Styrofoam Convex Mirror Tutorial

Posted on May 3, 2012 by Roeshel

I got crafty at the DIY Club recently. Loving most things Pottery Barn, these PB Found Parat Mirrors were on my birthday wish list but that day came and went and besides…

they aren’t convex mirrors and the price tag of $79/each isn’t something I’d really want to spend. Lamps Plus has this LARGE convex beauty for $104. Definitely not in my budget.

I’ve always wanted to do something with convex mirrors so I decided to create a DIY version.

Materials:

Styrofoam 12″ wreath forms (I used 3)
DecoArt MagiKote
Dark brown spray paint
DecoArt Americana paints (Ebony and Traditional Burnt Umber)
Hot glue
8 1/2″ Convex mirror (x3) affiliate link:

Tutorial:

1. Using a foam brush, coat the top and sides of Styrofoam wreath form and let dry.

The DecoArt MagiKote seals the Styrofoam, creating a paintable surface.

Without on the left, MagiKote on the right…

2. Give each Styrofoam wreath form 2 coats of spray paint (dry between coats).

3. Remove brackets from back of convex mirrors.

4. Attach convex mirrors to center of wreath with hot glue. I used hot glue on the back of each mirror. Once in applied to the Styrofoam in the center, I used hot glue around the perimeter of each mirror too.

5. Touch up with Americana paints.

6. Let dry and hang using Command velcro strips.

What do you think? {besides the fact that the top one is a little off?!} It’s okay. They’ve since been moved and are now aligned.

I love them as they were but I can never leave well enough alone so I’ve done a little embellishing using beaded garland (attached with hot glue)…

My convex mirrors are hanging using Command Velco Strips.

These will go in our master bedroom makeover but for now I’m liking them here, in the family room

…until next week when you’re likely to see them moved again. It’s a sickness. I just love rearranging. You know you do that too right? . . .

They’d look fab horizontally displayed too!

Like this project? I’d love for you to share!

Take Heart – DIY paper leaves wreath tutorial

Posted on May 2, 2012 by Roeshel

Hi DIY friends! I’d like to introduce you to Danielle from

Danielle’s blog is filled with her every day, musings on motherhood, DIYs, style, design, and a little bit of everything else. Today she’s sharing steps to create a beautiful paper leaves wreath…

Let’s get started, shall we?

You can also make a ring from made cardboard, a paper plate even…whatever you have laying around.

step 1: Make a leaf template and trace it onto your scrap book paper. Danielle made about 60 leaves.

2. Cut out the leaves.

3. Pinch the bottom of your leaf together, causing the sides to curve in, and staple.

4. Repeat sixty times. {no pain no gain no wreath}

5. Hot glue your leaves onto your wreath base. {If you are using a cardboard ring, paper plate, etc. you can staple your leaves on.}

6. Continue placing your leaves, all in the same direction (Danielle developed a pattern to prevent the same colors from being placed side by side.)

…carry on.

…so on and so forth.

7. Voila! Add some ribbon to the back or just hang it up as is.

and there you have it.

Happy crafting!

Super cute and you probably even have the supplies already on hand just waiting for a creative idea. Sounds easy enough, looks amazing enough.

Thanks for sharing, Danielle! I love it! A great project for all of that pretty scrapbook paper I can’t seem to stop collecting.

See more DIY from Danielle at Take Heart.

Rustic DIY and Enamel Tag Tutorial

Posted on April 26, 2012 by Roeshel

Beautiful reclaimed barnwood
Lovely painted distressed furniture
Numbers!

I love each of those things, don’t you? Meet: Kimberly from

Kimberly is a professional home stager and decorator and a nature at decorating and do-it-yourself projects. Here are some of my favorites:

100 year old reclaimed barnwood before:

Now: Reclaimed Barnwood Hutch

Love!

Dresser Before and After

And a tired old dresser before…

gets a new distressed paint technique and a new purpose in the dining room… oh-la-la!

See those pretty number tags too? I don’t know what it is about numbers but I love the charm it adds to decor, don’t you? Kimberly shares how to make these sweet little charms…

Here’s what you need:

Key tag blanks. (I got mine from Ace Hardware, they are steel with a brass finish and are about 1 and 1/2″ across)
Paint and primer (white..but I’m considering doing some blue or dark green ones with white numbers)
StazOn Stamp Ink (and number stamps)
Embossing Enamel (clear)

Prime and paint the tags. Once dry, stamp the numbers using StazOn.

Line a skillet (frying pan) with foil. (or use an electric skillet). Place the tag on the foil and sprinkle with the embossing powder.

Turn the heat to medium and watch as the embossing powder turns to liquid.

When the embossing powder is completely smooth and transparent, gently remove the foil (with the tag on it) from the pan and place it on a rack to cool.

When the tag is partly cool, but before it is completely cool, gently peel the foil from the tag. and return the tag to the rack until it is completely cool. I also used a nail to remove the powder which had filled the hole while the tag was still warm.

So cool!

To pin from original sources and to see more creative DIY and decorating from Kimberly, visit Serendipity.

For more information on enamel tags, see the original inspiration at Can’t Stop Making Things.

DIY Show Off ™ – DIY Decorating and Home Improvement Blog

DIYShowOff – Budget Friendly Do-It-Yourself Home Improvement and Decorating blog

Tag Archives: Crafts

Styrofoam Convex Mirror Tutorial

Take Heart – DIY paper leaves wreath tutorial

Rustic DIY and Enamel Tag Tutorial