filled up with cheer

You may remember my 'finishings of fall' post in which I showed you the three vases (each $1 from Dollar Tree) filled with leaves.  Well, I want to share with you my Christmas version of this same idea.  I picked up some small ornaments (12 for $1 at Dollar Tree, and I had some left over).  I got red and silvery/white ones.
I used my FREE Christmas tree clippings and cut off small branches, just the right size to fit into the vase.  I then just filled up the vases with the ornaments.
I mean, come on...this took MAYBE five minutes.  Any one can do this and, for only five bucks?!  No excuses!  I left the display basically the same.  I used my word thingy and the family pictures.  However, I did find a cute little snowman and snow woman couple that was given to me a few years back.  I stuck the sweet couple in the mix and there you have it!  Oh yeah, and the runner is left over from Thanksgiving.  It acted as heat shield for all the yummy foods placed upon it!

it really stacks up

Ok, I am SO excited to share this project with you!  I saw the idea on Thrifty Decor Chick's blog and could not wait to try it myself.  I am so incredibly happy with the outcome and quite proud of the minuscule price tag!  I headed down to my local Dollar Tree and picked up two glass candlestick holders, they had about a zillion of them.  I also picked up a tall vase that sort of swoops out at the top...I couldn't resist.  I took my fabulous finds home and removed the price tags.  This was a bit of a chore though, my prized goo gone worked quite well!  I heated up my glue gun and got to work.  I put a line of glue around the top rim of the candlestick.  I put the vase on top of the candlestick and pressed down.  I stood back and was in absolute awe of my favorite new piece of decor.
I had some packages of leaves left over from my finishings of fall post and just filled up the vase with those.  Repeating these similar items makes for a theme, as I mentioned before.

I had bought two candlesticks and knew just what I wanted to do with the other.  I took the middle vase from my finishings of fall post and added the candlestick to the bottom as I did with the other vase.  I loved it!  I mean, I loved the grouping of vases before but I really love it now.  Giving the middle vase height really adds interest.

Let me just share with you what I think may be the best part...my first vase total cost: $3 ($2 if you don't include the filler) and my grouping remake total cost: $1!  I hope this inspires you to get creative because these vases are sahhh-weeeeet!