Pool Noodle Dragonfly

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

                                                                      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.



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



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.


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.


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.




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.



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…

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. 

 








Linking up to The Pool Noodle Party

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”…



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….




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.


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



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…




















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!








Linking up to these great parties: