What a great idea!
I've done cones for a long time. Everyone LOVES them. They are just easy for quick treats without a plate.
Celebrate Today.. the superchick way has come up with adorable cones on a stick! She calls them Kandy Kones. See more on her site and buy them in her etsy shop.
If you read this blog much, you know that I shop Goodwill quite a bit. For me, and I know how corny this sounds, it's a place to clear my head and flip the creative switch. I've told this to people before and many just don't understand. Or, I've had several people write in saying they just never "see" things at Goodwill or can't find anything good. With these comments as well as a few people asking what my thought process is while shopping Goodwill, I thought I'd start a series where I show things I find and the logic of how I'd use it. There are many times that a theme is seen and decor pieces are put together AT Goodwill.
Let's get started. These photos I'm showing today came from one store. During one trip.
First, I always find many many items that jump out as inspiration pieces. Here are a few:
Polka dot box. The famous disco dot pattern. Michael Miller revived the disco dot pattern and I'm so glad he did. It's everywhere! When I saw this, I thought it was perfect to design several occasions around. Baby shower, young girl's birthday, bachelorette party, summer girl's get together, to name a few. Uses for the box? It would be beautiful to sit a large carnation ball in as a centerpiece or line with tissue paper and use to hold favors, etc. Of course, just the box along is adorable and would make a great gift box. Throw in some Bath and Body Works products and a note for a friend who needs a pick me up?
Children's art. This was a poster size piece of children's art on canvas. Absolutely adorable! You know how I talk about backdrops a lot. This would be a great backdrop or focal point of a table for a baby shower. Especially if the theme of the shower or the baby's nursery is something included in this art. This is an amazing piece for party decor because it has so many common themes included: airplane, animals, firetrucks, robot, rocket, etc. A great piece to tie into!
Tea cup. Looking at it now, I should have put it against something to really get the scale of this thing. It was HUGE. First thing I thought when I saw it was spray paint it! Secondly, I thought 2 things: either using it for an Alice in Wonderland party or a fun tea party either for little girls or older. Uses for it may be holding a floral centerpiece or using as a punchbowl (seriously, it was THAT large). Of course, you'd have to line it with another bowl if you spray painted it to make it safe for food/beverage. Or, place a large round piece of wood on top and use it as a themed cupcake stand or serving piece. Lots of uses for this but it definitely needed to be painted first.
Then there are items that I see that already have a theme. Like these three things:
Firetruck boots. No transformation needed! Add them to a firetruck theme child's birthday. And do what with them? Create a floral arrangement or fill them with floral foam and stick in long all day suckers. Another idea is to stick something in the bottom of both of them to elevate a cup and fill the cup with fun striped straws like these from Garnish.
Chairs. Snow White and Cinderella. Very common children's themes. When I look at these, I see cupcake stands or a great place to hold a platter. In using them to serve food, you won't be covering up the characters and can use them to really add a larger decor piece to your party inexpensively. Plus, you can give them to the guest of honor afterwards! These needed just a bit of touch up paint on the edges and they would be perfect!
Dragons. I instantly think something like Harry Potter. This could easily be in the center of your table on a stand or an easel.
Now there are many times that the Goodwill stars align and you find several items that fit one theme.
Like during this trip, I saw this. A massive margarita glass. I'm thinking margarita party featuring various flavors, or a gathering of friends before a Jimmy Buffett concert to create a margaritaville concept. Luau, pool party... tons of themes.
How would you use it? Floral arrangement? Or place 3 regular size margarita glasses inside this one to create a graduated stand to display margarita cupcakes? Or, if you're serving margaritas on the rocks, it's a great serving piece.
So, in the next aisle over, there was this sign. Perfect to use in the margarita theme. You can't tell it from the photo, but the actual margarita is 3D in that it is raised and has depth. Really cute! Place it on an easel to add additional theme and color.
Need dishes to continue the colorful occasion? Again, one aisle over....
The great thing about Goodwill is that, more times than not, you can find whole sets of dishes.
Then you're well on your way to a party!
So there you have it! A small glimpse of how my mind works while shopping Goodwill. For those of you that wrote in, I hope it's useful. :) Email or leave a comment below! I'm happy to make this a regular feature!
The minute I saw this I thought Eat, Pray, Love. Are you having a girly get together surrounding the premier of the movie? How about a Tuscan dinner?
What a great decor addition! Beautiful for a kitchen or a vineyard wedding. Great gift idea for the wine lover!
Get one at CorkyCrafts.
Leaves can be cut from green paper or you could use real magnolia or other wide sturdy leaves.
What do you do with this?
add some spray paint.... and get.....
Whiffle ball bouquet! I love it because it's a bit thicker and more ruffle edged than a pom. Whiffle balls and coffee filters found at the dollar store!
Find the full tutorial on the whiffle ball bouquet at Me Making Do
Diane of the blog In My Own Style shows a super easy way to create wall art... or.... backdrops.
Made with canvas, mod podge and tissue paper! Yep, tissue paper.
A great idea for parties or making great artwork for any room of your home!
Sidenote: This is a wonderful inexpensive way to create holiday art. Make a few large pieces in holiday themes to change out throughout the year?
Empty glass Christmas ornaments! Very creative!
I needed a little somethin' somethin' on the corner of a piece of furniture. Something with a little height, but not huge and something I didn't mind if my 3 year old knocked off and destroyed.
Enter Goodwill and Dollar Tree items!
I started with this. I'm always on the lookout for urns at Goodwill. Soooo many great uses! This one is a FTD floral urn. It was originally a very dirty off white. You could tell it was pretty old. Cleaned it up, painted it black...and filled it with floral foam.
Pulled out some spanish moss I also found at Goodwill some time ago and these moss rocks from the Dollar Tree. (I think I used 3 bags.)
From there, I glued down the spanish moss and then started stacking and gluing in the moss rocks. The moss rocks are VERY light, basically styrofoam covered in fake moss. So you really have to glue it down tightly since they have no weight of their own.
Here's the finished product! Easy filler for a table. Two of these would be great to frame a mantel or use as centerpieces on a long table. In the fall, add beautiful fall leaves instead of moss.
GIVEAWAY!
Next week I'll be giving away TWO Goodwill gift cards! One will just be for my Middle Tennessee people!
Stay tuned!!!!
Christy at Embellished Bayou saw an amazing curling ribbon wreath at a boutique, turned around and made her own for next to nothing! Makes a great entry for any celebration! So easy to make! Just staple curling ribbon onto a wreath form! Visit her blog to see the tutorial and the original boutique wreath.
These can be made in any color combination for any holiday, etc. Fourth of July, Halloween, Easter, Christmas, in school colors for graduation, etc.
This wreath also would make a great addition to a centerpiece. Stick a candle or vase of flowers in the middle!
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