DIY A Gorgeous & Budget-Friendly Vase With A Few Items From Dollar Tree

If you're looking to up your decor game without busting the budget, then a DIY vase made from repurposed Dollar Tree items could be the project for you. Of course, there are several household items that can be repurposed into beautiful flower vases, but for this DIY, you will use Christmas decor bells to form the base and top of the vase. You'll also need foam balls, gold thumb tacks, and spray paint. Optional supplies include black acrylic paint to give the vase a vintage, tarnished look and some flowers or a CONNICS Faux Norfolk Pine Plant to add color.

Depending on the season, Christmas decor may not be readily available at your local Dollar Tree, but there are other options. You can likely find similar plastic bells at a craft store. Alternatively, these MrMrKura Door Bell Ornaments will also do the trick. Another option is to check the thrift stores in your area for seasonal decor. Even if you can't find a pair of holiday bells, you can get creative with similar options for this vase — two plastic wine glasses would be the ideal shape and material, for instance.

First, remove tinsel or decorative elements from the bells. Next, spray paint the inside and outside of the bells — gold paint offers a classic look, but you can choose any color that matches your decor. Paint it all one color, or choose one color for inside the bells and a contrasting color for the exterior. You can also use textured paint products to give the vase a stone-like appearance. Once the spray paint is dry, you can age the vase by dry rubbing or lightly dabbing black acrylic paint into the nooks and crannies of your bells. This faux painting technique will make a big impact on the finished vase.

To attach the bells to your foam ball, twist the closed, pointed end of a bell into the foam to create a divot. Fill that divot with hot glue, and stick the bell in place. Repeat for the second bell, positioning the bells opposite each other so the display stands upright. 

Now you're ready to put on the finishing touches and style your vase in your home. Cover the foam ball in gold thumbtacks, and apply the aging method if desired. You can swap out the gold thumb tacks and gold paint for rainbow thumbtacks and a brighter paint color for a pop-art look. Alternatively, ditch the thumb tacks, and cover your foam in rhinestones or another decorative embellishment. To customize this vase, swap out the florals. Instead of pine plants or flowers, try adding dried reeds for a more bohemian look, or change the vase filler seasonally for an ever-changing display.