8.24.2010

Coastal Mirror





I picked up this little gem the other day at the thrift store. It was in the half price room which is the reason I decided to take a chance with it. I've always liked Trumeau mirrors and I was thinking I could try to make my own version of one.


The first thing was to get rid of the ducks. I removed the paper on the back to find that the ducks were painted on the back of the glass. Both the glass and mirror were hot glued in. I tried to get the glue off but it was on pretty good. So, I decided to leave it and just scrape off the paint.


With my trusty little razor blade and some nail polish remover I was able to get it all off. Someone went a little nuts with the hot glue. I cleaned the frame and gave it a coat of Martha Stewart's Sharky Gray. All seemed to go well until I tried to age it and then the paint started to peel. There was no fixing it. It all had to come off. I had just bought some stripper for the $3 chair, so I used that. Got it clean, sanded a bit and then used PRIMER. I should have known better because the old paint was shiny and slick.


Back to square one with more Sharky Gray and then some white glaze to give it a weathered look. It's hard to see, but if you look at it next to the white shell ball you can see that it's gray.




I printed out the picture of the sailboat from The Graphics Fairy. You can find it here. You could spend a lot of time on her wonderful site looking through all that she has. Trust me. I loved that it was already old looking. I had son #3 do a little photoshop magic for me. The picture was a little too small and resizing it was making it looked stretched out too much. So he made it wider by duplicating the end of it. Then he turned down the saturation levels to give it softer gray tones. Kids come in handy now and then. Especially when they are so smart.


Here is the original picture. Already really pretty.

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJ55jEWKDsFCo5GJ_fLFRKViL-krJKi5D2Chh_GpyvEh15ml9TW8jkQ3n1f9ouqHYjtYc2Zm5lGmdiPUNdiVFC3ahkjAZSDzj4zKVY7xMthn6N34WBtgkY6OHcTY8Y6xehBPhfiEuzQWw/s1600/sailboat.jpg

And then after he tweaked it. With a bit of glare that I just noticed.


I liked the way it turned out. It may find a home in the new bathroom. Speaking of the bathroom, we have walls people. Sort of. We have to wait for the inspector, yet again, to inspect the insulation and then they can drywall the inside too. It's a waiting game. 

Next time you're at the thrift store, take a chance. See what you can do with something not so attractive. Let me know, have you rescued anything lately?


Linking up to:
Domestically Speaking Power of Paint Party
Debbiedoos Garage Salen Party 
My Romantic Home Show and Tell Friday
Funky Junk Saturday Nite Special
The Graphics Fairy Brag Monday

37 comments:

  1. Great redo Anita! Glad those little ducks went bye bye! Sorry about your frustrating painting project! I seem to have those kinds of days, too sometimes!

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  2. Love it Anita! It is really cute!! I love the picture you put there- it's perfect!

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  3. What a beauty! Nice work and takes such a special eye to see the beauty in the ugly!

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  4. That is SO pretty! What a great re make!

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  5. Looks lovely. I need to get my finger out and get some house projects done around this place. Lx

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  6. Hi anita, Dont you just loooove photoshop!!! What a great improvement (on the mirror and the image!) I love the graphics fairy too! I think yo did an awesome paint job (again!) if you run out of projects, I have a few things need painting over here!!!
    have a great day with hugs, Lauraxx

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  7. Wow! Love the colors....I rescued a mirror with a wood top section, which had a giganitic brass eagle attached. Um, ick. Removed it, then stenciled our last name on it. Found another one with glass on top like yours with some duck picure, removed it, added a piece of burlap monogramed with our last initial. All were superbly cheap!

    I must look into all this washed gray. It looks so lovely with the blues and turquoise I see everywhere in blogland.

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  8. Wow... you really transformed that piece! It looks beautiful now!!
    Glad to hear your bathroom project is moving along (it can't be over soon enough... right?).
    Have a great day!
    ~ Jo :)

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  9. Love it! I am so sad, I left a mirror like this with a beautiful sailing vessel on it at my old house. The new owner probably didn't even appreciate it....

