$0.25 Ornaments, Customized!

Well I guess it's nearing that time . . . holiday and seasonal clearance. As the "big day" approaches, steeper discounts seem to be popping up to rid and thin stock of holiday ornaments and decor. Oddly enough, I never seem to take part in these great deals as I typically am buying new holiday decor at the beginning of the season and am "decor'd out" by the end. Perhaps I'll try to be a bit more attentive this year if I head out after the holidays to do any shopping.

In the meantime, I found these great little picture frame ornaments for 25 cents a piece at the local Dollar General store. I knew I wanted to use them this year with the silver and crystal theme I have going on indoors.

Hmmm, what to place within the frames? Photos? Cut up holiday cards? I knew I wanted something displayed within that would equally match the color story in the room. I remembered I had a silver metallic sharpie marker. I took out the front display paper in the frame and flipped it over, using the back as the "new" display surface. I used the silver marker to draw straight, diagonal, overlapping lines to create the look of brushed aluminum or nickel. I grabbed one of my many fine-point, black Sharpie markers (I love these things and use them like crazy) and wrote out some holiday words that came to mind.

Should I hang them on the fireplace mantel or set them amid the mantel's decor? Perhaps hang them vertically down a small wall area? That vertical look must have stuck in my mind. I looked at the grapevine tree and its somewhat plain trunk and thought, there is my vertical surface. I thought I was done with this tree, guess not. Now I am . . . I THINK?

I love the new shimmer these little frames give to what was a rather dark area on the tree.  Are you still "fussing around" with your Holiday or Christmas trees too?

Sharing this at:
The Shabby Creek Cottage - Transformation Thursday
The Crafty Nest - Do Something Crafty