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Sproing! Fabulous and fun bedspring projects for the garden!

How to: Easy project ideas

Garden art made from old bed springs: Part 1 Fall

Rusty, crusty, creaky springs…we’re just loving these springs! Yes, where the , ahem, normal person sees trash we see treasure in these old bed springs, conveniently packed in set of 300 or so and found who knows where,…leaning against dumpsters, on trash day or out on the side of the road.  Especially in that case, it’s your duty to pick it up, right?
So, in the hands of garden crafters, Sue Gerdes, Marie Niemann and Nancy K Meyer, these springs transform into the following incarnations:

Autumn Wreaths from bedsprings

A dozen springs can form a wreath, tied together with the wire that comes with the metal mattress frame.  Sproing!

Sue Gerdes spring wreath,..notice the hourglass shapes

Sue Gerdes’s spring wreath,..notice the hourglass shapes…and see the curly tendrils? Sue says, “The big springs are attached with the little springs that come with the mattress..”

 

Nancy K. Meyer begins forming a wreath from her found bed springs...attch the springs with wire.

Nancy K. Meyer begins forming a wreath from her found bed springs…attach the springs with wire. She says, “Start of my next project, not sure where this is going. Should be FUN!”

 

Sue G's paper rose wreath,...ingenious

Sue G’s very ‘classical’ paper rose wreath,…ingenious! See?  The paper she used is sheet music.  Classical, Sue?

To make the sheet music roses, search “Paper roses”

 

We’re ‘fans’ of these springs!

What other odd metal pieces do you have?  An old oscillating pedestal fan, beginning to rust?  Perfect!  Old saw parts? Yep!

Fan and saw blades and gear and fan cover and springs

Fan cover, saw blades, gears,….and springs in Sue G’s concoction.

 

20 inches in diameter fan and spring combo

It’s art! 20 inches in diameter fan and spring combination put together with wire

 

A fan cover, saw blade a gear, springs and a antique door knob

Rust and red! Nice ,…against the bright colored barn. It looks like a flower…

 

Blue bottle bed springs in the garden

Gorgeous bottle tags for wine really glam up a gift. Marie Niemann beads hers and stamps flattened spoons with labels.

Tall blue wine bottles get sprung

Marie Niemann’s tall blue wine bottles get sprung

Marie says, “I love Cobalt Blue, Beading, and I Love Love Love old rusty springs! I made these using old bed springs with a little added bling! Blue Beaded Bed Springs! Try saying that 10 times fast!

These are pretty easy to make, finding glass pony beads with larger holes is the most difficult part. I don’t like plastic anything, so I’m a little fussy and use only glass beads and metal beads and findings. This is my first attempt at flattening and stamping a silver spoon. A little harder than it looked but I did it!”

 

Beadsmith 36 Piece Letter & Number Punch Set

Beadsmith 36 Piece Letter and Number Punch Set on Amazon Click photo

 Beadsmith 36 Piece Letter and Number Punch Set

 

Marie's blue beaded spring bottles

Blue beaded spring bottle detail…

 

Steampunk candles

 

Marie's rusty candle stack

Marie’s rusty candle stack

 

‘Harvesting’ bed springs for garden projects

Bonus...they are RUSTY and not shiny

Score! Bonus…they are RUSTY and not shiny

After finding this ‘treasure trove’ …an old spring mattress, Sue says, ” I’m thinking that I am going to keep them attached to the metal frame until I need them for projects. Otherwise how do you corral them?  They will be ‘boinging’ all over the place and getting tangled up! I need to get them unattached from the wood and in the shop before the snow flies so I have them at my finger tips. Had 5 tools out and the best was the Stanley Wonder Bar

.

After taking 80 staples out and taking it off the wooden frame, I can NOW see why they cost so much at flea markets. And I have yet to free 312 of them from the metal frame!

 

Sue’s Weebly pots

These pots wobble, but they don’t fall down!  Old wood, rusty springs, polka dots and burlap ribbon,…what could be cuter!  Fill with succulents outside or house plants indoors.

Sue Gerdes's Weeble pots

Sue Gerdes’s Weebly pots

 

The cross of wires weaved into the Spring then drill holes drilled through the wood and tied down with thin wire.

The cross of coat hanger wire is weaved into the Spring then just drill two holes in the center where the coat hangers cross and thread a thin wire up through the top and down through the bottom and twist the thin wire on the backside.

 

Sue Gerdes' spring pot

Sue Gerdes’ cute little polka dotted spring pot.

 

How to join the Spring to the wood

How to join the Spring to the wood

Sue: “This is how I join the spring to the wood.

1 ) “First I cut off two 4 inch pieces or wire from old coat hangers. Bend them both a little in the center with your pliers ( some springs are made differently so you might have to play with this a little). I then cross them in the middle then slide them through the Springs bottom, making a X.

2 ) “Once that’s done and it stands up by itself drill 8 small holes all the way through the wood on each side of the coat hanger wire leg. So there are two holes for each leg of the coat hanger wire.

3 ) “Then I thread 4-5 inch pieces of thin wire up from the bottom of the wood catching the coat hanger leg and then down through the top of the wood. Just like sewing it to the wood. Twist the thin wires on the back side so you can’t see them. You’re done!

 

Sue Gerdes works on her spring pots at her potting table

Sue Gerdes works on her spring pots at her potting table,…painted ‘mushroom,’ she says, “To go with anything.”

 

Old Springs bring new life to this succulent.

Old Springs bring new life to this succulent

 

Tags | bed spring bottle tags, Bed spring crafts, bed spring planters, bed spring wreath, bedsprings for sale, garden crafts, rusty bedsprings
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2 Comments

  • mat at

    I LOVE LOVE LOVE bed springs and am so glad to have found your site. Thank you for so many different ideas. MAT

  • Sue Jordan at

    Fun ideas!

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