Like every good neighbor, Prodigal Pieces is there! hee hee. Can I help my neighborhood tosses perfectly good items in the trash? If I don't want to make use of it myself, I at least grab it and donate it so that someone can. When I came home from errands one day these laying on of the bags ripe for the picking. Shall we donate or create an upcycled ceiling fan blade project?
Of course, these are in great shape and could even be reused just as-is. However, I want to change up the typical dragonfly upcycle and create something different. If you haven't seen those dragonflys, the jist of the project is using the blades as wings and the body using an old spindle table leg.
CUTTIN' UP
Since I'm in the mood for spring...the real spring...without snow. ahem. First up, I remove the hardware and set that aside for later.
After that, I use my miter saw to cut off the end that held the hardware. That was a bit tricky with the angle of the blade. A steady hand and slow cutting makes it easier to get a straight cut. BTW, you can see how I made my miter hood using a
baby tent HERE.
Secondly, I make another cut halfway to get to semi-equal pieces. I'm aiming for a slightly shorter piece, so I trace the curved end using it as a template on the cut pieces. Then, I cut using my jigsaw.
NEXT STEPS
Meanwhile, I set about using my circular saw to cut a piece of scrap plywood from our current bedroom remodel. To get it looking the way I want, I use a
reactive stain to give it a dark, aged look. Once cured, I then give a blue-wash of paint.
For the next part, I attach the upcycled ceiling fan blades in a circular, but alternating, fashion using my brad nailer.
Now, I could stop here and totally leave it as-is. However, my artist side says, "It's too flat and boring". meh. These blades are not made of wood, but rather a manufactured material with veneers of white and wood grain. On the white side I create a flower design using my Dremel with my flex shaft attachment which makes detailing much easier. See also
my salad bowls transformed. Have you ever used a
Dremel? So seriously addictive.
Can you see the pretty flowers forming? It gets me so excited to get them all done and see it complete.
THE FINISH
After my DIY stent, the upcycled ceiling fan blades now grace the walls as a farmhouse style daisy.
If anything, it's at least better that these blades don't sit in a landfill, right? I'm just happy to have fun creating and the added bonus is making
trashure.
Likewise, aside from the use of reclaimed pieces being saved, I also love the texture and dimension it has. Even better, the fact that I get to use my tools to add even more texture is a bonus. Finally, to top it off, I use a dark wax to make those carved pieces have depth as well.
Now, I want to hear what you would have used the fan blades for? There are many ways, but the key is giving it a DIY a try.
Additionally, let's inspire others to dig into their neighbor's trash. haha! Pin and share.
If you want to see what happens to the fan blade hardware, be sure to
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Also, more trashure creations like these upcycled ceiling fan blades:
