Thrifty Twine Jar

OK, I had an idea for this Christmas apothecary jar I found at the Salvation Army for 50 cents. I thought I may be able to use sandpaper to get the Christmas tree image off so I could use it all the time instead of just the holidays. Well it didn't really workout as I expected. Instead the glass just got all scratched up. This happens to me sometimes. I have this ingenious idea, but then when I try and make it come to reality, I fail!

So I put it in my craft room and thought about it for a few days. Then I had another idea. Well since I can't get rid of the image, why not hide it!?! (especially since I had scratched it all up & it still had a Christmas tree on it) 

So that is where this idea came to play. I love the inspiration I found in the Pottery Barn catalog. They used twine in several of their displays. I happened to have a couple balls a twine laying around.

Here is my jar after trying to sandpaper off the Christmas tree image.

I basically just started by hot gluing the start of the twine on the bottom base & wrapped it around the jar until I got to the top. (This is a bit time consuming, but way worth it). When I got to the top I hot glued the end.  This is my end result!

I just plopped in a candle & WHOLA!! Oh, and the top of this jar actually fit some of my other Apothecary jars. So for the time being, it is home there!

Enjoy!!!

Thanksgiving/Fall Decorating in Dollar Tree fashion

Well last week I got all my Halloween decorations down & my fall/Thanksgiving decorations up. In amongst all my furniture makeovers I have in my garage right now.

Most of my decorations come from the thrift store

or the Dollar Tree.

Let's take a closer look.

The faux Mercury pumpkins were made using Dollar Tree pumpkins. See how I transformed them here.

The candle pedestals are on are all from the Salvation army from 30 cents to $1.

The "Blessings" glitter sign is from Shopko's fall clearance last year.

The plate is from the thrift store & I just removed the vinyl cling from my Halloween display & replaced it with a fall gel clingy from the Target Dollar spot. The bird tea light holder was a Dollar Tree find earlier in the year. The tree you may remember from my Halloween display. Thrift store find also.

Here is my "Knock Off Wood" table I created here.

Pottery barn was my inspiration for this area. They had fabulous ideas in their fall catalog.

The leaf garland you see is also from the Dollar Tree.

Some of my apothecary jar creations with leaves from the Dollar Tree & twine. See how I made the apothecary jars here. (*all from stuff found at the thrift store or Dollar Tree)

Here is another with some craft grapevine wreaths in the bottom, some loose leaves & a candle.

(*Don't worry folks, I don't plan on lighting these candles)

This twine wrapped glass jar is a creating I made after an "idea" I had for it previously flopped! You win some, you loose some. So this was my fix. I love the texture it brings to the display. (*I will show you how I created this tomorrow...stay tuned!)

Here is another one of my Apothecary jars filled with mini gourds from where else, The Dollar Tree.

I just bought three different colors & mixed them in the jar.

Here is my DIY Cloche. See how I turned this "cheese dome" into a cloche on the cheap here!

I just added a pumpkin from the Dollar Tree.

This apothecary jar I found at Salvation army for 90 cents. I just filled it with acorn vase filler from....The Dollar Tree.

I bought 2 bags. I LOVE acorns. They also had gem shaped ones in the same color schemes.

Another view.

So there you have it folks. My Fall/Thanksgiving display. Although I love how it looks, it is hard to be too excited when all I can think about is my CHRISTMAS display. Hard to compete with my FAVORITE holiday!

Enjoy!!!

I am linking up to these fabulous parties:

Dollar Tree Spookathon & Pottery Barn Knock Offs

Here is some more of my Pottery Barn Inspiration.

I am definitely in full mode with my Halloween decorating!

When I saw these chalkboard rocks over at the Pottery Barn website I was in LOVE! Chalkboards are all the rage these days and how genius to create chalkboard rocks to write or design whatever your little heart wants. Swoon!

Photo from Pottery Barn

Well unfortunately I didn't swoon at the price....$16.00 for these Chalkboard Rock Fillers (that's a set of 4) Oh how generous of them, they do include a piece of chalk with all four of them! Can you believe it...for 4 rocks! Well there is no shortage of rocks here in Minnesota. So this was the first project I set out to conquer.

