Get a spindle at the store and copy this alluring idea

Want to enliven your entryway? This DIY dragonfly greets your guests and complements shabby chic decor. Plus, you can make it out of upcycled materials, so it’s both easy on your wallet and gentle on the planet. Visitors will love being welcomed by this eco-friendly front door decoration.
To keep this project eco-friendly, try to source the spindle from an architectural reuse center. These stores help divert building materials from landfills, making them available for transformation into beautiful projects that will last for years to come. If there’s not a reuse center in your region, search your local online classifieds for cheap or free spindles from local renovation companies.
Advertisement
Materials
- Spindle
- Folk Art Home Decor Chalk Paint in “Sheepskin”
- Large round paint brush
- Sanding sponge
- Folk Art Home Decor Wax in “Antique Wax”
- Paper towel
- Electric drill
- Small drill bit
- Thick craft wire
- High-temperature glue gun
- Hot glue sticks
- Wire cutters
- Drawer pull
- Scissors
- Cheesecloth
DIY Everywhere
Instructions
1. Paint the spindle with “Sheepskin” or an off-white chalk paint. Allow it to dry.
2. Paint the spindle with “Antique Wax.” Immediately wipe off the excess wax with a paper towel to give the spindle an antique finish.
3. Drill two holes in the top of the spindle for the dragonfly’s antennas.
4. Cut craft wire to a length of about 2 feet. Insert one end of the wire into one of the holes. Curl the other end of the wire to make the antenna. Repeat to make a second antenna. Use hot glue to secure both antennas in the holes. Allow the glue to dry.
5. Hot glue the drawer pull to the top of the spindle between the antennas. Allow the glue to dry.
6. Cut a piece of wire to a length of a few feet. Bend it into the shape of a dragonfly wing, then twist the ends of the wire together.
7. Lay the wing on a piece of cheesecloth. Stretch the edges of the cloth around the wire. Hot glue the cloth to the wire. Trim off the excess cloth. Don’t cover the ends of the wire in cloth, as these will need to be inserted into the spindle. Repeat to make a second wing.
8. Drill two holes about a third of the way down from the top of the dragonfly, with one hole on either side of the spindle. Cut the end of the wire on a wing, so that it’s small enough to insert into a hole. Hot glue the wire into the hole. Repeat for the second wing.
Advertisement
9. Your decorative dragonfly is complete.
Resources