First let me comment on the fact that no one else in the blogosphere (not even Pinterest) has undertaken this project. Normally I like to fully research things and find out some tips and advice that might not have been mentioned in the original instructions. The rope mirror had nothing. Should I have taken that as a sign? Not that I don't trust Nate Berkus, but I'm pretty sure he has several assistants, plus the magic of TV to ensure his ideas are executed perfectly. Case in point: circular cardboard cutout.
I will admit that my decision to use a 29 1/2 inch mirror added to this debacle, but cutting out that circle was not pretty. First I had to find a piece of cardboard big enough, which led me to use one of those science fair tri-fold thingies:
We traced the mirror, then used a box cutter to cut the main circle out. The cardboard was really way to thick for the project and cutting through the corrugated cardboard sucked. Once we got the main circle, it was time to cut the inner circle. It's all downhill from here.
First, we had nothing to trace, so the only solution is to measure 1 1/4" increments around the whole thing and then freehand a line to cut on. As if that didn't suck enough, cutting an accurate and precise line with a box cutter is next to impossible.
So, we tried Plan B. I thought that using some foam board would be easier and cleaner.
It seemed to be working so well until we arrived at the dreaded 'inner circle'. Again, it was so difficult to get a clean line that was actually the same diameter all around.
Not only was the actually cutting of the board not going well, but I really wasn't happy with the fact that the rope would be raised from the mirror. That wouldn't be a problem if you only saw the mirror head-on, but my mirror would be directly to the left of your face when you walked in the room. After some deliberation, I decided to just glue the rope to the mirror and call it a day. The glue gun was plugged in and ready to go, but then Matt brought up the fact that we weren't even sure if the glue would stick to the mirror...darn.
On Sunday, Brian and I decided to buy a cheap-o Goodwill mirror and do some glue testing. (Can you tell I really live life on the edge? lol)
The loser? Mirror glue:
The top contenders? Old fashioned glue gun and Gorilla Glue:
I thought the hot glue had won, until we tried to pry the rope from the mirror and it popped right off. The Gorilla Glue stuck on there like nothing I had ever seen. I could pick the entire thing up just by the rope. The only con is that the glue really foams up twice its size, so you have to apply a very thin line. Also, I happened to buy the 'dries white' version, but I am hoping the original will dry clear.
So there you have it. The longest post ever on a DIY fail. Hopefully, it will be all done by this weekend!
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