The Mirror Evolution

Tresa Bell and Andi Bradley

See that mirror behind those two pretty girls?  My parents had that mirror forever.  Are you surprised that it is oak?  My parents LOVE oak.  There are so many pictures of us in front of that mirror.  Unfortunately, they are usually old photos of one of us girls with an old boyfriend or date about to go to a dance or out.  So I opted for this picture of my sister and her friend, even though it is incredibly dark...back to the story.

After years and years.  I'm talking definitely more than 10 years, my parents got a new mirror:

My pretty Mom

Do you see it back there?  I really like their new one, and I love how it is still conveniently placed on the wall right before you walk out the front door.  For as long as I can remember, there has been a mirror in my parents' house to check yourself out before you leave.  That makes a lot of sense to me.  Thank goodness my parents gave me their old oak mirror so I could carry on the tradition in my home.

Of course I didn't leave it a light-colored wood.  It just doesn't go with my decor.  About a year and a half ago, right after receiving the mirror, I stained it a really dark brown.  The mirror followed us to our new place last year and was traditionally mounted on the wall right by our front door.

Yesterday, it changed colors again.  Dark brown matched, yeah, but it also blended in with a lot of our other furniture.  I really wanted it to be an accent mirror--I went all out.  I went to Walmart and bought and small bottle of $.97 acrylic craft paint in Deep Ocean Blue.  The process took less than 15 minutes.  First, paint.

Then, wipe with a napkin.  I didn't want it to be bright, solid blue, but more of an antiqued blue.  It totally worked!

You can count on me loving it for at least a year before it changes again. But for now, it works wonders with that painting hanging in our living room. I think blue is becoming my new green....