Into this!
For years I have loved the gorgeous sunburst mirrors featured in all my favorite catalogs - Wisteria and Ballard Designs to name a few. Of course, I do not love the prices. I am nothing if not a bargain shopper, so $150+ for a small-ish mirror just was not going to work.
Enter Pinterest.
I must say that Pinterest may be my newest addiction. It is full of great inspiration, sources and DIY's {you can follow me here}. So I must say that I was floored when I stumbled across this pin {original blog post here}.
This immediately became #1 of my list of projects. I followed the blog tutorial linked above fairly closely. But for my own version of the tutorial, read on.
Materials I used:
8" wood shims {they come in packs of 14 at Lowe's - I used about 6 packs}
12" wood shims {packs of 42 at Lowe's - I used 3}
Glue gun and plenty of glue sticks
12x12 piece of plywood, 1/2" thick - Michaels
10" craft mirror {or whatever size makes you happy!} - Michaels
1/4"x36" strip of balsa wood {I would recommend a wood embroidery hoop if you can find one that finds tightly around your mirror} - Michaels
Gorilla glue
Weights
Picture hanger of your choice {I used 2 zig-zag teeth looking hangers, but triangle hooks would also work}
220 grit sandpaper
Metallic gold spray paint {I used Rustoleum Metallic Gold and really like it}
Steps:
{Prep Step: If you use a straight strip of balsa wood instead of a hoop, you obviously need to create a circle. Do NOT try to do this with a dry strip - it will just crack. Fill your tub with warm water and soak the balsa for a few hours. Once it feels very pliable, wrap the strip around your craft mirror, cut to length, tape together, and let it dry around the mirror}
1) Arrange shims into "rays"
This is really based on your preference and the look you prefer. I used groupings of (7) 8" shims for the shorter rays, and (9) 12" shims for the shorter ones. I staggered them evenly because I'm mildly OCD and love symmetry. I just placed them (without gluing) to create the shape I wanted.
2) Start gluing!
Take a "ray" and start hot gluing the individual shims together - just a quick dollop of glue between each shim is all you need.
A finished "ray" should look like this:
3) Arrange the rays until they fit perfectly in a circle.
If you are compulsive like me, use a measuring tape and a grid {shown below} to make sure all the rays are aligned. Have an extra pack of shims ready because you may need to add a single shim here and there to make the pieces fit tight. I think I used about 4 or 5 extra 8" shims around the entire piece.
Once arranged, hot glue each completed ray to its neighbor. Again, just a quick dollop will do.
4) Once the rays are all glued, take the plywood, squeeze a circle or two of Gorilla glue around the perimeter, and place on top of the rays to secure them all together. The plywood becomes the back of the mirror. Use weights to hold the plywood down {read and follow all instructions on the glue, and be warned that it "grows" 3 or 4x when it dries, so don't ever place too close to the edges}.
{yes, I used some canned yams and enchilada sauce to help my weenie 3 pound weights}
5) This is where I forgot to take some pictures, but the steps are fairly simple: SPRAYPAINT! {Be sure to spray the rays and the balsa wood/embroidery hoop BEFORE you attach the mirror - I only sprayed the front because there's no sense wasting spraypaint on the back}
6) Use Gorilla glue to secure the craft mirror to the front center of the "sunburst", then use hot glue to secure the balsa circle around the mirror.
7) Once dried, turn over and install your picture hanging hardware. Be sure to use something for heavy items, because this puppy does weigh a good bit.
8) Hang and Enjoy!
Have any of you tried this DIY? Please share your story!
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