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I was interviewed by someone today. They wanted to know about why people love Dollar Stores so much. I didn’t really have an answer. I wasn’t sure.
I suppose it’s the thrill of the hunt. Finding something really GREAT at the Dollar Store is like finding an extra chicken McNugget in your box. It’s not really worth anything and you probably don’t need it, but you’re still incredibly excited that it’s there.
Most importantly Dollar Stores provide inspiration. If you’re creative and have access to a Dollar Store you can make just about anything you need in life. Except math skills. No matter how hard you try, nothing you hot glue together from the Dollar Store will end up resembling math skills.
Today I have for you my most favourite Dollar Store project I’ve ever done.
Behold … the Spring Wreath made entirely out of Dollarama crap.
Materials
1 Pool Noodle
5 bags of Spanish Moss
Hot glue gun and sticks
1 small wooden dowel
1 larger wooden dowel or piece of hard plastic tube
Duct Tape
Toothpicks
(Non Dollarama materials)
Additional Moss (found mine outside, plus some natural Reindeer Moss I had stashed in the basement)
Mushrooms (Grocery Store)
Old piece of wood (I used a hunk of barnboard)
Here we go!
Grab yourself a pool noodle. Yeah, that thing you play with in the pool.
Cut a dowel or piece of plastic pipe to 6 or 7 inches.
Slather the end of the pipe with hot glue.
Shove it in the end of the pool noodle.
Hot glue the other end of the dowel/pipe and stick it in the other end of the noodle. Also hot glue the ends of the noodle for good measure.
Shove everything together to form a wreath. As you can see the glue can only take so much tension. It’ll stay stuck, but you may have a portion that won’t. Not a problem.
Wrap the crease with some duct tape to make the wreath perfectly secure.
Ta da. You are now the proud owner of a 17″ styrofoamish wreath for the total cost of around $2.
Gather all your moss. The Dollar Store moss, plus whatever you can scrounge.
Heat that glue gun up and start gluing.
This will happen. It’ll probably hurt. Suck it up. You’re makin’ a wreath here, not pettin’ kittens and jumping over rainbows. No pain no gain.
A few minutes later … your wreath will be covered with moss. Lookin’ good.
Around the bottom base of the wreath add in your additional moss. The stuff you’ve gathered. Not mandatory. But if you don’t do this part you’ll look less impressive. And … if given the choice would you rather look more or less impressive?
At this point it’s easier to get an idea of what your wreath looks like if you work with it hanging on a wall. So go hang it on a wall.
Take a look and add and remove your moss as needed. Either hot glue it or use metal U pins to stick the moss in the styrofoam.
Once you’re happy with the way the base of your wreath looks, get a bunch of mushrooms. Just regular old mushrooms from the grocery store. I have a selection of Oyster mushrooms, Shitake, Button mushrooms etc. etc. Total cost of mushrooms was about $5.
Stick a toothpick into the base of a mushroom.
Place your first mushroom. Perhaps it will be your only mushroom. Even the single mushroom looks incredibly cute. You can just leave it like that. Or … you could add more mushrooms.
Like this.
Hang it wherever you want. Obviously this isn’t going to last forever, so if you wanna show your mushroom wreath off do it right away. Maybe call the neighbours in. Tell them you wanna show them your noodle. Men might want to use this exact phrase cautiously.
If you’re feeling particularly adventurous you can use the smaller dowel and a piece of wood to make a stand for the wreath. It’s so easy if you can’t do it you might want to go back to petting kittens. Just find the appropriate drill bit for the size of dowel you’ve bought, drill a hole in your wood board and hammer the dowel in. I also stained my dowel so it came close to matching the colour of the barn board. Then smash your wreath onto it. Carefully of course.
In my opinion there is absolutely nowhere this wreath doesn’t look good. And as far as I’m concerned it’s the best use in the world for mushrooms. Certainly better than eating them.
Your mushrooms will start to wilt slightly after about a day. This is what you’d call a special occasion wreath.
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Amie
That is the most hysterical thing you have ever done! Karen you are a constant source of amusement to me!
Karen
Amie – Thank you! I think. I love my mushroom wreath. I wish you could see it in real life. It’s shockingly beautiful. Especially considering it’s actually a pool noodle. ~ karen
Pati
A pool noodle!!…Genius!! Awesome idea! “There’s a fungus amungus” Love that!!
You’re one fungi!!…or fungirl…whatever.
Pati
Karen do you remember this show? http://www.memyhouseandi.tv/me_my_house_and_i/
I just keep thinking a show like this would be perfect for you…I used to watch it all the time. You remind me of Brigitte and are certainly as funny and talented as she was on her show. Just my two cents…
Karen
Pati – Brigette and I were both nominated for a Gemini for Best Host the same year. She, for hosting Me, My House and I. And me for Stylin’ Gypsies (a makeover show). So YES, I remember her show! We both lost to Sean Majumder who for some reason was in our category. Networks just don’t want to do shows where you actually learn stuff anymore. They don’t think audiences want to watch it. I disagree … but I’m not running a network so …
~ karen!
