Home >> Toys >> Dolls

How to Make a Doll Vanity Mirror

For centuries, parents and adults have fashioned simple or elaborate furniture and household furnishing for dolls out of readily available materials. Making a mirror for a doll vanity can be accomplished with a simple wood picture frame. Use the size of your doll vanity to determine the size of the mirror. The vanity should have at least an inch of space on each side of the mirror. For a dollhouse size vanity mirror, use a frame that is 3 inches wide by 4 inches long, or smaller. Large doll vanities will require a frame measuring at least 5 inches wide by 7 inches long.

Things You'll Need

Wood frame, 5 inches wide by 7 inches long, or smaller
Newspaper
Acrylic paint
Paintbrushes
Clear spray paint or clear acrylic paint (optional)
Decals or paper images (optional)
School glue
Plastic mirror sheet or aluminum foil or mirror cut to fit
Scissors
Ruler
2 Popsicle sticks, 4 1/2 inches long
Duct tape

Instructions

- 1
  Disassemble the frame, removing any glass. Set the cardboard frame backing aside for use in another step. You won't use the glass. Cover your work area with newspaper. Place the frame on the paper.
- 2
  Paint the frame with acrylic paints. Allow paint to dry. If placing any flower decals or paper images on the vanity mirror frame, place those images in position with school glue, and allow to dry. Paint the frame with clear paint for gloss or to protect decals/ images used. Allow paint to dry.
- 3
  Use a ruler to measure a rectangle 1/4 inch smaller on all sides than the frame on a piece of aluminum foil or plastic mirror sheet---or use a mirror precut to the frame's size. Plastic mirror sheets can be purchased at most craft stores. Cut the rectangle from the foil or plastic.
- 4
  Glue the plastic mirror sheet or aluminum foil to the frame's cardboard backing with school glue. This will be the mirror surface, so make sure you glue the reflective mirror sheet or foil to the inside of the frame backing so you can see it through the frame when reassembled. Press the foil or plastic mirror sheet firmly onto the cardboard. Disregard this step if you're using a precut mirror that fits your frame.
- 5
  Reassemble the frame.
- 6
  Glue a Popsicle stick to the back of the frame, one inch from the outside edge on each side. Make sure that at least two inches of each Popsicle stick is on the back of the frame. These are the mirror supports that will help stabilize the mirror against the back of the doll vanity. Allow glue to dry.
- 7
  Set the frame bottom on top of the doll vanity, centering it with the Popsicle sticks flat against the back of the doll vanity.
- 8
  Tape the Popsicle sticks and back of mirror to the back of the doll vanity with at least two pieces of duct tape, making sure the tape isn't visible from the front of the vanity. Trim excess tape.

Dolls