plywood - or have the hardware store do it for you
• Mitre saw or mitre box + hand saw to cut mitered corners 
• Measuring tape
• Spray paint

First, I decided what colour I wanted to paint the frame, because I did that early in the process.  I considered black, but in the end liked the Satin Nickel I used for the back of the mirror, during the "antiquing" process.  I sprayed a scrap and held it up to the mirror to help decide.

We bought casing and screen mould (for the edge) at Lowe's, but any home improvement store will have some trim that will work.  Right away I painted them silver.

Then Hubs made the cuts and I touched up the edges with the silver spray paint.

We cut a sheet of plywood that was slightly bigger than the mirror - the casing overhangs the mirror but reaches the edge of the plywood.  The measurement will vary for the size of your mirror/trim.  We left an extra little bit so the edge could be belt sanded (or hand sanded) after it was cut, for extra neatness.

Then we cut four pieces of plywood the size of the plywood overhang, glued them on with construction adhesive and used clamps to hold them in place until the adhesive dried:

At the same time, we glued down the mirror, using Lepage PL Premium Construction Adhesive.  We asked the expert at our local improvement store what would be best for gluing a mirror to plywood and this was what he recommended.

Here are the mirror and shims, glued in place and patiently waiting:

Hubby then pre-drilled holes through the two layers of plywood and glued the casing in place with adhesive.

To add a touch more security (although the frame is in NO way load bearing - the mirror relies on the glue for hold), Hubby screwed the casing (frame) to the layers of plywood, from the back.

Then, using consutruction adhesive, we glued on the screen mould to hide the rough edge.  Home improvement stores have a ton of selection and there were some really stunning trim pieces but I chose this simple profile.  It hides the edges and adds a touch of visual interest from the side.

The back is a wee bit messy, but we scraped off excess adhesive that has squished out and added two hinge hangers to use with 30 lb. braided picture hanging wire.

Here is the frame completed:

Here are some tips for drilling into brick and also hanging the mirror.

I definitely think that this new stenciled mirror is a better scale than the print I had there and with new, cheery turquoise accessories, the fireplace looks better.  A subtle change, and there will likely be more, but after everyone's advice on my post asking for fireplace feedback, a mirror seemed like the popular decision.  I just decided to give it my own spin!

For anyone wondering how reflective the "antiqued" surface still is:

One reason I chose to antique the mirror is that this is the view opposite, and I didn't really think it warranted a reflection.  But the antiqued mirror still reflects light and sparkles on sunny days, so it's a happy compromise.

To be honest, I am not 100% sure if I got the poem right.  I think so.  Well, few people will know the difference!  Little by little I'm teaching the Hubs to read it (in Hungarian) and it's adorable.  Here's the rough translation:

I'll Be a Tree

I'll be a tree, if you are its flower,
Or a flower, if you are the dew- 
I'll be the dew, if you are the sunbeam,
Only to be united with you.

My lovely girl, if you are the Heaven,
I shall be a star above on high;
My darling, if you are hell-fire,
To unite us, damned I shall die.

How to Antique a New Mirror

After renovating our main bath and guest half bath, we were left with builder's basic, plain bathroom sheet mirrors that had not worn well over the last 30 years.  They were chipped and scratched and just plain ugly.  I decided to upcycle one of the large mirrors, and turn it into a unique piece of art to hang above the fireplace mantle.

The first step was to "antique" my mirror to give it some patina and character - and mask the "bathroom-ness".  I used this HGTV tutorial for antiquing mirrors, but found a flaw with it, so I'm outlining how I antiqued my mirror below.

SAFTEY NOTES:

Some important reminders first, because this project requires dangerous chemicals.  Wear some dorky protective equipment like rubber gloves, goggles or an entire face shield, like the one Handy Hubby crammed onto my noggin.  You might want to consider a mask (like a dust mask) and be sure to work in a well ventilated area.

Above all, always refer to the manufacturer's instructions.

I'm normally the worst when it comes to safety gear.  I routinely wear "safety sandals" (ie. flips flops I don't mind getting paint on, but that do nothing to protect my toesies from saw blades), consider glasses I don't mind ruining "eye protection," and spray paint in poorly ventilated areas (have you ever blown your nose and it came out blue?).  But I was super serious about this.  I even followed proper WHMIS protocol and created a workplace safety label when I decanted my bony-hand (corrosive) chemical into a spray bottle. 

