Painted mirror

I love a great Goodwill find.  The day after New Year's when it was an official University holiday and Joe was home from work, I was able to go out and have a little fun. My idea of a good time is hunting for treasures at local thrift stores or perusing craigslist for my next thing to makeover.  Here's my awesome new mirror that I found for just $6. Here is the finished mirror. It has a beautiful turquoise color.

Here is what the mirror looked like when I brought it home:

The frame was gold, but with lots of worn down areas. The mirror was dusty, which to some people would have made it seem not worth buying. I could see past the gold worn down metal frame and dusty glass to it's full potential. I knew I wanted this mirror to be teal greenish blue to play off my teal glass collection in my bedroom.

So after I went to the Goodwill I headed straight to Home Depot to look for spray paint.  I almost immediately found the perfect color.  Rust-oleum Painter's Touch Ultra Cover Satin Finish in Lagoon.

So while the mirror was perched outside, I gathered my supplies.  I used a 50% vinegar, 50% water solution to clean the frame.  Then I lightly sanded it with 220 grit sand paper.

Then instead of trying to tape off the mirror, it was easier to remove the backing from the frame with a screwdriver.

When painting something that has a finish on it already, be it a stain or paint, it's a good idea to prime it first.  When painting something small like a picture frame with detailing, a spray paint primer is the way to go. Here I used Valspar's gray primer.  It's also a good idea to use spray paint outside or in an open garage or covered porch. Never spray paint inside the house.  Put something down under your project because the spray paint will get everywhere.  It's smart to wear a painter's mask and googles as well.  This is the easy part. Holding your can 8-10" from your project start spraying, while constantly moving so the paint doesn't get too thick. It's better to do several light coats than one thick coat. Let the primer dry for 24 hours if you can.

I used two coats of the Rust-oleum paint and here is the mirror now hanging in my bedroom. I couldn't be more happy with the results.

One more close up for ya. Do you see the star in the reflection? We have this hanging over our bed for January. It will be replaced in February by a white Chinese lantern cover.

Budget Breakdown
Mirror -  $6
Rust-oleum Spray Paint - $4
Primer (already had) - $0
Sandpaper (already had) - $0

Total - $10 Not too shabby

Have you found any good things lately at a thrift store? Send us your before and after shots and we'll feature them on our blog!

xo
Cathleen