Upcycle Toys – DIY Mirror of Happiness

I can’t remember the last time I had so much fun creating. I found myself completely engrossed in the task of creating a mirror with random toys. Earlier this year, I went to Israel (you can find more about the trip here) and met mother and artist, Tal. I spent hours in her studio, creating a Mirror of Happiness (as she calls it) to take home to Australia with me. It’s easy to make, but there is a process for effectiveness.

Materials

• Wooden mirror
• Toys and other items (for ideas on what to collect, take inspiration from the images below)
• Hot glue gun (You need A LOT of glue, so I recommend getting a big (thick) glue gun for this project)

It really depends on how big you want your mirror to be, but I suggest starting with a smaller project before moving on. I found this mirror (pictured below) which is PERFECT for a starter project at Spotlight. For a bigger project, I suggest sourcing a large piece of MDF to size, and then do the same with the mirror, making the mirror circle slightly smaller to allow for enough space to place toys around. 

Step 1: Collect

Collect toys and other items. You will need a lot of toys for this project, so I suggest having a box up in the cupboard somewhere where you collect broken, old, not-played-with toys, or other items from second-hand shops. When you have a collection ready, then you can start planning. Here’s a start of my next collection. 

Tal had boxes and boxes and boxes of toys in her studio. It was amazing. A lot of the toys were broken and there were items that I would never have thought would be useful, like bits of plastic, jewellery, old chains — anything really! 

Think outside the box and collect all kinds of things. I’ve started a list below:

• dice
• game board figures
• hair clips
• necklaces
• Lego figuriens
• Lego heads
• Lego boards
• Lego blocks
• Duplo
• chain
• fabric
• lace
• matchbox cars
• Barbie shoes/accessories 
• Barbie heads/legs
• My Little Pony figurines
• train tracks
• blocks
• plastic lids
• small balls
• gems/stones
• beads
• cookie cutters
• bits of plastic
• artificial flowers
• coins
• combs
• whistle
• McDonalds toys
• dominoes
• buttons
• wheels

PS. You won’t need quite this much! 

Step 2: Sort

Once you have a good collection, sort through the toys and pull out any that catch your eye. Keep in mind it is important to have four layers when you’re creating.

• Layer 1: Flat toys/items 
• Layer 2: Bigger toys/items
• Layer 3: Smaller toys/items
• Layer 4: Fill the gaps

Below is a quick video of when we tipped all the toys out. So satisfying! 

Step 3: Layer 1 – Flat items 

Cover the wooden parts of the mirror with flat items like blocks, bits of plastic, material off-cuts, Lego pads, lids, puzzle pieces, cardboard etc. This covers the wooden base.

Step 4: Layer 2 – Add medium/large toys

On the top of the flat layer, add the larger/medium toys or items. Examples: Large buttons, small balls, figurines, Duplo, Barbie head/legs, match box cars. 

Step 5: Layer 3- Add smaller toys/items

Look for gaps to add smaller toys, like Lego figures/hats/heads, buttons, dice, beads, game board pieces, Barbie shoes, jewellery, brooches and other smaller toys. 

Step 6: Layer 4 – Fill the gaps

Fill the gaps with lego and other small items/toys, and line the edges with thin flat objects like lego pieces, pen lids and pencils. 

Step 7: Hang and enjoy the happiness!

This is my completed mirror.  I love it!

And take a look at this HUGE one Tal made. How awesome is it!!

AND this one. EPIC!

Below are other projects from the team L to R: Amy from Mom Spark, Jennifer from Cherish365, Margarita from West Coast Mumma, Lynn from Blunt Moms.

Remember to be generous with glue when you’re applying items to the mirror. I transported my mirror all the way from Israel to Australia in my suitcase and nothing fell off…and it’s been hanging for months, giving me a lot of happiness. 

More Posts from Israel

• What I learned From Israel and the Women Who Live There
• Chats over Good Food: Parenting in the Holiest Cities in the World
• It Takes a Village to Raise a Child: Inside a Kibbutz Commune in Israel
• Why I was Homesick in Israel
• Tower of David Museum
• Rediscovering My Motivation
• Anti-Bullying Technology
• Eat Cake With Your Hands

I was invited to Israel by not-for-profit organisation, Vibe Israel to share my experiences of the country. All opinions and story ideas are my own. Images by Sharni Sadicario.