Jennifer
So *that’s* what those pool noodles were doing in the ‘fix a slamming screen door’ post — mystery solved. Love it! Will definitely try this one, perhaps even without the ‘shrooms. Looks fab on the stand, too.
Karen
Jennifer – I wondered if anyone would wonder about those pool noodles! I highly recommend the mushrooms. Honestly. I’ll give you the $5 to try it. SO much fun and you won’t believe how great it looks in real life. Hand over heart. ~ K!
Bev
I think we ALL wondered, I had a little chuckle to myself and made a mental note to look out for them in up coming posts. Yay! You didn’t make me wait long, love the mushy’s even appropriate for autumn down here
)
Ps. I’d watch ANY show where you got to teach us stuff.
Devin
I also wondered about the noodles!
Julie shinnick
Yeah Bev, I thought ‘how appropriate for Aussie Autumn’ too.
And yes there are WAY TOO MANY cooking shows around, we need more TV shows where you are encouraged to actually make something that you can’t eat! _ steps off soapbox
Jennifer
Your loyal readers are always in a constant state of wonder about you! (If I use mushrooms, *I* will give *you* the $5. But I do love the idea of something that’s not bunny rabbits and eggs…)
Jess
If you have it, hockey tape works really well on noodles instead of duct tape since it’s more fabricky (that’s a word, apparently). We made a ring toss this way and it works real well.
Wanda
There’s a fungus amungus?! Are you a Dr. Seuss protégé?!
Hilarious. But seriously wondering what kind of mushrooms you’re using and what you’re doing with them to come up with the idea of using a pool noodle as your base.
Don’t get me wrong – it’s brilliant! Just sayin’…
Karen
Wanda – Yes. My boyfriend asked me the same question.
~ karen
chrysanthi
you can hung painted eggs(empty from the inside ofcourse) instead of mushrooms for easter too!!!
that is very nice anyway karen!and i adore mushrooms as a decoration object everywhere!
Karen
Chrysanthi – I’m gonna give a couple of more options next week for the wreath for those of you who want to go a little more frou frou.
~ karen
jonquil
Genius. Sheer genius.
If only we had Dollar stores here in France…
Karen
Jonquil – I’d trade the Dollar Stores for the restaurants any day. Stick with France! I’m sure you can find a pool noodle, some moss and *definitely* interesting looking mushrooms in France. Dollar Store or not. Give it a go!
~ karen
magali
I think you may have pulled an Internet and lied. I have a hard time believing it only takes a few minutes to hot glue the moss onto the noodle. At least it wouldn’t take me a few minutes considering how long it took me to finish my pompom wreath!
Karen
Magali – Hah! “Pulled an Internet”. No, honestly it doesn’t take very long to hot glue the moss. You just drizzle hot glue on the wreath then smash the moss into it. Probably 10 or 15 minutes to do. Then a few extra minutes to do the moss “bed” in the centre. ~ karen!
Pam'a
I think you must be using HIGH-temp hot glue if you can drizzle an area of any size at a time. If you use a low-temp glue gun you wouldn’t burn your fingers, but it solidifies in nanoseconds.
So like you already said, Karen… No Pain, No Gain!
p.s. GENIUS idea, that pool noodle. A styro wreath would cost 10x that much.
Karen
Pam’a – I know!! Plus they’re hard to find! My glue gun has a high or low setting, but you’re right … high’s the way to go. Otherwise the wreath would take forever to do. ~ karen
Laurel Alanna McBrine
Brilliant! I don’t do crafts any more as I am trying to focus on painting (having been chronically unfocused most of my life) but I love using items for unintended purposes and this is such a great idea. Do you come up with these things ahead of time or do you have a flash of inspiration in the aisles of Dollarama or do you spend hours mulling over all the possibilities while browsing? I come up with all sorts of ideas and end up doing none of them so it is great to view the results of a shockingly creative person who gets stuff done! Your wreath looks fabulous.
Karen
Thanks Laurel! – Usually the ideas pop into my head. The idea of making a wreath out of a pool noodle came out of necessity. It’s hard to find large styrofoam wreaths unless I drive all the way to Michaels, and then they’re too much money. So … the pool noodle popped into my head. The moss and mushrooms just seemed like a natural idea for a Spring wreath to me. Something a little different than the typical pastels, eggs and birdies. I’m not huge on Easter decorations, I think they’re kindda gross, so I wanted something not so typical. ~ karen
Michelle
Well, now you’ve done it. I was so incredibly pleased with my own Dollarstore wreath, but now that I’ve seen what you can do, and I’m no longer as impressed with myself. Boo
Oh well, I guess I’ll have to make one like yours
For comparison here’s mine:
http://sweetsuite10.wordpress.com/2011/04/03/diy-dollarstore-easter-wreath/
Karen
Michelle – Don’t be ridiculous. Your wreath looks great! I was kind of afraid to look at it for fear of it being hideous. But it wasn’t! It’s VERY nice. Everyone will tell you so.
