How to Turn a Whisk into DIY Peacock Garden Art

Ever since I created my whisk dragonfly and butterfly garden art, I’ve been on the hunt for used whisks at Goodwill San Antonio.  These whimsical garden creatures are so fun and easy to make that it’s hard to stop once you’ve started!  I’ve been stretching my imagination and trying to come up with other creatures that I can make with whisks, and I’m tickled with my newest project:  a DIY peacock made from a whisk!

Once my daughter saw what I was making she begged me to let her keep the peacock in her room.  My original plan was to leave this a bit industrial and let it rust and age in the garden, but she wanted a colorful, glittery peacock, so I obliged.  You could opt to leave yours metal or paint it any color you like.  Since I have a nice whisk collection from Goodwill San Antonio I will probably make a few more in different styles and colors.

Supplies:

• Whisk
• Souvenir Spoon
• Rusted Wire Net
• Acrylic Drop Bead
• Paint: DecoArt Patio Paint
• DecoArt Glamour Dust 2-Ounce Gold Glitz Glitter Paint
• Craft Wire
• Jewelry Glue

Step one:  Use wire cutters to remove the center disk in the whisk, if your whisk has one.

Step two:  Arrange the whisk as picture.  Start with the center “feather”, and bend it so it is behind the handle of the whisk.  Continue arranging as pictures.  Make sure the edges of the side feathers touch the table surface when you stand the peacock, as you’ll need this to balance your garden art.

Step three:  Cut a piece of wire net to fit each “feather”.  Wrap it around the edge, and trim off the excess with scissors.

Step four:  Glue a souvenir spoon to the base of the peacock as a stand.  I used jewelry glue.

Step five:  Paint the entire peacock turquoise blue.  Add yellow paint to the center of each tail feather, then paint over the feather with gold glitter paint.

Step six:  Twist craft wire to make the plumes on the peacock’s head.  Glue each one in place with jewelry glue.  Finally, glue the drop bead in place to make the bird’s head and beak.

I think it’s fun to turn a tossed kitchen utensil into something completely unexpected!  This colorful, glittery peacock would make a pretty addition to a flower bed, or just a cute piece of decor.  If you were to use it in a garden, I would add a metal stake to the bottom of the whisk handle so the peacock won’t get blown over by the wind or rain.  As I mentioned, this one has already been confiscated by my daughter and added to her kitschy bird collection.  I’m just happy that she likes it as much as I do.