The dollar store pretty much always has mirrors on the shelf, but generally they are lacking in personality.  Kimbo from A Girl and a Glue Gun grabbed one of those plain mirrors recently and, with a little bit of wood, gave it a makeover worthy of a high-end catalog!  Head over to her blog for the step-by-step, with minimal power tool use required!  [how to make a polka dot mirror]

Project estimate:

• Mirror, $1
• Wood, on hand or about $5
• Wood glue, on hand or about $3 and up
• Hot glue, on hand

Total:  $1 and up!

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Every girly-girl should have a pretty hand mirror! You could buy one from the store, but if you can’t find one that you like, or you want one that is special and unique, it’s super easy to make one from scratch!

Project estimate:

• Mirror candle base, $1
• Glass candle base, $1
• Knife, on hand or about $0.25 and up
• Ribbon, on hand
• Buttons, gems, and other embellishments, on hand or $1 and up
• E6000 glue, on hand
• Hot glue, on hand
• Nail polish, on hand
• Nail polish remover, on hand

Total:  $2 and up

Using a paper towel, wipe down the glass candle base and knife. Let dry.  Glue the mirror on the top of the candle base with your choice of glue. There is a space around the mirror. I glued small gems* around the mirror to fill in this space.

Turn the candle base over and glue the knife on. I have used E6000 on the knife handles for years without any problems.

Paint the bottom of the candle holder with a pretty nail polish. This will cover the back of the mirror. Let set overnight.

Cover the back of the mirror any way you like. It will take two levels to cover the back because the candle holder has small legs. I started with gluing gems around the edge of my nail polish*.

I then used random gems and ribbon to build up the bottom so it would be even with the legs.  I used hot glue to adhere gems to the middle of buttons and used them, too. Embellish as little or as much as you like.

*Using any “smelly” adhesive (E6000, etc.) may make the backs of the gemstones melt and bubble. If they have a sticky back, you’ll be fine. Leave it on the gem and glue to it. Hot glue didn’t affect my gems with or without the sticky back.  Because I used E6000, I used little loops of ribbon the bow to cover my gems on which the backs were melted.

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Now that Mardi Gras has come and gone, what can you do with your stands of beads? Use them to make a fun, bead-covered mirror! Inspired by a similar project from Aunt Peaches, see how Heather whipped this up dollar store style. You can usually fond these kind of beads year-round in the party supplies section of the dollar store, and it’s a great way to use up random embellishments that you may already have on hand.

Project estimate:

• Mirror, $1
• Clear gel Tacky Glue, on hand or about $3 and up
• Mardi Gras beads, on hand or $1
• Accent beads and other embellishments, on hand or $1 and up

Total: $1 and up

Spread a layer of glue across the surface of the mirror.

Place some embellishments on the mirror, then wrap Mardi Gras beads around the embellishments.

Continue adding beads until the mirror surface is covered.

The post Tutorial: Mardi Gras Bead Mosaic Mirror appeared first on Dollar Store Crafts.

If you’ve perused the candle aisle at Dollar Tree, you’ve probably seen the little round mirrors intended for use as a pillar candle base. But there are so many other crafty things that you can do with them as well!  Using a few seasonal items, you can turn one into this pretty ornament.  I love mirrored ornaments on the tree, because they catch and amplify the light, making it look even prettier!

Project estimate:

• Mirror candle base, $1
• Ribbon, on hand or $1
• Flora pick, $1
• Glitter pipe cleaner, on hand or $1/package
• Hot glue, on hand

Total:  $2 and up

Glue the pipe cleaner to the back of the mirror as shown.

Twist the pipe cleaner into a big loop and tie a bow around it.

Put a spot of glue on the mirror, under the bow, and hold down until the glue has set.  This is important for the stability of the finished ornament!

Cut apart the floral pick.

Glue the holly and greenery down under the bow, working in a triangle configuration.

Add the ornament, pine cone and jingle bell.  Add berries close to the center and you’re finished!

The post Tutorial: Mirror Ornament appeared first on Dollar Store Crafts.