    Great job, thanks for sharing!

    Caron

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  10. Great transformation, Anita. I also love the chair reflecting off of it. :)

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  11. I am amazed at your talent! I'd get to the part where I would have to take the ducks off and I'd just start to cry.

    It looks fantastic. It really does.

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  12. Hi Anita~~what a transformation from cabin...to coastal! LOVE the soft grays. It looks great where you placed it too!
    Debbie@houseatthelake

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  13. Wow, Anita!! Love your tenacity! And your son!! The mirror turned out beautifully.
    xo
    lynn
    p.s. henry looks smashing!!!!

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  14. What an AWESOME makeover Anita....An to think it was such an UGLY duckling to begin with....Don't you just LOVE being able to see 'through' something & knowing in your minds eye what you do with a little elbow grease....!!

    I think it's GORGEOUS & I LOVE the pic you chose....!!

    Cheers from Oz,
    Tamarah :o)

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  15. I agree with Joann, if the ducks had to be scraped off, that little project would go to the basement corner never to be seen again. I am amazed at your creativity. (but I shouldn't be, you always come up with the coolest ideas) I love how this project turned out. And your son did work magic on that graphic, it's just perfect for the mirror.

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  16. Love your stuff! I'm a new follower.

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  17. Anita that is what I say is thinking outside the box...that mirror looks entirely different. Funny I am looking for that very same size...maybe I will be as lucky. Love what you did to the piece and I thank you for linking up. Nice your son helped too.

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  18. It turned out fabulous!!! I'm not sure I would have stuck with it like you did. GREAT job, it really is a wonderful makeover! Debbie @ Cottage Hann~Me~Downs

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  19. Hi Anita,

    I am so glad you stopped by FK and left your comment, for it led me here and I can hardly tear myself away. This mirror makeover is wonderful, and I love all of your knockoff projects and your great finds. So nice to meet you!

    ~jermaine

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  20. Ohhhhh, yummy!! My dining room and kitchen are all nautical, so this would really go great in our house. Love your work!!

    My link for you... WIZARD OF OZ
    Do come by to say hello if you have time!

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  21. Great job! I think I need to borrow that kid for some picture editing tutorials! I'm trying to learn, but it's slow going. I'm going to do my basement in coastal when it's finished so I'm glad to see how you changed the colors of the picture like that. Very inspiring!

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  22. That come out so perfect. Trumeau mirrors are so great as they give you a 2 for 1 effect I think. Well done.

    BTW - we have a unique kitchen or laundry backsplash giveaway that might be useful to you or a friend. Please stop by our Giveaway Friday! Jane F.

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  23. I seem to be into mirrors today and I really like what you have done. I really enjoy redoing pieces but I think I would have taken one look at that mirror and thought too dark with boring duck....but look what you did...so cool and creative!

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  24. I love what you have done! It is just perfect.

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  25. What a great project! This looks great!

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  26. This is Absolutely Beautiful!! Love it! You are very Talented! I am so Glad I Found Your Blog!
    Have a Wonderful Week!
    ~Jill~

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  27. Hi Anita,
    This is gorgeous!!! I have such a thing for Trumeaus and yours turned out particularly nice! You did such a beautiful job on the mirror, and your son did a great job altering the image! I'm so glad you played along today, thanks for linking this up to Brag Monday.

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  28. This is great, it looks amazing.

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  29. this is a great idea, thanks for sharing!!! You really can spot a gem!

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  30. Oh, this is simply beautiful...I just love it! And congratulations on being featured on the Graphics Fairy--it is so exciting!!!!
    Hugs
    xox

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  31. You did a wonderful job...I would have just 'podged it to the front and then covered it in acrylic gel to seal it..but then I'm lazy..the repaint was typical of me..so anxious to see the effect..you did wonders with that picture..wish I had Photoshop..hard to do without it..very impressive results..

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  32. What a great transformation. You're amazingly creative...I would never have had an eye for such a change.

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  33. What an amazing transformation. That gray tone and the clipper ship are so perfect! You have inspired me! ~Lili

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