Scary safety warning aside, this project took only a few minutes, so I didn't spend hours huffing fumes.  It was very quick, but you can never be too careful.

Supplies:

• Paint and varnish stripper (I used Home Hardware brand)
• Spray paint (I suggest metallic)
• Large (disposable) brush
• Metal paint scraper
• Muriatic acid
• Plastic funnel
• Plastic spray bottle
• Rubber gloves
• Dust mask + eye protection
• Skin protection (long sleeve t-shirt)
• Well ventilated area to work in
• Paper towel/dry cloth 
• Muriatic acid

How to antique a mirror using muriatic acid:

I started with this plain, sheet mirror.

Here's what the back looked like:

I laid it reflective side down on a work surface and applied my paint & varnish stripper, left over from stripping and re-varnishing our kitchen cabinets.  I poured it on and then used a garbage-bound foam brush to move the stripper around so the entire surface was covered.  Refer to the manufacturer's instructions for specific use.

It took only a few minutes for the stripper to make the paint covering the back of the mirror bubble:

I patiently waiting a few minutes and then got to work scraping.  It came off like butter!



Once all of the paint came off, I wiped it down with a dry cloth to make sure no residue remained.  I was left with just the metallic backing of the mirror, which the paint had been protecting.

Using a plastic funnel (and all the safety gear), I carefully decanted  a tiny amount of the Muriatic acid from its bottle into my spray bottle.  I needed no more than a few tablespoons - the equivalent of a half dozen or so spritzes.

Very sparingly, I spritzed a tiny bit of the acid onto the mirror near the edges, and anywhere I wanted the mirror to look a bit aged.  Mirrors tend to wear on the edges, so for an authentic look don't spray too much on the middle of the mirror.

I tried dabbing it, as per the HGTV instructions, and it lifted all of the finish off, not just speckled areas.  It took way too much of the metallic backing off.  So I learned to just spritz a few times around the edges, once or twice in the middle, and then set it aside overnight - no wiping whatsoever.  In the morning it was dry to the touch and didn't smear or remove any more of the backing.

Here are a couple photos of what the acid did:

The next day, I sprayed the back of the mirror with spray paint - the colour peeks through so you can use a silver metallic shade like I did for a subtle, antiqued effect or go wild with neon hues or black for a spookier mirror.  Try holding up a few sheets of paper behind the mirror to get a feel for what looks good.  You can even back it with printed paper, fabric, newspaper . . . Oh gosh, now I'm thinking of new ideas!

I used Krylon Brushed Metallic Satin Nickel (the same colour I used for the necklace-to-keychain transformation).

Here is what the mirror looks like after it has been "antiqued" with this method:

You'd never guess this came out of the bathroom!  Click on the link to see how I stenciled a poem on my antiqued mirror and finished it off with a simple frame.

Read more »

Treasure Hunting Report: Turquoise Galore

After a quick detour to chat about my research, it's back to business: cute home stuff!  Gosh, am I ever tickled pink by my recent treasure hunting report (see others by searching "treasure hunting report" in the google search bar, to the right).  Even a miserably rainy Saturday couldn't dampen my smile.  Okay, maybe literally.  Hubs and I got soaked yard saling!  But I was still beaming.  We always have fun together, rain or shine.

Admittedly, yard sales were lackluster on the weekend so, while in the area, we popped into St. Vincent de Paul on Wellington and looky looky:

The most stunning glass dish, in my favorite colour!  It looks amazing in the living room (you'll see its new home soon).  It picks up the colours in the art and just glows, like it's made of sunlit ginger ale.  At $6.99, it was a steal.  And I'm not even going to try to pretend it isn't an ashtray.

At a church rummage sale I found this adorable ceramic (pretty sizable) duck:

It sounds kind of weird, but I like its bum the best.  Look how adorable it is:

I like Duck Butts and I Cannot Lie.

At another church rummage sale, I found this set of melamine dinner plates, with a design in, you guessed it: turquoise!  I think the Hubs and I will be stopping and picniking on our next road trip with these:

I also found this adorable vintage style BBQ.  But guess what it is . . .

