“‘Raking'” in Autumn with a Jazzy Front Door” should conjure up an image of an old rusty rake, and if so, you’d be right. I’ve been waiting to show you a unique-to-me door decoration for Fall I completed a couple of weeks ago. And just in time, too, for the monthly Thrift Store Upcycle Challenge.
The Rules:
- Upcycle an item(s) from a thrift store, resale store, or garage sale into a new piece of decor.
- There’s no monthly theme.
- There’s no budget to stick to.
Meet the Hosts
Amanda | Domestically Creative Michelle | Our Crafty Mom
Victoria | Dazzle While Frazzled Pili | Sweet Things Debra | Shoppe No. 5
Chelc | Inside the Fox Den Jeannee | Centsably Creative Michelle | Michelle James Designs
Molly | Just a Little Creativity Angela | Simply Beautiful by Angela
Marie | DIY Adulation Denise | My Thrifty House Lindsay | Crazy Organized
Florence | Vintage Southern Picks Shirley | Intelligent Domestications
Make sure you follow our board on Pinterest for more upcycled decor inspiration!
I found the old metal rake head half buried at the back of a barn waaay out in the country when hubby and I attended an estate sale in the middle of sweltering Summer heat…
The kind of heat that totally saps your energy.
The kind of heat that immediately has you sweating as soon as you step out of the car.
That’s Alabama.
And when it’s that hot, I swear…all you want to do is sit in the AC! The house wasn’t air conditioned either, but I persisted, and was glad I did. I found a whole lot of goodies that day and hopefully, I can show you in an upcoming vintage finds post.
Let me tell you a little about the Thrift Store Upcycle Challenge, in case you didn’t read all the above. If you’re not familiar with it, a group of us bloggers challenges each other to come up with a newly upcycled item using a thrift store, yard sale, resale store, or estate sale find. That’s right up my alley because I always have plenty of those. There’s no budget or theme and I love that because it allows creativity to soar.
I’ve seen several cute crafts with rake heads that look like this. Yes, I’ve raked many a leaf pile with one of these.
But…the one I found looked like this! Just picture…no handle and rusty and you’ll have it. I’ve actually raked leaves with one of these, but it’s much harder, because this kind of rake is really for leveling soil. Use this to rake leaves, and you’ll rake more than leaves. You’ll pull your grass out too.
We’re not working in the yard now though. The plan is to jazz up the front door with the rake head, but our front door is a glass storm door and one we use constantly. The challenge is to find a way for it not to bang the glass, which is impossible. (Been there, done that). So even though I said it’s going to hang on the front door, it won’t. It will land on the front porch instead.
So here’s what I started with:
- Rake head
- Sprigs of Fall leaves from the Dollar Store
- Dollar Store Leaf Garland
- Florist’s wire
- Wire cutters
I only used the garland, and one of the leaf clusters, and not the green spray at the bottom of the photo. And though, we don’t have to keep score on what we spent, the rake head cost me a whopping 10¢, the leaf garland and leaf clusters were $1 each, so total I spent on this was $2.10. I already had the florist’s wire and wire cutters, and I’m not counting the other two things I didn’t use.
I put the leaf garland on first, wiring it down, and of course, it looked puny, but this is just the beginning.
I planned to fill in the gaps with snips from the leaf clusters, but they were wrinkled and didn’t look right. Can you iron these without melting? I had no idea, but gave it a try, and it worked fine. Ironed the leaves and started wiring them on the rake head.
The whole process really didn’t take long, and I’m ashamed to say I forgot to take a photo of its semi-finished state. I liked it, but something was missing. Ah, a bow! So I hustled myself down to Michael’s to find a burlap bow.
“We don’t have pre-made burlap bows,” the clerk said perkily…while filling a wreath with burlap bows. Whaaat? Michael’s doesn’t have pre-made burlap bows??? You mean to tell me everyone in the whole wide world makes their own bows, and I’m not gonna find a pre-made bow in a craft store??? I was incredulous.
I did find a semi-burlap-y pre-made bow I liked. Please tell me all you crafters out there don’t all make your own bows! (I have to have a little help in the bow-making department.) Anyway, the bow came in 3 parts. And even a slightly craft-challenged person like me can manage to put the bow together! LOL
And I simply wired it onto the side of the rake. Voila! My finished masterpiece to jazz up our front porch!
