Just Flew The Coop: DIY Starburst Mirrors: Part 1

Starburst mirrors are a super popular accessory for the home... or in our case, the dorm room or apartment! I, myself, am a HUGE fan of the stylish mirror. I think that it is perfectly decorative and modern. You might have fallen in love with a beautiful starburst mirror at one point or another, but looked at the not-so-cheap price tag and walked away. Now you don't have to spend that money! Instead, invest just a little bit of time into making one of these two amazing DIY starburst mirrors.

In this post, I will be addressing the steps to make the first of the two mirrors (the one seen on the left).The first DIY design was created by Janell from Isabella & Max. Her lovely version of the mirror has two main components, which are twigs from Ikea and an inexpensive round mirror (like the one seen above) from Target. The mirror must have a flat frame because the twigs will be attached directly to the surface of the frame. Here is a more organized list of the supplies...

A bundle of sticks like the ones seen in the picture above
An inexpensive round mirror with a flat frame
A glue gun
Painter's tape
A small saw

First, take the branches and cut them down to varying lengths of 15 to 20 inches using the saw. Make sure that the cuts are clean. This will insure a clean and precise final product.

Next, draw out guidelines on the mirror using painter's tape so that the first few branches are attached in the right directions.

Attach the first few branches according to the guidelines.

Now, you can fill in between the first branches. Secure the branches onto the frame by applying a lot of hot glue in that one area. Take the branch, put it into place, and hold it for a few seconds or until the glue sets a little bit. Don't forget to vary the lengths of the branches as you place them onto the frame. This will create a lovely design on the final product.

Once you have glued them all down, take some sandpaper and sand the top sections of the branches around the frame to remove the unwanted hot glue.

Your next step will be to paint the frame and the branches, so make sure to cover the mirror surface with paper and painter's tape.

Prime the backside of the mirror with spray primer and let it dry (try for about 30 minutes). Janell adds that stacked paint cans provide a fantastic stand to place the mirror on while you paint away.