spindles

It’s official.

I am the Statue of Liberty for junk across this great land of ours.

Give me your tired.

Your worn.

Your broken and weary and shabby and under-appreciated and chippy and forlorn and forgotten and looking for a new chair seat.

And I will welcome you with open arms and give you a home.

Rocking Chair

A few weeks ago this showed up on my back porch.

This is actually not an accurate picture of the rocking chair.

It looks like someone could actually sit in it.

Negative.

It was missing a side and an arm and a back head rest was all bent over with the weight of the world on its shoulders.

Some might have seen trash or junk.

But me?

All I saw was potential.

worn spindles

The first thing we did was remove the spindles.

It wasn’t hard.

Most of them had removed themselves.

barn door

Next I found a barn door.

Only someone living in the country could stumble across a door like this.

But if you aren’t into barn door stumbling, you could always use a piece of wood or even a basket or tray.

Christmas tree pic

Next, I assembled the spindles in some sort of pattern and traced a triangle on them.

Then I called my husband cutie and smiled and asked him if he could cut some spindles for me.

He told me he couldn’t imagine doing anything else at that exact moment.

He also cut a larger spindle for the tree base.

DIY Christmas Tree Project idea

After the spindles were cut I hot glued them to the barn door.

The easiest way to glue them is to line them up in the exact pattern in the exact place.

Then, I just turned them slightly, applied hot glue and flipped them back exactly in place.

Elmer's Glue Gun

glue sticks

Elmer’s sent me this hot glue gun to try out.

Let me start by saying I’m no stranger to hot glue guns.

I’ve been using them since before the internet was invented.

This was one of my favorites.

It’s light weight and heats up really fast and the handle didn’t get hot at all and the glue sticks are waaay less stringy.

So much better.

Plus it’s cute.

I always give extra points for cute.

star on the top of the tree

After the spindles were attached, I added the star to the top of the tree.

They sell these at most craft stores.

I like the juxtaposition of the metal and wood.

Actually, I just like using juxtaposition in a sentence.

Christmas Tree

Then I flipped it up and hung it on the chalkboard in the family room by the hinges.

Living Room Christmas

Here you can see it in the family room.

Reworked.

Renewed.

Shiny and bright and ready to light the way for the rest of the junk to come and find me….

….and run right into my Statue of Liberty arms. 🙂

DIY Wood Spindle Tree

This post was sponsored by Elmer’s.

All opinions are completely my own.

Please see my disclosure page for more information.

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Comments

  1. Image for Nancy Steitz Nancy Steitz

    I absolutely adore your posts! The final Picture of your Spindle Tree hanging in the family room is such an inspiration. I love your SOFA. Could you share the name, manufacturer of this gorgeous piece? thank you & Country Blessings of the Season to you & yours!

  2. Image for Leona Leona

    So sweet. Only in your eyes can junk be turned into something beautiful. A true Artist. And by now, we are all searching for old barn doors and rocking chairs :)

  3. Image for Velia Velia

    Once again you have created something too adorable out of a discarded item. You certainly have an eye for repurposing. :-)

  4. Image for Sheila Sheila

    Hi Carrie. Some days I also feel like the Statue of Liberty. I have inherited three bags of yarn, three drawers (not underwear drawers), a box of jars, and a slew of wine bottles. However, no spindles! Somewhere there is someone out there looking for me! I hope that person finds me soon so I can make a tree just like you did. Thanks for the inspiration!

  5. Image for renee renee

    Karianne I too am a collector of odds and ends junk...The ladies I work with are always giving me odd things as they know I will put them to good reuse! It's like Christmas for me when I get even the smallest thing to reuse and reform. Keep on Creating is what I say...it keeps me young and fun!!! You inspire me with all your fun creations too!!

  6. Image for Debra W Debra W

    This was one of the first things that caught my eye in your last post. Thought it (and all the other things that caught my eye :) was pretty. Glad that you showed us how it was made. I love the design style of your house. Definitely taking some of it for my house. And how you decorate it for the holidays. I absolutely love your blog. You have a magical way of writing that always brings a smile to my face. Every blog is like a beautiful fairy tale. And we all love fairy tales. :) :) Have you considered writing books. I would buy them all!!!

