Painted Mirror With Chalk Paint and Petroleum Jelly

Patricia
by Patricia
3 Materials
Easy
I tried a new-to-me technique using petroleum jelly when I painted this mirror. When trying something new I like to experiment with smaller projects to get the hang of it before attempting on a larger piece. And this mirror was the perfect project to try it on.
It is an oval mirror in a rectangular frame with lovely details.
First I painted the raised details in Graphite (Annie Sloan Chalk Paint). After the paint was dry I rubbed the areas with petroleum jelly.
Next I painted the entire frame in Old White. The chalk paint covered the areas with petroleum jelly but it should make it easier to reveal the darker paint later.
Once the white paint was dry I rubbed it off gently from the raised areas with a damp washcloth to reveal the darker paint below.
It was an easy technique to use and I plan to use it again on future projects.
An alternative would be to dry brush the raised details instead, but because of the nooks and crannies are in a relatively tight space, the jelly was a good alternative.
This technique can also be used as an alternative to sanding which is great to use especially indoors because there is no sanding dust.


This post includes all the details that I included on my blog, but I love connecting with new people, so I'd still like to invite you to stop by my blog to visit and see what other projects I'm working on, or you can connect with my on my Facebook page. :-)
Suggested materials:
  • Mirror   (Thrift Store)
  • Chalk Paint   (Local Stockist)
  • Petroleum Jelly   (Grocery Store)
Patricia
Want more details about this and other DIY projects? Check out my blog post!
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  • Kathy Haines Cramer Kathy Haines Cramer on Jun 09, 2016
    Very nice! :) I've always wondered if the petroleum jelly gooped up on the brush and ended up spreading it around here you didn't want it. How does it not mix in with the paint? :)
  • Gilmer Gal Gilmer Gal on Jun 09, 2016
    Did you seal the project with wax, or put any sealer on it at all? I love this and have just the project piece!
  • GrannieT GrannieT on Jun 09, 2016
    I'm a DIY newbie and have to ask what the reasoning is for using petroleum jelly. What purpose does it serve? This is lovely! Thank you!
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  • Fou6698062 Fou6698062 on Jul 10, 2016
    Just Beautiful!! I loved the original frame as-is, but the finished product is so much more visually interesting and unique. I sometimes have a hard time painting over vintage frames, this "after" is exactly what I hope to acheive. Thanks for sharing!
  • Carol Cole Carol Cole on Jan 26, 2019

    I absolutely love it. It turned out beautiful.

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