Dragonfly Garden Pick

Materials:

• 5/8 inch dowel, 12 inches long
• Wooden 'doll head' bead that has a pre-drilled opening
• 5/16 inch dowel, cut to desired length for stick
• Spray paint
• Primer
• 14 gauge galvanized wire
• 22 gauge colored wire
• Beads
• Needle nose pliers
• Goop or other all-weather super glue
• Drill

Procedure:

1. Attach 5/8 inch dowel to wooden bead. Use a drill to widen hole if it is not large enough, and add the glue to ensure that the dowel will stay in place.
2. Drill a hole into the body of the dragonfly and insert the long dowel (with some glue on it) into the hole. Let dry.
3. Paint or spray primer on the head and body of the dragonfly. When dry, spray color onto the body and black for the head. Let dry.
4. Cut the 14 gauge wire to these lengths: 6 feet, 3 1/2 feet, 1 1/2 feet.
5. With the 6 foot piece: start at the tail of the dragonfly and wrap around the dragonfly, ending at the front of the head. Take the needle nose pliers and pull the tail out. Reshape until it looks right.
6. With the 3 1/2 foot piece (wings): wrap one end of the wire around the body, just before the point where the long dowel meets the body. Form a loop about 6 inches long, and then another loop on the other side of the body so that the two loops resemble an '8' with the middle of the '8' across the back of the dragonfly. Using the same wire, repeat for the second, smaller set of wings. Use the remaining length of the wire to secure to the body by wrapping around the body and across the top of the wings until they stay in place. If there is any remaining wire, spiral it down the long dowel. This will secure it better if, for some reason, the dragonfly becomes detached from the dowel.
7. With the 1 1/2 foot piece (antenna): place the middle of the wire under the neck, wrap around the neck, twist, and form the antenna.
8. Cut your colored wire to 6 feet. Secure one end of the wire to the middle of the dragonfly (just behind the wings). Wrap it down to the tail, up to the head (securing the antenna in place at the same time), back to the wings, and through and around the wings, adding beads as desired. Trim off any extra wire and secure.
9. Coat long dowel with varnish, if desired, and add to your garden!

Copyright © 2002 RBG

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