There I was. Wandering the aisles of Dollarama like I do most weeks when a grin as wide as a photoshopped thigh gap spread across my face.
I had gone for a spray bottle, but left with 3 bags of artificial grass. I'm sure you've seen them there before. They're just squares of fake grass or moss. They're pretty ugly really and I'd always wondered who would buy them and WHY. Turns out the answer to that question is me and because it was exactly what I needed.
I had been looking for something for a specific area in my backyard for weeks and nothing was right.
This. Would. Be. Right. Yup. Ugly is apparently what I was looking for. Who knew.
I danced my way up to the cash thinking this day couldn't get any better. Then, while checking out with my favourite Dollarama cashier, she grabbed some clothing from under the counter and handed it to the manager saying she'd found it in the craft aisle. Someone took their clothes off in the craft aisle?, I asked. Oh yes, she said. And this wasn't the first time. People do it all the time. She then went on to tell me all the stories about the Dollarama customers who disrobed and the one woman who left her coat and car keys in the store never to return for them. To this day, no one knows how Chilly got home that night.
So clearly, the day got even better. Plus I bought chips and was better dressed than everyone else in the store because I had my good pajamas on. So ...
For the rest of this week I'm going to show you the 3 projects I accomplished with my 3 bags of fake grass squares.
In fact the one was so good that Canadian Living was going to feature it in their May issue next year. But then they ran out of time while they were shooting here. (Canadian Living was here shooting my kitchen for the October issue of the magazine) At least they said they ran out of time.
The first project I'm going to show you is the one that I KNEW I was going to use the squares for.
My Ikea patio table outside is great. I love it with all of my heart. It's big and comfortable and feels more like a dining room table than a patio table. But it was looking a little blank.
I tried a bunch of different things on it and it just wasn't looking good. Ferns were too high, the neighbour's tricycle just looked stupid and leaving it bare made the table look oh so lonely. Like it was never going to have someone sit and eat at it ever.
Would you like to save this stuff?
We'll email you this post, so you can refer to it later.
Dressing it up like a real indoor table wasn't working because well ... this table was outside. There had to be some sort of compromise or combination of inside meets outside.
And there was.
A grass table runner.
I could have made a real grass table runner with a length of sod and it would have looked GREAT for a picture, but it would have looked like crap in about 3 days. BUT if you're having a party and you have a long table like this a roll or two of sod down the middle would be FANTASTIC.
The dollar store fake grass squares come with little nubs on the edges so you can actually attach them together so you don't have to worry about them shifting or pulling apart.
The squares were $2 each which made this table runner $24 to make. It works especially well in my contemporary backyard, especially because the other side of the yard has a large artificial turf rug.
Dollarama you've done it again.
Now where did my shorts get to? I'm almost sure I was wearing some when I left the store.
Jan In Waterdown
Speaking of customers who take their clothes off in a store, an employee at Costco told me that a customer got undressed down to her bra and panties to try on a bathing suit, RIGHT IN the freekin' store!! I think everyone should have to work in retail at least once in their lives . . . it's a really big life lesson!
Cynthia Jones
Here's my link to my very favourite seller of all things weird in the world, including fake moss. http://www.dhgate.com/w/artificial+moss.html
I see one of the items is actually dried reindeer moss and there is every kind of mossy bunny and mushroom your heart could require.
Some of the stuff has to be ordered in lots of 5 or 10 or 20, but if you scroll through you can always find one that can be bought as a single item.
No postage, really reliable. My 'go-to' when I can't find something I really want. This is my next purchase.
http://www.dhgate.com/product/nature-green-memory-foam-body-pillow-wooden/167014854.html
Log cushions. Who could ask for more ?
I can't send a photo of the cloche as I packed it up yesterday along with a pair of purple sequined ballet slippers and sent it to my friend in Perth.
Thank you for letting me put in the links. I love to share bargain finds of all things weird and wonderful with the weird and wonderful women who both make and read this blog. (the only blog I have ever found that makes me laugh and looks great) Now why can't they make men like that!
LazySusan
They do make men like that. It took me over 20 years to find one, but I did! So hang in there, if you're still looking.
Louise
Yikes! Now I'm afraid to go into the craft aisle at Dollorama - I think there's a MONSTER that rushes out and pulls people into his underground lair! Their clothes are left there because he doesn't like the taste of buttons!
Nancy Blue Moon
OK..Is Dollarama a one dollar for everything store like our Dollar Tree or a cheap store with dollar in it's name like our Dollar General and Family Dollar..inquiring minds want to know..oh yeah..I think it looks great..but then..you are quite brilliant my dear..
