I Plead The 4th- Cheap 4th Of July Decor Thanks To Dollar Stores Everywhere

I really should re-name my blog "A Dollar Tree Life" because that seems to be the most common theme around here, doesn't it? In fact, when checking my stats I find that I get an average of 5 visitors a day just from people who google "dollar tree craft".

Seriously!


So I will not disappoint with this post today! I am not normally a summer holiday decorator. In fact, until recently I owned nothing specifically summery-patriotic- like for those important summer holidays here in America. Not until I visited the Target Dollar Spot the other day and picked up these puppies:

...and I knew I could create a cute centerpiece just using these. No painting required, no extra "ingredients" lying around the house. Well, except for one outside source....

Play sand!

Thanks to the girl's sandbox in the backyard here but you can find sand at Home Depot or Lowe's for under 5 bucks for a bag. Personally, if you don't have access to sand, borrow some from a neighbor. Borrow. Not steal. :)

I then added a flame less tea light (you can find these everywhere now. Even DT has them for a buck for two!) and two flags for each bucket.

And voila!! Cute 4th of July table decor for under 5 bucks! I can't wait to see what this looks like at night with the candles lit!

So then I got inspired......

What else can I make that is all things summer/patriotic with what I have around the house???

I got this star at Dollar General years ago for $1.50 but it was a weird blue color. Nuthin' a little spray paint couldn't cure, right?

Remember my number 4 tray I made here?

 I have it out every day and love it soooo much....

So I added the mason jar above that was in my basement on my decor shelf and added the faux geraniums that were also on the decor shelf. I got the flowers years ago at a Ben Franklin store (remember those??) a few towns away for 2 dollars for the whole bunch.

Then I added the star.....

Does this look familiar??

Maybe this will help refresh your memory.....

Yep, its the same frame! So I just painted over it with red spray paint (instead of acrylic like I did the first time here) and added some Antique White acrylic paint to the detail on the frame with my fingers.

The inside of the frame is just the backside of the "bloom" paper (so I can re-use that next spring if I want to) and the letters that make up USA are the same letters I used for the Easter Basket transformation here). This is when I so wish I had a Silhouette machine but I think I made this work.

So far so good but its missing something......

Some wicker-like balls to add interest! I got these cute little guys at an adorable little store called Cocoon back in the mid 90's with my mama. I love this shop and had no idea that it still existed until I wrote this blog post up!

Finished product!

What do we think????

Cost breakdown time!

Tray- I got this little cutie at Goodwill back in January for $2.99. I spray painted it black (I already had the paint but would cost you 99 cents at WalMart) and modge podged (already had but would cost you around 5 bucks at a craft store)  the 4 from computer paper.

White metal star- Got him at Dollar General for $1.50 and spray painted him Antique White (again, already had the paint but this color would cost you around 4 bucks at a home improvement store)

Mason Jar- Free! Do not go to Wal Mart and buy these things. You can find these individually for sale at flea markets or antique markets for under a buck each. Or ask mom or gramma, I am sure they have some of these laying around somewhere. :)

Fake Flowers- I got mine at a now out of business store for 2 buckaroos but you should be able to find these at any craft store. You could always use fresh flowers from the garden too......

Wicker/Rattan Decorative Balls- I got these at Cocoon (see the link above) and not sure how much they were exactly since I got these over 15 years ago but probably around 10 for both. (That was back when I had expendable income = no kids :))

Total cost- $16.49 over the course of 15 years. .

Wee!!! Get up from the computer and shop your home. Do it. Right now. Now come back and tell me what ya did! I would love to hear about your ideas or even see picures. If you email me your picture before and after's, I will do a post specifically on my readers "home shopping" transformations! Have fun. :)

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