Painted Mirror Frame

11"x14"

I needed a break from the T-shirt quilt, my knitting and hand embroidery...so what to do but watch Design Matters TV with Laura Kemshall!  One of her current videos is making a painted mirror frame.   I'm not showing the entire process, you'll have to sign up and pay for the video.   So I looked through my fabric stash and this is my painted mirror frame!  

Yes, that's a mirror in the middle of the fabric.  It wasn't easy to photograph the mirror without my hand being in the picture!  You'll see later in this post what I mean by that!

This was the piece of fabric I found in my stash.  It turned out to be a piece painted by my daughter in a class she took by Ann Johnston quite a few years ago!  I started off by adding some horizonal yellow paint (Setacolor).  This picture isn't very good as the fabric is really a cool orange, which shows better in the finished frame.

Next I added some dots around the black swirls Dawn painted.

Then I went through my stencils and found a small (4"x4") square and used white acrylic paint and rolled it over the stencil in a few areas.

This was the completed frame with the backing on.  Had to use clips to keep the backing/front together and to allow the glue to dry.  

You can see my camera and hand in the mirror!  I had a heck of a time trying to take a picture and not have my hand show in the mirror!

This is the back with a ribbon for hanging on the wall.  My daughter said for me to write her name on the back "this is gifted to Dawn" for when 'mum' is gone!  HA  

 I've been following Laura and Linda Kemshall for many, many years.  Years ago they produced five small (around 6"x6") booklets called 'thr3fold' (yes, I have each one!).  They were chalk full of great ideas and projects.  I don't even remember how I found them  but I always looked forward to getting a new book. Then they started their Design Matters TV online.  Better yet!  They  show a new video about once a week.   I love their work and they are such an inspiration to so many of us.  Especially when you're in a funk and just want to do something different! 

They are both big on sketchbooks and journals, which I haven't been bit by that bug yet but I do love their textile work.  They also have different 'classes' on fabric dyeing, painting, quilting,projects, etc.  Check out their web site.  Another good aspect of their site is you don't pay an annual fee (they did in the past) but instead  now you buy the video's you are interested in.  I really like that because I'm not interested in many of the sketchbook video's.  Although, I have purchased some in the past and have been inspired to use some of their technique in my quilting or painting.

Now to get back to the dollar store to pick up some more mirrors and to get caught back up on the MIP online class with Hilary!  So much to learn, to do and not so much time to do it all in!  Whew!