. . . a condiment caddy!

It is too cute for words (plus it's, everyone together this time, turquoise!) I have NO room for this but it was so adorable, I had to buy it.  I might pass it on to someone else or maybe Camilla needs a play BBQ to go with her play kitchen?  Right now I eat my breakfast staring at it.

Anyone else score sweet deals treasuring hunting this past weekend?  No?  Want something cute for free?

Read more »

Reader Q: My Research

I am surprised one person has asked about my PhD research, never mind the dozens and dozens of comments and email questions I've received.  I'm pretty excited some of you are interested, but I promise to keep it brief (although I'm happy to answer questions).  Without further ado, now that you've had the full tour of my office, here's some info on the work I do in there:

As you might have guessed from my recent feminist DIY project, I'm a feminist.  So it is probably no surprise that I am doing my PhD in Women's Studies (although my department is soon to be renamed).  My HBA and MA are in philosophy (you can read my MA thesis here, but I highly discourage it - I completely ignored the intersections of racism, classism, nationalism, etc., that are so integral to my research now).  The switch was a bit of a challenge for me because I had a lot of catching up to do, and still feel behind in my new discipline.  But, apparently this feeling is common enough that there's a name for it: "imposter syndrome," the feeling many of us grad students have of feeling inferior and not smart enough.

My broad area of interest is the social construction of motherhood and non-motherhood.  Specifically, I'm interested in the way women without children are represented in media, which is really interesting work - I even wrote a paper titled Child-free Women & Chick Flicks!  Basically, I'm contesting ideas of "womanhood" necessarily hinged on motherhood, and women without children - either by choice, by chance or circumstance - labelled unfulfilled, selfish, immature, un-womanly, etc.  But I'm also interested in the social construction of motherhood: whose motherhood is encouraged and whose is not, how (certain) women are expected to desire motherhood, the unattainable mothering standards demanded of women to be "good" mothers, how parenthood is gendered, etc . . .

My dissertation research overlaps with Hungarian Studies, as I am currently studying representations of women as mothers and women without children in a popular Hungarian women's magazine, Nők Lapja (here's a link to the google-translated website).  Conducting research in my rusty second language makes things doubly hard, especially because I will have to actually go to Hungary to conduct some of my research . . . details to come.

P.S. The day I left for the conference I recently presented at (I mentioned it here - and also in the comments of that post) a few Lily of the Valley opened up.  It is my absolutely favorite flower.  Since childhood I have been obsessed with the gorgeous scent.  As I hopped in the car, I grabbed what I could and put them in a makeshift vase (an eye makeup remover bottle).  When I got to Toronto, everyone's had already flowered and by the time I got home mine had too!  Gah!  So this is all I got this season and it's making me super sad.

Is it weird to get all bent out of shape over this?

Read more »

Giveaway: Dasy Frame

THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED.  THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO ENTERED. CONGRATS TO LESLEY!

I'm back with another fun giveaway (did you check to see if you won the custom subway print?)

Remember back in April when I introduced you to some Fresh Home Elements (FHE Group) goodies?  I promised a June Giveaway . . .

Want a chance to win the bright & cheery pink Dasy frame I was raving about?  I painted a mini abstract for mine, but how great would a black and white photo look?  Or maybe a cute illustration from a favorite book for a child's room?  

HOW TO ENTER (leave a comment for each of the two entries):

1. Like FHE on Facebook 

2. Follow FHE on Twitter (@FHEGroup), then check out the FHE website, pick a favorite frame, and tweet your choice to @FHEGroup 

The winner will be drawn Thursday, June 7th at Midnight EST.  Good luck!

Read more »

Giveaway Winner: Custom Subway Print by Streetcar Prints

 
A huge thanks to Streetcar Prints for partnering with me to host this fun giveaway!  I love that the winner is going to receive a customized design, in a high-resolution format that's ready to print.

Without further ado, I used random.org to determine a winning comment . . . #18!  Congrats to Farquist.  Please contact me (dans.le.townhouse@gmail.com) so I can pass your email address on to Streetcar Prints, so you can start work on your custom design.

P.S. Stay tuned because I have another giveaway starting shortly!

Read more »