DIY Bamboo Skewer Mirror

I wanted a mirror to go above our fireplace mantle but didn't want to spend big bucks for one, either. It seems that the larger the mirror is the more money stores want for it, which I understand. But my thrifty self couldn't justify spending a couple hundred dollars just for a decorative mirror. Well I found a way to spend less than $20 to get a nice large mirror to fit my space nicely. Here's what you need:

-a small round mirror (I found mine at good ol' Walmart on clearance for $10)
-a few packs of bamboo skewers ($1 each from the Dollar Store)
-a wooden wreath frame (at Michaels for a few dollars)
-a glue gun and glue sticks (lots of glue sticks)
-a pack of D-ring hangers (not pictured)
-metallic paint of your choice (I started with craft paint, as pictured, but switched to spray paint--so much easier!)

This was pretty simple to construct. I first went through the skewers and threw out any that were too bent. They're so cheap it was no big deal. I then started gluing bamboo skewers all around the wooden ring (pointy side in) trying very carefully to keep them even and trying even more carefully not to burn my hands. They aren't perfectly even but in the end it looked fine.

Once you have them all glued down, it's as simple as gluing the skewer frame onto the back of the mirror making sure it's centered. Then just tape off the mirror, paint to your heart's desire and add the D-rings onto the back. I know I don't have pictures of the rest of this process but it really is pretty self-explanatory. The key is lots of hot glue. You want to make sure the skewers are securely attached to your mirror. The D-rings can just screw right into the bamboo-wooden frame part. And that's it!

You can see how the original mirror on it's own would have been much too small for the space. The bamboo skewers add just enough to the diameter to make it fit perfectly. And having it all painted in a metallic finish makes it looks like one very nice (and expensive) mirror for less than $20! What other things could you substitute for the skewers to have a similar effect?

I'm sure the possibilities are endless!

Happy crafting!