About

Cost
$ $ $ $ $
Difficulty
• • • •
Time
3h30

Personalize a compact mirror!
I used to save my empty compacts in high school and decorate the heck out of them with nailpolish, stickers, jewels, rickrack, etc. I decided to revisit my past but refine the embellished compact and give some out to friends.

Posted by Mishy Le Fleur from Honolulu, Hawaii, United States • Published See Mishy Le Fleur's 8 projects »
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  • Step 1

    Materials:

    + 91% Isopropyl Alcohol (put in spray bottle for convenience) and tissues/cotton balls

    + Compact (either an empty used one and cleaned out or something cheap from the dollar store).

    + Mod Podge or some other glossy decoupage glue

    + Sponge Applicator and container for the Mod Podge. I like to use used plastic cases for false eyelashes. Hawaii has a brand called "Bes' Kine Lashes" that come in a reusable plastic container that opens up. The deeper side is for the Mod Podge and the other side can be a sponge rest.

    + Scissors (Honey Bees are good for cutting out small things)

    + Magazine cutouts, wrapping paper, tissue paper, ribbons, scrapbook paper, stickers, jewels, rickrack, acrylic paint and brushes, spray paint, etc.

    +Windex

  • Step 2

    Clean out the compact, disinfect with alcohol. It also helps get rid of any residue from price stickers.

  • Step 3

    ***You can coat the compact with paint or spray paint if you want to change its base colour. If so, wait for the paint to dry according to manufacturer's instructions.

    Cut out magazine images and lay them out on the compact so you know how you want the final product to look. If you want to print out some photos from the internet, you can use matte cardstock so it won't tear while you apply the decoupage glue.

    Glue the images to where you want.

    Make sure you get the air bubbles out by smoothing out the picture.

  • Step 4

    Wait for the decoupage glue to try for a bit (minimum of half an hour) before applying a coat all over.

    Wait an hour for it to dry, then apply another coat. It should dry within an hour.

    If you want to add any jewels or ribbons, wait for the initial overcoat to dry then add them.

    Put another coat of the decoupage glue all over.

    Clean out the mirror(s) with the windex. There you go! Nice and simple. :)

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Comments

Stellar Toaster
Stellar Toaster · 2 projects
This would make an awesome locket. ^-^
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KMOM14
KMOM14 · Fort Wayne, Indiana, US · 378 projects
Thanks for the tutorial.

This would be a great gift idea for tweens and teen girls to give to their friends.

It would also good present for a plumber as they use small mirrors to check the other side of joints in tight places that they cannot get to and you could make it look manly - my ex used to use my old pink Mary Kay compact and got teased horribly for it, but it would fit in his pocket and he could carry it around without it getting easily broken and got the job done.

It gives them something useful, but personalized and one-of-a-kind.

It also gives new life to something that might otherwise end up in the trash if you use a used compact for this project.
Reply
Mishy Le Fleur
Mishy Le Fleur · Honolulu, Hawaii, US · 8 projects
I did pick them up at a dollar store but it's called Pricebusters. We don't have a Target in Hawaii yet but there will be 2 locations March 2009.
Reply
PB
PB · U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado, US · 2 projects
Hey did you get those compacts at the Target dollar spot? I think I picked up some of those
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