Mirror, Mirror On The Wall…

Hello everyone, Happy Friday!

For the first time this year, things have been pretty quiet here.  As a freelancer, it’s hard not to get a wave of mild panic wash over you from time to time, when you are suddenly greeted with the luxury of a little time on your hands.  When I say time on my hands, obviously I still have at least ten ‘to do’ lists, I still have some deadlines, and admin up to my ears and all the usual stuff that a busy person has to do.  It’s just that I’m able to do a lot of it from home – I’m not running around all over the country like headless chicken, with half unpacked suitcases lying around on my floor. Which makes a huge difference!

Upcycled Mirror…

So yesterday, I decided to use some of this time to complete a little painting project that has been sat in the craft room for the past few months.  I bought this mirror for £3 from a car boot fair back in the spring.  I love these old Victorian mahogany mirrors – this one was clearly from an old dresser because it still has the metal tilt fixtures on the side, where once upon a time it would have sat proudly above drawers, possibly the middle mirror of a triptych.  It has the perfect amount of foxing to the mirror too (foxing is where the silver at the back of antique mirrors starts to deteriorate).  As you know I adore the imperfections of old things, and there’s something so elegantly faded about a foxed mirror!

Back in the spring I was lucky enough to go to an Interiors Workshop with Annie Sloan, along with some other bloggers (see my post about it here).  At the end of the day, we each took home a little box of paint samples, wax and gilding wax.  The lovely girls at Annie Sloan had tailor made the colours in each of our boxes especially to our styles and homes.

So, it was with the paints in my box that I revamped my mirror with.  Having been inspired by the stunning dining room at Felbrigg Hall, I knew I wanted a pretty, Marie Antoinette pastel opulence for my mirror, so these colours were perfect.  I dabbed a good coat of Emile over the mirror frame, and then I went over the top with Paloma.  I did this all quite roughly, as I wanted to keep it quite textured.  I sanded back a little once it was all dry, around the edges and mouldings.  I then had lots of fun brushing on some gilding wax in Bright Gold, onto the beautiful carved scrolls at the top of the mirror.

I’m so in love with my mirror, and the whole revamp took no longer than a couple of hours – so quick and easy to give a lacklustre piece a fab new look.  I have a pretty vintage bureau in my bedroom that will be getting the same treatment as this mirror, so watch this space!

After 5pm UK time today, I am relieved to say that I will no longer be begging for vote for the Interior Blog Awards.  I have made peace with the fact that if I am not shortlisted, it is no reflection on my success, or how loved this blog is by many.  I do not need a prize to feel proud if what I share here.  As always, thank you so much to those of you who have taken the time to vote – if I could have you all round for afternoon tea, I would!

On Sunday I will be talking at The Handmade Fair with the lady herself – I will be in conversation with Annie Sloan, Kirstie Allsopp and Dee Campling at 4pm, in the Super Theatre.  Please do come and say hello if you are there!  We will be talking about styling, photography, blogging and social media, so it should be fun!

Tamsyn x