Freshening Up an Old Mirror

Take an old, vintage or antique mirror and freshen it up with paint.

Paints you'll need:
Black and metallic gold paint (acrylic paint in this case) for the frame.

Sage green and bright red enamel paints for glass and mirrors.

What to do:
FRAME

• Sand the mirror frame while wearing a mask. LEAD PAINT is dangerous to your lungs.

No need to sand it to bare wood; sand just enough to remove loose paint.

• Wipe with a slightly dampened rag or paper towel to remove dust and loose paint.
• Paint the entire frame black and let dry. Speed up drying with a blow dryer if you wish
• Paint on the metallic gold. Here I applied it along and inside decorative grooves. Let dry.

I lightly sanded off some of the paint to roughen the look a bit since the original paint was pitted.

MIRROR GLASS

• Clean with vinegar and water then wipe dry.
• Use a clean paper towel dampened with alcohol and wipe the mirror glass.

No need to wipe dry

• Using the art brush of your choice (script, angled, flat 1/4 inch) and green enamel paint for glass, paint the vine and leaves.
• Let dry.
• Using the handle of a brush, dip into the red enamel and randomly apply dots (berries) around the vine. I preferred the larger handle to make bigger dots but small ones would work too.

That's it. This mirror set a few days to dry and cure before I took it to Glasgow Trading Post in Glasgow, MO, to sell.

Kitchen hand towels with flair from Visages also add to the decor

Blue floral flourish toile kitchen tea towel

Blue Floral Flourish Toile Hand Towel by Visages
Browse Zazzle for a different hand towel.

Red checked gingham kitchen hand towel or tea towel

Red Country Folk Gingham Checks Hand Towel by Visages
See other Country Kitchen Towels

Roses in pink with green vines and leaves towel 

Peach Pink and Green Floral Victorian Art Kitchen Towels by Visages
See more Cute Kitchen Towels

Blue checked gingham towel for the kitchen 

Blue Country Gingham Hand Towel by Visages
Browse other hand towel designs on Zazzle.

Kitchen Towel 16" x 24"

Brighten up any kitchen with a set of American MoJo custom kitchen towels. Made of 100% cotton twill, these durable towels will look great with your text, monogram, or artwork. Designed for a lifetime of use, these machine washable kitchen towels look great and clean up well, too!

• Size 16" x 24".
• Durable 100% twill cotton.
• Fabric is made from natural fibers, which may result in irregularities
• Handmade in the USA by sustainably employed single moms.
• Machine washable.

Decorative wall clocks

Victorian look peony flowers

Victorian Rose Colored Peonies Picture Round Clock by Visages
Shop for more Wall Clocks at zazzle.com

Country crow "Welcome Friends" on blue checks (gingham) wall clock

Country Blue Gingham Welcome Friends Square Wall clocks by Visages
View other Country Wall Clocks

Round (Medium)

It's time to show off your favorite art, photos, and text with a custom round wall clock from Zazzle. Featured in two sizes, this wall clock is vibrantly printed with AcryliPrint®HD process to ensure the highest quality display of any content. Order this custom round wall clock for your walls or give to friends and family as a gift for a timeless treasure.

• 2 sizes: 8" diameter (medium) or 10.75" diameter (large).
• One AA battery required (not included).
• Add photos, artwork, and text.

 

Repurposed Wine Bottle: A Special Homemade Gift

Lighted Wine Bottle or Wine Bottle With Lights

She loved it. This is how I will start today's blog about decorating a used wine bottle for repurposing as a gift.

When I handed the hand-painted, bow-adorned, filled-with-Christmas-lights wine bottle over to my best friend, I explained, "You see, it's filled with Christmas lights," then I plugged it into the socket over her kitchen counter.

"Ohhhh, I love it," she cried.

"And I used enamel glass paint to paint the leaves and dragonflies," I continued.

"Hon, look," she beckoned to her husband. "See what Deb made for me? It lights! This is sooooo cool. You should sell them," she told me.

"Not in Lawrence, I can't. No market but I'd like to try here in Bonner (Springs, KS)," I said.

The conclusion is the hand painted wine bottle I turned into a lit decoration was a marvelous hit which surprised me, somewhat. I felt a bit humble giving her something I had made but on the other hand I was proud of the nice looking piece. And now that I know there's a chance such a project could be desirable, I will make more and add them to my inventory of homemade gifts to give and sell.

Repurpose Stemmed Glasses into Candle Holders

Repurpose port or brandy glasses

Painted with enamel glass paint, these glasses purchased at a donation store for 49 cents each can be turned upside down (or upright) and used as candle holders. Just hold the candles in place with a dab of plumbers putty.