Dragonfly Yard Art (Upcycle) 25

 This site contains affiliate links. Please see below for more information.

Dragonfly Yard Art

#DIY #Craft #Upcycled

This has been a crazy summer.  Here in the mountains, we usually have only a few days of high temps, and then monsoon hits.  This year, it’s been crazy warm and we really haven’t gotten any rain.  With that being said, I have multiple things sitting in my craft room and garage, that are waiting to be done.  It just hasn’t been very comfortable for outside projects.

We finally got some rain the other day, so I figured “I’m going to finish a project!”  This is one that I’ve been working on for awhile.  I was able to put an ad on social media asking for an old ceiling fan that didn’t work anymore, since I needed just the fan blades.  About 20 minutes after I posted, a lady said that I could have hers.  Yay!!!  First item… check!  Then I needed an old table leg or something for the body.  Talking to my neighbor, she said she had a piece from an old bed frame that she was going to throw away.  Second item… check!!  I just had to go to the hardware store for just a few things, and I was ready!  Keep reading for the tutorial.

I hope you enjoy this craft idea.  If you end up making one, be sure and share a photo on my FB page, with what you come up with.  I’d love to see it!  I sure hope that you like the tutorial, and pray that you have a blessed day!

Please be sure to take the time to comment, and share this craft on your social media channels – thanks so much!!

Learn how to make some Dragonfly Yard Art with #upcycled items! #Craft #DIY via #TigerStrypesBlog - Find out more at Share on X

Materials/Tools Used:

• Old Ceiling Fan Blades
• Old Table or Bed Frame Piece
• Drawer Handles
• Perforated Steel
• Scrap Wood
• Paint Pen, Spray Paint
• Sandpaper
• Tools
• & Time!

Instructions for the Dragonfly Yard Art:

Start by disassembling the ceiling fan.  If you just have the blades, then you can just wash them, sand them and get them ready for paint.  I used some spray paint to do a multi-color blend.  It might take a few coats, but be sure and let them dry completely between coats.

Once the first color layers dried, I used a clear paint and sprayed each fan blade.  Once again, make sure that dries fully before continuing.

While waiting for those to finish, I started on the bed/table leg.  Using some single color spray paint, I covered the whole leg.  I left that to sit and dry, as well.

Once it was completely dry, I used some sandpaper to add some rustic flair to it.  I used a sander on the fan blades, since the paint was really thick (forgot to get pictures of that).  You can also paint or use permanent marker, jewels, metal pieces or whatever, to add some flair to each piece.

Now it’s time to attach the wings.  Since the bed/table leg was a bit narrow, I decided to use a large piece of scrap wood to attach the fan blades to the sides of the leg.  Using two screws, from behind, we secured that part to the “body.”

Next, we attached each “wing” to the front of the board with screws through the fan blade attachments (thank you hubbie for your help).

Now it’s time for our little friend to “see.”  I got some cheap door pulls from the hardware store and we bored a couple of holes, where we wanted to attach them.  Once the depth was right, we added some glue and set them in.  Using some tape, we secured them until they could fully dry.  When they were fully cured, I then used a paint pen to add some pupils.

To give my dragonfly a bit of quirkiness, I added some antenna.  Using some metal strap from the hardware store, I measured out enough to screw to the top of the head (or table leg) and then wind it up into some curls.

After everything was dry, I got some really long rust-proof screws, and attached it to a tree in our backyard.  We love having weird stuff in our Route 66 themed yard, so this fits perfectly!

What do you think of our dragonfly?  I hope you like it!  Please take a minute to leave me a comment on what you would like to create, and maybe if you have any tips on how to do it different, or better!

Be sure to tweet, pin, share, etc. – thanks!!

Affiliate links for Amazon are used on my site. This means that when you click on a link, and make a purchase, I earn a commission for that purchase. There is no extra charge for you, it’s just their sites way of saying thank you for helping them get a customer. I use affiliate links to help fund my crafting budget, as well as help provide for our home.

Related posts:

Halloween Ghost Craft #DIY Clothes Hanger Snowflake Craft #TigerStrypesBlog Reverse Vinyl Shirt Craft #TigerStrypesBlog Raggedy Bunny Craft Project #TigerStrypesBlog