Monday 23 July 2018

Sunburst Mirror DIY with Hobbycraft

DIY tutorial sunburst mirror outdoor mirror using mirror candle plate and wooden dowels from hobbycraft

I’m not going to lie, I’m absolutely obsessed with outdoor mirrors at the moment – they’re a fab way of jazzing up a boring fence/brick wall in your garden, and not to mention reflect light and make your space appear larger. What’s not to like?! I’ve teamed up with Hobbycraft to show you how you could make your own – in this seasons must have style, of course – a sunburst mirror! And the best part? This cost me just £25 in total to make - a complete bargain in comparison to some of the much pricier mirrors I've been looking at.

DIY tutorial sunburst mirror outdoor mirror using mirror candle plate and wooden dowels from hobbycraft

What I used


DIY tutorial sunburst outdoor mirror using mirror candle plate and wooden dowels from hobby raft

Mirror plate – I used the 20cm version
Wood for the outer frame – I don’t have the tools needed to cut a piece of wood for the frame, so used the base from this clock, which is 25cm, so the perfect fit for the mirror (and it's much cheaper than a piece of mdf would be!)
Bamboo dowel rods (pack of 12) – For the sunburst spikes. Mine has 48 spikes, so I used four packets
Gold paint 
Gorilla glue
Fixture to hang mirror from wall - I used something I already had laying about in the toolbox, however Hobbycraft have similar fixings which can be found here

To make the mirror
The first thing I did was measure out exactly what I wanted the mirror to look like, and how I wanted to position the dowels. Each dowel is just over 30cm long, and I decided I wanted to leave some at full length, with others at varying lengths to create the sunburst look. I've popped my design is below should you wish to follow this, however obviously you could totally adapt it and create your own design.

DIY tutorial sunburst outdoor mirror using mirror candle plate and wooden dowels from hobby raft

Next I painted the dowels and the wood disc for base in gold paint. I actually over-ordered on the paint and only ended up using one tube as it went on really well.

DIY tutorial sunburst outdoor mirror using mirror candle plate and wooden dowels from hobby raft

I then chopped the dowels down to the correct lengths – I used a pair of garden secateurs for this, however I’m sure some sturdy scissors or even a knife would work just as well.

Next I drew lines on the back of the base as a guide to where I needed to stick the dowels. I did this by segregating up the circle into eighths and then drew a straight line every 1.5cm. I then stuck the mirror onto the front of the base using gorilla glue, as I figured it would be easier to do this before the dowels are stuck on!

DIY tutorial sunburst outdoor mirror using mirror candle plate and wooden dowels from hobby raft

Finally I stuck the dowels onto the back of the base using the gorilla glue. This was a little tricky as you can imagine, however wasn’t too bad once you’ve got the hang of it. I found it was helpful to print out the diagram (above) as a guide to which length came next.

DIY tutorial sunburst outdoor mirror using mirror candle plate and wooden dowels from hobby raft

I then attached a wall fixing to the back in order to be able to hang it from the fence. If I was to make this again I would cut the dowels to a shorter length, so they'd be a gap in the middle for the fixing as it was harder to stick it to the back of the poles.

DIY tutorial sunburst outdoor mirror using mirror candle plate and wooden dowels from hobby raft

You’re all done! I’m really pleased with how this has turned out, and plan to bring it inside at the end of the summer as I think it would also look fab above my bed, or possibly on the stairs. It would also work really well as a set of two or three, perhaps using some of the smaller mirror plates, or a different design with the wooden dowels?

DIY tutorial sunburst outdoor mirror using mirror candle plate and wooden dowels from hobby raft

DIY tutorial sunburst outdoor mirror using mirror candle plate and wooden dowels from hobby raft

DIY tutorial sunburst outdoor mirror using mirror candle plate and wooden dowels from hobby raft

What do you think? Is this something you’d like to have a go at? Don’t forget to tag me over on Instagram (@dove_cottage) if you do try your hand at this DIY – I’d love to have a look! You can use the code 'DIY15' for 15% off all Hobbycraft orders until the end of August (please note: code excludes sewing machines and only applicable online).

Thanks for reading,
Sam Xx
*This is a paid collaboration with Hobbycraft but all ideas and opinions are my own*

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10 comments

  1. Very nice and super effective! Very affordable too, especially for a garden mirror.

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    1. Thank you so much! Very cheap way to get the look!

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  2. super cute mirror and it really enhances that space. I also like it on the house wall over your chest of drawers!

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    1. Thank you! I know I need to make another one how ha!

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  3. Such a great craft DIY project and it looks ace. We have a new hobby craft in Brighton which is quite exciting

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    1. Thank you so much! Ah that is exciting! I love hobbycraft, like a gold mine of stuff!

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  4. oh my thats such a fun diy i love it and looks so good in your garden x

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    1. Thank you so much! It was so easy to make!

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  5. The sticks of varying lenghs make all the difference. Lovely mid-century modern pattern!

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    1. Ah thank you! I’m quite pleased with it!

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