Apalachicola Oyster Mirror

Finding my way thru design stores along the forgotten coast, I have found many pieces of furniture and art my heart desires and my wallet despises.  In a boutique in Apalachicola, a small town in Florida which produces 90% of all Florida’s oysters, I came across the most beautiful mirror lined in rows of glistening oyster shells. I had to have it.

Here is how I created the same oyster mirror from the boutique without the shocking price tag: 

Supplies:

• empty oyster shells -Free! 
• spray enamel - $3 
• old mirror with wide frame - Free! 
• hot glue gun - $1 
• gorilla glue - Free! 

Cost of Boutique Mirror - $450

 Step 1: Collect Oyster Shells 
Luckily I come from a big family of oyster lovers so empty shells are plentiful around the grounds of The Whaley House.  The flatter the shell the better. I used smaller shells on the inside of the mirror and larger shells to surround the outside. 

Step 2: Clean, Dry and Spray 
Once the oyster shells are cleaned with water, they can be sprayed with enamel and laid to dry in the sunshine.  This gives the shells an extra shine. 

 

Step 3: Glue 
I was unsure my hot glue gun would be strong enough to hold the weight of the shells so I used Gorilla glue as the base. Since Gorilla glue takes 2+ hours to dry, I used the hot glue as the temporary adhesive until the gorilla glue dried everything in place. 

Step 4: Patience 
Make sure all shells are securely glued to the mirror before finding the perfect location to hang your new mirror.  

Enjoy !