Holiday 2020: Dollar Tree "Frosty" Snowglobes

 

Today I'm sharing a super easy project to make for your own decor or to give as a gift. On my Dollar Tree outing last month, I picked up a few of their plastic Snowglobe kits. Similar ones can be found at Michaels, JoAnn etc. I did these dry because I didn't want to deal with any potential leaks as they're stored away. 

Supplies: 

• Dollar Tree Snowglobe Kit
• Mini Figurines / Trees
• Faux Snow
• Glitter
• Jingle Bells
• Sequins
• Glue Gun and Glue
• Ribbon

The Snowglobe bottom unscrews and then there's a plastic stand / seal that becomes the base. I had some of these snowman figurines and mini-trees in my stash but you can use any minis. The instructions recommend sanding the base to ensure better adhesion but I used big globs of hot glue since they'd be covered up by the snow anyway. Very sure nothing's going anywhere! If you are going to put liquid in them, I'd recommend using something like E-6000 glue. 

Glued down the snowman, tree and a few jingle bells as shown. And then in the globe itself, poured some of the "faux snow" (also Dollar Tree), some iridescent glitter flakes, sequins and tiny jingle bells. That way when you shake your snowglobe you get a little jingle with your jangle. Working upside down, attach the base to the globe and then screw on the rim. 

Flip your snowglobe right side up and then hot glue a strip of ribbon et voila! This started out as something to send our son since because of the pandemic, he won't be coming home for Christmas. Then, as is often the case with things I make, Mr. Chocolate asked "Who's THAT for?" because he never knows what I'm up to in my craft room. "Our boy!."  "Oh." Pout face pout face pout face. But I was a Girl Scout and I come prepared. I bought several of these kits so back to Santa's workshop and magic magic, another one. Plus now I like them with my own decorations so making yet another one. That's the way the snowball rolls in our house! 

The two I made shown here with another Dollar Tree find "Merry" sign which I showed here: Dollar Tree Sign-A-Palooza. 

Dollar Tree Tree Topper

I decided I wanted a new Christmas Tree Topper this year for no reason other than I did, and makers make right? 

I was originally looking for the kind that have the coil thingy and went to Dollar Tree looking for one to use as a base but they didn't have any. But, makers make right? We also have to adapt and improvise so that's what I did. 

Supplies: 

• 2 Gold Glittered Dollar Tree Star Ornaments (Large)
• Toilet Paper roll...yep...toilet paper roll
• Gold duct tape 
• Gold and Black glitter vinyl (scraps in stash)
• Large bottle cap ( I had in my stash )
• Gold wire
• Hot glue and glue gun

Cost: $2 since I had everything on hand except the Star Ornaments

I covered the  toilet paper roll with duct tape. Using my Silhouette I cut the gold glitter vinyl to fit inside bottlecap and cut the number "25" from black glitter vinyl.  The number works especially well this year since we celebrated our 25th Anniversary earlier in the year but obviously also works for the date of Christmas! 

Now in the spirit of radical honesty, this part didn't go totally as planned. If you look really closely at the bottlecap, you can see the grid lines from the transfer tape because I layered the numbers after I put the circle of vinyl inside the bottlecap. I should have done this before I put the circle in the bottlecap which would have made it easier to get the transfer tape off. At least that's what I'm telling myself. So since I couldn't get the transfer tape off without screwing up my numbers and a lot of swearing, I left the transfer tape on and it looks like ledger paper or something. At least that's what I'm telling myself! 

I marked the toilet paper roll where I was going to glue the stars ( front and back) but to make this contraption sturdier, I used some jewelry wire to secure the two stars together at the top and right and left sides. Then I glued my oopsy bottlecap to the front and done. 

Since I'm just taking down Thanksgiving and we won't get our tree until Friday, I can't show it to you atop a tree but here it is atop the mantle. 

This was my Thanksgiving mantle which I never posted so "Happy After Thanksgiving"!  I update my chalkboard for each holiday but I'm kinda thinking I'll leave this sentiment through Christmas since PhD boy ( man...he's a man...but that doesn't sound the same) comes home on Friday for a month!!! Not that I'm excited or anything. 

I've been practicing my lettering too! 

Vintage Winter Wonderland Mantle

Are you a traditionalist who uses the same decorations each year no matter what, or are you someone who has to have a new look every year? Or, are you like me… a combination of both?

Thought I’d share this year’s mantle which is a combination of new additions and repurposed pieces from prior years.

New to the mantle this year are my Vintage Christmas Vignette in a Jar and Bleached Bottlebrush Trees.  I decided I wanted a “Winter Wonderland” theme this year so chose metallics and white as my color scheme.

Since I do like to change things up I try to keep it budget friendly so after Christmas shopping is a staple. I picked up these glittered sleigh ornaments last year for 50% off at Macy’s and then filled them with small gold ornaments ( also a post-Christmas find). Topped with a metal snowflake ornament.

I made the silver tinsel trees a couple of years ago with supplies from Dollar Tree. To change them up I swapped out the previously red pom poms in the middle of the snowflake toppers with gold. A silver mercury glass tree topper rests in a stemmed votive holder…more after Christmas deals from prior years.

A DIY hurricane vase ( $1 candlestick glued to $1 vase…thank you Dollar Tree) is filled with silver and gold balls and some epsom salt snow.  I collect Marc Roberts faeries and this one matched my mantle so he sits atop another stemmed votive. To complete my mantle, I added metallic silver and gold glittered tulle.