I always pick up at least one bag of these fabric leaves at Dollar Tree each year.  They’re such a pretty, inexpensive product to craft and decorate with.  Last year I let my kids scatter them on the table for decor, and we used some as tail feathers for our paper turkeys.  This year, I decided to give them a metallic finish to create a more luxe look.

Project estimate:

• Fabric leaves, $1
• Gold paint, on hand or $1 and up
• Dimensional Magic, on hand or about $3
• Mirror, $1
• Glue, on hand

Total:  $2 and up

Step one:  Paint both sides of the leaves gold.

Step two:  Drop a small amount of Dimensional Magic on the leaf, and use a brush to paint the front of the leaf with the DM.  This makes the leaves a little stiffer and gives them a beautiful sheen.

Step three:  Arrange the leaves as desired around the mirror, and glue them in place.

It makes a gorgeous mirror, but if you don’t want to hang it up, you could set it on a table to create a pretty centerpiece.  I think it would look beautiful paired with the cracked glass votive that I showed you how to make recently.

I liked the leaves so much that I painted a few more to make myself a pair of earrings.  Pretty, don’t you think?  I can think of so many ways to use these pretty gold leaves:  place settings, napkin rings,  or to embellish cards.  Have fun crafting and creating!

The post Tutorial: Faux Gold Leaf Mirror DIY appeared first on Dollar Store Crafts.

This is actually an idea I had last year, when I first bought a large felt skull cutout from Dollar Tree.  I’ve had a can of frosted glass effect spray paint sitting on my shelf for a couple of years waiting for just the right project, so once inspiration struck, it was just a matter of finding the right mirror.  When the right one and the right price didn’t surface last year, I ended up putting the idea aside.  Then the other day I went to Goodwill and happened across a mirror in just the right size for $4!  It wasn’t exactly what I’d originally pictured, since it doesn’t have a frame, but I knew as soon as I saw it that it was *the* mirror for the project.

And when you finish checking out this project, scroll to the bottom of the post for 11 more awesome Halloween craft ideas as well!

Project estimate:

• Felt skull cutout, $1
• Mirror, $4
• Krylon frosted glass spray paint, about $6 and up
• Repositionable spray adhesive, on hand or about $3 and up

Total:  about $10 and up

Spray the back side of the skull cutout with repositionable spray adhesive, then let it dry completely.  (If you don’t let it dry all the way, it will leave a sticky residue on the surface of your mirror!)  Clean the surface of the mirror and then center the skull on the mirror.  Press the skull firmly to the mirror, paying special attention to the edges.

Spray the entire piece with several light,even coats of frosted glass spray paint.  Add layers until you are happy with the coverage – fewer coats will make a more subtle, ghostly effect, while more layers will make a more dramatic impact, so it all depends on your preferred look!

Let the paint dry completely, the carefully peel away the felt cutout, revealing the shape of the skull as a reflective surface.  I’m super happy with how this came out, and can’t wait to get the rest of my Halloween decor finished so I can see how it all looks together!

Love Halloween crafts? Here are even more great ideas from some of our bloggy friends!

The post Tutorial: Frosted Skull Mirror appeared first on Dollar Store Crafts.

We’ve seen driftwood-trimmed mirrors before, but never like this!  Alisa Burke has a wild style we love, and she brings that crazy artistic eye to this project by adding a little paint and yarn.  If it’s too wild for your taste, you can adapt it with different colors; for instance, white and blues and some sisal twine would make it fit nicely into a beachy, nautical decor.  The possibilities for different looks are pretty limitless.  (And it’s a fabulous excuse to go beach combing!)  [how to make a painted driftwood mirror]

Project estimate:

• Mirror, $1 and up
• Glue, on hand
• Driftwood, free and up
• Paint, on hand or $1 and up
• Yarn scraps, on hand

Total: $1 and up!

The post Make a Painted Driftwood Mirror appeared first on Dollar Store Crafts.

It’s snowing outside as I type this, which is really unusual in Oregon. We get snow once a year where I live, if we’re lucky. Well, today’s our lucky day! There’s nothing like a blanket of snow outside to make me want to pour a mug of hot cocoa and get crafty! Here’s a quick and easy crafty project you can do this weekend, or anytime you’re stuck inside. You probably already have lots of extra scrapbook paper on hand, right?

