Dollar Store Christmas Village Makeover

When I saw this project here, I wasn't sure that I could actually pull it off.  

I was afraid that my results would look like a spray paint job gone bad.

I was wrong.

This was one of the easiest projects I have ever done and I love that it turned out well.

Desiree...you are a genius!

So this is what it starts out like.  This is a Christmas Village set from the Dollar Tree.  I didn't buy the entire set, just about $12.00 worth.  The little people come in three packs so you get more bang for your buck there.  Even the adorable little bottle brush trees are from the Dollar Tree {2 pack}

For me, the colors were a bit too bright and the painted faces are not really on straight

 {eyes painted where the nose should go, etc..you get the idea}

Look what happens though when you give your little village a very light coat of spray paint

{Krylon Indoor/Outdoor in Ivory Satin}

The transformation is simply amazing!

You want to make sure to give these a very thin coat of paint.  You want some of the original color to still show through.

It gives them a more subtle, frosty appearance and everything looks a bit antiqued.  

I love the way these turned out!

The only thing I didn't do yet is to glitter them.

I didn't have any Krylon Glitter Blast on hand at home, so I will complete that step as soon as I get to the store to buy some.

I just couldn't wait until then to show you this.  Once I start my Christmas decorating and get this baby glittered and set up, I'll be sure to share it.

I think I may go back to the Dollar Tree and get a few more pieces.

Happy crafting everyone and have a great weekend!!

xo and God Bless,

Kathleen

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Linking up to French Country Cottage Feathered Nest Friday

A Ballard Designs Stocking Knock-off and...Christmas all Through the House

The windows

are

all adorned...

...the chandeliers too...

the coffee pot is on,

ready to welcome you!

Our hearts are set on home,

no place we'd rather be...

gathered all together to trim the Christmas tree!

*****

We have been busy decorating and fluffing, enjoying this Christmas season.  I've been working on a few projects ~ super simple and inexpensive that I will share.

First up are these stocking I made - inspired by Ballard Designs.  I saw them on the current cover of Country Living magazine...LOVE them but not for $39.00 each!

So, I made my own. 

Very simple really.

  Take an inexpensive stocking that you can buy at Walmart and lay it out on a piece of burlap that has been folded in half {or freehand it}.   Cut around the stocking so that when you're finished you have two matching pieces.  Sew them up, wrong sides together.  Now turn it right side out and sew a piece of upholstery webbing onto the top edge of your stocking.  Lastly, sew on a loop of ribbon, jute, or whatever you have on hand so that you can hang it.  I used seam binding.  That's it!  For less than a dollar each, you have a pretty Ballard inspired stocking to hang on your mantle.    

***

Another fun project I did were these faux mercury glass ornaments. They're actually plastic and from the dollar store (shhh...don't tell anyone)

They were an unattractive gold color when I bought them.  I simply spray painted them with metallic silver spray paint.  Now here's the cool part about this project.  The plastic and paint that these ornaments are made of don't completely agree with  spray paint.  The silver paint covers it well enough, but it bubbles up here and there creating a look that resembles mercury glass.  I loved the finish that this created.

the ornaments needed a little something paired with them so I also made this chalkboard.  The tray is another dollar store find that I taped off and sprayed with chalkboard paint. 

throw in a pretty glass bowl of citrus

and you have an instant vignette for the kitchen island!

***

Underneath the coffee station in the kitchen, I added this basket of old percolators and tucked in a bit of white pine greenery.

I put a Christmas tree laden with candles up on the mantle.  See the champagne bucket it sits in?  A great French bucket look-alike until I can actually find an old authentic one{I found these for $6.99 at the Christmas Tree Shops}! 

I hope you are having a blessed advent season.

From our home to yours, Merry Christmas!

xo and God Bless,

Kathleen

Dollar Store Craft~Candy Dishes

If you're like me, you probably love these!

Funny thing though....I love these little pumpkins, but the candy corns...not so much. I don't know why. Aren't they made of the very same thing? My husband is exactly the opposite, he likes the candy corns but not the pumpkins...oh well, to each his own!

So anyway, I needed a cute place to stash them and I've seen lots of people making the glass vase/candle holders using candle sticks and hurricanes from the dollar store. I thought it was such a great idea so I jumped on the bandwagon and did it too. Only, I put my candy in there instead of a candle. I figure when Christmas comes, I can easily change it out and put something Christmas-y in there instead.

I went to the dollar store {love that place} and picked up some glass hurricanes, candle sticks and crows...can't forget the crows!

and got to work gluing the hurricanes to the candle sticks. What did I do with the crow you ask?

Look at this! I made a countdown to Halloween pumpkin. I put the crow on top along with some black painted and glittered leaves. I tucked in a piece of chalk and voila! Instant cuteness! I cannot take credit for this idea though. I saw it here.

Heather at Paper Princess Chronicles has tons of really cute ideas over on her blog. This was one of them and I couldn't wait to make one of my own. I just sprayed an orange foam pumpkin that I got at Walmart with chalkboard paint and then started counting down the days to trick-or-treat! The kids love it!

~~

Have a great evening.

xo and God Bless,

Kathleen