~ karen
Julie shinnick
Michelle! I concur with our fabulous friend!
It IS very nice and so colourful! oh wow inspiration everywhere! yay!
Michelle
Thanks Karen (and Julie)!
It’s always nice to have someone other than your mother tell you something you made is nice – especially if it comes from a person who’s style you admire.
BTW – I’m not saying my mom doesn’t have good taste (she does), but there’s that annoying mom-rule that says that they must like everything you do
Muscratlove
I don’t know, I think those mushrooms would look great even after they dry out!
(Then again, this is coming from someone who had had the same cedar wreath for 3 years because they think it’s just as beautiful when bronzey brown.)
I have a jar of dried chantrelles that were picked in the forest last summer that I am unable to eat, they are so beautiful.
Nice job, Karen.
Karen
Thanks Muscratlove – I’ll keep y’al updated as to the mushroom progress. I literally just made this wreath a day ago, so I can’t report on *exactly* how long the mushrooms will last. So far so good. ~ karen
Kristen@PrettySweet
I wondered about the pool noodles in your previous picture, too! And *this* use for them is a fantastic idea! Definitely cheaper than the same size wreath form you could buy at Hobby Lobby…wait, does Canada have Hobby Lobby?? If not, I am so, so sorry. It’s one of my favorite places in the whole world.
Leslie
Karen!
You are brilliant.
I’m totally going to make this one.
LOVE IT!
Karen
Leslie – Hah! Thank you. ~ karen
Mary
Karen! Could you dunk the mushrooms in mod podge and make them last forever that way?
Karen
Mary – Mmm. For some reason I don’t think so. Because they’re so high in humidity. However … having said that … it’s worth a shot. Try it! What’s the worst that could happen? ~ karen
Asheyna
Hehe, lady I wish I had your style. Thankfully by careful stalkage of the blog I can get it! This is a fantastic idea and I am going to be stealing it
Karen
Asheyna – Thanks! Steal away … that’s what I’m here for. ~ karen
Shauna
And, the bonus…when summer comes, your wreath will float and can be used as a life preserver – it’s the craft that just keeps giving back;) Seriously though, I love it. I think I may feature it (with lovely links back) on my blog;)
Kim
Awesome! As always!
Karen
Thank you Kim. ~ k!
Gina
This looks great ! You give hope to all- even those without math skills. Hope your thumb is healing, hot glue burns are painful. Next time quickly plunge it into an icy drink.
Trysha
My husband walked in while I was reading this and he asked if it was a weed wreath. “Yes, honey. She’s hot gluing marijuana to a pool noodle.”
I’ve never been in a dollar store.
Karen
Trysha – OMG, that made me laugh hysterically! Now. Let’s talk about this dollar store thing … ~ karen
Theresa
mushrooms brilliant!
Michelle R.
I think your blog/website is freaking awesome. I LOVE IT! It’s the best thing since, well…dollar stores!?!
I just wanted to drop a note to say how much I love coming onto your site and catching up on what you’ve done or are in the process of doing (whether or not I do it myself). I can’t remember how I stumbled upon your blog but so glad I did. And now I forgot what else I was going to say. Oh well, keep up the good blogging.
Karen
Michelle R. – Well THAT was a fun comment! Thanks.
~ karen
Cleme
Love Love Love this idea!! looks fabulous!!
As always, you absolutely deliver great stuff!!
On a completley unrelated note, I have to say special Thanks! to you because, you see, I just finished reading Geek Love… Ordered it on Amazon, waited a few weeks for it to arrive (I live in Mexico) and when it did, started on it right away! Great literature recommendation, Karen! If it weren’t for that post I don’t think I would have ever read it, now it’s my no.1 favourite book. So, THANK YOU, Karen!!
Nicole
You are awesome.
Karen
Nicole – Oh stop.
~ karen
Eva
this is the coolest thing I’ve see in a while
guess what I’ll be doing this weekend LOL
thanks
Karen
Thanks Eva! Do it! It’s so much fun!! ~ karen
Eddie
I think it’s great, very earthy, I’m gonna add it to my collecion of knomes…..if it dosen’t seem too creepy.
PS. Just recently discovered your blog, and LOVE IT keep doin what cha do.
