Scavenger Chic

Tobacco Stick Stars, Easy DIY

• By Joan
• August 28, 2019
• 14 Comments

I have an easy project for you today.  A star made from old tobacco sticks.

This is my second project from my flea market finds that I showed you earlier in the month. Last week was super busy so I picked out my easiest project and here it is.

Tobacco sticks once held tobacco leaves in the barns until the leaves dried out.  The sticks are kinda like snowflakes, no two are alike but they’re close, all about 4 to 5 feet and about an inch to 1 1/2 inches wide.

With 5 of  the sticks, I laid out a star just for size.  That’s a 48″ yardstick next to the star (Is it still a yardstick if it’s 48″?)

It was a little large for my walls, so time for a trim.

I had 8 tobacco sticks, enough to make 2 stars.  If you gather them all up together, even up the ends, you can chop them all in one fell swoop.

Using 5 of the sticks each cut 43″ for a larger star and 3 sticks  cut in half to make 25″ cuts for a smaller star.

Now that all the sticks are the same length, lay out your star again keeping the points roughly the same size.

I’m using a nail gun with 1 1/2 inch nails to secure all the joints and star points.

So quick and easy.

You could leave the stars as is.  I decided to wrap my ends with a little jute.  If you’ve never wrapped any rough ends, I’m including a quick tutorial.

Cut a length of jute about 48″.  With your thumb, hold one end of the string  in place  (diagram 1).  Work from the top down, covering that first string you’re holding with your thumb, wrap at least 5 or 6 times (diagram 2). When finished wrapping, tie the two ends of the strings together (diagram 3).  Tuck your knot into the gap between the tobacco sticks (diagram 4).  

This is the smaller star easily hung with a single nail.

And the larger star which fits perfectly above the sofa.

If you don’t happen to live in or near one of the southern tobacco states you can find the sticks on Ebay. 

Happy hunting and as always, stay inspired.

My updated flea market transformations…  a bar cart, the  shelves made from the desk drawers,  lamps made from the jack stands, the  star made from tobacco sticks, whale weathervane from a jack, coffee table from silo doors, and a pair of raised stencil headboards.

Shared at Talk of the Town,  DIY Salvaged Junk

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