Hi friends! Stopping by to share a very easy DIY project with you today! Though this project is simple and the supplies cheap, the end result looks far from it; this decorative piece will look like a rare gem when you're done, (especially when you customize it for your home)!
When I shared our basement makeover yesterday, I included a few peeks of our sunburst mirror above the couch.
This was the second DIY project using my smuggled paint sticks, (check out the rustic lampshade here). Let me show you how I made it!
Supplies:
About 60 paint sticks (Home Depot)
10" round mirror (JoAnns)
10" embroidery hoop (JoAnns)
14" x 14" piece of wood (Home Depot)
Hot glue gun (JoAnns)
Medium sized D-Ring for hanging the mirror (Home Depot)
*Optional: wood stain and/or paint (Home Depot)
If you plan on painting and/or staining the paint sticks for your mirror, you'll first want to lay them out all nice and straight. I used three wood stains for a salvaged wood look, so I separated the sticks into three lines.
I used Sunbleached, Weathered Gray, and Ash wood stains by Varathane.
To apply stain, I love using staining sponges - they're these white cloth 'sponges' that come in a 3 or 4 pack in the paint department of the hardware store. I just dip a small section of the sponge in, fold it in half so the stain is spread over the sponge, and wipe it on in a back and forth motion. You can even the stain out by gently rubbing a clean part of the sponge over the surface you are staining. And don't forget to wear rubber gloves! I keep a box of latex gloves in my garage so they're always on hand and within reach!
Once your sticks are dried, lay out your 14 x 14 piece on a flat surface. If you don't have scrap wood at home that can be cut down to fit the bill, you can always ask the lumber department if they have any scraps you could go through. Or just buy a 3 x 4 ft sheet of plywood for $5.
Hot glue the 10" mirror onto the center of the wood.
Hot glue the embroidery hoop around the edge of the mirror, (gluing it to the wood base, not the mirror). Embroidery hoops come with two rings. The inside one will be a half inch shy of reaching all the way around the mirror, and the outside one will be just a tad bigger than the mirror so there will be a slight gap between the mirror and the hoop. For this sunburst mirror, I used the inside hoop for a tight fit all the way around. I figured once the paint sticks were all glued on the small gap would be unnoticeable.
Now you're ready for the fun part! Hot glue each stick onto the wood by applying a line of hot glue onto the wood base, and laying the stick on top. Press down on the paint stick, and move onto the next.
At this point I got really into a groove and stopped taking pictures. Hah! But I finished the first layer of paint sticks, then started filling in the gaps, (where you can see the wood base), with a second layer. For the second and third layers, I actually broke the paint sticks down for a more authentic salvaged wood look. Paint sticks are thin and snap very easily. I just put one end of the stick under my foot, and pulled the other end up. Each one broke differently, which I love!
Then I finished by tapping a D-Ring into the back of the wood base!
Finished product!
I sure had fun making this, and it was ridiculously quick and easy! The stains and wood base I already had on hand, and the paint sticks were free, so the only costs were the embroidery hoop, ($2ish), and the mirror, ($4). Since making this mirror I've already made another one for my daughter's room using the second embroidery hoop! To add that up, that's two sunburst mirrors for a grand total of $10!
Coming up tomorrow, Cate's sharing a sweet tour of her living room with you in her Wednesday edition!
Thank you so much for stopping by!
~Chelsea
This post was published under Chelsea's Garage, now affectionately known as StyleMutt.