Granddad’s Old Tools as Wall Decor

He was a big man who worked with his hands, had amazing strength, loved God and his family, loved working in his garden, went to work at the age of 12 to support this family during the depression, so he only had a 5th grade education but he was the smartest man I have ever known.

This is how I usually describe my Granddaddy Clifton.  He shaped my life as well as raised the amazing man I got to call my Daddy.

A few of the unique treasures I own are some of my Granddad’s old rusty tools.  His battered and well used ladder hangs on the wall in my family room.  We estimate it is nearly a 100 years.   These tools have been in a bag for years because I just couldn’t figure out what to do with them, but knew I wanted to display them somehow.

For this month’s ‘Do It Over’ Designer Challenge I finally pulled them out and dressed them up for some pretty and sentimental wall décor.

This post is part of the ‘Do It Over’ Designers link party.  A group of designers who take something old and/or unused and ‘do it over’ into something new. These items can be found in closets, barns, garages, yard sales, thrift stores, you name it!

At the end of this post there will be an opportunity for you to visit the posts from all of the talented and creative bloggers who have joined the challenge this month.  

This post contains affiliate links which help to support this blog at no additional cost to you when you make a purchase. 

 

Granddad’s Old Tools as Wall Décor

 

Rusty and slightly bent, an old garden hoe head and a pitch fork head are part of Granddad’s tools.

 

For some time I have wanted to made a wreath out of the pitch fork head and finally this past Christmas I found some rustic farm style ribbon at Tractor Supply of all places.  Combined with some simple succulent stems leftover from my daughter’s wedding two years ago, the pitch fork head and the hoe head are finally getting the makeover I have wanted to give them.

So for this project I ended up using only items I have had in my craft room from previous shopping trips or leftover from my daughter’s wedding.

• Vintage tools such as a rusty pitch fork head or a garden hoe head
• Neutral colored Farmhouse style ribbon
• Twine for the hanger
• Faux Succulent stems and Lamb’s Ear stems (originally from Hobby Lobby
• Hot glue gun and glue sticks

 

 

Since I wanted to hang these tools on the wall or his old ladder, I needed to figure out how to make a hanger on each piece.  The solution was easy by creating a loop out of twine at the end of the tool stem, then wrapping the stem of each garden tool in twine to secure the loop in place.

 

 

For the rusty hoe head, I only added Lamb’s Ear leaves and succulents.  It is small so a bow would have just been too much.  I may revisit that idea later and add one.

 

 

For the pitch fork, I pulled out my favorite tool, the EZ Deluxe Bowmaker, and created a simple bow out of the neutral ribbon I found at Tractor Supply last Christmas season.

 

 

Since the pitch fork weighs much more than the rusty hoe head, I made a double loop of twine for the hanger before wrapping the stem in the twine.

The final steps were to hot glue on the succulents and Lamb’s Ear stems and tie on the bow.  I was also able to wrap the end of the succulent floral stems around the tines of the pitch fork. 

 

 

 

These pictures were taken with the pitch fork wreath hanging on the wall in our family room, mostly because it shows the details the best in that location.  It’s final placement in the room will probably be with it hanging off a section of the vintage ladder in the corner.  For sentimental reasons, aesthetics, and to keep the sharp prongs from poking anyone who walks by it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Unfortunately, the rusty hoe head stem was slightly crooked and it doesn’t hang very nicely on the wall.  For now it has a place among the plants on the side board displayed on a small wooden stool.

 

 

My Granddad was a practical man who never really threw anything away.  I think that is a common trait for people who lived through the depression era.  So I am not sure if he would understand what I have done with his old rusty tools.  Probably shake his head and just grin at me, more pleased that I didn’t throw them out and not for what I have done with them.

Either way, they make me smile.

 

Below is the list of the very talented bloggers who participated in the ‘Do It Over’ Designer Challenge this month!

 

Unique Creations by Anita

Sum of Their Stories

Tea and Forget-Me-Nots

The Apple Street Cottage

Birdz of a Feather

Exquisitely Unremarkable

Little Vintage Cottage

Modern on Monticello

Purple Hues & Me

 

Hugs,

Psalm 107:1-2a “Oh give thanks to the Lord…for his love endures forever! Let the redeemed of the Lord say so.”