FOCAL POINT STYLING: EASTER THRIFTING + DIY GOLDEN EGG WREATH

Not only are thrift shops a great source for lamps, frames, and furniture to refinish - it can be a great source for a little holiday decor. Just like looking for potential in a piece of furniture, you can find potential in someones decorating discards and make your own. And sometimes, you can just luck out and win the holiday lotto jackpot as I did on a recent trip to a (new to me) thrifting hot spot: Poverello.

Poverello Thrift

2292 Wilton Drive

Wilton Manors, FL

954. 561.3663

It's not all light and bright as the updated Goodwill's are, but if you keep your peripheral vision open wide (and have some "good thrift karma" as my friend Stan Williams - The Elegant Thrifter says) you can come home and create a holiday look for less. Sometimes stores donate their leftover stock and you can score! As I mentioned earlier this week, I found and refinished some Bargain Bunnies...

Reminder: Other retailers bunnies from $10 to ~~$39~~ $29.99 each.

Thrifting for bunnies: $3 or less each.

Well - I also stumbled upon a barrel of bags of hinged Easter eggs at only .50, and $1. The eggs varried in sizes and colors. The bags were filled from 12 to 24 eggs, so I grabbed as many as I could carry in my hands along with the three bunnies and made my way to the checkout. Thrift Tip: If you're not looking speficially for something large, don't shop with a cart or you'll fill it up with junk. Shop only what you can carry and you'll save money AND your garage!! lol

Darling, hu? I passed these up.

They could look really cool painted out in colors to work with your home and display on a mantle, buffet, or tablescape - but I left them for the next thrift crafter (or mom).

These textured eggs were a definate snag.

At only $2 and with a shot of gold, they worked well mixed with blossoms

and the bunnies for a simple Easter vignette.

I did grab an Easter basket (well - it was right there!!)

It did make it easier to carry the loot (as the hubs calls it) to the register.

I had a vision and a plan. I wanted to do something I hadn't done in years: whip out my hot glue gun to make a wreath (I know - elementary for you crafters out there!). I think the last wreath I made using hot glue was for my mom back in the 90's. But hey, how hard could this be? I already had picked up a raffia wreath for $1 - I found mixed in the Christmas decor at Faith Farm. I was going to do a moss wreath, but (SMH) no way - way too messy with the moss I have. So here's what I did...

DIY: MODERN EASTER WREATH

Got comfy on my kitchen floor...

Seperated the egg colors from what I could use VS. no way...

Started to glue a rythum starting with the largest, and pairing to the mediums...

Some of the eggs that got seperated are what I used to

update an old wreath for the door (you can read EZ Easter Wreath Update)

I filled in with some smaller eggs, but also split some eggs to fill in with halves...

It looked like tiny ballons...

Could be done here and just add a bow,

but these aren't my colors in our home - too much pastel

and not yet what I was envisioning, so I took it out side...

Trusty old drop cloths cover the driveway (and trust me - I do mean OLD - I had these back I my apartment ('98 - '04). They've lasted so long because they are sheets of vinyl wall paper (just NOT paper).

Paint Tip: To even out the colors, I used white as a primer before painting the color I wanted, along with a dry brush to help remove some (annoying) missed hot glue strings.

Meet my Angry Birds Golden Eggs wreath!

Not quite done - that would be too simple. So I added a texture trick an old co-worker taught me a while ago. Paint Tip: I spit-sprayed some espresso brown for texture (hard to describe here, and test first before applying but basically you semi-press the nozzel backwards - on an angle - still aiming at the painted object.) Aftwrads, I misted it with more gold, and spit sprayed some charcoal gray.

Pottery Barn Speckled Eggs (and much smaller) are on sale for $11 - but that still doesn't beat a few bags at $1 each and some spray paint. I was thinking of adding green moss to it,

but I kinda like its simplicity and modern look.

And it works well inside adjacent to the dining room... where I spent yesterday creating a fresh batch of Easter tablescapes, I'll be sharing with you next week.

Until then, here's a Sneak Peak:

This one is more for Palm Sunday...

Note the symbolic pattern of the glasses I thrifted earlier this year.

And I mixed some old items with a new finish & thrifted dishes for the look below.

The nests I've had for 5 years from Homegoods @ $4 for pkg. of 3 w/small eggs. PB's is on sale at $15 EACH. I swear - I don't know how they are staying in business with these high prices! Thrift Tip: Being aware of these comps is what helps a budget when you're thrifting. The gold eggs I painted- They were metallic pink- I found them at Big Lots.