Tuesday, April 19, 2016

How To: Lighted Vanity Mirror!!

Hi Guys!

I hope everyone had an awesome weekend. For those of you who attended Coachella, I hate you and we can't be friends. (Insert sassy "talk to the hand" gesture here). Gee guys, can you tell I'm home sick and super bitter about it? (oops). Speaking of...I have some exciting news to share with you all. The CC (California Cupcake) clan is packing up and moving back home to the sunshine state...(or is that Florida? Whatever)...THIS IS NOT A DRILL! For real, we are moving back and I am so so so excited to get home and back to my California roots. As a matter of fact, we leave the day after tomorrow...(I write, as I slightly panic about the fact that I haven't even started to pack yet). If you've been following me from the beginning, you know that I am engaged and that my fiance works in the hockey industry. After a lot of talking and planning and pro con lists, we have decided that it's in our best interest to head home to save for our wedding and other future plans. (you won't hear me complaining). So for the next year, I will be sharing a new journey with you guys. I now have the challenge of fitting two whole lives into one small room...comfortably...and preferably, in a stylish manner. Challenge Accepted. So stay tuned and subscribe to witness all the frustration and (hopefully) success over the next year! 

Until then...let's chat vanities, shall we? My last post was all about my new vanity. You guys seemed to be so excited about it and several of you asked for the how to scoop on the lighted mirror...well, ask and you shall receive my dears.

I think most girls....girly girls that is...would dream of a lighted vanity to get ready in front of. There is something so amazing about having that space to get ready in every morning. It's almost enough to make it seem like you have your life together...which means a lot if you're a twenty-something like me. (don't act like you don't pretend). Unfortunately, if you rent your home...or you're just not an electrician...the fact that almost every single vanity light system that I have come across needs to be wired through the wall, is just not something you are willing to take on. Enter...the Appliance Replacement Cord. 


So, in the rush of excitement to put this thing together...I forgot to take a picture of the actual cord...but you can save this picture and take it the hardware store for reference. The cord is a three pronged cord with three open wires on the end. Similar to the one below.

The only other product you will need to make this adaptable to a wall plug-in, are wire nuts! They look like this...

And you can find them here on the Home Depot website! 

Now that you have the products to convert the mirror...let's talk about the mirror itself! I got this mirror from IKEA for $40! It's called the Lilljorm. Part of the reason I picked this one is because it's round, I was so over the look of the sqaure vanity mirror with the square desk...I just felt like it was too uniform. Another reason was because when you wire a vanity through the wall, you usually connect it to the light switch so it turns on and off...you obviously eliminate that option when you convert it to a plug-in, which means I needed a mirror with an on and off button, which the Lilljorm has! Head to your nearest IKEA and pick one up! Don't forget to pick up some lightbulbs from your local hardware store. For some reason, IKEA HIGHLY overcharges for lightbulbs...literally....$10 a piece...stupid. 


Once you have all your supplies, all you have to do it tie the wires together, place a wire nut over it, and plug it in! Here's a few more details on that...

This is what the back of the mirror looks like. 


 It comes with three different colored wires...black, yellow/green striped, and white. 


Grab these three wire and the three wires from your plug-in adapter wire. Your three pronged cord has three wires in different colors as well. My cord had a black a white and a green. Take the silver part of both cords and twist them together, place a write nut over them, and twist the wire nut to be sure they are secure. Pull firmly on both wires to try to seperate them, making sure they don't come apart. If they are secure move on to the black and green doing the same thing. Make sure you do this before you plug it in ;)



It is literally that simple...now you just plug it in!  


VIOLA!

P.S. Don't get too attached to this vanity, because...a little hint...it's already changed ;) 

Stay Tuned!





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XO.