And a close-up. You can actually see the rake a little better here.
PIN PLEASE! THANK YOU!
Hope you enjoyed my jazzy door decoration, that’s not a door decoration, but shhh, we won’t tell.
Update:
This is where I put it, and though, it’s not on the door, it’s very close. I love it propped on that old metal frame that already lives by the door anyway!
Final Halloween Porch Reveal coming soon!
Sharing with these Link Parties….
And now for more thrifty goodness!
Check out what my fellow upcyclers created below!
Florence
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Love what you did with the rake Florence. Your door decoration that is not a door decoration is very festively fall.
Thanks Tuula! Appreciate you dropping by!
How cute is that?!! So simple, so easy, so quick and so EFFECTIVE!
I commiserate with you about the bow making. I sit in awe watching how easy it is for some people to make a bow (or arrange flowers), but I can’t. My bows are awful. Wonky, twisted…..ugly. And I’ve been trying since at least 1981 after our daughter was born. Wonder if you could have slipped the bow maker a couple of bucks to whip one out for you and you just paid for the burlap at the register? But surely we’ve seen premade burlap bows somewhere?? Anyway, the one you used is awfully cute.
Thank you Wanda. Appreciate you coming by to comment! Yeah, I thought about asking her to make me one, but I didn’t. Never had any luck making bows. They never look right.
Hank the rake head the other way maybe-handle up-head down.
You know, that’s a good idea! Next time I’ll try that.
I love to see these old rusty rake heads being used in a new way! I have one my mom gave me that had been sitting in their shed for years. I turned it into a wine glass holder!
Oh and I need help in the bow making department too. I have watched countless youtube videos and still can’t seem to get mine to look as nice.
I’ve seen those wine glass holders & necklace holders, which are great uses for old rake heads! Yes, bows! Never could make one that looked right, LOL.
I am sooooo late on fall decorations! This is just too cute!
Thank you Lindsay! You still have time!
Looks great Florence!
Thanks Tania!
Florence, I love how it looks like the rack picked up those leaves with a pretty bow on top! It looks perfect on your metal hanger too.
Thank you Marie!
Love the decorative rake, that would be real cute on the door. I picked up a rake a while back and plan on using it in our master bath someday if we ever get the renovations over.
Thank you Linda!
I love how you decorated the rake, it will look real pretty on the door. I picked up an old rake at the trade days awhile back to use in the master bath if we ever get the renovations done.
Love the metal frame too, that would look really pretty hanging on the porch.
Thanks Linda…hopefully you can show us in blogland all your renovations!
Such a fun upcycle project! I have racked lots of leaves with those kind of rakes as well. I like it on the metal frame by the door!
Thanks Shirley! Appreciate you dropping in!
This is so creative and I love how pretty it looks!
Thank you Angela!
I love seeing rakes being used for decor. Yours is super nice. I have tried to find some pre-made bows too….with no luck. Maybe you should make and sell them for those of us who are “bow challenged”. I love it hanging by the door.
Thank you Michelle! Great idea! Learn to make bows & sell them! Thanks for the kind works about the rake head arrangement too!
That is so cute. I really like it how you have displayed it. I didn’t realize Michaels doesn’t sell premade burlap bows. Who knew? Maybe the other craft stores do. I picked up a rake like that a while ago at a garage sale. I should do something with mine :). You are inspiring me.
Thanks Debra! So glad to know I inspired you…it really was so easy!
What a great makeover!! Looks lovely where you have it displayed!! Thanks so much for stopping by!!
Hugs,
Debbie
Thanks Debbie! Glad you dropped in!
Well, how cute is that?! Thanks for sharing @ Vintage Charm!
I love it! I would have snagged up that rake as well, great find. Can’t wait to see what else you got:) xo Kathleen|Our Hopeful Home
Thanks Kathleen!
Your rake looks cute there! I hardly ever put anything on my front door either!
Thanks Pam! Appreciate you taking the time to come by. Yes I don’t like floppy things hanging on the door much.
Florence, this is such a creative upcycling project. And you can use it all year round just by changing a few things
Thanks Pili! Appreciate you coming by. You’re right, that rake head should be versatile.