Karen
Eddie – Thanks. I’ll do what I can! ~ karen
Susan
I stared at this for the longest time. I couldn’t help feeling like something was missing. I tilted my head to one side, then the other, even walked away for a bit.
Then it hit me. You’re wreath needs a gnome. Not one of those smiling, happy, candy coloured gnomes but one of those with the pointy chin and grumpy face kind of gnomes.
Centsational Girl
I second the gnome idea. Thanks for linking up to the par-tay friend.
xo
Kate
Jessica
What an ingenious idea…I never would have thought of using a pool noodle for a wreath!
Jessica
Karen
Thanks Jessica! Yeah, the idea came out of desperation. Like most ideas.
~ karen
Michelle
I just wanted to take a moment to tell you that last spring I scored 9 (yes count em 9) bertioa knock-offs (mid century still…) for 50.00.
and I do believe in the eames fairy.
I want one of these mushroom wreaths but now I’m afraid I will have to make 9. That’s a lot of hot glue.
I just figured you would appreciate the score,,, and I’m running out of people in real life who still work up the fake excitement when I tell them about it. (again).
Karen
Michelle – I *am* excited! That’s quite a deal! I may have paid around that for the one brand new knockoff in my dining room! Plus I lost the cushion for it. Go make a wreath. Or nine.
~ karen
Stina
Hey Karen! I LOVE this! Has anyone else thrown out the idea of using spray adhesive for that first coat of moss? I just wonder if it may be easier than hot glue. What do you think?
Love your blog!
Karen
Hi Stina – No one else has suggested that. I”m not sure if it would work or not. If it was a really strong adhesive it might. The hot glue wasn’t too much of a pain anyway. I burn or cut myself at least once a day so I wasn’t too alarmed to have hot glued moss to my hands. ~ karen
Terri-Lynn
WOW!! That looks beautiful!!! and to think you thought I wouldn’t like it, I love it!…can I have it??
janet dycus
yes love your wreath i need some ideas for a easter wreath i just made the noodle and but moss on it looks great just like that thank you for the idea
Karen
Janet – Thanks! I have the final wreath idea in tomorrow’s post! ~ karen
Crystal
This is really cute! You are hilarious! Love the part about men being careful about asking people to check out their noodle. Bwahaha too funny!
Cinthya
It’s so cute. I almost envisioned little fairies sitting among the mushrooms.
kin
Thank you sooo much for this genius idea!
Karen
You’re very welcome Kin! ~ karen
becca
I was wondering (and as a disclaimer, I only skimmed the comments, so someone might have already mentioned this) if you tried misting the moss with water to make it perk up and stay green longer? My sister made me this lovely hanging basket/wooden frame doo-hickie (technical term) and even though she hot glued the moss in place on the wood, it has stayed alive for the bast few months purely from me spraying it will filtered (purified? not sure. brita filtered) water ever time it starts to look brown and crispy. as for wilting ‘shrooms, I know that there are mushroom growing kits out there where you drill holes into wood or plastic, sink your fungi spores into them, and let them get all nice and wet, and soon you’ve got a mushroom farm… the same concept might possibly work with this wreath, for a long lasting look… not sure, but if you’re interested in making this wreath last from fall through winter, it might be worth looking into. Love the idea, it’s so cute!!!
PS: I plan on making one of these next season, and have already begun hunting for a mini alice and caterpillar to perch among the mushroom!
Karen
The Alice and caterpillar are a great idea! ~ karen
brooke adkins
Love these pool noodles wreath’s Im gathering inspiration for my soon to be noodle Wreaths ..
Hugs
Brooke
Found you Via Pinterest
Karen
Thanks Brooke! Gotta love Pinterest. ~ karen
Cheryl B.
I had come across the pin for this wreath base and repinned it on pinterest. I have since used the idea myself and posted about it on my own blog. Thanks for sharing your creative idea! To see my posting, go here –> http://www.thebzhousethatlovebuilt.com/2012/07/analyses-3rd-birthday-part-1.html
BettyJean
Hi Karen, I read this post quite some time ago and remembered it because I loved this mushroom wreath and thought the pool noodle thing was genious. Just wanted to let you know I included a link to this post on my blog today. Warm Hugs, BettyJean
Karen
Thanks Betty Jean! ~ karen
mandy
I have been wanting to do this but I have a question. The area where you connect the noodle together, does it look really round or is there a slight flat area there???? I’m not making a wreath, I’m doing a life ring float & it will have to be really round, thanks
Karen
Hi Mandy – It looks perfectly round. Just make sure the dowel you use isn’t too long. Although … WAIT … I have no idea if this will stay together if you plan to use it as a bona fide life preserver! I’m guessing no. ~ karen!
Karen Swank
Thank you soo very much for sharing how to fix the noodle problem. It worked out perfectly..Forever grateful!!!
Karen Swank