There are not too many things that annoy me more than a fly buzzing around my room when I’m trying to go to sleep. I try so hard to ignore it but I always end up getting super angry, getting out of bed, turning all the lights on and finding the nearest magazine or t-shirt to whip around and throw at the wall until I finally catch it. It always takes me forever and I honestly go a bit crazy over it. Ha! The other day I was going through this routine with a huge horse fly that had gotten into my room and I couldn’t believe I still don’t own a fly swatter! I wrote it down on my “Is this something I could make?” list. Turns out it is! And, although it has quite a few steps, it really is very simple to put together. Took me under 10 minutes! Now the flies don’t stand a chance and I have a fly swatter that is adorable enough to display on the wall! 😉
What you need:
-Thick Leather
–Leather Punch
-Scissors
-Mod Podge
-12″ piece of 1/2″ wooden dowel
-Scroll Saw
-Sandpaper
-Super Glue
-Drill
-String
How to make it:
-Measure and cut out a piece of leather 4″x4.75″. Cut bottom corners off at an angle.
-Measure and mark spaces for the holes in the leather. Use leather punch to punch out holes.
-If your leather isn’t firm enough, coat the back with Mod Podge and let dry to give it more strength. (This will also make it easier to wipe off bug guts so I’d recommend it either way.)
-Use a scroll saw to cut out a section from the top center of the dowel (1/2″-1″ deep). Width should be the thickness of your leather, or a bit smaller for a snug fit.
-Drill a small hole in the center of the dowel on the opposite end.
-Use sandpaper to round the ends of the dowel.
-Fit leather down into the slot cut in dowel. If it doesn’t fit very tightly, use a bit of super glue to help secure it.
-Cut a 6″ piece of string, put it through the hole in the dowel and tie a knot and the ends.
xo. Caitlin
