Guest Blogger - A Little Of This, A Little Of That, Anthro/Ballard Design Antiqued Mirror Knock-Off

I'm Sarah, and I'm super EXCITED to be a guest blogger here at Someday Crafts!
I check this site daily, and have found heaps of inspiration!

I'm a small town Texas girl, and love crafting, decorating and sewing. Whenever my two munchkins aren't keeping me busy, I try and squeeze in a little "project time"!

My blog is A Little of This, a Little of That

You'll find Home Decor How To's, Decorating on the cheap, Furniture re-do's, Sewing projects, and more!

Now, on to Today's How TO!

I love stuff that is worn and weathered. I think antique mirrors are so fun. They can be hard to find, and pricey. I loooove these from Anthropologie:

So neat, right? They are only $695.00. Yes, you read that right!

I was inspired by these in Ballard Designs:

I love the jute around the edges, and the leather strap. Would look great in my house!

Well, today I would loooove to show you how to make the Ballard Designs mirrors, with an antique twist.

Supplies Needed:

Mirror{s} (my mirrors are 18")
Jute or Twine
Paint Stripper
Muriatic Acid
Vinyl tubing
Gorilla Tape (or duck tape)
Black Paint (brush on or spray paint)
Neoprene Gloves
Face Mask
Glue Gun

WHERE to find your supplies:

• Mirror{S}-most craft stores only sell mirrors up to 10". I ordered mine online, and found a large selection for a low price. ($6.99 each)


• Jute or Twine-can be found at any craft store


• Paint Stripper-head to your local home improvement store


• Muriatic Acid-this is actually a pool cleaning chemical, and can be found at any home improvement store in the pool section ($6 for a gallon). Or if you know anyone with a pool or access to a high school chem lab, it could be free!


• Vinyl Tubing-can be bought by the foot at your home improvement store. It is in the plumbing section ($1.20 per foot)


• Gloves/Face Mask-you WILL need these! ($4 for both @ Lowe's)


• Glue Gun-you should already have one of these :)

A precaution: Muriatic Acid is the same thing as hydrochloric acid. It is perfectly safe to use if YOU are careful. Never ever use this around children or pets. Wear gloves, a mask, goggles, and shoes! This stuff can dissolve rocks. It is dangerous if not used properly! BE CAUTIOUS!

FYI: A little about the anatomoy of a mirror. It is glass (or plastic) with a reflective film, and then paint on top of that film to protect it from scratching.

Steps to an AWESOME antiqued mirror

1. Liberally apply paint stripper to the back of the mirror, and let it sit for
10 mins.

2. Wipe off the paint stripper, and most of the paint should come off; rub
or scrape hard if needed!

3. Wipe off mirror with a dry towel.

4. Fill a spray bottle with Muriatic acid, and lightly spray where you want the
acid to EAT THROUGH the reflective coating.

5. Watch your mirror; the acid works fast. Wipe off any excess acid as
soon as you get the results you want. (the blue arrows show the dark
spots where the acid ate through the reflective coating)

6. Scratch up your mirror some with something sharp. I found that scratch
marks added a nice touch to the "acid burns"

7. Wipe the mirror down thoroughly with a wet towel. This will prevent the
acid from continuing to eat the reflective coating.

8. Allow the mirror to air dry for 10 mins or so.

9. Spray paint or brush paint the back of your mirror black.

10. After the paint dries, enjoy your Antiqued Mirror!

Steps to a Ballard Designs {knock off} Frame!

Measure vinyl tubing to fit around mirror (this will be your "frame")
Tape ends together securely

Watch your munchkin run away with your project........

Being wrapping "frame" with jute or twine.

Hot glue jute/twine every so often for stability.

Glue your "frame" on top of your antiqued mirror (I used Gorilla Glue)

I cut up one of my husband's old belts to use for the strap (looooovin the look of this leather!)

Add a leather strap to hang (to really "knock off" BD!)

Hang up and ENJOY!

Ballard Designs Mirror: $139.00
Anthropologie Antiqued Mirrors: $695.00

My {antiqued & awesome} Mirror: $15.50

Stop on by A Little of This, A Little of That for more fun projects!

Wahoo! THANKS, Sarah!!!! I've always wondered how to remove that reflective finishing off a mirror and now I know!!! THIS MIRROR is a great knock-off! Look at it on your wall! Amazing! I would much rather do this myself than pay the outrageous price!

If you haven't visited A Little of This, A Little of That you are missing out! Every project Sarah creates is unique and stellar. Her projects aren't already all around the blog world. I promise if you go visit and look through the archives you will find amazing projects! Go HERE to A Little Of This, A Little Of That to become a follower and to be inspired!



Linking to Finding Fabulous, Romantic Home -Show and Tell Friday, Miss Mustard Seed -Furniture Feature Friday, Lit and Laundry - Finished For Friday, The Inspired Room, Remodelaholics Anonymous, Poppies At Play - Creative Cats , Crafts In Bloom, Kojo Designs - Friday Fun Finds, Fingerprints on the Fridge - Feature Yourself Friday. The Girl Creative - New Friend Friday, That's So Cuegly - Craft Concoction, Sweet Charli