March 1: Embroidery Hoop Mirrors Display

Background: 
I have been wanting a mirror for the one wall in our living room for quite a while now. However I have not been willing to part with the amount of money it would cost me to purchase any of the mirrors I have found that I really like.

A few things came together today to make this project happen:

1. I saw these small circle mirrors at Target a few months ago and considered them but wasn't sure. 
2. I have been taking little embroidery projects with me the coffee shops to keep me busy when they are not. 
3. Tuesday I had this idea of combining the circle mirrors and embroidery projects into a hanging collection.
4. Today I had the time to make the idea happen.

A quick explanation and some pictures of how it came together:

I bought this set of 7 circle mirrors at Target for $20. It came with 3, 3inch, 3, 6 inch and 1, 9 inch mirrors. I bought 3, 3 inch, 3, 6 inch and 1, 9 inch embroidery hoops at Michaels for about $8. I had 3, 6 inch embroidery projects in hoops that I wanted to add to the mirrors.

To put the mirrors in the hoops, I took out the center wooden circle, just using the outer circle with the tightening mechanism. I put the mirrors in their corresponding hoops and tightened them in (this worked for all put the 9 inch hoop, I will explain that one later).

Then I arranged the hoops out on a cut apart paper bag and marked where I wanted them to hang.

I hung the marked paper bag to the wall where I wanted to collection hung.

Using the marks on the paper bag as a guide I nailed nails where I wanted each piece hung.

Once all the nails where in place I took the bag off the wall, leaving only the nails.

I don't know why but for some reason the 9 inch mirror did not fit tightly in the 9 inch embroidery hoop. So, I hung the mirror on its own with a little picture hanging hook (the mirrors came with hardware on the back) and hung the hoop just above it so it appeared to be together.

I ended up using a little knotted twine loop to hang the embroidery hoops on the nails, just for a little extra character.

This "C" never did make it to the
front door as planned.

I stitched this little birdy earlier this week during
a few slow afternoons at the coffee shop.

You may remember me debating whether to give
 this one way or keep for myself;
 I think you can figure out my decision.