Bejewelled Insect Mirror

I have admit to being a little disappointed with this bejewelled insect mirror, as it doesn’t look anything like it did in my head when I first had the idea …….. it’ll do for now ………

……..but it’s too blue, too wishy washy and all the flowers make it far too busy for the insects to really stand out. I think I could have done an awful lot better, if I had unlimited funds to buy the hundreds of insect brooches I think I really needed to pull it off.

I made it to replace the retro, metal framed mirror in my hall where I check my hair before going out!  The 22ins x 14ins  mirror I used as a base cost me just £1 from my favourite Evesham charity shop.  It was absolutely filthy, but it was exactly the right size for the position.

In preparation for the project I ordered what I thought would be too many insect brooches from Temu (not all shown) costing between £1.30 - £1.50 each. It wasn’t enough!  A few broke as I took the pin backs off them, but then it wasn’t to difficult to disguise the fact when I eventually stuck them on the frame.

I started by spraying the mirror gold and then worked from the corners using cabochon flowers and other jewelled bits and pieces from broken bracelets and necklaces and generous dollops of E-6000 glue.

It didn’t take me long to realise as I set things out that the insects were going to be drowned among all the other frippery, but I persevered ………

……. adding the first layer of jewels etc, and then leaving it all to settle overnight  …….

…… before adding the majority of the bugs the next day ………

……. followed by filling in all the little gaps with smaller gems and flowers the following day.

For me, it doesn’t work, however, now it’s hung on the wall I am sure it will grow on me, sometimes you can work too close to something and not see the bigger picture.  However, I have ordered four more ladybirds from Temu and will probably keep on adding another couple to my basket whenever I make up an order (as I am seriously addicted to the site).

I am also thinking that I would like to have another go, on a much smaller scale but using plastic toy bugs instead, that I can spray and embellish with glitter and gems and set out on a much simple background of painted paper clay leaves? We shall see.

I was also hoping to make a few jewelled wreaths for Christmas presents this year, but this mirror has totally wiped me out for flower jewellery, which is really hard to find as it’s been out of fashion for quite a while now, so I guess I’ll have to start trawling the charity shops again to build up a new supply……. happy days!