I stoped in at my local landscape materials dealer (Pozanc's). They have always been reasonable & whenever we are in the market for rocks, mulch, dirt, etc we always go there because they are a local mom & pop type establishment & very nice to work with.

Now they usually sell you a bobcat loader full or 1/2 a bobcat loader, but obviously I didn't need that many! :) I took one of my reusable cloth shopping bags & asked how much to fill it 1/5 of the way up. He looked at me kinda funny so I explained it was for a craft project. He thought about it for a minute and said 50 cents. 50 cents I said SOLD!!!! I thought that was VERY REASONABLE! Here is half my load!

Here's the other half drying on a towel after I washed them up. (I forgot to take a picture of the bag before I washed a few of them! Oops!)

I thought it was a SCORE!

Then I pulled out my trusty chalkboard spray paint & painted away. And WHOLA! Chalkboard rocks for the bargain price of 50 cents! I already had the paint!

After

Now you see that cool Apothecary jar that my beautiful new rocks are displayed in, as well as the others you see in the background? Well those aren't from Pottery Barn either. But here are some of their versions.

 Photo from Pottery Barn

Their version of the Apothecary Jars & Voluminous Canisters range in price from $39 to $69! OUCH!

Well being the thrifty lady I am, I would N~E~V~E~R pay that kind of price for a vase.

I have seen SEVERAL tutorials out here in blog land on making your own Dollar Store version of these, like this tutorial, over at Design-Aholic. So I set out to watch for some good deals on vases & candle sticks at my local thrift stores. I did find several of both ranging in price from 30 cents to no more than $2. I also picked up a few vases at the Dollar Tree in the medium height for $1 a piece.

Vases & Candlesticks~BEFORE

I used my trusty old Gorilla Glue and glued the two pieces together.

Used some books to give some weight to the vases for the glue to dry. Then WHOLA! 

Very reasonable priced Apothecary Vases! Each for no more than $3. Can't beat that!

AFTER

Now, this is what they look like all together with the fillers!

AFTER

Thanks Pottery Barn for your awesome inspiration once again! Thank you Dollar Tree & Salvation army for not making me go broke accessorizing my home for Halloween!

Skulls from the Dollar Tree (They also glow in the Dark)

Crow from the Dollar Tree, along with the nest & rock filler.

(*Pottery Barn also has a crows on their website, but their version is $3.50 and looks much smaller!)

Corks I had from my wine drinking habit..heehee and the skull I got from Menard's $1.99.

It is Fiber optic and changes from Red, Green, Blue.

Rats I got a set of 6 (3 black, 3 gray) from Walmart for $2 in their Halloween section.

*Pottery Barn has Sisal Rat filler too,

but theirs is $12 for 6.

Now on a side note. I LOVE the fact that the majority of this display I can use in the future & for other holidays & events. The Apothecary jars I can just change out the fillers from holiday to holiday.

The chalkboard rocks I can also change out each holiday or event!

Gotta LOVE multipurpose craftiness!!!!

Enjoy!

I linked up to:

 

 

Pottery Barn Knock Off Faux Mecury Glass Pumpkins

Well after much inspiration from my latest Pottery Barn catalog, I am FINALLY in the Fall mood!

 I started some of my Fall/Halloween projects this past week. These faux mercury glass pumpkins were first on my list!

Photo from Pottery Barn

 I started out with some Funkins (foam pumpkins) from the

Dollar Tree.

BEFORE

Then I pulled out my Metallic Silver spray paint and gave them a good coat. I also painted a few with Copper spray paint. I wanted a bit of variety!

Then I had a thought. I had saved a picture of a polka dotted pumpkin in my inspiration files from Good Housekeeping. I heart polka dots & thought it would be a cool concept to have polka dot pumpkins to coordinate!

Photo from Good Housekeeping

So I got out some yard sale circle stickers and started putting them all over my freshly painted silver pumpkin

(TIP: I waited until the paint was very dry first!)

Then I took my Heirloom White spray paint and gave it a couple coats. Once the spray paint semi dried I removed the stickers. I love how the silver shows through. I also used this painting technique here with a twist...to redo another pumpkin.

Here are the rest of my PB Knock off Mercury Glass pumpkins!

AFTER

Stay tuned for a few more Fall Pottery Barn Knock offs

from the latest catalog!

Enjoy!!!

I linked up to: