A what-not-to-do DIY ~~ finished

Several years ago I salvaged a dresser mirror from certain death in a land fill. It was in perfect condition. Well, it was ugly. The mirror was dirty, but a spritz of cleaner proved it to be without scratches or other problems. The frame was  another thing. No amount of cleaning was going to make the brown, worn-out wood less ugly. 

But I could see potential there. If only I could figure out where, how, when to  use it. I mean, I didn't really need a mirror, ugly or otherwise. So it got put in the studio, where it leaned against a wall for years, a place where it could easily be forgotten. This mirror, it seems, never really had much chance of being truly rescued.

I really liked this decorative edge on the bottom.

Our master bath is getting a remodel. All new everything. Except! I've finally found a home for the mirror--above the vanity in the new/old bathroom. 

So what not to do? Ha, for starters just get to work doing something you've never done before without trying to figure it our beforehand. Or speaking to an expert. Or watching a YouTube video. Or anything that will tell you how you should go about it. 

The bottom edge of the mirror, which 
would have sat on the dresser, had 
so much damage that we removed it.

That's how we started. My sweet husband knows about refinishing, painting, building, fixing, anything mechanical. Still, we ran into a problem with the mirror. He's a  superhero at taking things apart and putting them back together in working order.

In this case he chose to not remove the back panel and mirror to refinish the frame. In our defense we didn't know how old or in what condition the inside might be and didn't want to possibly cause more damage. I liked this frame!

 We decided that since we were only cleaning and painting, we'd slip cardstock under the frame to catch any spills. So the blue in the picture is paper, not tape. Important. 

A first coat of Kiltz primer. Then a second coat. And  things were looking quite positive.

A first coat of the dark gray that is my contrast color. 

A second coat and we were ready to remove the cardstock and possibly hang the mirror. Except.

 The cardstock wouldn't remove. First, the paper absorbed the paint and stuck to the wood. Second, the wood absorbed the paint and expanded ever so slightly making the space tight enough to really hold the paper.  The paper was truly attached. And stuck. Of course, I had wiggled the cardstock deeply between mirror and frame. Maybe I was a bit enthusiastic. 

I tried several ways to remove that line of blue. We solved the problem the hard way: removed the backing and mirror. Then I sanded and scraped the paper until every tiny bit of blue was removed. 

Hopefully it looks like it belongs here.

Then we ever so carefully replaced the mirror and backing and Richard, who had measured the space between the mirror and edge of the frame, stapled it all back in place. I can't tell you how many times he checked that measurement. I wondered if it would change at some point. It did not.

Finished and hanging. Notice that the decorative detail is now
 on the top. Richard built the closet reflected in the mirror.

A kidding aside, I really like the mirror. It was difficult to choosing  between white (like the window and door trim) or gray (to match the other wooden "furniture"). More pictures coming when we finish the bathroom. It's so close!

Oh my poor studio!

Just stuff!  Boxed and stored right in front of my worktable.

Have you been wondering why I've not been posting much in the way of sewing and quilting?  It's been rough, actually, because I've been living with the new renovations and have not had a studio to retreat to.  Oh, the pain.

More stuff!  This time in front of the desk.

However, the renovation part has died.  My three-quarter husband (so called because he tends to complete only three-fourths of a job) seems to have run out of steam. Right on time.  We have about a fourth of the job left to live with.  Oh, I'll mount an offensive, but first, I have to wait.  I'm not sure what I'm waiting for, but 36 years of marriage has taught me that I can't move him again for a while.

The old fixtures removed from the house and dumped into the studio.

I can, however, mount a defensive approach--meaning I can defend my own space.  I've been to the studio and gathered evidence. These photos prove all. There's is no disputing the fact that my space is under attack, and I intend to defend it strategically: using guilt and exactly enough whine, I will get this "junk" out of the studio!  Most of it belongs in the kitchen, but I don't care if he throws it in the trash, so long as he gets it out of the studio.  He won't.  Throw it in the trash, I mean--he'll haul it in, clean it up and put it away.  

Our mattresses from the spare bedroom, used for several
 nights when we couldn't sleep in the house, but now
stored in the studio because we can't get into the
bedroom to put them away.

Ah, life with a husband.  The love card is a no-go....we have been married 36 years.  There's no doubt in my mind that he loves me, but there's also the reality that saying "You'd do it if you loved me" will not work.  He won't be bullied, nagged, or loved into something.  Nope, the only thing that works is proof and whining.  Oh well, whine it shall be.  I aim to get this done, and soon.

Boxes of filled jars meant to hold the gate so the puppies have a place to hang out.

The church pew from the living room stored in the studio
 and used to stack even more stuff.

Suggestions?  How do you handle a husband?  Rephrase that: how do you handle YOUR husband?