DIY Literary Mirror

It is time again for the monthly Thrift Store Decor Upcycle Challenge! Each month my blogging friends and I team up with a group of talented ladies to bring you creative projects from thrift store finds. We create a new home decor piece from an item(s) we’ve found at a thrift store, yard sale, resale shop etc. There is no budget or specific theme so we are free to let our creativity run wild! This month, I chose to make this awesome DIY literary mirror. It is a gorgeous piece of décor exclusively to make me smile. I hope yours brings you the same smile each time you look at it!

Affiliate links may be used in this post. Ordering a product through these links may result in a commission. Read the full disclosure here.

 

It is time again for the monthly Thrift Store Decor Upcycle Challenge! This month, get the tutorial to make this awesome DIY literary mirror.

 

Thrift Store DecorUpcycle Challenge

 

Amanda | The Kolb Corner     Chelc | Inside the Fox Den     Erlene | My Pinterventures

Kim | Made in a Day     Sara | Twelve on Main     Debra | Shoppe No. 5

Shirley | Intelligent Domestications     Marie | DIY Adulation     Lindsay | Crazy Organized

Michelle | Our Crafty Mom     Julie | Live From Julie’s House     Colleen | Life on Kaydeross Creek

Maureen | Red Cottage Chronicles     Pili | Sweet Things     Sherry | Savvy Apron

Ann | Duct Tape and Denim     Dru | Polka Dot Poplars

Megan | C’mon Get Crafty     Jennifer | Hydrangea Hippo

You can also follow our board on Pinterest for more upcycled decor inspiration!


It is time again for the monthly Thrift Store Decor Upcycle Challenge! This month, get the tutorial to make this awesome DIY literary mirror.

 

[bctt tweet=”Get the tutorial for this literary mirror at the monthly Thrift Store Decor Upcycle Challenge. ” username=”diyadulation”]

 

It is time again for the monthly Thrift Store Decor Upcycle Challenge! This month, get the tutorial to make this awesome DIY literary mirror.

Materials

 

It is time again for the monthly Thrift Store Decor Upcycle Challenge! This month, get the tutorial to make this awesome DIY literary mirror.

It is time again for the monthly Thrift Store Decor Upcycle Challenge! This month, get the tutorial to make this awesome DIY literary mirror.

Step 1

Cover the edges of your mirror with painter’s tape.

It is time again for the monthly Thrift Store Decor Upcycle Challenge! This month, get the tutorial to make this awesome DIY literary mirror.

Tip:

  • Don’t try to use 1 long strip of tape if your mirror is rounded. Instead use smaller strips and gradually work your way around the inside.

 

It is time again for the monthly Thrift Store Decor Upcycle Challenge! This month, get the tutorial to make this awesome DIY literary mirror.

Step 2

Set your mirror aside and tear multiple pages out of your book.

 

It is time again for the monthly Thrift Store Decor Upcycle Challenge! This month, get the tutorial to make this awesome DIY literary mirror.

Step 3

Rip the torn pages into small pieces. See the picture above for reference.

 

It is time again for the monthly Thrift Store Decor Upcycle Challenge! This month, get the tutorial to make this awesome DIY literary mirror.

Step 4

Coat a small section of your mirror frame with a generous coat of Mod Podge.

 

It is time again for the monthly Thrift Store Decor Upcycle Challenge! This month, get the tutorial to make this awesome DIY literary mirror.

Step 5

Place pieces of book pages over the Mod Podge.

 

It is time again for the monthly Thrift Store Decor Upcycle Challenge! This month, get the tutorial to make this awesome DIY literary mirror.

It is time again for the monthly Thrift Store Decor Upcycle Challenge! This month, get the tutorial to make this awesome DIY literary mirror.

Step 6

Dip your finger in the water and smooth of the top of the pages to form them to the shape of your frame.

Tip:

  • This may take a few passes with water depending on how thick your book pages are.

 

It is time again for the monthly Thrift Store Decor Upcycle Challenge! This month, get the tutorial to make this awesome DIY literary mirror.

Step 7

Continue steps 5 and 6 until your mirror frame is completely covered.

It is time again for the monthly Thrift Store Decor Upcycle Challenge! This month, get the tutorial to make this awesome DIY literary mirror.

It is time again for the monthly Thrift Store Decor Upcycle Challenge! This month, get the tutorial to make this awesome DIY literary mirror.

Tip:

  • This might be trickier on more ornate frames like the top of mine.

 

It is time again for the monthly Thrift Store Decor Upcycle Challenge! This month, get the tutorial to make this awesome DIY literary mirror.

Step 8

Allow your frame to dry completely.

 

It is time again for the monthly Thrift Store Decor Upcycle Challenge! This month, get the tutorial to make this awesome DIY literary mirror.

