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Home Décor
Altered Mirror

By Stephanie Loomis
Trailblazers
Mixed Media Team Designer

Supplies:
Mirror with 2” frame (available at IKEA and many craft stores)
Turquoise Acrylic paint in 3 shades of the same color family      
Glazing medium (Liquitex)
Chipboard letters (Heidi Swapp)
Beeswax
Small quilter’s iron
Rubber stamps: The Angel Company; The Stamping Studio
Staz-On ink (Tsukineko)
Embellishments as desired (flowers, fibers, beads, etc.)
Heat gun
Gloss Gel Medium (Liquitex or Goldens)
Metallic gold paint (Luna Lights)

Instructions:

1.      Cover the mirror with painter’s tape or sticky notes.

2.      Paint the frame with the lightest shade of paint.

3.      Swirl color from another shade over frame.

4.      Melt beeswax in a random pattern over the painted frame. Smooth with the quilter’s iron. Let cool completely.

5.      Drip a third color of paint randomly over the entire frame. Drip glazing medium over the paint and swirl together with a soft brush. Cover entire frame with circular movement. Let dry. (Do NOT use a heat tool to speed drying time.)

6.      Once dry, use a heat gun to melt the wax out from under the acrylic paint. The paint will bubble and pop and leave fabulous textures on the wood.  BE SURE TO DO THIS STEP IN A WELL-VENTILATED AREA!!!

7.      Dry brush the lightest shade of paint over the textured paint.

8.      Stamp inspiring words over frame.

9.      Add chipboard letters with gel medium (use a foam brush).

10.   Coat frame with gel medium. Do not cover the letters.

11.   Paint letters with one of the two darker paint colors.

12.  Lightly dab gold paint over letters with a sponge.

13.   Remove mask over mirror and polish.

14.   Sign your art!

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