Monday, June 25, 2012

Pool Noodle Dragonfly


So, I wrestled a pool noodle in order to party with the cool girls at the Pool Noodle Party.

reFresh reStyle
                                                                      Party Hosts Debbiedoo’s

This thing was going to be a wreath, a skate board, and a flower!  But ultimately it became what it was meant to be… a shabby little dragonfly.

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Here are the materials needed to make your own shabby dragonfly from a simple pool noodle.

-Pool Noodle
-strips of torn drop cloth
-ball of twine
- thin wooden dowel
-one pants hanger (wire top cardboard bottom)
-straight pins
-hot glue

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1- cut your pool noodle in half long ways and then in half the other way.  Like a loaf of bread waiting to be buttered…mmm…

2- tear many many many strips of drop cloth and pin the ends to a piece of noodle and wrap.  This is the longest step, so put on your DVR’d episodes of “Junk Gypsies” while you wrap.

3-  Once your 4 “wings” are wrapped and cinched in at the ends with the strips of cloth, take another half of a regular pool noodle and begin wrapping it in cloth.  Sounds like we are mummifying something doesn’t it?

4- Then use your wooden dowel to attach the wings to the “body” noodle.

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Hubby is helping out here :)

5- Once the dowels are in, wrap the dragonfly some more.  Criss-cross across the body and pin on the back side to be sure that everything is nice and secure.

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blurry close up…

6- Once your dragonfly’s body is made, then roll some twine to form 2 eyes and hot glue them on.  Simple.

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7-  Poke a hole in the top of your little guy, and bend the coat hanger top straight and drop it right in.  I used a little hot glue to secure the antennae.


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close up of the antennae

So folks, there you have it.  My very last minute pool noodle creation.  I told Debbie at Refresh Restyle that I’d be late to the party, but I’d be there. 
My motto seems to be…

last minute

I was gonna be lame and just use my iPhone to take the pictures, since I was running so late to the big bash!  Well, I changed my mind and used my “good” camera.  Did you notice the fabulous quality of my photos???? Did ya?  Oh, well, with only a few minutes before the party started, I CANNOT FIND THE FILE WHERE MY PICTURES UPLOADED!!!!!  I must be crazy!  So here are some rather crappy iPhone pictures of my pool noodle project :)


I made it to the party Debbie! Oh, and I brought a date!  My shabby little dragonfly. 

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Linking up to The Pool Noodle Party

Saturday, June 2, 2012

The desk that had wings (and a little secret)


I love furniture make-overs!  I love them even more when they surprise me! 
I bought this funky little desk from a local thrift store and I had to ask a fellow customer in passing about it’s “wings”…

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He said that they were for you to rest your elbows on while you work.  Okay…

As with all furniture around here, this one sat in the the garage marinating for a couple of months before I started on it.   *That’s my excuse for the furniture hoarding*

First I cleaned off the top to try to get rid of those rings and dirt.  They didn’t come off easily, so I got out my electric sander with some 150 grit sandpaper.  The yuck came right off and much to my surprise I found the most beautiful yellow chippy paint underneath that faded white.  I went all around the skirt and legs to expose some of the yellow everywhere.  The top had these wonderful wormholes and chippy paint….


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It was then that I decided that this desk did NOT need to be painted!  I just cleaned it up and sanded it to show the beautiful yellow.  I then made the
 difficult decision to REMOVE THE YELLOW WINGS!  I know, I know.  It’s a tragedy to take off those cool elbow rests.  But honestly, there was a little drawer under those wings that couldn’t be used with the wings intact.  The wings were old and wonky and not really all that pretty the more I looked at them.

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Here it is with the wings closed.  Can’t even see the drawer.
So off they came… 

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A little more sanding…  That electric sanding is kinda addicting isn’t it?  I then used a clear poly to go over the top and chippy sides. I wanted to retain the “chips”.  I knew I’d be taking this to my shop.  I always touch furniture before I buy it, and I imagine most people do.  I envisioned coming in to find the cute little desk sitting next to a pile of paint flakes on the floor.  Oh, the horror!! 

Here she is all prettied up in my side yard before I threw her in the car with 2 minutes to spare before picking up my kids from school :) Or should I have said “gently placed her in my car to take her to my booth for sale.”?  Either way, here she is…

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Oh, and I replaced this knob with a dark brown wooden one right after this picture….

I took it in to the shop on Thursday afternoon, and I was in the store on Friday morning when a cute young couple came in and was looking at it.  They stalked it a while and then told me they had to have it for their wedding.  Their wedding colors are to be yellow and white.  I think I was as excited as they were to see this sweet little piece go home with them!


Happy Wedding sweet couple!

Happy Weekend ya’ll!








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