Bam! Beautiful!

I am a victim of home decor catalogs. Love them! Pottery Barn, Ballard Designs, Restoration Hardware, West Elm....the list goes on and on. These catalogs are especially fun at the holiday time, they also have especially expensive stuff inside! I've come to realize every now and then, if it's exactly the right piece and I can't find a replacement anywhere cheaper I can spring for a piece right from the catalog. Other times, this time is an example, this are so ridiculously it blows my mind!

Case in point....
I can across this idea for a fireplace mantel display in Ballard Designs, love it!

We use to leave the existing painting up there all year round because when it was put with Christmas decor it still looked Christmas. This past year we found a new painting and no matter what we do nothing about it is ever going to say Christmas. So these mirrors were the perfect idea! I thought to myself, maybe I can swing this one....the price....$229...FOR TWO. See that's where they get you..."oh look at this wonderful display, you need three mirrors, and we sell them in sets of two!" I can hear their evil laughs~!

Right then and there I set my sights on finding them cheaper or making my own! Here was Ballard Designs description of the finish....

"... light verdigris finish achieved by hand applying layers of paint in a meticulous eight-step process...."

Really!?! A meticulous eight-step process!? Well guess what Ballard Designs...I did it in three!

No need to adjust your screens or call your eye doctor, you're seeing this correctly! Almost the exact same mirrors at Target for $25/each.

It was all pretty simple from there. Pick out the colors of paint that would match our decor better. Cover the mirror part with paper bags and away we go on my not-so-meticulous three-step process!

I forgot to mention I had a trial run before starting. (From Left to Right: Too much paint, Not Enough Crackle, Epic Fail!)

Step 1
Spray Paint Entire Frame with Base Color

Step 2
Paint Acrylic Top Color on Outside Frame Only

Step 3
Apply Crackle Finish for a Weathered Look

Bam! Beautiful! 

After all was said and done... between the purchase of the mirrors, paint (already had paint brushes), wreath and garland/ribbon...I saved just under $300 by doing it myself and by no means did I need to have any talent to do this. Talk about paying for convenience! Don't do it people!