Bloody Mary, Bloody Mary, Bloody Mary

Halloween is the most wonderful time of the year. There’s nothing better than curling up with a ghost story, or horror movie, or scary podcast and falling into another world. Of course, I am not only a horror queen during Halloween. That’s just the time when my obsession with all things scary looks slightly normal. But you know what? Normalcy is overrated and scary things are awesome. So I’ve started incorporating horror crafting into my every day decor. One of my favorite projects has been my Bloody Mary mirror.

Full confession: I never played Bloody Mary as a kid. I was too afraid. I mean, I was reasonably sure that nothing was going to jump out of the mirror and grab me to try and pull me back into its alternate universe, but why risk it? I was happy on this side of the glass. I finally faced my fears on St. Patrick’s Day, when my sister and I drunkenly went into our brother’s bathroom and chanted “Bloody Mary! Bloody Mary! Bloody Mary!” while clutching each other and facing the mirror. We’re both still here, but I haven’t tried the game on my own. There’s a part of me that still thinks that maybe, just maybe, Bloody Mary is waiting for me just past the glass.

However, I wasn’t about to let my irrational childhood fear stop me from creating this badass decoration and I don’t think you should either (if you are afraid of Bloody Mary. Likely you’re not. Likely you’re a grown adult who understands the concept of reflective glass and realises that nothing can be lurking behind it. Whatever). So here’s what I used to create this malevolent mirror:

*Mirror (obviously)

I actually used an old perfume tray that had been my mother’s. I don’t have many full size bottles of perfume (I prefer smaller sizes from indie companies) and it was just taking up space on my already too crowded dresser. Plus, the lace was looking a little worse for wear. So I pulled the top layer off, along with the silk flowers and fake pearls, and was left with a circular mirror ringed with lace. I actually tried to brighten up the remaining lace by soaking in in OxyClean, but that only helped so much (and OxyClean is a miracle, so this was obviously pretty bad).

*Silver spray paint

You may or may not want to use this. I wanted to make the glass of the mirror look a little older and creepier. You may prefer a shiny look. It’s up to you.

*Sandpaper

*ModPodge

*Creepy picture

I found one just by searching around on the internet. Pinterest is a great source for spooky pics. If you’re looking for something a little more vintage, try sites like The Spooky Victorian. They have terrific, and creepy, options.  

*Red paint

Pretty simple ingredient list, right? The actual project is fairly easy, too.

Step One

Have lots of fun!

Okay, now that we’ve gotten the obligatory New Kids on the Block reference out of the way (they were a band, for you youths reading this) we can get started on the actual crafting.

Step One

Spray paint your mirror

This is optional. I used silver spray paint because I wanted the mirror to have a duller and more antique looking finish. Have you ever looked into an antique mirror? They can be pretty warped. If you choose to spray paint your mirror, wait for it to dry before moving on to step two. If you don’t go right to step two.

Step Two

Sandpaper the mirror

This will also help to achieve that dated, dilapidated look. It will also serve to scuff up the glass and hide any flaws that may occur during the painting or decoupaging process.

Step Three

Affix the picture

Affixing the picture is the easy part. Getting it sized can be more difficult. I went through several different trials before I found the perfect size for the mirror that I was working with. The goal is to have the picture looking like the ghost is coming out of the mirror at you, or appearing in the mirror after you say the dreaded words. With that in mind, you want something that fills up most of the mirror but still allows you to see that it is, in fact, a mirror. That’s part of the gag. Trial and error are part of any good craft project, easy ones included.

Once you’ve gotten the picture down to the size and shape that you want it, brush some mod podge onto it and stick it onto your mirror. Be careful to smooth out any bubbles or creases. Once it’s laying flat, cover the picture and the mirror with mod podge. A thin layer will do just fine. You’re trying to get the picture to stick to the mirror but you aren’t trying to make it look gunky. Once you feel that the picture is firmly attached and flat, wait for it to try.

Step Four

Bring in the blood

Once the mod podge is dry, it’s time to add the words. I used regular acrylic paint and a small foam brush. Depending on the size of your mirror and the steadiness of your hand,  you may choose to use a paint pen. Keep in mind, though, that the lettering is supposed to look imperfect. The idea is that “Mary Mary Mary” has been written in blood - Bloody Mary. Any drips or imperfections add to the creep factor.

Once everything is dry, your Bloody Mary mirror is ready to go! I keep mine up year round, displayed above my framed childhood Ouija board, but we’ve already talked about the fact that normalcy isn’t one of my defining qualities.

How did yours turn out? Where did you wind up displaying it? Let me know!