Rock Knock Off Holiday Edition
Are you loving all the holiday decor in the stores and in the home catalogs filling up the mailbox lately??
I’m loving it, but the prices not so much.
A group of blogging friends has come together to help you out. Great inspiring knock-offs for the change in your sofa!
Rock Knock Off Holiday Edition is here!
Click on the pictures at the bottom to visit all the holiday Rock your Knock Off creative ideas.
I started making spindle angels years ago. I was inspired by Ballard Design’s Bunny Williams Holiday Angels when I opened their catalog to make one more. Theirs are $19 for the small one and $29 for the large one.
Mine are free, made with spindle and things on hand.
Older spindle angels
This picture is a spindle angel I made years ago. During the late 90’s and early 2000, I made home decor items. I sold them to shops along the central coast of California. During the holidays I made several spindle angels. Each one was different. This angel was large and the shop used her as a window display.
This is the only one I kept.
Notice my photography skills have improved!!
Making another angel
After seeing the angels in Ballard Designs I was inspired to make another spindle angel. I realize my knock-off is not exactly the same as in their catalog, but these angels are true to my style….and free!
I dug through my pile of spindles and found this one along with a piece of old wood from a broken chair.
It’s the piece that attached the back to the seat in the photo above. I saw angel wings! My friend had several of these chairs that were damaged. So she gave them to me and we had a blast taking them apart for the spindles.
Glad I kept the angel wing pieces!
Assembling the angel
Anyway, now back to making an angel. I cut the base of the spindle off. I put the base back into the pile. It will show up on another project!
Then I drilled a hole into her wings and attached with a screw. A dab of wood glue on the screw will hold her wings perfectly.
For wings in the past, I’ve used pieces of wood to jigsaw wings like in the large angel above. The angel I kept has a wood onlay, or scroll for wings. I’ve also used additional small spindles and a piece of broken plate for wings. Wish I would have taken pictures.
Maybe not, they would look like the one above. :/
The halo
Now for the halo. I have several knobs like this from an old dresser. The knob is in two pieces. The disk is perfect for a halo.
Halos in the past were rusty wire like the small one I kept, beading like the large one above. I also used round wood onlays.
I painted the red spindle with two coats of creamy white chalky paint. The wings and halo were dry brushed with the same white paint.
I like my Ballard Designs inspired spindle angels. But which came first??
You might notice the red spindle from my spindle tree last year. Yep, I took it down after the holidays last year, just like the regular tree. I’m making a smaller version of the spindle tree for this year. Stay tuned…
I love spindles! Here’s proof, 10 things to do with a broken spindle.
I working on 10 more things to do with a broken spindle.
I find spindles at yard sales, thrift shops, and curbside. Usually from broken furniture…and many times the broken furniture is free!
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I’m so late in getting here to see your awesome project from the tour 🙁 BUT, HOLY COW! I love these! So glad you shared them, I litterally just bought a wooden bed headboard set because I “knew” I’d do something with the spindles! LOL Thanks.. They were meant for this project..:) Sharing!
Awww these are so adorable I love them! I never would have thought to make angels out of those you are amazing!
You are so clever!!! I just love what you come up with! 🙂
Nancy
Thanks Nancy! Hope you feel the same on the 15th!!!! 😀 Jeanette
This is so smart! Love the angels….such a clever design!
Thank you so much Leslie! Jeanette
Jeanette, I love angels and yours are so perfect! You are such a visionary when it comes to those spindle creations – I think you need to publish a book about them! Can’t wait to try to make one to add to my other recycled art angel collection 🙂
Do you by any chance make your own chalk paint too?
Hi Andi, you’re so funny 🙂 I do mix chalk paint for my own use around here and for a painting demo I did for the Humane Society thrift shop. In fact, I mixed stuff in paint way back when I was making angels. Wish I would have developed it more back then!!!!
Love these! I bet you sold your angels like hotcakes back in the day! I would have bought one for sure! XO
Thanks Christy! This tour is one of my favorites! Jeanette
I really, really love these. Such a lovely vintage feel. You always come up with the most creative things!!! ~Christy
Thank you Christy! I love knock offs! Jeanette
Jeanette you really have vision and are so creative! I would have never even thought about a spindle angel but it turned out great! Thanks for showing us how you did it.
Angie, you’re very welcome. This has been a fun tour! Jeanette
You are so creative! I love how you made your angel. A group of these would be so pretty on a mantel or chest for holiday decor.
Lol! Paula, guess I better get busy and make more! Actually one store back in the day bought all I have and displayed them on a mantel I built for them. Wish I would have taken a picture. Even a grainy photo! 🙁
Seriously! I can’t get over how cute your spindle angels are, Jeanette! LOVE them!!
I LOVE your creativity and vision. You never cease to amaze me.
Meegan, you’re so sweet. Thanks!
your angels have so much more character and looking homemade is what i love about them xx
I am a homemade kind of gal!
Your holiday angels are beautiful, Jeannette!
Thank you Mary Beth!