  7. Image for Susan Harper Susan Harper

    Oh, my goodness... this I LOVE!!! Such a great idea, Kari...got a tub of spindles in the garage myself. Going to try this! Thanks! S

  8. Image for Gail Gail

    Love it. I wish I lived where you could get junk for cheap or nothing. Around here people know that you want to make something with it and charge you for it. I see pallets everywhere but they want big money for them. This is the cutest idea.. Looks amazing in your house.

  9. Image for Nancy @ Slightly Coastal Nancy @ Slightly Coastal

    I absolutely adore this sweet little tree! Bravo! Now...what are you going to do with that fabulous seat with the circle in it? Hmmmm...a puffy fabric heart peeking through for Valentine's day? Use it as a ceiling medallion for a light fixture to pop through that hole? Make it the cutest trash can top ever? I know your creative mind with think of something great...if it hasn't already. Love your projects!

  10. Image for Marie at The Interior Frugalista Marie at The Interior Frugalista

    My son recently came by with a broken down chair just like this in the back of his hatchback. "Mom, I saw this in the trunk of my customer's car and thought of you and she was thrilled to get rid of it". The chair parts are in a bin waiting to be transformed. Hmmmm, I'll ask them if they want to be a tree! Thanks for the inspiration because I LOVE this idea!

  11. Image for Rowena Philbeck Rowena Philbeck

    Very cute idea…Love it!! Its amazing what all you think of. Now I have to look for chair parts on the curbs...

  12. Image for Donna Donna

    Cool, not everyone can see the promise in simple things. And many of us have hubbies that are not so happy & able with a saw. Ying & yang, good things go together. Yes.

  13. Image for Christopher Christopher

    I actually have some amazing green spindles from the husband's family farm junk ditch and didn't know what to do with them. I know now! Hope I have enough!

  14. Image for Eva Eva

    PS ... I like reading about your projects, but I never do anything. It's like watching exercise videos. I don't exercise either. Have a Merry Christmas Karianne. Look forward to hearing exciting things about you in the New Year! :)

  15. Image for Marisa Franca @ All Our Way Marisa Franca @ All Our Way

    How cute -- I love how your home is so warm and welcoming and the Christmas decorations is making it even more so. Now I've got to admit I'm having a hard time getting a visual of you as the Statue of Liberty. Okay -- KariAnne standing on a pedestal with a used book and a torch. Now I see her giggling and giving a little wiggle here and there because she is having a very hard time standing still. I bet as a young girl she had a hard time sitting still-- too much energy! I'll just have to visualize you as an energetic Statue of Liberty. Can't wait to see the rest of the house and the butler's pantry.

  16. Image for Lanita Anderson Lanita Anderson

    Oh my goodness.....I love it!! Such a creative use for the spindles....and I thought your twig pumpkin was the cutest idea I had seen!! Thanks for sharing - blessings to you!

  17. Image for Dale D. Dale D.

    Sweet project and the cherry on top with that incredible wall in your family room. Totally dreamy and as always, love your posting. Happy holidays!

  18. Image for Sharon H Sharon H

    Miz karianne, in my next life I think I want to be your neighbor. Or relative. Yah, I think I'd like to be your relative. So be on the lookout, ok? LOL

  19. Image for Tracy Tracy

    You are a clever little elf! I just tossed a perfectly good broken chair out. I am now awashed with shame! I believe you could start your own Pinterest type website.... Thistlethis might be a name to consider. lol!

  20. Image for Heather C Heather C

    Your spindle project is a-d-o-r-a-b-l-e, your home is already decorated and I'm still thinking about where I'm putting what and do I really want to put everything out and wishing I had started the day after Thanksgiving. Red lipstick girl you are setting the bar high, I'll see what I can do tomorrow.

  21. Image for Amy W. Amy W.

    Beautiful! Those wonderful old pieces of wood I hear screaming with joy and holiday cheer.... "Thank-you!! and Ho-Ho-Ho!!!"

  22. Image for Regina Regina

    Totally adorable! Now that's MY kind of project! :) Happy decorating - if you're like me, the decorating never really stops - a tweak here, a tweak there . . . LOL!

  23. Image for NormaJean NormaJean

    You truly are AMAZING! I would have headed for the burn pile with that piece of trash and YOU see treasure hiding in it's broken body!!!

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