How To Make A Beautiful DIY Oyster Shell Mirror

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Upcycle a thrift store mirror with oyster shells or collected seashells from family vacations.

Growing up in Rhode Island, we always visited Cape Cod each summer and I continued the tradition when I had my own family.

Of course, collecting seashells was a big part of beach vacations with kids.

I’ve always enjoyed crafting with collected seashells and upcycling them into a pretty wreath, blessing beads, or using them in a shadow box table.

Today’s project is something I’ve had in the works for several months.

For one reason or another, other DIY projects kept me from completing this DIY oyster shell mirror.

I’m thrilled to be sharing it today as part of the first At Home DIY Challenge.

After my how-to tutorial there is a link to 25+ other DIY home bloggers projects, so be sure to check those out.

This month our theme was “upcycle it projects”.

If you’ve visited here before, you know thrift store shopping is one of my favorite things.

I stumbled upon a large wood mirror for $5. Unfortunately, I must have accidentally deleted the picture showing the unfinished piece.

But it was an outdated dark brown wood with nice beveled edges. The size was absolutely perfect for what I needed.

Let me show you how I upcycled it into this gorgeous beachy mirror. Not only was I completely inspired by the oyster shell mirror that Lisa from Shine Your Light created, but she was also kind enough to mail me an entire box of oyster shells. Kindness does exist! 

DIY Oyster Shell Mirror

Supplies

• DecoArt Metallics Paint – Pearl
• Paint Brush
• E-6000 Adhesive
• DecoArt Triple Thick Gloss Glaze

Step 1.

Clean the entire mirror with a vinegar and water solution prior to painting. I used a pretty pearl metallic paint.

As most of the frame would be covered, I just gave it a quick once over.

The coverage on this paint is amazing and I absolutely love the pearl finish.

Step 2.

Make sure the seashells are clean. The oyster shells I used were already washed, so I lucked out big time.

Cleaning oyster shells is no fun and this probably saved me at least an hour or two.

Step 3.

Get ready to glue, glue glue! This DIY project is extremely easy, but it is time consuming. There are a lot of oyster shells on this baby.

I found it easiest to start in the corners and work my way around.

So I basically have three layers of shells.

Also, it’s best not to use hot glue on this project. While it may hold initially, you should go with something a little stronger like E-6000, which is what I used.

Step 4.

Once you are happy with the placement of all the oyster shells, it’s time to add the top coat.

You can certainly leave them natural if you like. But I have used this gloss glaze before and love the finish.

It dries clear, so you can still see the pretty details in the shell, but it gives it a nice shine. Use a small paint brush to apply the finish.

I hung this beautiful beachy mirror in my living room right by the front door.

The perfect spot to give your make-up a quick check before you head out the door.

Thank you for stopping by. I hope you enjoyed this upcycle it project.

Enjoy the rest of the projects and have a great day!

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