The first rule of thrift club is: when you see a pair of something, buy it!
Well, maybe not everything. I’ve passed up a snazzy pair of neon monkey lamps before that I’m totally kicking myself over. (Wink wink.)
But this pair of mirrors, they were keepers.
And yeah, okay. They’re not really a pair. But these mirrors were close enough in size and shape, and I figured I could make them work, in an eclectic, meant to be not-so-matchy kind of way.
So for this month’s Trash to Treasure Tuesday project, they seemed like a good, simple challenge. (You can see this month’s other thrift store transformations at the end of this post.)
Plus, I couldn’t argue with the price tag. $3 for a big frame? Sold.
I had been dying to test out Joanna Gaines’ new paint line for months, ever since receiving this gorgeous care package with some of her goodies.
For now, I gave the color One Horn White a spin, which turned out to be the perfect antique white- not too white, not too yellow, just a pretty cream.
Supplies Used: (Affiliate links are provided below for convenience. For more information, see my full disclosure here.)
- Magnolia Home Paint in One Horn White
- 2 vintage mirror frames
- Fine grit sandpaper
- 1.5″ angled Purdy paint brush
- Mod Podge
- Art prints/posters – (Antique Ballerina Study I / Antique Ballerina Study II)
- Gray ribbon
- Hot glue gun
I gave both frames a quick sanding first to make sure I removed any leftover grime that might be on them.
Then, I just brushed on the paint. I’ll give you the heads up now, this paint is not chalk paint, so I would definitely suggest sanding your piece first if you plan to use it on furniture. But since it has a built-in primer, I didn’t need to worry about a priming step.
I ended up needing three coats, but considering it was white paint being brushed over a really dark wood, that was pretty much expected.
The interior paint was not self-leveling, so you will see brush strokes, but I think that’s part of the charm when it comes to Joanna’s signature farmhouse style. (If you don’t want brush strokes showing though, there is a cabinetry and furniture paint too that is self-leveling.)
Ever since I finished decorating Olivia’s bedroom last year, I’d been thinking the wall behind her bed was still looking a little empty. It needed…something.
So a solid year after “finishing” her room, these mirrors seemed like the perfect solution that I could use as picture frames.
I’d searched high and low for the perfect ballerina sketch prints, until I found this one and this one at Art.com for 20% off.
Then, using the Mod Podge, I brushed a layer of it on the mirror and pressed the art print on top, smoothing the paper and working out the creases and bubbles as best I could. Pressing and dragging a credit card on top of the ripples like a squeegee works great too.
To create a finished edge, I ran a bead of hot glue a little at a time around the edges of the art print to attach some gray ribbon.
I love the little detail it added and how it makes the frame look more finished.
It looks like they were made to coordinate with that bed, don’t you think? Total happy accident.
I’m hoping the prints will grow with her, and if one day she’s not a ballerina fanatic anymore, it’ll be easy to add something else she loves in the frames at that new stage.
I go back and forth sometimes thinking maybe I should add something else to this wall too. Like…do I dare say it? Shiplap?
To this day, Olivia still adores her room. Anytime a visitor comes over, she asks them, “Want to come see my pretty rug?” Which is her way of saying, “Come look at my pretty room so I can then hold you hostage to play with toys for hours and hours and hours.” Good thing she’s a cute kidnapper.
If you have a little princess of your own and ever wanted to see the full reveal and all of the projects that went into this room, you can see them all in this makeover reveal post.
So do you have a thrift club rule of your own? Or a little swirly twirly princess ballerina who always dances from point A to point B? Have you tried out Joanna Gaines’ paint line yet? I can’t wait to test her other colors.
You can check out all of the other Trash to Treasure Transformations from my other blogger friends below:
(Left to right): Prodigal Pieces | Girl in the Garage | Artsy Chicks Rule | Confessions of a Serial DIYer
You can find all of the past Trash to Treasure makeovers here, if you want more thrifty ideas.
And if you want to save this post for later, you can pin it here:
What a score and save!! Love the use of the frames in your already adorable room. I’m sure your little ballerina is delighted!
Thanks, Larissa! She is SO excited even a year later about her room. And she starts her first ballet class next week, so I have a feeling it’s about to get even more loved.
Ship lap would be amazing behind Olivia’s bed!! You guys should totally do it. Great job on the ballerina mirror frames. Lucky girl getting a Joanna Gaines care package. If i ever get to go to her store, my husband should be terrified, cause I might just have too max out my credit cards haha
Thanks, Relle! I have no idea how I got that care package but it was pretty fabulous. If I ever make it to Waco, my husband better hide my credit cards too. 😉 So much danger there.
Lauren those look lovely on the wall. I like that they are not too matchy-matchy. Of course, little Olivia wants to have visitors up to her room, it’s the best room in the house.
