In this instructable, I am going to show you how I make feathery mirrors to decorate my walls.

I moved recently to a new flat and I wanted to add an animal touch to my new decoration. Since I’ve always been fascinated by birds, I decided to work with feathers. I also wanted to add a round mirror on the wall, and there the Jujuhat idea hatched !

Why is it called Juju hat ?

The Juju Hat is a traditional headdress worn by the high-ranking personalities of Bamileke, Fon and Bamoun ethnic groups in Cameroun during ritual ceremonies. It is made of colored chicken or guinea fowl feathers sewn onto a dried and woven raffia base. It may reach 80cm diameter and represents a symbol of power and prosperity.

The word Juju comes from french « joujou » (plaything) and was given by the european to describe any object involved in a spiritual practice in West Africa. By adoption, juju now refers to magical objects linked to luck or to masked spirits.

The Juju Hat is now a "bohemian chic" trendy wall decoration in the occidental world, as it empathises natural elements mixed with ethnic spirit.

Supplies

Materials

Feathers ribbon : 2 meters yellow goose 15cm feathers for outter circle ; 2 meters burgundy (dark red) fowl 5cm feathers for inner circle for this "Sunflower" look
Wooden disk , diameter 30cm , 0.8cm thick
Round mirror, diameter 20cm Glue gun
Picture fastener (for min 3 kg load)
Paper pen

Tools

Glue gun

Glue sticks (approx. 4 to 7)

Hammer

Step 1: Prepare Your Material

Place the mirror at the center of the wood disk.

Draw a line around the mirror with the paper pencil

It will help you to align the feather ribbon.in step 3

Step 2: Glue in Circles

Handy hint : Choose now the direction of your feathers. Feathers come sewn on ribbon, but both sides are not equal. One side is convex shaped (curved outwards), other is concave (curved inwards). While it is better to stick to one shape, you may choose the convex ou concave way : both are beautiful !

Take the glue gun and begin to glue the base of the feather ribbon (feathers curved inwards or outwards) along the edges of the wood disk. Add a glue drop every 2-3 feather and press the ribbon part. go quickly, as the glue dries quickly!). Press hard to make it stick.

When you have gone around once, leave an extra 1 cm to glue on top of that to close your circle

Repeat the operation with the goose yellow feather ribbon : Glue circularly about 2-3 cm from the inside of the 1st circle. The ribbon must not be visible through the feathers.

When you reach the starting point, leave again an extra 1 cm to glue on top of that to close your second circle

Step 3: Put on Some Color

You should almost have reached the line you draw on step 1.

It is time to take out the second feather ribbon to make a beautiful contrast and make this Jujuhat looks like a sunflower !

Glue the base of the second feather ribbon circularly about 1 or 2 cm from the inside of the last circle. As before, the last ribbon must be covered by the added feathers. This is all the more important that he burgundy feather ribbon is thinnner and smaller.

Repeat the operation until you glue the last ribbon inside the circle you had drawn on step 1.

Handy hint : The base of the last glued feather ribbon must be totally inside the circle you drawn on step 1. Otherwise you will see it under the mirror and we don’t want that to happen.

Step 4: Add the Mirror

Handy hint : Have an overall look to your creation. Try to figure out how you are going to position the mirror: which part will be at the top ? at the bottom?

Prepare the mirror installation by placing the mirror at the center of the « feather nest ». A slight shift of the mirro from the center can transform the overall look for the better or the worse. Keep the position you choose in mind.

Place approximately 10 points of hot glue on the wooden support, where there is no feathers.

And quickly place the mirror, press very hard for 1minute. You must feel the hot glue through the mirror as your pressure pounds the feathers small height.

You may check if the mirror is well glued by lifting the jujuhat by the edges of the mirror.

Step 5: Nail It !

Turn the jujuhat on a firm surface (large thick magazine for example)

Place the picture fastener and nail it with the hammer.

Handy hint : the final creation being somehow heavy and fragile, you may nail the picture fastener at the edge of the wooden disk, i twill be easier to hang it on the wall.