1
0
Hi dollfaces! It's nearing the end of April, & you know what that means...
^That meme never gets old.
And thank GOD that it’s almost May because I AM FREEZING.
This edition of Broke Bitch Thrift features legit the easiest way to glam-up boring decor you have laying around the house. For me, it was stuff I didn’t want to take down or throw out; but the items were missing a little… something. I found myself staring at items like picture frames, mirrors, etc. & wondering what I could do to jazz ’em up. I’ve simultaneously performed a massive spring cleaning operation throughout the entire house, and these little DIY projects helped enhance the results.
(I’ll be creating a separate ‘Spring Cleaning’ type post shortly
because I learned some new tricks that have already made my life a hell of a lot easier..)
This post contains affiliate links, but don’t worry babez. I don’t recommend anything I haven’t already purchased myself – but for full transparency purposes, click here to learn more.
Easy glam-up #1 involved a full-length mirror purchased from Walmart a looong time ago for maybe $15, some acrylic gemstones & some strong ass glue. (To be honest, all of the projects include all of these things. Hopefully that doesn’t ruin the surprise for you.) Prior to all the projects I’m about to show you, I had THOUSANDS of these things stuffed into random closets in the house, after I over-ordered them (in addition to faux ivory pearls) as part of my wedding centerpiece ensemble. I’m now stuck with ten million of them & I’m drowning.
So, after seeking inspiration from Pinterest one evening.. I set out to use my overabundance of gemstones & make my full-length mirror a little less.. boring. I bought two tubes of the clear E6000 adhesive, which is diesel AF. *Make sure you wear gloves, lay something down to cover whatever surface you’re working on, & have a fan running because this glue has a somewhat powerful smell to it.* I had some planks leftover from our DIY headboard project last year, & glued two of them to the back of the mirror to add a thicker perimeter.
Then, I spent a couple hours just gluing all of the gemstones onto the planks. I didn’t really follow too much of a pattern; just threw ’em on & hoped for the best. *This glue works extreeeemely fast, so don’t wait too long to rearrange pieces if you’re following my lack of pattern.*
I allowed the glue to dry & set overnight, moved the final product back into the bedroom, & stood back to admire my handiwork.
It’s so much more fancy than previous, & I love the extra sparkle! The planks also made the mirror a bit more solid/weighted on a structural front.. since it had been leaning against the wall, it started bowing in the middle. I saved some money on having to buy a new one (especially because for some reason full-length mirrors are NOT cheap) & put a HUGE dent in my gemstone collection. Praaaaise the Lawd!
My next easy glam-up project involved some picture frames that were also incredibly boring to look at.. but they contained some of my wedding pictures & I didn’t want to switch them out. They just needed a makeover.
I took the faux ivory pearls & the adhesive, & went to work on the frame’s border.
SO MUCH BETTER.
I just glued the pearls in and made sure they didn’t roll out of place while drying, added in 4 gemstones as accents for the corners.. & it took this frame to a new level.
My third glam-up included another picture frame & my old ass acrylic tray that I’ve used for quite some time to keep some of my jewelry contained. It serves an organization purpose, but it legit was so… basic. While I identify on SOME level that I am a basic bitch, I’m not THAT basic.
I actually procrastinated on studying for finals to complete the embellishment process, & I gotta tell ya.. I LOVE how both came out, & it was the least amount of effort I’ve ever exerted on any DIY mission.
Anything BUT basic, baby.
Last but not least..
I have these little fishbowl things (also a wedding decor purchase) that I actually utilize for various purposes.. the majority of them are used for my makeup brushes, some for other miscellaneous decor.. but I still had a couple extra, & I needed to repurpose them.
THIS final product made me SO happy. I wasn’t expecting it to look THIS good.
*When gluing on the gems, keep an eye on the ones that are still setting.. they have a tendency to slide while drying.*
I now use it for all the pens & markers I need handy for school, rather than leaving them all over the couch. Clearly both a more effective & pretty storage option.
In conclusion, here's an artistic picture of my diamond encrusted fish bowl sitting on a window ledge.
Stay sassy bitches! xoxo
