turning a plastic mirror into a wood beauty

I was picking up a folding banquet table on Craigslist that is going to be my work/craft table and while I was there, the couple asked if I’d be interested in anything else in their apartment since they were moving. This mirror caught my eye, and $10 later it was mine.

I thought it would be perfect in the downstairs bath as a back mirror, cuz girls like to see the back of their hair when they are getting ready, right? But it was plastic and it looked, well…plastic. We took out the mirror and for the frame,

I went down to my local hardware store and picked me out some gel stain. I love gel stain (also used it on the top of my entryway benches) because it’s thick and globby and easier to rub on and off.

Simply wipe on a thin coat with a paper towel, let it dry, and add subsequent coats until it is as dark as you like.

It started to look like this, actually kind of like real wood!

Hanging it was a beast. It is heavy, I almost dropped it and the back scratched up the wall and some of the beadboard, had to head back down to the hardware store to get something stronger to hang it, then had to patiently waited for my husband to come home and help me hang it and then touch up all the scratches. It would be a miracle if a project was all smooth sailing and went exactly as planned…but, it’s up! Halla-loo-yer.

It is the last day of February. Where did it go??

Happy Monday~