Tracie
Yay! I love your crafty posts soooo very much, thank you!!
Karen
More to come. :) ~ karen
Liz
this is bloody brilliant, and beautiful. I pinned it. So they just kinda clicked together? or did you have to do some sneaky sewing?
Karen
Hi Liz - Yup, they have little nubs on the ends and holes on the other end so you can just click them together. It's GREAT! ~ karen
toekneetoni
very clever, very perfect!
Scott
You had me at "thigh gap"!
lol
Dagmar
Hi Karen,
I kind of figured the candle remark would come on back and bite me in the ass. Because I knew you would say that you used fake candles, BUT what about the citronella candles? You"ll probably have a bite-me-in-the-arse comment to that too. You're just so smart Karen. That's why we can't live without you
sue
Thanks for the laughs, Karen and thank you to the others who took time to write...I'm talking to you, Cynthia Jones. Little lawn mower!
julesie
Oh my gosh.. I totally want more Dollarama stories! This is great. I had NO IDEA that people disrobed there. Interesting. Is that a local thing or something found at dollar stores across the board.? I totally love the grass table runner. I did something like that in the more moss looking stuff for an Easter runner once and it looked pretty funky. Another idea: I have one of those display coffee tables with little squares to decorate and make vignettes and a glass top... when I do my Easter or summer table I will cut those mossy or grass squares to use on the bottom instead of leaving the wood plain... then put in various ISPY like items to create a theme coffee table. It pops so much more than leaving it plain and believe me it's easier to get out then the Xmas snow or the beach sand when those seasons roll around. It's the most fun! And people LOVE to see what's in the coffee table while sipping their latte or wine. Well, enjoy the summer decorating~ the outside dining area looks amazing!
olequiltbat
I love Dollar-rama and all the other dollar stores. I hit them all searching for silk flowers to put in my large
urns as well as all my window boxes. I got tired of spending a fortune on real plants and having them die over each season even tho I watered them faithfully. With silk flowers I get to choose lots of beautiful ones and then
they can be used over and over each year. I have silk flowers for each season, and once that particular season is over, I take a picture of how I arranged them, and then take each display and put them separately in a large plastic bag...one for the left urn...another for the right urn...one for the left window box, and another for the right window box and so on all around the house. Some arrangements just stay in their the pots when I put them away...and then the next year ...pull them out and just place them around.
I have each season stored in large plastic tubs....Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter. Then all I have to do is pull out the tub and all the flowers are in each of their respective bags for each urn or window box.
Makes for easy decorating and I'm not outside watering these things 4 times a day like I use to do with real flowers. Don't think tho that I don't have real flowers...I have massive gardens that do supply me with lots
of bouquets. Happy Dollar Store shopping everyone.\
Sandy
Jebber Jay
Superb! Plus, if you sit at the head of the table, you get to loofah your kneecaps. Dining + spa alfresco!
Denise Leavens
Exfoliating your knee caps! I LOVE IT!
SuzyMcQ
Nice runner, yada yada....but, what I really want to know is why people leave their clothing in a dollar store?
Hope
Cruising through my Facebook posts I saw the link to your post today....my heart actually skipped a beat!!!!
I actually have missed your dollar store ideas! When I wander through from time to time I look at things and think....what on earth would Karen do with this stuff?
My daughter cut the squares in half and used them to line her mantel at Easter time...then put her 3 little flocked bunnies on top (also dollar store). Too cute. (no chickens though)
Laura N.
I love our Dollarama posts!
Melissa in North Carolina
Very entertaining! Love your wall planters. I'm thinking our Dollar Tree here in the US is similar to your Dollarama. That's where I get my doggie poop bags.
kate-v
Great! Table grass! I didn't realize how much I've been missing those dollar-rama posts -
Patti
That is pretty fantastic! how the heck do you come up with this stuff? Oh my those plants on the fence are gorgeous!
P.S. I have to tell you the hot water and microfiber cloth cleaning method is life changing. My stove top isn't stainless or glass (maybe fiberglass?) but it used to be cloudy and streaky no matter what I used on it. Same with my stainless kitchen garbage pail. Now a wipedown with the hot cloth and it just shines. I've since tried it on pretty much everything else and it is amazing. Thanks for the tip!
Karen
You're welcome Patti. It works great doesn't it! ~ karen
jf
ACK! brilliant, I love it!
now please, put your pants back on so I don't have to continue staring off in the distance!