Grim Reaper Mirror: Variation #2 on Sarah’s Bone Cathedral Chalkboard

Two weeks ago, Sarah floored us with a jaw-droppingly remarkable bone cathedral chalkboard made from a frame and skeleton garland. The rest of you were, no doubt, awed and inspired. Me too. Then Ann rolls in with a corkboard and the awe and inspiration grew to gargantuan proportions, similar to their talents.

Inspired by their awesomeness (and also required by Wonderstrange Law)  I dug around for a frame, some garlands, and an idea. I finally settled on trying out a product I have looked at several times with interest but never actually used, Krylon Looking Glass . This is a spray paint that can be applied to an ordinary piece of glass (like in a picture frame)  to transform it in to a mirror.

Here is what you will need:

• Frame with glass (not plexiglass)
• Skeleton garland
• Skull beads (optional)
• Krylon Looking Glass  paint
• Black spray paint (or any color you choose)
• Image you want to incorporate in to your mirror
• Mod Podge or Acrylic Medium
• Amazing GOOP,  hot glue or super glue

Now a mirror with some skeletons glued on the frame would be pretty awesome but no match for the Bone Cathedral or the Dia de los Muertos corkboard, soI wanted to add an image to make the mirror more welcoming and reassuring.  There are mornings when no one in their right mind would think I am looking good except my Mama and the Grim Reaper, and since I did not feel a need to ask him for permission, I drew this sweet talker to greet me on even my roughest mornings.

 

If you want to use the same reaper just click on the image and print one out after sizing to best suit your glass .

I colored my reaper in with marker but you can use colored pencil or paint if you prefer, or if you are the sort who would not color for money then you can just print this guy out.

The next step is to cut out the image. I chose to cut closely around the letters but leave them attached. You can, of course, cut each letter out individually.

Once you have cut out the image you want to use  brush a thin layer of Mod Podge, gloss medium, or watered down white glue to the front of it. You will be adhering the image to the backside of the glass. Smooth any air bubbles out and wipe any excess adhesive off the glass before it dries.

 

Now you are ready to turn your glass in to a mirror! (Pause here while you tingle with anticipation.)  Be sure the glass is clear of finger prints or dust.  The Looking Glass Spray is VERY smelly stuff so relocate to a well-ventilated area and cover your work surface with something to catch the excess spray.  You will need to spray the paint on the back side of the glass, using a sweeping side-to-side motion and moving quickly. To avoid an uneven appearance apply five thin coats and wait at least a  full minute or more between coats. I found if I held the can closer than a foot the paint rippled from the air pressure . The paint looks rather dull grey but the opposite side is where the reflective quality is apparent.

I sprayed mine outside . Here is a picture of the process. Now you know what your art teacher was doing out behind the dumpster. Okay, she might have been smoking but hopefully not while using aerosol products.

You will be tempted to flip it over and peek before it is all the way dry. Don’t. It is way easy to smudge off a bit of the paint while it is the tiniest bit tacky, and when you try to spray over the ruined spot it makes an uneven spot and looks , well, RUINED. So be patient and let it dry a few hours before you handle it.

While it is drying work on your frame. I chose a picture frame with a built in easel on the back so it can sit on a table, but you can use a wall frame if you prefer.I decided I wanted to keep the frame I started with black and keep the grim reaper the main visual interest so I spray painted all my skeletons and skull beads black too. If your frame is a different color you can just spray paint it when you paint your skeletons.

 

Let the spray paint dry then glue the bones on the skeleton. I did two full skeletons on each side and used skull beads along the top and bottom. I bought the beads in the Halloween section of Michael’s for $1.99 minus the fabulous 40% off. You can name your posion as far as what adhesive you prefer. I used Amazing GOOP.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Once everything is dry put the glass back in the frame. If your frame backing has any metal hardware that might scratch the mirrored surface, be sure to put a piece of paper between the backing and the mirror.

 

Now admire how clever you are! Admire your hair, too, ’cause it looks great today .