Thanks, Mary! I like that they’re not matchy-matchy too.
Lauren…that’s looks amazing!! Too bad my ballerina is now 23….:(. She would have loved that. Great idea and great vision. Beautiful. Olivia is a lucky little girl with such a crafty mom!!!!
Thank you so much, Beth! She absolutely loves her twirly girly room. My inner ballerina is still kind of jealous of her barre. 😉
What a great idea for old mirror frames! I have to depend on my blogging friends for these creative ideas. BTW, any idea I use I always say “I saw it on a blog”. Ha-Ha. Pretty soon my family will stop complementing me and just say “mom
saw it on a blog!”
Thank you for showing Olivia’s room again since I am new to your blog. It was the inspiration I needed to do a young adult version for my granddaughter. Olivia’s room is precious. I love how you incorporated so many cherished family things.
Haha! So glad it could help, Nancy! Thanks for the love. 🙂
SOOOOOOOOO clever and stunning! Great job!!
Thank you, Lois!
These are gorgeous!
Thanks, Lisa!
I love your projects; and this is going to be my first.
I have a similar mirror brown. I want to keep the mirror. How do I protect it while restoring the frame. Do I need to sand the frame?
thanks for your expertise.
Georgi
Glad it could help! I just used painter’s tape around the edges of the mirror and you can sand and paint from there.
What a gorgeous room, love it!!!
Thank you!
Such an great idea they look awesome!!
Thanks, Debbie!
Love the idea!
Thanks, Judith!
So darn cute!
Thanks!
Absolutely YES – ship lap that wall!! You can do it on the cheap with 1/4″ plywood ripped into the width of board you want to use. I’m doing that to a very similar bed wall right now – yum!
Love your ideas, thanks for sharing all your beautiful work and ideas.
Yay! I’m thinking that too. I have an even cheaper option in mind for the shiplap, which might be crazy, but I’m going to try it. 🙂 I just started it and so far so good!
So very cute! I love the idea of modge podging thrift store mirrors!
Thanks, Sara!
Oh my Gosh…so perfect in her gorgeous room!! Love those prints!! XO
Thank you so much, Christy!
Those are so beautiful Lauren! What a great makeover. 🙂
xo
Nancy
Thank you, Nancy! Loved yours too!
Looks GORRRGGGGEEEOOUUSS!!! What a great job!!
Thank you! 🙂
These framed prints are the perfect finishing touch!
Thank you, Susie!
I love the way you incorporate thrift store finds into such great decor items. I have been following your blog for awhile and YOU ROCK! Also, loved your school desk.
Thank you so much, Nancy!
This is my first time on your blog.
Those pictures are beautiful and love how you put them into the frames.
Absolutely beautiful.
Rose
Thank you so much, Rose!
You’ve done it again, Lauren! An awesome addition to Olivia’s room. You have a good eye for potential and great creativity. Thank you for sharing and inspiring others.
You are so sweet, Karen! Thank you!
What a lucky find for a great price – and your idea turned out brilliant! They really do look gorgeous in your daughter’s ballerina bedroom. <3
Thanks, Jen! It was very lucky. I never find two things so close in size and shape at the same time at the thrift store.
Just what her room needed! I had to do a double take to see the difference in the frames. They look mahvelous!
Thanks, Sherry!
Hi Lauren! Loved everything you have completed in this room. I too, am envious that you received a Joanna Gaines care package!!! Anyway….just one thought when I looked at the whole room….I would have placed the smaller of the two bedside stands under the smaller picture. It just seems it would be more……hmmm….aesthetically pleasing?? Just my thoughts. You do great work!!!!
Thanks! That’s a good idea! I might try that out! I have thought before that it looked a bit wonky.
PERFECT!! Love the sweet ballerina prints in the repurposed frame!! 🙂
Thanks, Michelle!
Those look like high end pieces. Beautiful!
Thanks, Melanie!
I am falling in love with your blog! I just found it recently and I’m already making project lists from all your fabulous ideas! I’m definitely adding this one at the top 😊. A side note, centsationalgirl has a (very) old post about adding a small amount of water to latex paint to make it self leveling. I’ve followed her advice for years and it works so well, it creates a very smooths, brush free finish. Just a thought for any future projects where stroke free finish is your goal. Thanks for your awesome blog!
Thank you, Emily! And thanks so much for the tip. I’ll have to try that. 🙂
You always have the coolest finds…and make the most creative stuff. Those mirrors are so cute in her room and the ribbon is the perfect final touch.
Thank you, Amy! I super lucked out finding an almost matching pair at the thrift store on the same day. That pretty much never happens.
Looks great! Wondering if there is anything over the print or just left alone?
No, I didn’t put anything over the prints for these. But you could get glass cut to the dimensions you need at Lowe’s, if you preferred to cover the prints.