Ornate mirror | The Weekend Country Girl

Weekend Home Tour

April 20, 2015

Karen Blogging, Building a Home, Decorating, Decorating with mirrors, Dining Table, French Provincial, home decorating, master bedroom, mid-life, Mirror Display, new home, Ornate mirror, The bedroom, The City House, the guest room, the suburban home model home tour 4 Comments

i love to visit model homes. Near my sister in law’s house they have 7 model homes open for touring. It was a muddy, stormy Sunday afternoon so she and I headed out to walk through the homes. This builder’s homes are well built and are part of a 55+ neighborhood. Today you get to see the first two.

I have never seen this designer/ builder’s work, and I really enjoyed getting to see their ideas. They had the most creative ceilings I have ever seen. My favorite home happened to be the first home we visited.

The very first room was… Navy and coral with a rustic, modern vibe. I can honestly say it was the only room I could see myself in, but I did take away some ideas.

We didn’t plan on going so excuse the iPhone photos.

House One

I loved this house.

The front bedroom was so cool. I really liked the china cabinet and the matching crib springs. The stripes wet navy, burlap, and a cream color. The art was stenciled canvas.

Loved the coral tailored cloth on the night stands.

Here is the rest of the house:

The master was a little too fussy for me. The side tables were way too full and the picture above the bed was too much. The mosaic tile panels are throughout all the homes.

I had to ask myself if that design in the shower would get old?

I loved the zinc topped hammerd table.

I liked the wood squares on the laundry wall.

I loved the wood flooring!

House Two

This house was totally not my style but still fun to look at and even in this house there were elements I really liked. I called this the mirror house.

Imagine dusting all those mirror frames.

A wall of mirrors in a 55+ guest bedroom?

I really liked this piece.

Loved the formal dining table.

I like the light fixture but two breakfast tables?

The backsplash was fun.

Oh my, the master was sensory overload. Tile and beam ceiling, tile insets on the wall, mirror edged headboard…

I did like the slate look ceramic tile.

DIY Zinc Mirror

September 5, 2014

Karen Decorating, Decorating with mirrors, DIY Painting and Glazing Furniture, glazing, Mirror, Ornate mirror faux zinc finish, zinc mirror 6 Comments

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.

Restoring a Vintage Oval Triple Mirror

May 6, 2014

Karen DIY, master bedroom, mid-life, Mirror, Mirror Display, Ornate mirror 1960's mirror, gold mirror, repurposing a mirror, syroco triple oval mirror 16 Comments

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?

First Fall Dance

October 26, 2013

Karen Blogging, crafting, DIY Art, Ornate mirror, Silliness decorating for a school dance, fall dance, masquerade, purple anbd turqoise Leave a comment

Wow. My little, baby blog will have 40 thousand views by the end of the day. Thank you, to those of you who read what I write and follow my family’s very ordinary life. I am honored and blessed to feel that I have made friends I might not have ever met without the blog. My life is so full right now that I feel a little guilty about progress on the new house. We are getting serious about it because Thanksgiving is coming to the burbs! This past week was our first major event at the school where I am principal. It is a brand new school with only a freshman class this year. I spent this past week preparing for an amazing dance at school based on a masquerade theme. It was a fun way to use my creative side while getting to know my kids in a more relaxed setting. It was a long night last night but the kids seemed to have fun. I am so very lucky to have a career that I love and get the chance to work with amazing teachers and students.

foam board makes great decorations. Stiff enough to stand, easy to cut with a serrated knife, cheap, and lightweight.

My amazing secretary gave this project to some students. They made a welcome sign from a frame with a broken mirror. I love it.

cute candy bar

This chocolate fountain is now soaking in my sink. Messy, but a fun addition to the dance.

Ornate Frame Makeover

August 17, 2013

Karen Coldspring, crafting, Decorating, DIY Projects, home decorating, new home, Ornate mirror, resale finds, Reused frame, silver, Style, the guest room, Thrifting, Thrifty Art, Thrifty decorating, using bright colors ornate frame, Resale finds, thrifty art project, valspar paint brilliant metallic 4 Comments

I went resale shopping Friday. Hubby and some buddies were golfing so I was on my own. I made quite a haul.

The projects will be showing up soon. The first repurpose from my weekend is a quick and CHEAP project. On my adventure I spotted an ornate frame with a broken mirror in it buried in a pile of paintings and frames. I dug it out of a pile of other frames. The pastor who runs the thrift shop told me he had dropped the mirror. He just doesn’t know what to do about me, he doesn’t get that I love the broken, chipped, old stuff more than the newer treasures. I asked for the price, he said fifty cents. SOLD!

Here she is with the mirror removed. The back of the mirror was marked May 5- 67. She is younger than me and considered vintage…sad.

I explained to the pastor when he asked that I would be painting the frame and putting a bright print where the mirror was…he said he would pray for my husband. Three times. ( He upped it to four times later in my shopping.)

I purchased a roll of coral wrapping paper at Marshall’s that I will be using to line the back of my milk glass display. It is perfect for the “mirror hole”.

I had left over paint from the giant ornate mirror and could not resist the bright shiny look on this silly frame.

An old S from a wreath I took apart finishes the beauty off. Fun, huh?

Not bad for a total investment of about $1.50 in supplies. It will add a little silliness to the green bedroom. No seven years of bad luck here.

I like it.

