Pop Tab Baubles Mirror Recycle

  ✂︎

Favorite

Comment

List

       

Share

• 

  Step 1

  Gather supplies (pop tabs, glass gems, old compact mirror).

  A tip for removing compact mirrors from their old cases: use a hairdryer. Heat up the reverse side of the mirror (the top of the compact) and gently slide a butter knife along the lip of the mirror, slowly prying it up as the hairdryer softens the glue.

• 

  Step 2

  Glue gems to the top side of the tabs, gluing them to the "D" portion of the tab ring (and not the "O" shaped end).

  I used E6000 tube glue for this project and it works well, provided you allow each layer time to dry.

• 

  Step 3

  Position the remaining portion of the tabs under the lip of the compact mirror's edge. When it's how you like, remove one at a time and put a dab of glue on the tab and return it to it's position in the circle. Do this all around, and let it sit. You might want to come back every 5-10 minutes and carefully shift the mirror (so it doesn't stick to your surface, I use paper) but allows the tabs to remain in position to dry.

  ALLOW THE LAYER TO COMPLETELY DRY BEFORE MOVING ON TO THE NEXT STEP. If you don't, they can all slide off and you'll be very frustrated! Patience is needed. :)

• 

  Step 4

  Once dry, this is what the back will look like. Don't try and dry the mirror like this though, it will cave in. Allow the mirror to dry flat on it's back for each layer.

• 

  Step 5

  Add another layer as in Step 3. Be liberal with your dabs of glue on the tab, and the bottom of your gems (so they will adhere to the first row of gems and have a stronger bond). E6000 dries clear (and can be picked off when dry).

• 

  Step 6

  When dry, this is what it will look like on the reverse side after adding the second row. Pretty cool already, right? ;)

• 

  Step 7

  You can stop here if you'd like and hang your mirror with a ribbon or a simple thin nail on a wall. Or using ribbon (optional), weave it in and out of the second row of tabs. You can do this just for an extra embellishment, or it can be also used to hang the mirror.

• 

  Step 8

  The final product! :D

• 

  Step 9

  New life for objects normally tossed in the trash! \o/

• 

  Step 10

  The mirror on display. I used a decorative and coordinating push pin to tack it to the wall with the ribbon.

• 

  Step 11

  Another embellished mirror (no ribbon used, rhinestone adhered to center of mirror, silver cording used to hang).

Comments

Leave your comment