Christmas decorating on a dime.

Okay. The title should really be 'Christmas Decorating on a Dollar'.

Because it seems that some of the best décor this year is coming from that infamous store, 'The Dollar Tree'.

I have always had white dove on my Christmas tree and I wanted the same this year, but the ones I was finding in the big stores were way too expensive for my small budget! Sooooooo as the saying goes....... necessity is the mother of invention! And so it was today.

I love dove. I think they are the most wonderful and loving birds I have ever known. I don't say that flippantly, but as the voice of experience. I have had the most wonderful pet, a ringneck dove, by the name of Noah, for the past 16 years.

 

Noah the Ringneck Dove

 

Noah came to live with me in 1998, where I found him at a pet store in a cage all by himself. This lone dove in this lone cage was sitting right next to a HUGE cage filled with other dove. Apparently, Noah had a problem getting along with other dove. Not that he is mean, he just pesters everyone a  lot, bowing and cooing. Eventually, they would get irritated and beat the tar out of this poor little guy. So I brought him home with me. I had NO idea dove lived so long, but here he is...still going strong after all these years. He is such a joy! Always happy, always wanting to snuggle in my hair and always waking me with that lovely cooing each morning. So yeah. Dove are incredible and I want them on my tree. Sans poo however, so artificial Noah's are needed.

 

I would also like them without the high price tag, so this is where Dollar Tree comes in.

 

I found all these dove, white, (unlike Noah), but really plain, other than their pink beaks and that would totally go with my pink, gold and purple theme!

 

 

So I bought them, 2 for a buck, and brought them home. Then I got to work! A little spray Mod Podge, a bottle of iridescent glitter, both of which I already had on hand. Because as we all know, every crafter worth her salt has these essentials on hand.......

 

 

I bought 7 cards, (God's perfect number!), which gives me a total of 14 dove. I loved the way their heads are posed...some of them remind me of Noah and his quizzical looks he gives me when he is trying to be cute!

whatca doin' ma?

 

A little spray of Mod Podge, a little shake of glitter and TADA!

 

Sparkly Dove!

 

I don't think you can really get the gist of how good these guys really look, but with the addition of glitter, they took on the look of spun cotton ornaments of old. I really like them and SUCH a simple fix!

 

 

I love glitter. Noah would look GREAT in glitter! Do not think he would stand still for that though...

 

Next, I plugged in the tree lights that I found in the box from Colorado that was sent to me. Add "get lights for the tree" on the list of to do's! These ones don't work. :0( So lights did not get put on the tree tonight!

 

The boughs of my little tree are falling and settling into a more natural position after having been bound for the trip to the Christmas tree market, and although I am seeing some major holes appear, I still think my REAL, fresh cut Christmas tree is beautiful. (Especially with the lovely scent wafting through my home!)

 

In lieu of lights, I decided that I would at least SEE if what I came up with for flocking would work..... Most of the tutorials I found on Pinterest involved soap flakes, water and shaving cream.(scary!) I didn't want to do that, one, because of the extreme mess, but two, it wasn't the look I wanted! I wanted something that actually LOOKED like snow, not some white snot that hardens to cement after it sets. And the tree flock I am finding is way too much if you are buying multiple cans! What to do?

 

You guessed it. The Dollar Tree again. I got 5 cans of tree flock for $5.00. Sorry, but you cannot beat that!

 

 

 I also got some Buffalo Snow. You know...the sparkly kind! For? A buck each of course!

 

 

 

So for  a total of $8.00 I got all this. Enough to frost all the tips of my Christmas tree and then some!

 

 

 

Unfortunately, I could only do one tip to see how it works, because if I do it prior to the application of lights, most of it would be on my clothing! Unless this stuff sets up in the night that is. I hope it doesn't mess with the scent of the tree! That would not be good!

 

 

So I sprayed a little flock and then, while it was still wet, I threw on a handful of the Buffalo Snow. It stuck! Yayness! Not only that, it LOOKED real! Just a tad of sparkle and no blobs!

 

 

I need a different camera. Or a photography class. I wish you could see the sparkles in this, because it looks GREAT in person! Cannot wait to get the lights tomorrow!

 

I know. Exciting day.  Hohum.

 

Merry Christmas!