Earlier this week my holiday vignette was highlighted on Living Livelier as part of their virtual holiday house tour. I wanted to breakdown the vignette and explain in a little more detail what went into create it……
Vignette lit up at night.....
- Greenery: The live greenery was found in the compost bin behind my condo complex. My neighbors had just finished trimming their tree and needed to lop off a few of the lower branches to have it fit into their tree stand. Lucky for me, I was able to fish the branches out before the day’s meal scraps were thrown on top. To simulate snow, I lightly dusted the branches with white spray paint..
- White Doves: Well they didn’t start out looking like the symbols of peace they are now. When I saw them at the Dollar Store, they were cardinal red, but they had potential. I ended up spray painting them white (gotta love spray paint!) and when they dried, lightly dusting them with silver spray paint. While the silver paint was still tacky, I sprinkled glitter on their little heads and backs for added sparkle.
Silver Packages: I needed elevation on each side of the vignette for the lanterns, so I wrapped large art books in faux-silver snakeskin I found at Marshall’s to give height.
Pine cones & Jingle Bells: Both were purchased at the Dollar Store ….a bag of pine cones for a dollar and a box of six bells for a dollar. The other big box craft stores were selling bells for $1.99 for two and pine cones for $3.99 and up for a bag.
Love Birds: Or maybe they are partridges, but in either case, they were only a dollar each at the Dollar Store. A quick coat of white spray paint in matte completely changed them from hokey to adorable in my opinion.
Lanterns: These are the Ikea lanterns we typically use on our patio during the Summer, but I am all about repurposing! I bought one more additional small lantern, so I could have a set of each size. A simple candle from the Dollar Store and they were done…..
Glitter Cones: I bought the cone forms at the Dollar Store with the intent of making feather trees, but when I counted, I had something like 7 birds in the vignette and the thought of adding more feathers seemed a little overkill….plus I was tired. So I opted for an easy craft project. I spray painted the cone forms silver and while the paint was wet, sprinkled them with clear glitter. Once dry, I topped each with a bejeweled ornament I clipped from a holiday floral arrangement I had from last year and one of the white doves.
Branches: The silver branches you see in the right corner is just that…a branch I found on a walk that I spray painted silver and propped up.
Silver Ornaments: All the ornaments were bought 2 for one dollar at the Dollar Store.
Paper whites: The flower that just won’t quit! I love these things….honestly they fight you NOT to grow. I found the bulbs at our local garden center and planted them in a glass vase I already had. What I love most about paper whites is that you can replant them once the holidays are over. Just be sure to give yourself 6 weeks to get them to bloom (which you can see in this picture, I did not)….but I by the time I get back from New Jersey, I am sure they will be in full bloom!
So there you have it…..simple, easy and inexpensive. Holiday decorations don’t have to be cost a ton to have high impact. For as little as $25, you can wow your friends and family.
