Mirror Archives - The Weekend Country Girl

collecting, Fun with friends, Mirror, moving, resale finds

Weekend Finds

April 13, 2015April 13, 2015 Karen

Saturday, before I found out that The sale of our near the lake house fell through, I took off in search of treasures for the home we hope to purchase. (It is funny how attached I am to that place. If it doesn’t work out I expect sympathy cards 😊) My buddy, the social planner, and I took off in search of treasures mainly for the Guest Shed and the outdoor kitchen.

Our first spot was my honey hole. A church thrift store where a ton of my treasures came from.

At the honey hole I spotted these two mid century pieces.

An iconic pink swan planter. I picked up this one in perfect condition for 50 cents. A succulent is going in it out in the guest shed. What a fun piece.

A vintage bamboo planter. Shawnee Pottery is very popular. I like the subtle color of green. I especially liked it for 25 cents. I am planning to put some sort of succulent in it, too.

My final purchase at this stop was a small white pitcher. I collect them. I don’t know why, but I just can’t seem to pass them up. It was 50 cents.

Our next stop was new to me but I loved it and will be going back.

Two etched glass mirrors. The rectangular one will be going in the guest shed bathroom and one will be part of a mirror wall going in the guest bathroom in the main house. ( I have a mirror problem.) I hope it looks something like this photo I found on Pinterest.

The link to the picture is broken or I would provide the source.

I picked these two beauties up for 3 dollars each. I know what you are thinking. I absolutely take the worst photos of mirrors.

The social planner spotted this cream and sugar set in the most amazing teal color for me. I got them for another 3 bucks.

The social planner found stuff at the first stop too, then found a teapot to match her dishes and a salt glaze cow pitcher. Her stuff was a little pricey but was a steal for what she was getting. At check out she found out it was a cash only spot. We pooled resources to get her treasures. After she checked out she spied an awesome walnut mid century side table for me. It was marked 20 dollars but the owner offered it to me for 15. We reminded her that we didn’t have another 15 dollars between us. She asked if we could scrape up 10 and we were able to cobble it together. I love having a buddy who enjoys shopping at the same places I do. I also love that she and I are good enough friends that we are able to share resources.

By the time I got pictures of her treasures she already had them working.

The clean lines on the table will be perfect in the guest shed just as it is with a little waxing. I am getting excited about the treasures I am collecting for this space.

Our next stop was a church garage sale. We picked up 4 gallon sized glass jars for 50 cents each. They are going to be squirrle feeders. Our hubbies are going to make the four of them. One for each of our houses and one eac for gifts. I am thinking my grand dog needs one so she can have squirrels to chase in her yard.

Finally, we stopped at a church bazaar where we literally had to collect coins in order to buy two old colanders for an upcoming craft night.

All in all it was a great time shopping.

On the way home the social planner got busy looking up what we purchased. Here is what we would have paid online for the items:

I guess if this whole selling the house thing falls through, I can start selling my treasures!

I hope you all have a wonderful week.

If you are new to my site, welcome. I hope you enjoy the ride.

Blessings,

Karen

Decorating, Decorating with mirrors, DIY Painting and Glazing Furniture, glazing, Mirror, Ornate mirror

DIY Zinc Mirror

September 5, 2014September 5, 2014 Karen

I finally found the perfect mirror to give a zinc finish. I knew in my head what I was looking for and that is not always a good thing because nothing but what I imagine will make me happy. The elusive mirror was found in my all-time favorite honey-hole of a thrift store for $10.00. Here is what the beauty looked like when I brought it home:

If you ignore the painted flowers and the wood, doesn’t it have the same shape as the zinc mirrors from the fancy online stores I have been eyeing?

zinc mirror3

zinc mirror

zinc mirror2

Just in case you are wondering, the cheapest mirror I could find was over $500.00 I bought my mirror ($10.00) and enough supplies to do the mirror and several more projects for $10.00 more.

I am telling you folks, getting the zinc look is not as hard as you might think. After sanding off the flower design, my first step was to do a Google search of zinc mirrors and looked at them all very carefully before I dove in. What I think I like most about a zinc finish is the irregularity that each zinc piece has.

alhambra antiques Original Zinc and Wood Oeil du Boeuf Parisian Window Mirror french decorating ideas

Bjd Haus Design

zinc mirror 2

Eron Johnson Antiques

I love the mix of dark and light, the shine on the worn edges and the aged appearance.

The secret to the process is getting the right products and not being afraid to experiment. Go buy yourself a cheap mirror at Goodwill and dive in. If you hate it, paint it another color.

I used Rust-oleum Soft Iron metallic spray paint

Cheap acrylic paint that is less than a dollar a bottle. One of them was called zinc. The other is a lighter gray.

Finally, I glaze it all with a silver glaze.