It is time again for the monthly Thrift Store Decor Upcycle Challenge! This month, get the tutorial to make this awesome DIY literary mirror.

It is time again for the monthly Thrift Store Decor Upcycle Challenge! This month, get the tutorial to make this awesome DIY literary mirror.

It is time again for the monthly Thrift Store Decor Upcycle Challenge! This month, get the tutorial to make this awesome DIY literary mirror.

 

Step 9

Once your mirror is dry, turn it over. Adhere the edges of paper hanging over to the back of the mirror with water and Mod Podge as you did above.

 

It is time again for the monthly Thrift Store Decor Upcycle Challenge! This month, get the tutorial to make this awesome DIY literary mirror.

Step 10

Allow the back to dry.

 

It is time again for the monthly Thrift Store Decor Upcycle Challenge! This month, get the tutorial to make this awesome DIY literary mirror.

It is time again for the monthly Thrift Store Decor Upcycle Challenge! This month, get the tutorial to make this awesome DIY literary mirror.

Step 11

Turn the mirror back over. Coat the entire frame with a final coat of Mod Podge.

Step 12

Allow final coat to dry.

 

It is time again for the monthly Thrift Store Decor Upcycle Challenge! This month, get the tutorial to make this awesome DIY literary mirror.

Step 13

With a box cutter, carefully trim the inner excess pages. See the picture for reference.

 

It is time again for the monthly Thrift Store Decor Upcycle Challenge! This month, get the tutorial to make this awesome DIY literary mirror.

Step 14

Pull off the tape and trimmed excess.

Tip:

  • If you cut through the tape with the box cutter, use the tip of it to peel the small strips of tape left.

 

It is time again for the monthly Thrift Store Decor Upcycle Challenge! This month, get the tutorial to make this awesome DIY literary mirror.

Step 15

Clean your mirror.

It is time again for the monthly Thrift Store Decor Upcycle Challenge! This month, get the tutorial to make this awesome DIY literary mirror.

Note:

  • As you can see, mine got pretty messy. I went over it with a Clorox wipe to get the big areas of dried Mod Podge off. Next I went over the entire mirrored surface again with Windex.

 

It is time again for the monthly Thrift Store Decor Upcycle Challenge! This month, get the tutorial to make this awesome DIY literary mirror.

It is time again for the monthly Thrift Store Decor Upcycle Challenge! This month, get the tutorial to make this awesome DIY literary mirror.

I love how this turned out! Book décor is always a fantastic idea in my very nerdy opinion. This DIY literary mirror fits perfectly in my new Alice in Wonderland nook along with the Moss Bunny Wall Art. The pictures below are the best I could get of my nook at the end of our hallway (which aren’t great, but you can see me. Hi!). The pictures above are the ones for you to get a better look of the finished mirror. Before you go, check out the awesome projects from my friends below!

 

It is time again for the monthly Thrift Store Decor Upcycle Challenge! This month, get the tutorial to make this awesome DIY literary mirror.

It is time again for the monthly Thrift Store Decor Upcycle Challenge! This month, get the tutorial to make this awesome DIY literary mirror.

It is time again for the monthly Thrift Store Decor Upcycle Challenge! This month, get the tutorial to make this awesome DIY literary mirror.

It is time again for the monthly Thrift Store Decor Upcycle Challenge! This month, get the tutorial to make this awesome DIY literary mirror.


Be sure to check out all of the other creative upcycle projects my fellow bloggers have come up with!


DIY Duck Tape Backpack Tag

You saw how to decorate your child’s plain jane pencil box. The project is simple enough to totally rock it out in 10 minutes so no worries if you found yourself down to the last minute to complete it. Another accessory that grade school children often get are those large plastic tags to wear around their necks. These contain information for the children (and the adults at the school) to know what bus they are on and who their teacher is. Let’s face it: these tags break long before their usefulness has run out. That is why I’m going to show you how to make this easy Duck Tape backpack tag. Clip it on your child’s bag to help them out all year.

Affiliate links may be used in this post. Ordering a product through these links may result in a commission. Read the full disclosure here.

 

Find out how to make this easy Duck Tape backpack tag. Clip it on your child's bag to help them (and school teachers) out all school year long.

 

[bctt tweet=”Clip this easy DIY Duck Tape backpack tag on your child’s bag to help them out all year.” username=”diyadulation”]

 

Find out how to make this easy Duck Tape backpack tag. Clip it on your child's bag to help them (and school teachers) out all school year long.

Backpack Tag Materials

 

Find out how to make this easy Duck Tape backpack tag. Clip it on your child's bag to help them (and school teachers) out all school year long.

Step 1

First, pull a length of tape from the roll and place on a flat surface sticky-side up. Do not cut the tape yet.

