Make a Starburst Mirror
I’m a fan of retro-styled starburst mirrors, and I just knew I could make one on a dollar store budget! I’ve seen these all over the place, from design magazines and blogs to my grandma’s house, and the starburst is a motif I definitely respond to. Pottery Barn has one for sale right now that is $449.
I got styrofoam discs (6 for $1 – in the floral section) and bamboo skewers at my dollar store. I had to get a few things at other stores. I picked up metallic spray paint for about $3 at a local big-box store, and four packages of round mirrors at my local craft store. The mirrors were less than $1 a package, and I got three sizes: .75 inch (2 packs), 1 inch, (1 pack), and 2 inch (1 pack). You can also pick up a convex mirror (find it in the auto parts section, sold as a blind-spot mirror) if you like the look, for the center of the starburst.
Project Estimate:
- Styrofoam disc, 6 for $1
- Bamboo skewers, $1
- Metallic spray paint, $3
- Round mirrors, 4 packages at $.99 each
- Pretty coordinating cardstock, on hand
- Craft glue, on hand (I used Aleene’s Quick Dry Tacky Glue)
- Duct tape, optional
Total: $8.95
Pottery Barn currently has a starburst-style mirror for sale for $449. It’s much larger and a bit more ornate than my version, but you could definitely go this route if you wanted to! Just increase the number of skewers you use and overlap the mirrors more. I would also get some scrapbooking paper and cut out little circles to frame the mirrors. (I wanted to do that for my project, but I don’t have large round craft punches, and I’m not precise enough to cut good circles out by hand!)
To Make:
- Gather desired number of skewers and divide in half. Take half of them and trim about 2″ off.
- Push skewers into round edge of styrofoam disc, alternating between longer and shorter skewers.
- Spray paint skewers with metallic paint (try to avoid spraying styrofoam as it can be damaged/melted by spray paint).
- If you are framing the little mirrors with scrapbook paper, cut out circles and glue to mirrors while paint is drying.
- When paint is dry, glue mirrors onto skewers using craft glue.
- (Optional) Once the glue starts to take hold, you can turn starburst over and tape the backs of the mirrors onto the skewers to make them more secure. This is for the “oh ye of little faith” crafters–I’m in this group!
- Cut out a large circle of cardstock for the center of the starburst. I traced mine with a tuna can. You can use any round thing to trace, just make sure it’s larger than your center mirror (and your styrofoam disc–you want to cover that up).
- Glue larger mirror to cardstock, then glue to styrofoam.
To hang, you can just put a small nail in the wall and push the styrofoam into the nail.
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Love it! My grandma and grandpa used to have a MASSIVE brushed bronze starburst clock over their couch when I was little. It looked like it weighed 80 lbs. I would snatch it up in a second if they still had it.
You could use this same design and swap out the middle mirror with some scavenged or store-bought clock hardware. I might have to try it, since we need a clock in our bathroom anyway….
I just saw a similar tutorial on Threadbanger, but I like yours better. :) It’s more unique.
I’ve always wanted to make one of these, and even bought the little mirrors a couple years ago. Never could figure out how to do it, though. Now I can dig them up and get it done!!
Wow, it’s gorgeous! And I love that you used the convex mirror, what a great idea! I’ll be linking.
i always save my mirrors from my old make-up compacts (for various crafts). a few of them are round and now i will put the rest of them to use!
this totally rocks.
Very cool! And actually better looking than the over priced Pottery Barn version!
This rocks Heather! Well done! :-D
Wow! This looks amazing for only nine dollars. I’m so impressed.
Love this! Love it all! Thank you!
[...] love a good starburst, and especially love the mid-century look of the George Nelson Ball Clock, which inspired my entry [...]
you’re a star;)teehee
its cool
thanx for giving a very good idea for making ths,it seems very simple.will try to make it.looks lovely
Neat! Could you paint the skewers first, so you don’t have to worry about the styrofoam melting?
[...] love is the High Concept section where it shows you how to make high-style art for cheap. I found this tutorial for a retro mirrored wall hanging inspired by a $450 Pottery Barn piece. It’s pretty [...]
Thank God for all your starburst mirror info, the stryofoam disc idea is awesome! I have a crafty idea in mind and all this info helped me tons.
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