The object of hate:
IKEA "Ram" Mirror with wooden frame, 7€
However, not the untreated version but the very special lousily-painted-by-Ann-Kay-version:
I think my original idea was to create some kind of carribean vibe in our old apartment's hallway, therefore i wanted a turquoise mirror. Unfortunately the paint turned out yucky green and i opted to put my
awesome stupid idea on ice.
That ugly green thing stands in our bedroom now, which is mainly decorated in red and white hues. As you can tell from the curtain's reflection in the mirror this not a pretty color combination, at all. Time for a makeover!
Total material costs:
2€( I don't include the costs of my mirror here because i bought it several years ago and it's 'paid off' already)
Time: a few hours ( anything between 2 and 6 hours, depending on how concentrated and motivated you are)
Level of difficulty: Easy.
Not a kids project though! Working with the hot glue gun needs some concentration and skills as the hot glue can cause severe burns
Materials/ Tools:
- 1 ugly old mirror
- 1 full roll of white Crepe Paper ( 1€)
- Hot Glue Gun + at least 2 hot glue sticks
- Pre-used thick cardboard. I used a fruit packing box from a grocery store
- Scissors
- Paper Twine or Raffia or anything similar (1€)
Instructions:1. Preheat the Hot Glue Gun.
2. Cover the edges of the frame.
Measure the inner and outer lengths and cut off the paper twine according to your measurements. You should end up with 8 strings, 4 for inside and 4 for the outside edges. Now untwist the twine just a little bit. It's easier to work with if it's less stiff.
3. Place a small dab of hot glue into one inner corner and attach the end of the first string. Let the glue cool off to make sure that the string stays in place, then draw a fine line of hot glue along the edges and attach the string bit by bit. Repeat three times to cover all four edges.
If you wonder why i have some flowers attached already, well that's because i realized i need to cover the edges
after i glued on a row of flowers. Stupid me...
4. This step is actually the same like the third step but you have to cover the outer edges now. It's quite complicated to hold the mirror, the glue gun and then glue on the twine at the same time, so it might make sense to ask someone to help you. ( I asked my hubby to hold the mirror.)
In the end it should look like this:
5. Cut the crepe paper into strips, each should be about 2-4cm ( 1 or 2").
I cut some wider strips for the large flowers, moreover i cut some in half to make small filler flowers. You don't have to measure exactly or cut precisely straight lines as the size of the flower actually does not depend on the size of the strip but on how tight you roll it. See my messy strips:
6. Making flowers.
To make a flower take one strip into your left hand, crumple one end and roll it 2-3 times to create a shape similar to a ball. This is the base of the flower. Then put a small dab of hot glue onto the bottom side of the base, let it cool off and then twist the rest of the strip around the base while rolling the flower in your hand. Apply glue every once in a while (after two or three twists) and finally onto the end of the strip to secure the flower.
You can create different looks with this technique. Spinning the longer end of the strip around itself while twisting it around the base will make your flower look like a rose, whereas twisting it in a straight line will create a shape that resembles a ranunculus.
7. Attach flowers.
Put a good amount of hot glue on one of the frame's corners and press the flower into the glue. Subsequently add flowers of different sizes. Fill small gaps with small flowers. Leave ca. 30cm of one side of the frame uncovered and have a few flowers left over.
8. Now cover up the free space with the paper twine, this is similar to step 2 and 3.
Measure the gap and cut off three strings of twine in a matching length and untwist it. First apply the hot glue, then attach the strings to cover the frame. Attach more strings if the wood keeps shimmering through.
Glue on the left over flowers to cover the starting points of the strings.
9. Draw a word or single letters on the cardboard and cut out the letters. We are newlyweds hence i chose the word "Love" :)
Pull off parts of the cardboard's top layers on both sides of the letters until some of the grooves underneath become visible.
You can use any kind of cardboard but i prefer to process old stuff that otherwise would be thrown away, that's why i used a piece of thick cardboard from a packaging box.
10. Lastly paint the letters. (You could also cover them with pretty scrapbooking paper or fabric scraps)
Apply just a small portion of paint and brush vertically towards the grooves to paint only parts of the cardboard. I used white acrylic paint and a tiny amount of red and golden glitter.
Brush parallel and paint the grooves if you want to cover the letter completely.
Once the paint is dry carefully apply some hot glue and glue the letters on to the mirror frame.
And that's it!
You probably have to clean the mirror afterwards, wipe off dirt and fingerprints from the mirror face and remove those nasty filaments caused by the hot glue.
I plan to embellish the centre of the flowers with pearls or some sparkly stuff but so far i am extremely happy with how the mirror turned out!
P.S. A more detailed description of how to make crepe paper roses can be found at
"Homespun with Love"
