Recently when going through my stash of thrift store finds accumulating under the basement steps, I came across a piece of copper art made by my husband's aunt in the 50s. It has moved with us from house-to-house for decades and not once has it hung on a wall. It is such a shame considering the sentimental value.

This month the theme for our Power Tool Challenge Team is Organization and while brainstorming ideas, inspiration struck. I figured out how I could showcase hubby's aunt's creative talents by building a unique DIY dog leash holder with her vintage copper art.

DIY Rustic Dog Leash Holder

Realizing not everyone has vintage dog art available, you may be able to find framed dog-related art at your local thrift store or garage sales. Alternatively, you could use an enlarged print of a favorite photo of your dog(s) to mount on the custom dog leash holder.

Before we get into the nitty-gritty of how the dog leash holder was made I should mention that we are self-taught DIYers and not trained professionals. This step-by-step tutorial is based on our building knowledge only. However, if you are a do-it-yourselfer like us, you'll find these steps helpful if you plan on making a version of our rustic dog leash holder.

If you haven't heard of the Power Tool Challenge, we are a group of tool-savvy, skill-sharing bloggers who want to encourage and empower our female readers to step out of their comfort zone and try simple do-it-yourself projects with power tools.

Speaking of power tools, let's talk about safety...

What You'll Need To Make It

This post contains affiliate links so you can see what products I used or recommend for this project. As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.

Power Tool List

• Mitre Saw
• Power Drill
• Kreg Pocket Hole Jig

Supply List

• Framed Dog Art or Enlarged Photo Print Of Your Dog(s)
• Fence Boards (salvaged)
• 4 Coat Hooks
• E6000 Glue
• Sheet of Graphite Paper or Carbon Paper
• Acrylic Craft Paint or Paint Pen

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Here's How I Did It

Cutting The Wood

The first step is building a frame for the dog art/photo to be mounted onto. I used leftover fence boards from our Large Pallet Wood Clock. You'll need to adapt the measurements according to the dog art or photo you plan on using.

With a miter saw cut a fence board into two 24 1/2-inch long pieces and two more 17-inches long (pictured above).

Pocket Hole Assembly

To join the boards together we'll be using a pocket hole assembly with a handy Kreg Pocket Hole Jig. Following the instructions that come with the jig to determine the length of the hole based on the thickness of the wood. Drill the pocket holes on the backside of both the top and bottom horizontal boards only. 

In case you are not familiar with pocket hole joiners you can see what they look like in the photo below.

Assembling The Wood Frame

1. Measure 2-inches from the edge on each end of the horizontal boards and mark with a pencil (pictured above).
2. Line up the upright boards to the mark you just made so the boards are inset two inches from the edges (see photo below).
3. With wood glue and Kreg 1 1/4" wood screws, assemble the frame.

How To Add Typography

Now that we have the frame assembled, time to add the cute Wanna Go For A Walk typography onto the top of the wood dog leash holder. I designed the typography in PicMonkey. If you'd like to use the graphic click HERE for a free printable download.

To transfer the typography onto the wood see the easy-to-follow instructions in my image transfer technique tutorial.

You'll need to have a sheet of graphite paper or good old-fashioned carbon paper on hand for the transfer. Once the graphic is transferred onto the wood, you'll need a script liner art brush and acrylic craft paint OR Sharpie paint pens.

Alternatively, if you have a Cricut Maker machine you could make the typography with permanent vinyl OR make your own stencil.

Prepping Artwork

Before mounting the dog art onto the leash holder, now would be a good time to paint the art frame if you don't like the color. I didn't like the blonde wood on the copper art against the wood color of the leash holder. To add contrast I gave it a whitewash with chalk paint.

If you're using an enlarged photo you will want to either decoupage it onto a thin piece of plywood or hardboard first with Mod Podge. Or place the photograph in a suitable picture frame. Thrift stores have an ample supply of affordable frames if you don't have one in the right size.

Painting The Hooks

Unfortunately, I could only find coat hooks that I liked in a chrome finish. I spray-painted them with Burnished Amber forged hammered spray paint. I also painted the screws that came with the hooks to match.

Still not a perfect match to the patina on the art, I unified the color with Blackened Bronze Sophisticated Finishes Metallic Surfacer and that did the trick.

Attaching The Dog Art

With E6000 glue, attach the copper art onto the fence board frame, clamp it in place, and let it cure overnight.

Attach The Hooks

Last but not least, attach the coat hooks evenly across the bottom of the frame.

Picture Hangers

The final step is attaching D-Ring Picture Hangers rated for the weight of the wooden dog leash holder on the back of the wall dog leash holder. Much like I did on the pallet wood clock pictured below.

Pro-Tip

Hanging artwork with double picture hangers can be very frustrating. Here's a handy no-measure tip for hanging artwork with two hooks. No measuring tape required and it'll be perfectly level every.single.time.

Thanks for stopping by the Interior Frugalista today! I hope you were inspired by this one-of-a-kind custom dog leash holder. If you have any questions, please leave them in the comment section below or the Contact Me tab at the top to drop me an email. I love hearing from you!

If you enjoyed this dog leash hook rack idea, I'd be so thankful if you shared it with a friend and pinned it to your DIY Pet Ideas or Wall Organization Ideas board on Pinterest.

Now it's time to see what Organization projects my talented friends created. If you like what you see, please pin directly from their blog posts rather than the links.

I share my projects at these inspiring link parties.