Dragonflies

The Just Buzzing about story was mostly to give you some ideas…I have been putting together some more of these…and I’ve discovered a couple of things.   
One….leave the brackets that attach the blades to the motor on. You don’t have to…I didn’t on my first one…but I think they look better with them.   The drawback to doing this is that the wings are just a bit harder to attach to the table leg. But the whole process is still super simple!
Two…cut the blades with a jig saw to look more like dragonfly wings…Again…you don’t have to, I just think it looks better.
My first one didn’t have either of these things…and I was simply enamored with him.

I like the indoor/outdoor spray paint for these…PLEASE keep in mine…they are mostly wood…paint is only gonna last MAYBE one season in hot sun like mine!!! I have mine in the shade….and it still needs repainting every year!!! BUT…the upside to this is that you get a whole NEW look every year….and you get to change the color scheme if you like! Those of Y’all who know me very well…know that a NEW paint scheme is an UP SIDE!!! lol

Supplies you will need:

Medium git sandpaper…80-100 grit will work….just enough to scuff a bit!


Four ceiling fan blades removed from the motor…with or without the metal arms.

One table leg from a table.
I use old ones from my other projects…you could go buy one…they should be for a tall table…not a coffee table….you could use the shorter ones…but I think they look better if they are a tad longer.

Spray paint in the colors you like.
I generally use two different colors…but even three or four look good.
You’ll also need black for the eyes.

Two round wooden knobs…I have a TON of these around….seems like EVERY piece of furniture I acquire has these on it….and I just feel like on furniture…they couldn’t have ANY less charm!!!!! So I take them off!  BUT…in my “pack rat” style….of course…I keep them! I use them for other things too…but they are perfect for the eyes.  I simply take a pair of pliers and unscrew the bolt from the knob….some have bolts some don’t….if yours doesn’t YAY…you can skip this…but it isn’t difficult to do.  Mine are already black…but if you need to paint yours…leave the screw long enough to spray them….you can use the screw to stick them into a piece of cardboard or Styrofoam to paint them! Learned that one the hard way! Just sayin’

You can find some wire for the antennae but I think they look okay without…you could really use just about anything that you can bend into shapes.

2″ wood screws
11/2″ wood screws
screw driver.
wire or hooks to screw on the back for a hangar

EXTRAS:

If you’re gonna do the lace technique….you’ll also need a piece of lace big enough to cover one blade at a time.

If you’re gonna jigsaw the blades you’ll need a jigsaw.

First
Take the four blades from a ceiling fan off of the motor….if yours looks like mine….you’re gonna have a GREAT deal of cleaning to do!

 

If you plan to cut the wings…this is when you’ll want to do that….that way you only have to sand once.  I really didn’t use anything for a pattern….I just free handed an angle that I thought looked like that of a dragonfly’s….and cut it….then I used that same blade to mark the other three.

 

You’ll need to sand the parts a bit to make sure that the paint adheres to them. You don’t have to spend hours on them….just rough them up enough that you can tell they aren’t slick anymore.  If you don’t paint alot….the rules of painting are…CLEAN DULL DRY….if you have those…you have a good painting surface! =]

 

 

 

Now decide what paint scheme you’re gonna use. I paint all my pieces before I put them together..
Keep in mind….if you’re gonna paint the front of the wings differently than the back…you need to know that you’re gonna see the BACK of the arm…not the front…so the side that is on top of the blade will be to the back.

If you’re doing the lace technique….that’s below….but for now get everything painted your base color.

Give your paint plenty of time to dry before putting everything together….and that means letting the back of the wings before flipping them to paint the fronts.  If you’re gonna do the lace technique….do that next.

Have fun with those legs! I hang my in my trees to paint them….lol….some days it looks pretty weird around my place when I have lots of painting projects going!

When everything is ready…take your wings and place them down on your table legs so that you are looking at what will be the back of your dragonfly….so the side of the blade and arm you normally look at when it’s on the ceiling.  Using your 11/2″ screw… I put the top wings on first….because I like them to be over the bottom wings.  Be sure you place them as far out on the body as you dare…you’ll want room to fit the arms of the bottom wings between them a little.  You can angle them a tad to give room for the second set….and to give them a slight angle.  Then place your second set between them and down a tad….I usually put the tops of the bottom wings right around the bottoms of the top wings….ugh…did that make sense? Just look at the picture if I confused you with that! lol

This is the front of the dragonfly….see how you see the “back” of the arm

Now while you have the back still facing you….screw in a hanger.  If you don’t have one like mine…or can’t find them….just take a piece of wire and make a large loop and a small loop that looks kind of like a bow….and screw through the small loop…leaving the larger to hang on a nail.

I have the hangers-on the left…If you want to make your own…twist like the one on the right…oops…mine’s upside down…you would put the screw through the smaller hole…and the larger loop would hang on your nail.

Turn him over and place your eyes.  This is what the longer screws are for.  I generally start the screw through the front of the eye before placing them.  I would suggest that you pre-drill….but I’ve never had a problem with them splitting without pre-drilling…the screw should just have to go a small ways before it hits the hole that the screw for the draw made.  Place them on your leg and finish driving the screw….it’s that simple.  If you’re gonna put antennae…do that now.

Hang ’em up!

 

LACE TECHNIQUE

You’re gonna just die when you see how simple this is!

After putting your base coat on….lay your lace down and play with it until you get the pattern that you want on your piece….

Make sure it’s laying good and flat….you could use stencil glue to hold it…but I don’t….and it always works fine.

Now spray your contrast color….spray from directly above….don’t spray at an angle…and don’t get too close…stay about 12″ away….so that the air doesn’t blow your lace.  make sure you cover it well….usually 3 coats to get the paint good and solid, just not so thick that it runs.  Wait a few seconds….VERY gently lift the lace up straight and don’t smear….VOILA! Isn’t that awesome? It’s hard to believe it’s that simple isn’t it….and it’s so beautiful!

have fun!

Love Y’all!!!