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So I’ve been making all sorts of stuff for my Momma to put in her backyard. She, like me, loves colorful things so I have been taking the color on full hilt! I guess it was 3 or 4 years ago now that we saw at the Dog Days Flea Market in Sulphur, OK some dragonflies made out of, for lack of a better word, junk. I always loved those and so did my mom.
For ages I kept my eyes peeled for old fan blades but I never, ever found any. And then we went to the Habitat for Humanity Restore in McAllen and they had TONS of them. They wanted $2 apiece, which seemed high, but since Rob was paying and he didn’t mind so we walked out with them.
Now when I got home I painted these a bazillion different colors in a bazillion different ways until I was FINALLY happy with the results. In the end it was totally worth it and I just gave it to my mom and I think she likes it pretty well!
Now most of the dragonflies I have seen the blades connect right to the body but I really like the decorative things on the fan blades. So Rob and I dug through the blades that still had those connector jobbies until we found one thin set of thin and skinny and one that looked full, like a dragonfly.
I took them home and spray primed up the business on both sides and allowed it to dry!
A base coat of spray paint was sprayed onto both sides of the blades and allowed to dry.
Using various shades of blues and greens paint around the center of the blades to form a more “wing-like” appearance, if that’s even possible ! :)
As you paint around and around you get this fun, funky and kind of vintage looking paint job that is perfect for wings!
My table leg got a base coat of red paint and was allowed to dry.
That was followed up with a coat of pink paint brushed on with a chip brush for a distressed look. Another coat of red and pink with a chip brush and this sucker was done!
The connectors were painted to match the body.
Brackets and blades put back together these suckers were ready to meet their other half!
Pre drill holes into the body where you want your blades to go. #10 screws fit perfectly in the brackets for me and I’m betting that is probably universal.
A large sawtooth hanger on the back and this guy is fence ready!
Thanks what a great project!!!
How well does this hold up in the sun? Did you put anything on it to weatherproof it? I’ve seen where people have used regular ceiling fans on their porches and the blades would warp.
I didn’t do anything to weather proof this dragonfly. I gave it to my mother and she wound up throwing away the blades just this year. So it lasted 4-years-ish. The paint never came away but the blades did warp. She’s kept the body, though and the metal bits to reuse after we find some more blades to paint and get it back up. We live in the Houston area where it’s hot and humid, if that helps. When we do replace the blades I do plan on sealing it with a spray poly.
He needs a head with sparkling eyes. I recommend a big wooden screw on ball, like the ones on big curtain rod. I’m gonna make one thank you thank you✌?️
My dad thinks he needs a head, too. Looks like this guy is going to get an addition soon :)
I’m surprised you didn’t put the “wings” on an angle. I’d planned a different project for my fan blades, but this looks cute
Since I wanted to use the brackets that came on the fan blades I had a limited amount of space on the table leg to attach. I had second thoughts about keeping the brackets but I wanted this guy to be a bit different than others I had seen at the flea market so I made it work and that meant putting them on there pretty straight on. Glad you like it, though!
Honestly amazing!