6/15/2015

This Child's Antique Mirror Makes an Adorable Papeweight... Perfect for Quick Makeup Checks at Work


The centerpiece of this paperweight design is an antique hand mirror from a child's set.  It's made of nickel plated metal that I was able to brighten up with a little silver polish.

When the mirror is set it against a background of vintage-inspired paper, it's transformed into a special and unique piece.  It's also something you can keep within reach for those times you need to do a quick check of your hair or makeup at work.


I used the Large Rectangle Paperweight Kit (PhotoWeights: Large Rectangle) for this project.  The only other supplies I used included a scrap of decorative paper, the mirror, and some ribbon.  A hot glue gun was also used.


The first step to creating a paperweight that features a dimensional object is to create a background for the object to be adhered to.  This is done by applying paper, fabric, or other type of material to the self-adhesive mounting board that's included with each PhotoWeights paperweight kit.

In the image above, the adhesive side of the black mounting board was placed on the reverse side of a piece of decorative, floral paper.  (The floral paper had another design printed on the reverse side.)


After your background is attached to your mounting board, use a pair of sharp scissors to trim any material that extends beyond the edge of the board.  (The board acts as an excellent cutting guide.)


I tied a small bow around the handle of the mirror to dress it up a little.  The green bow coordinates with a color found on the floral paper I used.

Tip:  Double check to make certain your mirror and any embellishments you add will fit within the display area of your paperweight, especially the depth.


After I cleaned the mirror, I placed it on the mounting board and centered it.

Because I'll be using hot melt glue, there will be little opportunity to reposition the mirror once it's glued down.  I used removable tape (washi tape) as a guide to mark where the left and right of the mirror should be positioned.


The center of the back of the mirror is slightly raised, so I applied the hot glue around the center to avoid adding any additional thickness to the final design.  A dab of glue was also placed on the handle for added support.


After the mirror was secured in place, the guide tape was easily removed.


The mounting board (with mirror attached) was placed face-down into the recessed area on the bottom of the paperweight.


I finished the paperweight by applying the self-adhesive bottom pad, included with each PhotoWeights paperweight kit.


FINDING A MIRROR

Antique mirrors such as the one I used may be found on websites such as Etsy.com and Ebay.com. You need a smaller mirror which may be described as a toy mirror, doll mirror, or child's mirror.

Most craft stores sell small, thin, unframed mirrors that are perfect for creating mirrored paperweight designs.  You may also be able to use the mirror from an old compact.