Mirror, Mirror on the Wall...

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Have I mentioned my love of Restoration Hardware yet with you all? Well, I do heart it. Everything is so wonderfully charming and each piece is interesting with a story all it's own. I consider myself ever so fortunate to own a Restoration Hardware table. Well when I bought my table there the devil salesperson signed me up for their catalog. Each time I get it, I look, I dream, I sigh, I remember to be grateful for my table, I take a look at it and I'm content and I close the catalog. But first, I steal one more glimpse of their mirrors.

excuse me while I drool.


But paying that much for a mirror? Not likely. Not unless someone wants to give me one. Anyone? Bueller?

I gave up the dream. Until one day, I spied with my little eye this piece hanging on a wall in a consignment shop.




"Fast like a leopard" (points if you know the obscure reference) I snatched it off the wall (yeah...I felt you lady-across-the-store vaguely eye in the direction of MY frame). I examined it to make sure it was solid wood - it was. I've seen interesting frames in shops before but they are never solid wood. The price: $49. Not bad but, they went down to $40. It never hurts to ask.

Once home I realized something - and I swear there was no wine involved. The exaggerated cinnamon roll-esque scrolls made the frame seem like something, that might at any moment, come alive a la Beauty and the Beast and break into song with "Be Our Guest." I want my home and furnishings to be welcoming. Just not verbally. Is it only me? Do you see the similarities?



You don't see it, you say. How about now?


Yeah, I thought so.

But I figured it was nothing that a days worth weeks of sanding can't fix. I put 60 grit sandpaper on my electric sander and went to town. An hour or so at a time. And finally I it down to it's birthday suit. But not before the cinnamon rolls, divots, clunky carving almost killed me. I'll be honest, mid-way though, I considered just painting the mirror. But my ego tenacity wouldn't let me. I've been working on this thing bit by bit forever. And lemme tell you if I had just used a chemical stripper I would have saved myself BUNCHES of time. I got most of the finish off and now I can decide how I want to proceed - you know now that it has been de-disneyfied, the fun can start.