Spray the entire item with the spray paint. Once it is dry brush on random places of the acrylic paint. Make sure to use a really dry brush. I dipped it in the paint then wiped the brush off on a paper towel.

Once you are happy with the acrylic paint, repeat with the silver. I focused on the outer edges.

Ta Dah.

My rescue, Lumi, cannot stay away when I am taking photos. I decided not to fight her tonight. She is a sweetie.

DIY, master bedroom, mid-life, Mirror, Mirror Display, Ornate mirror

Restoring a Vintage Oval Triple Mirror

May 6, 2014May 6, 2014 Karen

Are there some things that you wish you could find when you are out looking but you really don’t expect to find those things at a price you would be willing to pay? I have a list of things that fall into dream junk category, and for some reason, mirrors are usually at the top of the list. Vintage mirrors that are ornate are at the top of the top list. Number one on the top of the top list has been a large ornate mirror for above my dresser. I have had a large mirror I bought at Ross years ago above the dresser. It was better than the original triple oak folding mirror that came with the set, especially after I glazed it.
Recently I ran across THE mirror I thought I would never find at a reasonable price; a vintage triple oval mirror from Syracuse Ornamental Company (Syroco). It made from a wood/polymer resin, not just a plastic mold, so I know it was probably produced after 1962 and before 1965. I was born in 1961 and grew up seeing these beautiful gold mirrors. They were always gold, although they varied between being super ornate bright shiny gold to being antique gold not so ornate. The mirror I found online had been hung where the sun had faded it then someone tried to paint it a brownish color. I snagged it for $20.00 and could not wait to get started on her makeover. I thought I would gold leaf the mirror frame until I priced it out. It would have been fourty bucks for the gold leaf and adhesive. All that money on a technique I had never tried…no thank you. A quick search online led me to Design Masters spray paint in 24 carat gold color. It is a great gold color that I will be using again.

It was less than $4.50 for the can at Michaels with a coupon.

I covered all the mirror with contact paper from Dollar Tree. It is a really cheap masking option if you have to cover a large area.

I love the color and will be using it for some accent pieces as is, but for our bedroom I wanted a more time-worn look. The solution was another product I had never used, tinted wax. I checked the price of tinted wax and Wow! As my father in law would have said “They are proud of that stuff.” I could not justify paying almost as much for the wax as I payed for the mirror. A quick search on the internet and I found Dee at Deeconstructed blog’s tinted wax “recipe”. You can find it by clicking here: Tinted Wax. The best part; I had everything at the house. Woo Hoo!
Waxing was easier than I thought, just a lot of rubbing with a clean cloth.

After removing the contact paper and cleaning up the areas that spay paint got on the glass, here is the finished product.

It took work to hang the 60 pound sucker but it was so worth it.

I love the elegant look in our bedroom. I wonder what color the wall behind the bed should be?

Country Style, DIY, home decorating, master bedroom, Mirror, vintage style

My Bathroom “Pinnspiration”

March 5, 2014 Karen

I have been stuck when it comes to our master bath. It is a really large, very sterile, builder basic bathroom with the huge, rarely used tub, awful lighting and the worst storage ever. The vanity I made over is helping with some of the storage, and gave me a direction to head with the room. I still had some places that were just wearing me out.

Do you have spots in your house that just make you tired just looking at them? I do. Master bath is number one on that list. I did what I do when I am stuck. I went to Pinterest, and I went shopping. On my weekend adventure to Canton, we picked up a few things for my bathroom. They are probably not things you would think of as bathroom items, but they are to me. I recently discovered that we do not have a towel bar in our bathroom. How did I miss that? I mean how did I miss that for two months? I was constantly frustrated that towels wer on the floor, but it never hit me that Hubby did not have a place for his towel. I hang my towel across the edge of the tub to dry, but let’s just say not everyone who uses the master bath takes care of their wet towels. I found two door knob assemblies for $10.00 each and knew immediately that they would become my towel knobs. No pictures yet because I couldn’t dig them out of the truck They are buried under a headboard and four chairs. My Pinnspiration for this project comes from Not Just a Housewife

door knob hooks

I will be taking the lock unit apart for a total of four knobs and lock units as hangers. There is a big empty wall behind my tub that needs love

. Super cute DIY Floating Shelves for my bathroom (also window treatment) At the end of my tub I want to hang some rustic shelves. I am thinking about something like what you see below but I just got an old section of fencing that I may add shelves to and hang as a unit. There will be rustic shelves at the end of the tub one way or another with some of my milk glass and other water-safe treasures. Shanty 2 Chick DIY Bathroom Wall Makeover They are going to go along the wall that the shower and tub are on. Right now I have a very generic metal thing hanging there because I guess I was waiting for inspiration. I Craftycreationswithkiley ( No Longer A Live Site) I really like the look of these letters. The bottom of my wall is going to be board and batten. Securing Board and Batten I love a good DIY tutorial. DIY VILLAGE Do you remember my vanity?