The French Provincial Bedroom

July 1, 2013

Karen Decorating, Dresser, Feench Provincial, moving, new home, Ornate mirror, resale finds Decorating a new Home, Moving, Our New House 1 Comment

Our new house has the cutest little girl room. It is painted a soft green and has a black rail about three fourths the way up the wall. It also has lady bugs that will have to go but everything else will stay. I am planning to paint above the rail a cream color. Recently while searching Craig’s List I ran across this furniture.

It was $75.00 for the whole set so of course I was suspicious of the solid wood posting. When I arrived it was obvious that it was partly solid wood and part particle board, but the price was right and I took it. It is going to be my green bedroom furniture.

I have discovered Glidden Gripper primer. You have to love something that is good for sticking to glass. I can already tell it really does bond to the less than solid wood parts of the furniture.
A quick disassembly let me discover that the drawer fronts were two separate pieces. That gives me the chance to use two colors on them with no taping! Yay.

I chose to paint the furniture a gray green color with a black top and lighter panels from the same card.
The hardware is going to be black.
I am excited to get moving. The weather is cooperating so I got some quality time in on painting today. We will finish everything in the garage by bedtime tonight! It is supposed to be 67 degrees on the morning! I love that!

The Giant Silver Mirror Has Been Installed

March 11, 2013

Karen Dresser, Mirror, North Carolina, Ornate mirror, the Southern Belle Giant silver ornate mirror 1 Comment

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.

My Name is Karen and I am a Mirror Addict

March 4, 2013

Karen Decorating, Mirror, Mirror Display, Ornate mirror Yard sale mirror Leave a comment

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.

Turning an Old Door and Table Into a Buffet

December 26, 2012

Karen Apartment living, Christmas, Decorating, Decorating with mirrors, DIY Projects, home decorating, Ornate mirror, recycled furniture, Repurposed Furniture, vintage style Bible Table, mixing wooden elements, Old door repurposed, peeling paint, shabby 6 Comments

Sweet Amanda loves old, weathered, pieces with story as much as I do! When I bought The Southern Belle’s dresser I negotiated two other pieces of furniture for the asking price of the dresser. I got the owner to throw in a night stand that will be going to a Habitat for Humanity home this spring and an old white piece that I wasn’t sure what the original purpose had been but I guessed that it had been in a church at some point. I know that Sweet Amanda will appreciate me getting the piece free, because she is a junker like me! A little research led me to believe the white table was a Bible table. It was white, had peeling paint, crackle on the drawer, and was a little taller than an end table. I knew the table would be the perfect gift for Sweet Amanda with some creativity. I stared at the Bible table for at least three weeks then it hit me… This would make a great buffet for a small apartment. I started looking for parts. I knew I wanted the back to be an old door and I wanted a shelf on it. I cannot tell you why, that is just how I saw it in my head.
It took several weeks but the absolute perfect door was located in Coldspring for $10.00. It had the right amount of chipped paint, but was solid enough to hold up over time. Hubby cut off a small bit of the door for a shelf and to make the horizontal part of the door hit at the right spot on the table so that they could be screwed together. After adding the shelf it still looked incomplete. I knew I wasn’t finished with the piece but after several options that I did not like I almost gave up and started looking for something else to give Sweet Amanda. A trip to the Coldspring Senior Center Resale fixed my problem. A round, old plaster mirror was the perfect solution. a link to the senior center website here.
I got this amazing mirror for $10.00. It was the deal of the day.

Here it is all put together. I am crazy about this piece. It still needs a coat of polyacrylic to seal the potentially lead paint in place, but other than that, it is finished.

Here it is in The Lovebird’s Apartment

and… here are the Lovebirds

The Giant Silver Mirror

December 5, 2012

Karen DIY, Ornate mirror, Rub N Buff, silver 2 Comments

If you have been reading my blog for a while, you may remember that I found a huge vintage gold mirror at a garage sale for $10.00. I was amazed that we found this in August and it has been sitting in the Garagemahal since then. I really didn’t have a home for the beauty but I knew it was too nice to leave behind. The Southern Belle said she wanted the mirror and I was thrilled. She wants to replace the less than amazing mirror in her bedroom. Her furniture is solid wood, nice furniture her Me Mei bought for her bedroom 23 years ago. She painted the maple, much loved, furniture white recently. (We really are related!) The mirror to the set is nothing spectacular and really small.
All the metal in her home is silver including her dresser pulls, so the gold would not work.

The mirror became silver.

Two coats of Rustoleum shiny silver spray paint and a tube of Rub n Buff later, it looks amazing. I really like the way the mirror turned out. The Rub n Buff on the outer edges really adds depth to the frame. It is going to look great in her chocolate brown, tan, and white bedroom. The big mirror will add some contrast to the rustic fabric of the headboard.

I think it may have to wait until it gets driven out in June because her SUV may not hold it, but we will see. Hubby measured the mirror and it is 58 1/2 inches by 39 1/2 inches.

We will make sure to take pictures when it is hung in The Southern Belle’s home.

How it looked when we brought it to the Garagemahal.

The mirror came a long way.

The Weekend Country Girl

Weekend Home Tour

DIY Zinc Mirror

Restoring a Vintage Oval Triple Mirror

First Fall Dance

Ornate Frame Makeover

The French Provincial Bedroom

The Giant Silver Mirror Has Been Installed

My Name is Karen and I am a Mirror Addict

Turning an Old Door and Table Into a Buffet

The Giant Silver Mirror

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