Howdy all! I don't know about you, but where I come from, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is kind of an iconic fairy tale and therefore the perfect inspiration for fun DIY inspired crafts! Especially since there are so many book adaptations from the fairy tale ;).
Some of you may not know this, but I love antique shopping and recently I came across this really pretty oval metal frame that looks like it used to have a mirror attached but was recently painted and put for sale. Now this got me thinking on what use I could possibly have for this awesome frame and therefore a great excuse to buy it. Something I've seen on Pinterest are earring holders that use old frames and mesh backgrounds and I knew this would be perfect for my small dorm room!!
So now that you know the back story on this crafty project... here's how to do it:
1. the first step is to gather the supplies
- 1 frame (material of your choice)- paint (optional)
- some kind of metal mesh background
- metal cutters
- sand paper (optional)
- paper, permanent marker, and tape
- gorilla/metal glue (or staple gun)
2. because my frame was an antique... it required some clean up.
There was a little bit of a residue left on the back of the frame where the mirror used to be and exactly where I planned to glue my metal mesh so I took some sandpaper and a scraper and cleaned it all up. This is a really good idea for any old frame that might be a little dirty because the glue sticks better the clean surfaces that have texture. (or so the package says)3. after finding the perfect frame, I immediately decided to paint it.
The frame I found at the antique shop had already been painted a salmon color and while I loved the frame, I wasn't so in love with the color. I used a paint sample that I got at Lowe's and a sponge brush to paint over the frame with my new chosen color.(This step can be skipped if you found a frame that you already like the color of!)
4. the next step is to find the perfect mesh background to attach to the frame.
I found this really great one at Hobby Lobby and the reason I love it so much is because it has large holes for dangly earrings and small holes for studs. Also the holes are arranged in a great geometric pattern that really complemented my style! They had tons of different options so if you aren't totally in love with the one I chose, I would definitely look at the different optionsAn alternate to a metal mesh is lace! I've seen tons of examples on Pinterest so if this sounds interesting to you, then I would definitely head over there and check it out.
5. stenciling the frame comes next so grab that paper, permanent marker, and tape!
Okay so cutting the metal mesh free handed is only for those truly gifted and talented and unfortunately, I am not in that selective few. So I got a piece of paper and traced the outside edge of my frame and then used this trace on the metal mesh sheet and traced the shape with a permanent marker.I would really recommend this step for those of us who are not good at cutting circles (*raises hand*). Also keep in mind just how thick the rim of your frame is, it might be more precise for you to trace the inner edge of your frame and then make sure to keep the scissors off the marked line.
6. using those metal cutters like a pro
So I chose a metal mesh as my earring holder and therefore have to use metal cutters to shape the sheet for the frame. This was a pretty good challenge because my cutters were decidedly straight edged and I was trying to cut an oval... so problems were abound. But eventually I was able to get the shape I needed for the frame and therefore am almost done with this craft!note: my frame was once a mirror so it did have a lip that I could have rested the metal mesh against, but I actually found it easier to rest it on top of the lip instead of nestled where the mirror would be.
7. applying the metal mesh to the frame with glue!
So this is one of the final steps... hurray! Make sure that the metal mesh is perfectly matched to the frame by taping the mesh to the frame so that when you flip it over you can get a good look at the whole picture and any mesh hanging out the sides.Once you are sure that the mesh matches the frame then you are ready to glue this thing together! So the kind of glue I got was gorilla glue epoxy and it worked great! Be kind of careful with this glue because it is pretty strong and no one wants to get their fingers stuck together. I really liked this glue because you could control how much glue came out and direct it where you want it to go. be sparing with this glue because some did leak out the sides and while it actually is easy to clean off once it dries it can be a little annoying.
Once the glue is on the frame and the mesh applied to the glue, you will want to keep a steady pressure onto the mesh and frame while the glue dries... I think mine said it took 5 minutes for the glue to completely dry. After the five minutes I wanted to really secure the mesh to the frame so I added a large compressional object (like a magazine and two oil canisters) on top of the mesh to apply it even firmer to the frame!
8. Viola!
Once you give it like 30 minutes to really compress... you are FINITE!!! Oh my gosh guys this might seem like a little bit of work, but it is so worth the effort because this "magic mirror on the wall" earring holder is absolutely adorable!
p.s. sorry for the low quality pics but I had to use my iPad...