I posted the finished project at My Burb Home, but I wanted you to see how it looks in the bathroom. It is missing the awesome mirror we found this past weekend, but hopefully you get the idea.

I believe that there was originally a large round mirror on this vanity and was happy to find one that I think could have been orginal. The bathroom is coming together in my head and for me that is half the battle. Once I can see what I want in my imagination I am ready to go. Now to turn that into a reality.
I would love to hear your thoughts on my plans. I get the best ideas from you all.

Mirror, oak school desk, Painted Furniture, the office, vintage style

Decorating a New Office

April 19, 2013 Karen

I have a brand new office. It is roughly 3 times the size of my old office and oh, it is baby blue. Even though baby blue is not my favorite, the blue seems to fit with the building where the designer of this school really did use all the colors in his or her crayon box. The area that I am going to be turning into a school office was at one point in the not too distant past a library. Tons of space, a lot of storage, and plenty of room for my students. I am a happy camper.

For years I have collected vintage readers. I even have one McGuffey Reader. I have several Dick and Jane books as well as other classic readers.

I also have some teacher posters to go with the Dick and Jane series. they have literally been under our bed just waiting for the perfect spot, I finally have the opportunity to put them to use. What could be better- vintage books, in a library space. I have four calendar pages that I plan on framing in record album frames. I have four greeting cards that will be framed too.

In my office I have two cheap laminate bookcases. They must go. To replace the book cases I have purchased a china cabinet to use as storage and to display my books. It is going to be painted my favorite cinnamon cake with a glaze over it to show off the ornate doors. I love the 1970’s look. I have two 70’s mirrors that are going to go in there too. No one else seems to love them like I do.

The sewing cabinet is going to along this blank wall. It is going to be a soft buttery yellow.

The old school desk is going to sit in the corner by the china cabinet.

My paint chip art is going in there too because it has all the right colors to go with the Dick and Jane artwork. Add in a vintage globe and microscope and I am going to have an office that makes me smile. I hope it makes the high schoolers feel at home there too.
I am ready to get started!

Dresser, Mirror, North Carolina, Ornate mirror, the Southern Belle

The Giant Silver Mirror Has Been Installed

March 11, 2013March 18, 2013 Karen

The giant silver mirror that has been in my possession for almost a year now, finally has a home in The Southern Belle’s home. It was safely transported to North Carolina and Hubby got it hung. The Giant Silver Mirror It started life as a gold ornate mirror I would guess in the 50’s. I found this beauty at a garage sale for $10.00.

I loved the detail and the size. This beauty is five feet wide and three feet tall!

She got a total makeover to modernize and match The Southern Belle’s silver/brushed nickle throughout her beautiful home including a new backing and hanging hardware.

Doesn’t she look beautiful? I love the stenciled wall in the bedroom and the soft blue comforter set.

Do you ever wonder what your dog does when you are at work? This is what sweet Maeby does…pretty much nothing.

Decorating, Mirror, Mirror Display, Ornate mirror

My Name is Karen and I am a Mirror Addict

March 4, 2013March 4, 2013 Karen

I promise I am not vain. I don’t spend much time in front of a mirror, in fact I would bet that some folks don’t think I spend enough time! Even though I don’t spend a lot of time looking at myself in front of a mirror, I do love having them in my home. I love the way they move light around a room. In the past 12 months, I have purchased 7 large mirrors. Yep. I said 7. And those seven did not replace the mirrors already on the walls in my house. I have added an antique mirror to our back bedroom that I had to repaint and repair, two mirrors to the yellow and gray bedroom, a giant gold framed mirror that I painted silver that is going to the Southern Belle’s house, a round ancient mirror that was part of Sweet Amanda’s buffet, a pair of mirrors that were split up, one for the mudroom bench and one went to the Lovebird’s apartment. I think I must be part crow because I like shiny things so much. I know you know where this is going, but Hubby has to take partial credit for this one. I was busy typing my blog post about the blue coffee table on the way to the city house from Star Hill when he suddenly turned the truck around. I thought something was wrong until he said, “there is a bunch of furniture back there, I thought you would want to look at it.” I love that man! Sure enough, I had missed the furniture for sale on the side of the road.and the furniture was great! I especially liked a vintage metal patio chair with a built in footstool but WE ARE MOVING…soon. I thought I would make it out of there without a purchase until I spotted this ornate mirror leaned against a horse trailer. When the nice lady said $5.00 I almost shouted with joy. This is a 30 ” by 36 ” ornate mirror and although it is not wood, it will be beautiful painted. I have been looking for an ornate mirror for a friend’s niece and this will fit the bill perfectly. I wonder what color it will be? I will let you know when it gets finished. The picturs are straight out of the truck, filthy and still has the dresser hardware attached.

