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1.15.2013

Tues-DIY

My very first DIY! Well.. first one to be featured on the blog. I DIY like nobody's bidness, I've just never had a decent camera to document it with. Now that I'm all fancypants with my iPhone, I can share it all with you! Aren't you glad? ;)

To start off with, I purchased this mirror for $10 from IKEA. It was cheap, and got the job done, but it was way too small for the wall I was using it on. If we're being honest here, it sat propped up against the wall, still in it's box, for a good 5 months before I did anything with it. And for a while it was Millie's favorite thing to chew on.

Supplies:
  • Cheap-o wood boards (I used 1"x8" because I knew I wanted a thick frame)
  • A large piece of plywood or particle board to secure the mirror and frame to
  • Stain (or paint, your decision)
  • Polyurethane (I used this to seal the stain on the wood and add a bit of shine)

1. Measure your frame before going to the store to buy your supplies. I made the mistake of guesstimating the size of my frame, and had to go back to Home Depot for one more piece of wood.
2. Using your table saw, cut the four sides of your frame using 45 angles. Measure twice, cut once!
3. Assemble everything on the piece of plywood (not pictured). This keeps the mirror in place as well as the frame around it. We used a heavy-duty glue. If you're going to hang the mirror, as opposed to propping it against the wall, you may want to look into a more secure way to attach everything.
4. Nail the boards together at the corners, to hold everything square.

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*skipped a few steps in the pictures, but I think you get the general idea*

4. Now the fun part! Paint, stain, do whatever you want to your mirror frame! We went with a dark stain to offset all the white furniture I have in my bedroom. This took the longest as we had to wait for it to dry, then apply the poly.
5. All done!

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Ta-da! Still a tad bit too small, but I'm super happy with the results. Also, I know you're loving me in my jammies with bedhead.

Total cost: $30

I also have some wood scraps and tons of stain left over. I plan on making a dog food bowl holder.. stay tuned ;)

xoxo
Chels

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