Mirror... Mirror...

Hello Inky Crafters, hostess Tami here with a gift idea for your special valentine --- an altered mirror frame. Clearsnap makes several products that work well on slick surfaces like mirrors, glass, metal, candles, plastic and more. I've used a mix of them to create this LOVE-ly mirror frame...

My apologies in advance for the not-so-great photos. Only after I designed this piece did I realize exactly HOW HARD it is to photograph a MIRROR! They do tend to reflect --- everything! LOL! The added embellishments appear a little blurry in the photos because the mirror is reflecting them back, creating a double image.

I started embellishing the frame by using Design Adhesives. Design Adhesives are like sticky rub ons. You can glitter them, emboss them or use Designer Foils to finish the design. For this project I embossed and foiled. For the corner pieces, I applied scroll designs from the NEW! Vintage Heart Set. Then I embossed them using Top Boss Black Embossing Powder. The red hearts accents are from the Be Mine set and were foiled using Cherry Pie Designer Foil...

The "xoxo" design was done using another design from the Be Mine Design Adhesives set and was foiled using Cherry Pie Designer Foil...

The heart motif is from the Vintage Heart Design Adhesives set and was first embossed using Top Boss Red Embossing Powder, then a small heart from the Be Mine set was added and foiled using Goldmine Designer Foil. Then, for some added shimmer and bLiNg, the heart was filled in using the NEW! Frost Smooch Glitz...

 

The Frost Smooch Glitz was also used around the inside and outside edges of the frame to add even MORE sPaRklE! Smooch Glitz works great on almost any surface whether its porous or non-porous, and it dries fairly quickly. You can also add it in layers for even MORE shine!

Goldrush Smooch Glitz was used to enhance the frosted glass "love" that was written on the frame...

So don't limit your valentine crafting to paper; look around and see what other things you can bLiNg up using Design Adhesives, Designer Foils, Top Boss Embossing Powders, Glitters and Smooch Glitz!

I've listed a few hints for working on products like mirrors and glass after the supply list, so be sure to read over them before you start crafting!


SUPPLIES:

Clearsnap Products:

• Design Adhesives: Vintage Heart and Be Mine
• Designer Foils: Gold Mine and Cherry Pie
• Top Boss Embossing Powder: Black and Red
  
• Smooch Glitz: Frost and Goldrush

Other Products:

• Gary Burlin: X-Static
• 8X10 mirror frame 

Tools:

• Scissors, Heat Gun and Hot Pads 

HINTS:

• Be careful when working with any type of glass or mirror; cracking or shattering can occur, depending on the product, with extreme temperature changes.
• When heat embossing on glass or mirror, keep in mind that the product will ABSORB the heat and will become very hot; so use care when handling. Place object on a stable surface that won't require you to hold it, or use a hot pad to keep it in place. Allow the piece to cool before handling.
• Because glass and mirrors do absorb the heat, it will take longer to emboss than it would if you were embossing on paper. Keep the heat gun moving from area to area, and heat for 10-15 seconds, then move the heat gun away for 5-10 seconds, repeating until design is embossed. The design will also usually appear to be "cracked" or "beaded" because the embossing powder will come together in places as it melts. 
• Dust the surface or glass or mirror lightly using a product like X-Static before you apply your Design Adhesive and Embossing Powder. Slick surfaces attract things like Embossing Powder; which makes it hard to remove all the excess powder from the design. Using X-Static before you begin will remove the static from the surface, allowing you to easily shake or blow off the excess powder. Be careful not to apply too much, as your Design Adhesive will not stick.

I've used these heat embossing techniques on lots of glass and mirror projects {including those from the dollar store} and have never had any shatter or crack. But you should be cautious just in case!

I'll have another project up tomorrow, so please stop in and take a look!