Mirror Beautification Project = Epic Fail. Bummer.

Apologies for the late post today, peeps. The doggie drama continued early this morning but after spending the day chasing down information and making (or, in this case, postponing) some very difficult decisions, she and my mum are resting relatively comfortably at home, if a little disoriented (the dog, not my mum. well?? no, just the dog ...)

Anyhoo, it's been a busy day and now is the first opportunity I've had to sit down in front of my computer, but I've been busy behind the scenes trying to put the finishing touches on A's mirror (and finally get the fracking thing UP!). I'm not going to lie to you: it's not going as well as I'd like.

First of all, a quick recap (just in case you're just joining me and aren't familiar with the mirror makeover). Ages and ages ago I purchased this mirror from a dude on Craigslist for fifty bucks or so:

Quite the looker, no? That was a rhetorical question: it was ugly as ... well, let's just agree that it was really, really ugly and leave it at that. But for fifty bones plus a quick trip to Mississauga, it was worth it. With its size (approximately 3 feet by 3-and-a-half) and its amazing fluted (is that the right word?) frame, I knew it would be the perfect statement piece in A's room once it was all spray-painted and accessorized and just generally beautified.

The actual spray-painting process was an adventure, but once done it looked spectacular (cough, cough ... *asexpected!* ... cough)

Gorgeous, right?! I knowwww ... I was pretty chuffed about the update, but I still felt like it needed a little somethin'-somethin' around the edges, sort of here and here:

Since I posted the update slash sort-of reveal way back in January, I've been searching high and low for something cool to apply to the perimeter. My first thought was glass tiles, but I haven't been able to find any that are thin enough. Then I was thinking fish scales or shell pieces, but they also were impossible to find, and I came up scratch at the Dollar Store, which is my usual go-to source for awesome and cheap art supplies. Bummer.

So anyway, yesterday I zipped out to DeSerres to see what was what and while I totally struck out on anything fancy that I could glue down, a little pot of gold metallic paint caught my eye. And for a mere $9.99 (plus applicable taxes, o'course), that puppy was mine!

This not being my first time with experimental products, I did a test run on a piece of paper before committing to the mirror. It turned out fabulously, like so:

You can't really tell from the photo, but it has this gorgeous soft glow to it, it looks almost like velvet in some lights, and then it's shiny metallic in others. It looks liquid, even though it's dry. It's awesome, actually, so out came my rag and I set to work applying it to the mirror.

... and it FAILED. It looks AWFUL. I've only done one side and I had to stop; it's ALL WRONG. The paint isn't taking to the mirror at all, which I suppose is what I get for rubbing it into a spray-painted surface; the instructions did say the paint could be applied to almost any surface as long as it's absorbent. I sort of overlooked that part. My bad.

Yeah, see the difference in colour between the raised edge and the flat one? Epic fail.

Bottom line is: this is not the solution. Instead of being all beautiful and soft and shiny like the paper sample, it's streaky and sort of dirty and basically looks like it's nicotine-stained. Awesome. Because hard-core chain-smoker is exactly the design aesthetic I'm going for. Want another look?

AAAAARRRRRRRGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHH!

I don't have the patience to re-spray it though, so now I'm looking for more of a cover-up solution: a little rouge-and-lipstick action ought to fix that right up. I hope. Keeping my fingers crossed. And if anyone knows where I might be able to obtain mosaic tiles that are really thin, or where I can buy dried fish scales (it sounds gross, but they're actually really awesome to craft with), let me know! My internet searches have turned up nothing so I'd be glad of any referrals.

On another note, it's hubby's birthday today so we're celebrating {in style} by going to watch J's volleyball practice together, and maybe ~ just maybe! ~ staying up late to watch the Daily Show while cuddling on the couch. WOOT! We really know how to live it up around here :)

Ciao, peeps!

PS ~ If you're wondering about the metallic paint, I'm still deeply in love with it even though it totally almost a little bit ruined the mirror (but I know it didn't make me not read the instructions properly on purpose, so I forgive it). I'm thinking this might be the solution for the hallway ceiling ... it could really work. I'll try a test patch tonight and let you know how it works out!