When I found this red “thing” in the toy section at Dollar Tree I really wasn’t sure what it was. Several of them were piled in an unmarked box. I thought they kind of looked like vases, so I bought one with a vague idea of what to do with it.
(This post first appeared at Dollar Store Crafts, where I am a contributor.)
When I took it apart to spray paint, the shape reminded me of the cone Christmas trees I keep seeing everywhere. So, I shifted gears and went for a mod holiday craft. Inspired by Dollar Store Craft’s awesome polka dot pumpkins, I created a bright, funky tree to decorate my mantle.
Project Estimate:
- Red plastic vase toy
- Acrylic paint
- Glue dots, assorted sizes
- Glitter
- Cardboard or plastic tube
To make your own mod Christmas tree decor:
Step 1: Take the two pieces apart and paint. I used Deco Art’s Kiwi Green acrylic paint.
Step 2: Put various size glue dots all over the tree.
Step 3: Cover the glue dots with glitter. (I used Dollar Tree glitter).
Step 4: Glue a tube into the base to hold the tree together. I recycled an ornament tube that was the perfect size, but I could have also cut a paper towel tube to size.
I used an old dryer sheet to wipe the excess glitter off my finished project. Since I have 4 kids who will want to manhandle play with the tree, I sealed it with a finishing spray from Krylon.
I love how cheery and hip my tree decor is, and it matches the blue and green accents I have in my living room. Just a few more projects till my mantle is complete. Fingers crossed that it’s all done before Christmas!
So cute!! I can’t believe how creative you are with your finds 🙂
Thank you!!
Great job in creating this tree, Morena! I, too, saw it in the toy section and thought “cone shape” but your creative juices jumped right out and mine didn’t. You’re so talented in coming up with ideas from the dollar store!!!
Thank you, Gail! It’s always so nice to hear from you. Best wishes for the holidays!