DIY Sunburst Mirror

[pinterest]As you know, I have a slight passion for mirrors. I have written numerous blogs on decorating with mirrors here, here and here. I feel they are a major part of a room design:

Meg Braff

I found a starburst mirror that I loved at Ballards:But the price tag was way more than I wanted to spend on a mirror ($349.00). I noticed a starburst mirror on Pinterest that was really pretty and it was a do-it-yourself project.I love making things but I never want it to look like it was a DIY project. I thought this mirror from K Sarah Designs was really pretty and it sounded easy even for me!I followed her directions with a few changes in materials and directions.Materials:* Wood shims (I used 2 different sizes: 4 packs of 42 count, 12" long shims, and 11 packs of 14 count, 8" long shims from Lowes)* Wood glue (I used Elmer's Wood Glue)* Gorilla glue* Round mirror (I used a 14" diameter beveled mirror from Michaels)* Thin plywood sheet for the backing. I used a 12” x 12” sheet from Michaels.*Polycrylic Spray* Heavy duty hanging hardwareDirections:First, figure out how you want to lay the shims. I followed Kristen's advice and went with groupings of 9 for the 12” shims and grouping of 7 for the 8” shims.I did not want the grouping to be perfect- I liked the varied look to go with the finish of the shims which was irregular. Plus, it was so much easier! So I just laid out a piece and started gluing together:For the last piece, I matched the ends with the first piece so they would all be the same size:Each grouping makes up a starburst. Then I let them sit and dry for a couple hours:For the next part of the project, I followed Kristen's advice and made 15 large starburst groups and 15 of the smaller starbursts. I found the middle of my 12 x 12” plywood and started my pattern like this:I laid out a pattern I liked then started gluing them to each other and to the plywood backing. You may need to add in an individual shim here or there if all the ray groupings don't complete an entire starburst or you need to fill in a little space.After I let it dry for a couple hours, I sprayed with a couple coats of Polycrylic to seal. If you want to paint your starburst, first spray with primer then spray paint with a couple coats of paint. Let that dry. Next, I glued the back of the mirror with Gorilla and wood glue in the middle of the starburst and weighed down overnight to set:To attach the hanging hardware, I attached two screws to the plywood and secured heavy duty wire between them:Then it is ready to hang up and enjoy!:I really love the way it came out! The entire project was under $35.00 and only took a few hours to complete (plus drying time). It was fun too! Do you like making projects? It is not perfect but that’s why I love it more. Not bad for the first mirror I made!Update: I made another mirror here in blue if you would like to see.If you need creative ideas in decorating for your home, contact me today! Linking over at Serenity Now!