I sat down and got crafty in the name of Martha Stewart’s 12 Months of Martha. For this project, I wanted to use some paper from the gorgeous Martha Stewart Peppermint Winter paper pad. I chose a red and white chevron paper, but there are so many yummy candy-themed papers in this pad that I wanted to use them all.

Project Materials:

• 8×10 mirror, $1
• a 12×12 sheet of scrapbook card stock, on hand or $.25 and up — I used Martha Stewart Crafts Peppermint Winter Paper Pad
• Stickers or other embellishments
• Mod Podge or glue, on hand
• Paper trimmer, craft knife, or scissors
• Ruler
• Pencil
• Sturdy tape

Total: $1 and up

To Make a Scrapbook Paper Framed Mirror:

1. Remove paper backing from back of mirror, and gently pop the mirror out of the frame.

2. Measure the frame and cut a piece of scrapbook paper out the size of the frame. If desired, trace interior hole of frame onto the back of the paper. Cut center of paper out.

3. Mod Podge (or glue) paper to front of frame, and allow to dry.

4. Reinsert mirror into frame, and tape into place from the back.

5. Embellish frame as desired with stickers, bows, buttons, small ornaments, or whatever you want.

And have fun trying to take a picture of the mirror without getting some weird reflections! :)

Look, ma, I got the Christmas tree in the reflection!

This project is adaptable to any holiday or theme, so don’t be afraid to bust into your stash of paper and stickers and make it your own.

Disclosure: I received free product from Martha Stewart for this project.

The post Tutorial: Easy Scrapbook Paper Frame Mirror appeared first on Dollar Store Crafts.

We love Anthro-inspired mirror projects.  (Check out our other Anthro-inspired mirror projects! exhibit A, exhibit B.)  This gorgeous specimen by KariAnne at Thistlewood Farms is no exception!  Taking inspiration from a $248 Anthropologie mirror, her version cost a scant $19 to create and has just as much impact even at a fraction of the price!  This idea could be used to arrange as many or as few mirrors as you want, and in any shape, making a totally customizable piece.  [how to make a makeup compact bubble mirror]

Project estimate:

• Mirror compacts, about $19
• Wood, on hand or $1 and up
• Hot glue, on hand
• Paint, on hand or $1 and up

Total:  about $19 and up

The post Make a Makeup Compact Bubble Mirror appeared first on Dollar Store Crafts.

I often find inspiration at Anthropologie. There is so much eye candy there! Unfortunately, I can usually only window shop, but that’s OK with this crafty gal. When I saw this pretty flowered mirror on their site (for $128), I started thinking of how I could make my own budget version. I’m really happy with the end result!

I found my mirror at Goodwill for just 99 cents, but I see large rectangular mirrors at Dollar Tree all the time. You might just have some old, inexpensive mirrors already in your home that need an update. I purchased my flowers at Dollar Tree, but, again, you might have some old ones at home that you’re ready to part with.

Project Estimate:

• Mirror, $1 and up
• Silk flowers, $1 and up
• Glue gun, on hand
• Spray paint, on hand
• Rhinestones, on hand or $1

Total: $2 and up

Step one: Cover the mirror with painter’s tape.

Step two: Remove the flowers from the stems. You may need to trim the remaining plastic on the back of the flower so it can be flush with the mirror.

Step three: Begin gluing leaves and flowers to the mirror frame. I decided just to fill in the corners, but you could fill the entire frame to more closely replicate the Anthro mirror.

Step four: Spray paint the flowers and frame. I used a metallic silver paint. If you’re often guilty of overspraying like I am, this project is for you. The more paint on the flowers, the better!

Allow the paint to dry, them remove the tape. I decided I wanted a bit more sparkle on my mirror, so I hot glued rhinestones to the flower centers.

I love my new mirror. It’s shiny, sparkly, and flashy. I hung it over the sink in my laundry/craft room to bring a little bling and pizazz to an otherwise dull space! And I did it all for $2 instead of spending $128 at Anthro. Not bad for a day of crafting.

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