DIY Projects, glazing, Mirror, recycled furniture, Repurposed Furniture, Thrifty Art

1970’s Mirrors

August 13, 2012December 13, 2012 Karen

A few weeks ago I told you about doing a few pieces to donate for Emma’s Hugs, a charity that helps families of children and critically ill adults with parking at the Houston medical center. I am still looking for a few pieces to remake, if you have something in your garage you just don’t know what to do with I want it, but I am almost finished with my first project.

On a recent resale shopping adventure I found 2 1970’s mirrors. I am not sure what my facination is with early1970’s furniture. It was so over the top. It could be my age…I had a friend who had parents that had the coolest bedroom set. My own parents bought their furniture in 1958 and still have it today- some awesome Danish midcentury teak furniture that has sat in the same spot my entire life- but when I was 10 or 11, Gayle Odom’s parents had the coolest bedroom furniture I had ever seen. It had curves:

and color. I was jealous.

My beauties were outside a resale shop, and were filthy. I thought they looked like what the evil stepmother in Snow White would talk to by their shape. They were dark brown, scratched and in general just nasty. I cleaned them, used liquid sand, and primed them.

The looked better already.

Sweet Amanda and one of her buddies, Beth were up at Star Hill the weekend that the loot arrived so I had input from them on the color. Beth wanted me to add some metallic sparkle. I started by painted them my new favorite off white color- Behr Cinnamon Cake. It has just enough brown in it that it is a warm white color. I finished them Sunday afternoon.

I had to leave for work at this point so the frames sat on the floor of the Garagemahal all week waiting to be finished. If you read about my craft table you know that all did not go well this weekend but I could bring the frames in to the AIR CONDITIONED house and work on them, so I did.

I tried making my own glaze this time. I bought glazing medium at Home Depot and a charcoal color called Amazon Stone. 1 cup of glaze to 1/4 cup paint. I am much happier with this than commercial glazes that come colored. They all dried way too fast for a beginner to work with so I had a lot of clean up. Make sure to have lots of clean rags. You are going to need them along with foam brushes.

It is really scary to put the glaze on, but remember that you can wash it off if you hate it.

This is the look after a lot of wiping.

The next step was adding the metallic sheen. I have used Martha Stewart’s polished silver before but never on such a big project. I wanted to practice with this one because this is what the Southern Belle wants the huge mirror I found to be done with for her bedroom.

I loved how the frames turned out. Hubby needs to make new backs for the frames, I will reassemble the mirrors, then they will be done. I have decided that in order for you to get the frames and the tax deduction I would like you to make your donation directly to Emma’s Hugs then print your donation reciept. I would like for Emma’s Hugs to get at least $50.00 for the pair or $30.00 each. It will be at least two weeks before we are totally finished with them, but I think they are going to look great. Send me a message if you want one or both of them.

I just couldn’t part with both of them. Remember I told you I love 70’s: Here is the one I kept on a mirror wall in my guest room.

DIY Projects, Mirror, The bedroom

Mirror Mirror

August 7, 2012December 13, 2012 Karen

I admit that I have a thing for old mirrors. I really love the aged quality and light that they bring to a home. On a recent resale shopping trip a mirror spoke to me, as mirrors often do. It was rough. At one time this mirror had been a beauty. In the beginning I believe it was a gold plaster frame with some sort of decoration at the top. It was hanging on a wall in the resale shop for $5.00 The mirror was scratched and one of the plaster roses was broken. Someone had tried to fill in with wood filler where the top portion had been. I had to have it. After some negotiation I got the mirror for $2.00 and brought it to the Garagemahal for a make-over. The first thing I did was try to repair the scratch on the mirror silvering. I don’t mind aging mirrors but this one had been scratched and left a streak across the glass where there was no mirror silver left. I used Krylon Looking Glass paint.

It took several coats and it is still not perfect, but the scratch is not as noticable as before.

I taped off the glass front of the mirror with blue tape carefully because I knew that even the blue tape would possibly take off more plaster. I then covered the rest of the glass with newspaper.

After I covered everything with newspaper I sprayed clear satin sealer on the frame. It was so fragile that I thought the thing would fall apart if I tried anything before I sealed it.

Next I gave the whole thing two coats of shiny gold paint.

It looked better already.

Because I really did want to return the mirror to its aged appearance I used glaze mixed with a dark brown color to glaze the entire thing. I let it set on the frame a lot longer than I normally do because I wanted to make sure I knocked down the shiny gold.

The frame is very fragile so I sprayed everything front and back with a spray sealer. The plaster frame cannot afford to absorb any more moisture. In our humid location I knew it would need all the help it could get.

I love the vintage quality of this frame in my bedroom.