Make a Junk Angel with Vintage Hardware

[UPDATED: June 14, 2021]

If you’re a true junk lover like me, then you will LOVE today’s project (one of my mosts favorite projects EVER): junk angels made with vintage hardware.

I collect vintage-y bits and bobs regularly and sort them by “heads,” “bodies,” “wings,” “skirts,” etc. Then when I’m ready to create a new angel, have all the parts necessary to choose from.

You are going to love creating these charming angels, whether you decorate your own garden with them or sell them, as I do. In fact, the angel you’ll be reading about today sold on Etsy in 2019 for $89.99(!).

UPDATE: I’m thrilled to tell you that Country Sampler Farmhouse Style Magazine featured this project on page 102 of their Summer 2021 edition! 

I’ve named my junk angel Sheila, and she’s perfect for a fall garden–all rusty and crusty.

Materials for Making a Junk Angel

Here are the vintage pieces of hardware and other worn and rusted thing-a-ma-bobs that I collected to make Sheila:

• Part of a chair leg, spindle, or dowel (for the base–the narrow end makes it perfect for driving into the ground)
• Faucet handle or other round piece of junk (for the face)
• Large hinge (for the wings)
• Wrenches (for the arms)
• Ornate Victorian hinge (for the breastplate)
• Iron rest (for the skirt)

Not shown is a second piece of a chair leg, which I connected to the piece shown above to add needed length to the project. 

Note: This post contains affiliate links for [the same or similar] products used to complete this project. This is both for your convenience as well as to support my website, since I receive a small compensation whenever you click on a link and make any sort of purchase, for which I thank you 🙂 See my full disclosure here.

Other necessary materials:

• Drill
• Screws
• Rubber mallet
• Wire
• Washer

How to Make the Junk Angel’s Head

To attach the faucet handle and thereby create Sheila’s “face,” I drilled a pilot hole (toward the top of the chair leg) to make it easier to screw the faucet handle in place.

Because the opening in the center of the handle was so large, I used a washer to hold the screw in place. Later I painted the washer and screw brown to match the rusty color of the handle.

When making junk angels, you’ll often find that you have to fix things or make-do with things in creative and inventive ways, often using another piece of junk, LOL.

How to Make the Garden Angel’s Wings

The holes in the hinge were placed perfectly to allow me to screw it onto the back of the leg, creating Sheila’s wings. I marked the screw locations with a pencil, drilled pilot holes, and then screwed it in place.

The iron rest had three 1″ legs on each corner. Where the top leg touched the chair leg I drilled a hole to accommodate it. Using a rubber mallet, I pounded the leg into the hole. This is what held the iron rest in place.

It is extremely secure and makes a lovely “skirt.” Don’t you think? I could also have inserted a screw through the bottom hole, but it really wasn’t necessary.

How to Attach the Breastplate

To attach the ornate hinge and create a sort of “breastplate,” I first inserted a screw through the hole at the top, and then secured it at the bottom (to the iron rest) with a piece of rust-colored wire.

How to Make the Angel’s Arms

Next, I used more of the same wire to attach the two wrenches to create her arms.

How to Connect the Two Chair Leg Pieces

One of the legs had a double-ended screw (or pole joiner), making it easy to connect the two pieces. I simply drilled a hole in the bottom of the other leg and then screwed them together. You can easily find a double-ended screw at a hardware store.

The addition of the second leg allows Sheila to be inserted into your garden. She would be a bit top-heavy if she couldn’t be sunk fairly deeply into the ground.

The Completed Junk Angel Project

Here she is in all her glory.

I tucked her into one of my planters on our back deck.

And then moved her to the front yard near some greenery and a bird bath. Really, I think she’d look pretty good just about anywhere.

UPDATE: My charming junk angel sold on Etsy in 2019 for a pretty spectacular $89.99!

Junk Angel #2

Since writing this post originally back in 2018 I’ve made several more angels. I thought I’d share another one with you.

Here are the supplies I selected for this one.

Meet Stella! She’s blessed with the most marvelous, antique metal wings you ever did see. She looks like she’s ready to fly away, doesn’t she?

I picked up the heavy metal base recently at an antique shop for the express purpose of holding a junk angel. What excitement to discover that the long darner-looking thingy slid inside perfectly.

I plan to bring her to my antique booth (she’s not a solidly built as angel #1 so I’d rather not ship her) and price her at $40-45. I’ll let you know how she does.

Junk Angel #3

This rustic gal sold for $59.99 in the spring of 2021 after the buyer read this article. She contacted me wondering if I had any in stock. I had just finished this one and she loved it! 

At the moment (September 2021) I’m in the process of creating a fourth angel for another customer. They’re kind of addictive to make, and who doesn’t LOVE buying the bits and bobs you need to put one together??

Reader Project

I’m smitten with this junk angel masterfully created by my online friend, JoAnn. And I love the halo!!

Please be sure to check out my Thrifty Chick friends’
vintage hardware posts below. I know you’re going to love them!

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