Thrift Store Finds Get Merry and Bright
Do you love good thrift store finds as much as I do? How would you feel if someone sent you thrifty finds to transform into something new and wonderful? That’s exactly what’s going on right now during “Swap It Like It’s Hot” week, organized by the amazing Charlotte at Ciburbanity! This is the 3rd time I’ve been involved in this challenge and it’s a hoot! All participants send a $10-$15 thrift store find to someone else. Once we get our gifts, we make them over into something new! Caitlin at Desert Domicile is the blogger who sent a box of goodies to me!
Waiting for your box of thrift store treasures to arrive is like waiting to open presents on Christmas Day, so it’s no wonder I was in a holiday state of mind when I opened the box from Caitlin! That festive spirit spilled over to my creative streak and simple thrift store finds became merry and bright!
Here’s what Caitlin sent me! A butterfly serving tray, butterfly coasters, and wooden curtain rings. I was explaining the whole “Swap It Like It’s Hot” concept to my hubby and he said I didn’t need to transform the butterfly coasters and tray. “They look great just like they are,” he asserted. Sigh. “That’s not the point, honey” I tried to explain.
Anywho … on with the challenge at hand! I removed the little hooks from each of the wooden curtain rings.
I stacked and hot glued the rings together to begin making Christmas candle holders. Then I spray painted them white. As much as I hated covering up the pretty butterflies (and much to hubby’s dismay), I spray painted the serving tray and coasters.
I took sparkly holiday ribbon and glued it in the crevices of the candle holders, then set round candles on top. My mother always had round candles at Christmas, so these remind me of her.
After the spray-painted coasters dried, I applied a light coat of Mod Podge to the inside of the coasters and then sprinkled German glitter on top. Not too much … just enough to add some sparkle.
I then glued tiny Christmas trees inside the coaster and glued a loop with bow at the top for hanging on the Christmas tree. I love the way these turned out and am now on the hunt for more coasters at our local thrift store!
After spray painting the serving tray, I added Christmas decorations for a holiday vignette. I found the miniature snowballs at the craft store and piled them inside for a snowy scene. A couple bottle brush trees and a sparkly white Santa create a festive group.
Once all my pieces were complete, it was simply a matter of arranging my thrift store finds into a merry and bright Christmas vignette!
I found a branch in the yard to hang the ornaments above Santa. I am definitely using my merry and bright vignette in this year’s Christmas decor.
Now it’s time for you to head over to Bre’s blog at BrePurposed to see the goodies I sent her! I waited so long to see what she did with them!
Tune in all week to see the crazy items this talented group of bloggers has been making over! Search the hashtag #swapitlikeitshot on social media to follow along with all the fun or check out our Pinterest Board.
MONDAY
That’s My Letter / DIY On the Cheap / Run To Radiance / The Gathered Home
Two Thirty Five Designs / Chaotically Creative / Decor Adventures / Homemade By Carmona
TUESDAY
Thoughts From Alice / Reinvented / Confessions Of A Serial Do-It-Yourselfer / Restoration Redoux
Always Never Done / I Am a Homemaker / Black and White Obsession / Windgate Lane
WEDNESDAY
Town and Country Living / brepurposed / The Charming Farmer / 58 Water Street
Designer Trapped In A Lawyer’s Body / Year of Serendipity / White House Black Shutters / Desert Domicile
THURSDAY
Two Purple Couches / Like A Saturday / Finding Silver Pennies / Artsy Chicks Rule
Something to Be Found / Shades of Blue Interiors / Simple Designing / Our Southern Home
FRIDAY
Evey’s Creations / Dragonfly and Lilypads / Weekend Craft / Ciburbanity
A Designer At Home / Polished Habitat / Blue i Style / Addicted 2 DIY
I am so happy to see Christmas!!!!! I am one of those annoying people that can’t wait to see decorations in stores and have Christmas music on the radio. Those mini tree ornaments are adorable and I can’t wait to make some!
oh how i love this!!!! i suddenly (like yesterday) started getting excited for christmas and thinking about decor this year so this was so fun to see!
Oh so cute! I’m ready for the holidays… Christmas decorating is my absolute favorite!
Wow, you rocked this!! I LOVE what you did with every single piece. So creative!
xo
Nancy
Jennifer you knocked this out of the park. I LOVE what you did with the little trees and rings!!
Cindy
Oh my goodness, Jennifer, I LOVE all of these! You’ve got me in the Christmas decorating mood now, and I don’t know whether to thank you or curse you! 😉 Those ornaments with the little trees and glitter are ahhh-mazing. Great job!!
SO cute!!! And now you are way ahead of the game for Christmas decor!!
I was DYING to see what Caitlin sent you when I saw the picture! LOVE this. What a smart way to reuse all these things… I see them all the time at the thrift store so idea noted!
xx
You did such an amazing job, Jennifer! I LOVE the ornaments you made and those candle holders are so chic! 😀
I am an artist and never would have come up with such creative and cute ideas. You knocked it out of the park!
What a creative idea! I love it! And this puts me in the Christmas mood too.
Great vison in seeing what those pieces could become. Now I want to get my Christmas craft on!
So clever! Love all your ideas!
Those candle holders are so pretty, definitely love how they’re not something you can just buy at the store. Everything turned out marvelously, and you’ve definitely got me ready to decorate for the holidays! Oh and I’m going to have to hunt down some of those miniature snowballs, they’re a perfect way to add a little white christmas!
This is awesome!! I know you have to be thrilled that your creative vision came out so beautifully! XO
Now you’ve got me all ready for Christmas! I love each and every one of these! I love the sparkly ribbon accents you added to the candleholders (a genius re-use, by the way!), and those sweet miniature tree ornaments are so cute!
Your project immediately just got me into the Christmas spirit! Never too early for Christmas in my book. Love it.
Look at your decorating early! And what a great use of those rings. I would have never thought of that :-)~ Now I’m in the mood for Christmas!