Mosaic Mirror Frame
by Susan Pickering Rothamel
As seen on HGTV's "Our Place," Episode OPL-261

Materials List
  • Perfect Paper Adhesive
  • Pearl Ex
  • Neopaque - Black
  • Tinz - Giraffe
  • Perfect fx Mica Embossing Tiles
  • Perfect fx Mica Flakes
  • Excel Board
  • Paintbrushes
  • Craft knife
  • Ruler
  • Bass wood strips
  • Stapler
  • Bass wood sticks (resembling dowels)
  • Mirror cut to fit inside bass wood "frame"
  • Glazing points
  • Saw-tooth hangers
  • Solvent-based ink (must use with mica)
  • Giraffe-print stamp
Directions
  1. Cut two bass wood strips in half with a craft knife, making four 12-inch pieces (figure A).
  2. Use Perfect Paper Adhesive to glue the pieces together in the shape of a frame.
  3. Glue a square of Excel Mat Board to each joint where the pieces meet, one at each corner, to reinforce the seam (figure B). Staple the mat board to the wood.
  4. Flip over and attach the bass wood sticks (resembling dowels) to both the inside and outside edges of the frame with Perfect Paper Adhesive (figure C).
  5. Turn over to the back side and place the mirror in the center of the frame.
  6. Glue more bass wood sticks to the center of the frame on the backside (these hold the mirror in place).
  7. Insert glazing points into the wood to help hold the mirror, and attach a saw-tooth hanger at the top.
  8. Turn over to the front side and paint the interior of the frame with Neopaque - Black.
  9. Paint the edges with a mixture of Pearl Ex (bronze was used here) and Perfect Paper Adhesive. Let dry.
  10. Use solvent-based ink and stamp a design onto Perfect fx Mica Tiles. Let dry.
  11. Brush bronze Pearl Ex/Perfect Paper Adhesive mixture onto the back of the Perfect fx Mica Tiles and place the tiles onto the frame (figure D).
  12. Apply the same Pearl Ex/Perfect Paper Adhesive mixture into the lines between the tiles to serve as grout.
  13. Sprinkle with Perfect fx Flakes for a "sparkly" effect (figure E). Allow to dry.
  14. If desired, glue metal Tinz (giraffe shape was used here) onto the mirror at the bottom corner.


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Mosaic Mirror Frame


Figure A


Figure B


Figure C


Figure D


Figure E