Dollar Store Snow Globes!

The Dollar Challenge is back, Christmas style, with this super easy, $3 Snow Globe:

What You'll Need: 

1. A glass jar (this rounded jar from dollar tree works great and mimics an actual globe)

2. Glitter

3. Strong, waterproof glue (I used E600)

4. Small waterproof decorations (ceramic, glass or plastic work best)

5. Water!

I got all my supplies at the Dollar Tree! I used a rounded glass jar, three colors of glitter (all came in the same package) and a small figurine of a boy building a snowman 

First, glue your decor to the inside of the lid of your jar:

Then, sprinkle a generous amount of glitter into the jar:

Now, add the water! Add slowly to avoid too much glitter floating to the top

This glitter was pretty buoyant :(. Not too worry if your glitter floats just use your finger and gently tap on the surface of the water, this will knock the glitter back down. 

Fill the jar almost to the brim to make sure the globe will be completely full. 

Once the glue is dry on your decor, screw the lid back onto the jar, some water will overflow, this is fine! 

Then turn back over and enjoy! 

Let it snow!!

You could also use other things besides just glitter for the snow, like sequins or table scatter, or even fake snow from a craft store! 

Thrift stores are another great place to find small trinkets and figurines for your snow globes! 

Be Creative and Happy Holidays! 

Thanks for stopping by! 

-Liz :)

Thrift Store Upcycle

Check out my latest thrift store upcycle:

One thing I often find on my thrift store hunts is vintage cross-stitching. Usually these are slightly "grandma-ish" in subject matter, but when I found one that spoke to me I knew I had to do something with it! 

Here is how I bought my cross so the titch:

Yea, I know pretty ugly frame and equally ugly mat. So I  86-ed both! Then I had to decide how to re-frame it in a more modern fashion! Since embroidery hoops are hot in interior design I thought it would be perfect to frame my cross-stitch in a hoop just like how it was originally made. 

I hung my new thrifty art in a corner by my work area that needed a little something. And this was the perfect something! This cross-stitch spoke to me for a number of reasons: 

1. I love owls!

2. I do NOT love mornings!

3. I am allergic to just about everything you can be allergic to!

So this piece was pretty much made for me and i just couldn't resist. 

Next time your at the thrift store dont just past by those grandma looking cross-stitches, some of them are kind of cool!!

Thanks for stopping by!

-Liz :)

3D Decoupage Christmas Wreath

Wreaths are the quintessential Christmas decor, and since they are such a holiday staple everyone is always trying to put their own spin on them, including me! Not that I don't enjoy the traditional greenery and bows, but it is always good to shake things up! And since it is no secret that I love vintage, I decided to go to my favorite vintage source for some inspiring graphics, The Graphics Fairy! There are a bunch of awesome Christmas and holiday graphics on this site, but since I am a 50s junky I immediately gravitated towards the retro images. 

Check out how I used these awesome graphics to embellish this classic ribbon-wrapped wreath:

1) First, I made the wreath: 

I used festive red and white ribbon I got at a thrift store to wrap the entire foam wreath. I secured the end with a greenery pin: 

Then I just kept wrapping, again fastening the end with a pin (my favorite thing about using foam is no glue required!)

Here is a close up of my wrapped wreath:

2) Next I got my graphics: I picked these off the Graphics Fairy:

-a retro kitten with a candle

-a retro santa

-a retro reindeer

-and a retro candy cane (x4)

I printed all my graphics onto white cardstock

3) I cut out all of my graphics, using a craft-knife to cut out any inside sections: 

4) To add a festive border and some stability to my graphics I backed each image with some shiny gold cardstock! I did a rough trace around each image on the back of the gold paper leaving a small border. Then I cut these out and mounted the images with some double-stick tape. (remember to trace the images face-down!)

5) Now time to assemble the wreath! I used some regular pins to attach each image to the wreath going through the paper and into the foam, using about 2-3 pins per image. 

6) Last, I added some sparkly gold garland to hang my wreath and it now adorns my fireplace with a command hook!

Happy Holidays Everyone!

Thanks for stopping by!

-Liz :)