 

Find out how to make this easy Duck Tape backpack tag. Clip it on your child's bag to help them (and school teachers) out all school year long.

Step 2

Place the tag on the tape so that half of it is hanging off and there is extra tape at the top and bottom. (See picture above for reference.)

 

Find out how to make this easy Duck Tape backpack tag. Clip it on your child's bag to help them (and school teachers) out all school year long.

Step 3

Now trim the tape and ensure that there is still extra at the top.

 

Step 4

Cut a second piece of tape roughly the size of the piece attached to your tag. (This doesn’t have to be exact.)

 

Find out how to make this easy Duck Tape backpack tag. Clip it on your child's bag to help them (and school teachers) out all school year long.

Step 5

Place your tag on the second piece of tape so that the remaining half of the back of the tag is covered.

Tips:

  • Make sure that the 2nd piece of tape is facing in the same direction as the first before attaching it to your tag.
  • You do not need to match up the designs on this project.

 

Find out how to make this easy Duck Tape backpack tag. Clip it on your child's bag to help them (and school teachers) out all school year long.

Step 6

Next, trim the tape around the tag leaving ¼ inch extra on all sides.

Tip:

  • Make the extra tape around the tag larger if using an especially big tag. The one pictured above is 2 inches wide.

 

Find out how to make this easy Duck Tape backpack tag. Clip it on your child's bag to help them (and school teachers) out all school year long.

Step 7

Fold up the bottom edge of your tape onto the front of your tag.

 

Find out how to make this easy Duck Tape backpack tag. Clip it on your child's bag to help them (and school teachers) out all school year long.

Step 8

Next, fold down the angled top edges of your tape.

Step 9

Fold over the side edges of the tape.

Step 10

Lastly, fold down the top remaining edge of tape.

 

Find out how to make this easy Duck Tape backpack tag. Clip it on your child's bag to help them (and school teachers) out all school year long.

Step 11

Cut a small piece of tape from the roll that is slightly larger than the width of your tag. Place it over the top of your tag on the front.

Step 12

Trim the tape using your tag as a guide. This time do not leave any extra tape around the edges. Smooth the cut edges by pressing them firmly to the tag.

 

Find out how to make this easy Duck Tape backpack tag. Clip it on your child's bag to help them (and school teachers) out all school year long.

Step 13

Next, punch a hole in the top of your tag. Try to line it up with the original hole. (This will help keep the tag strong.)

 

Find out how to make this easy Duck Tape backpack tag. Clip it on your child's bag to help them (and school teachers) out all school year long.

Step 14

Place an eyelet through the hole you’ve created.

 

Find out how to make this easy Duck Tape backpack tag. Clip it on your child's bag to help them (and school teachers) out all school year long.

Find out how to make this easy Duck Tape backpack tag. Clip it on your child's bag to help them (and school teachers) out all school year long.

Step 15

Secure the eyelet using your setter then set the tag off to the side.

 

Find out how to make this easy Duck Tape backpack tag. Clip it on your child's bag to help them (and school teachers) out all school year long.

Step 16

Cut a piece of plastic cording 24 inches long.

Step 17

Fold your piece of cording in half twice.

 

Find out how to make this easy Duck Tape backpack tag. Clip it on your child's bag to help them (and school teachers) out all school year long.

Step 18

Thread the side of the cording with loose ends through the clip.

 

Find out how to make this easy Duck Tape backpack tag. Clip it on your child's bag to help them (and school teachers) out all school year long.

Step 19

Next, pull that same end through the loops at the opposite end of the cording. Pull tight to secure.

 

Find out how to make this easy Duck Tape backpack tag. Clip it on your child's bag to help them (and school teachers) out all school year long.

Step 20

Thread that same end through the eyelet in the tag. Do this front to back.

 

Find out how to make this easy Duck Tape backpack tag. Clip it on your child's bag to help them (and school teachers) out all school year long.

Step 21

Knot the end of your thread twice and pull tight. (I recommend twice because otherwise the knot may be too small to hold to the back of the tag.) Trim the excess cording at the end.

 

Find out how to make this easy Duck Tape backpack tag. Clip it on your child's bag to help them (and school teachers) out all school year long.

Step 22

Fill out the tag with relevant information such as Name, Grade, Teacher’s Name, and Bus Number.

This is such an easy and useful back to school project! Don’t limit yourself to making them just for school, either. These are great for luggage tags for vacation. (You can even make a fun glittery one for your suitcase.) Make sure you’ve entered our Duck Tape giveaway for your chance to score some free tape!

See where I’m linking up!

DIY Duck Tape School Accessories

Schools are getting more and more specific about the exact supplies your kids need for school. This is especially true for grade-schoolers. In our school the color and material of folders is dictated as well as for the pencil box. This year, while shopping for school supplies, my oldest was so disappointed that he couldn’t get any of the pretty and unique pencil boxes he saw. His list dictated that he had to have a plastic one. Frankly, the plastic ones are miserably plain. To cheer him up I told him that we would decorate one of the plain plastic cases. That is what inspired the creation of easy DIY Duck Tape school accessories!

 

Duck Tape is a great way to personalize and style up your school supplies and accessories and helped inspired these easy DIY Duck Tape school accessories!

Duck Tape is a great way to personalize and style up your school supplies and accessories.  There are over 250 prints and colors to choose from, making each project unique in it’s own way.  Duck Tape is an easy crafting medium for kids of all ages and often does not require additional supplies (glue, scissors, staples, etc.). Have you seen all of the awesome new designs you can find it in? They have everything from glittery tape to your favorite sports teams! You know I love anything glittery but since this project was for my son, alas, we didn’t go with the glitter. Instead, we used the adorable gnome pattern and the rad Star Wars one. Using two totally different tape patterns meant creating 2 unique projects. The first is this crazy easy pencil box.

 

[bctt tweet=”Want to know how to inspire creativity with your kids this back to school season? Check out my blog beautiful @theduckbrand craft ideas + steps! #DucktoSchool #ad” username=”diyadulation”]

 

Duck Tape is a great way to personalize and style up your school supplies and accessories and helped inspired these easy DIY Duck Tape school accessories!

Pencil Box Materials

Duck Tape is a great way to personalize and style up your school supplies and accessories and helped inspired these easy DIY Duck Tape school accessories!

Step 1

Cut a piece of tape that is slightly larger than the middle indentation of the box.

 

Duck Tape is a great way to personalize and style up your school supplies and accessories and helped inspired these easy DIY Duck Tape school accessories!

 

Step 2

Place the piece of tape on the right side of the indentation. Make sure that the ends of the tape hang over the edges.

 

Duck Tape is a great way to personalize and style up your school supplies and accessories and helped inspired these easy DIY Duck Tape school accessories!

Step 3

Next, trim the edges of your tape by opening up your scissors and running the blade firmly down the edges.

 

Duck Tape is a great way to personalize and style up your school supplies and accessories and helped inspired these easy DIY Duck Tape school accessories!

Step 4

Cut a second piece of tape and line up the patterns to match as best you can.

Tip:

  • Cut this piece of tape larger than the first. This makes it easier to match the patterns.

 

Duck Tape is a great way to personalize and style up your school supplies and accessories and helped inspired these easy DIY Duck Tape school accessories!

Step 5

Next, trim this tape as you did the first piece.

 

Duck Tape is a great way to personalize and style up your school supplies and accessories and helped inspired these easy DIY Duck Tape school accessories!

Duck Tape is a great way to personalize and style up your school supplies and accessories and helped inspired these easy DIY Duck Tape school accessories!

Step 6

Repeat steps 4 and 5 until the entire indentation of the box is covered in tape.

 

Duck Tape is a great way to personalize and style up your school supplies and accessories and helped inspired these easy DIY Duck Tape school accessories!

Step 7

Next, cover the outer edges of the box. Start at the back, right corner and carefully wrap around the outside.

 

Duck Tape is a great way to personalize and style up your school supplies and accessories and helped inspired these easy DIY Duck Tape school accessories!

Step 8

Trim the latch indentation with your scissors as you did above.

 

Duck Tape is a great way to personalize and style up your school supplies and accessories and helped inspired these easy DIY Duck Tape school accessories!

Step 9

Also trim the ends and the bottom overlap of the tape (if there is one).

 

Duck Tape is a great way to personalize and style up your school supplies and accessories and helped inspired these easy DIY Duck Tape school accessories!

Step 10

Add your final piece of tape to the back edge of the pencil box.

Step 11

Lastly, trim any excess from the edges.

 

Duck Tape is a great way to personalize and style up your school supplies and accessories and helped inspired these easy DIY Duck Tape school accessories!

This is such an easy way to dress up a plain pencil box. Choose Duck Tape in the pattern that your child loves to help him or her express style while staying within school supplies parameters. Kick the style up even more with the Duck Tape backpack tag on Monday. It is a great way to label the bag with important information that your child needs or to find its way home if lost.

This pencil will also help your kids express their fun and unique style at school. As if the project isn’t awesome enough, Duck Brand Duck Tape is letting me give you some free tape to create your own back to school accessories! Grab your entries now below. Then start brainstorming your next fantastic Duck Tape project!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

For more information check out Duck Brand Duck Tape on their Website. Also visit their awesome Pinterest Board for more fun back to school projects.