Friday, November 21, 2014

Holiday Thrift Store Challenge: Modern Christmas Village

Hey everyone!
 
Thank you so much for stopping by! And a extra special thank you to Alice from Thoughts from Alice for including me in this fun little challenge!





If you've been here in the past then you know what a huge fan I am of thrift store shopping. It's completely my go to for furniture and fun home décor (think brass, silver and pottery). But, I have to say holiday items...not so much. They tend to be too dated, tacky and colorful for my taste and never seem to blend in well in my more neutral home.




 
Thankfully, I went in with a game plan and found what I needed right away with my $25 budget. (Note: I only ended up spending $11).  Here's the thing, I kind of really like Christmas villages, but the red and green combo makes my skin crawl just a bit. So, I decided to modernize some vintage pieces to make them work in my own home for the holidays.
 
Supplies:  Vintage, thrift store Christmas village pieces, brush, chalkboard paint, chalk and a baggie, finishing wax and a clean cloth (optional).




 
 
Simply paint the Christmas village with two coats of chalkboard paint, letting each coat try thoroughly. Crush up some chalk by placing it in a baggie and hitting it with a hammer or something else suitable.  Using your hand, wipe the crushed chalk all over your painted village. Seal with a coat of wax (optional).
 

 
 I placed my village in front of our chalkboard wall in our study.




I added in some vintage ornaments, faux greenery and plenty of silver glitter to finish off the scene.







I love the black, white and silver holiday theme I have going on in there right now.


 
 Thank you again for stopping over! Please be sure to check out all the other amazing bloggers in this series!
 

Glam Christmas Throw Pillows by Thoughts from Alice



A Deerly Beloved Thrift Store Vignette by Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson





Christmas Cloche by Craftberry Bush

A Vintage Mantel for Winter by Finding Silver Pennies


Thrifty DIY Part One: Faux Fur Throw Rug by Creating Vintage Charm

DIY Holiday Walling Hanging by House of Hipsters


Christmas Decor from Thrifty Find by Town and Country Living

The Trellis Tree by Cozy Little House


DIY Centerpiece Tray by Cherished Bliss





Rustic Christmas Tree by Delineate Your Dwelling





DIY Crocks by So Much Better With Age



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22 comments:

  1. UnknownNovember 21, 2014 at 5:19 AM

    What a good idea.

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  2. Cassie BustamanteNovember 21, 2014 at 5:35 AM

    hmmm i commented but nothing happened- not sure it went through? i love mixing black into christmas decor!

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  3. UnknownNovember 21, 2014 at 6:37 AM

    This is awesome Angela and so creative! I never would have thought to use the crushed up chalk! Awesome project!!!

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  4. Alice WingerdenNovember 21, 2014 at 10:25 AM

    Love how your creative mind works! These were an amazing transformation! Thanks for joining with me for the challenge!

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  5. angieNovember 21, 2014 at 11:09 AM

    danke für die inspirationen!!! einen schönen freitag wünscht angie

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  6. MelissaNovember 21, 2014 at 11:43 AM

    This is too fun!! I love your new take on a Christmas village!!!! So creative! :)

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  7. Brenda PruittNovember 21, 2014 at 11:47 AM

    How fun that you looked beyond the dreaded red and green colors and knew you could make it your own style! And you did. Perfectly!
    Brenda

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  8. Restoration House InteriorsNovember 21, 2014 at 11:59 AM

    Whoa! Now this is a great idea!! Love it! Such a fun project and what a great transformation! I never woukd have thought to do this! Thank you for sharing!

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  9. Holly CampbellNovember 21, 2014 at 12:20 PM

    I love the look!! It makes me think of a London fast asleep while Scrooge awaits the toll of 1:00am, in "A Christmas Carol" :)

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  10. AnonymousNovember 21, 2014 at 12:52 PM

    I love how you painted your village. Smashing up the chalk to create a patina was genius! I don't like the bright reds and greens either and I am going to have to try your idea one day.

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  11. Mekenzie @ interiorsbykenz.comNovember 21, 2014 at 1:38 PM

    I love that look! Perfect for the holidays!

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  12. Kyla - House Of HipstersNovember 21, 2014 at 2:03 PM

    This is such a great idea! I love it!

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  13. Jennifer@The Chronicles of HomeNovember 21, 2014 at 2:32 PM

    Such a clever idea! They look so modern and chic now.

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  14. Tammy...ClothandPatinaNovember 21, 2014 at 5:00 PM

    What a wonderful idea! I never thought to add chalkboard paint to these! I'm not a huge fan of the brightly colored ones either and this is just perfect!

    Tammy

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  15. ElaineNovember 21, 2014 at 6:57 PM

    I really, really like this! I'm all about chalkboard paint. Love it.

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  16. Have a Daily Cup of Mrs. OlsonNovember 21, 2014 at 10:58 PM

    I love chalkboard paint, but would never have thought to use it on a village piece. Very creative! Looks fabulous in your vignette!
    hugs,
    Jann

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  17. nikiNovember 22, 2014 at 1:38 AM

    I love them in a solid color.

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  18. CharlotteNovember 22, 2014 at 5:40 PM

    What a fun effect the paint and the chalk and the wax has! I love this 'metallic-light' look and am storing this away!
    xx Charlotte

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  19. NickiNovember 23, 2014 at 12:05 AM

    Angela- This looks amazing! I actually considered painting a village or nativity, but thought it would look plastic or cheesy. You, however, pulled it off perfectly with the chalk paint-brilliant. I love the texture of these. Pinning :)

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  20. JanNovember 29, 2014 at 1:29 PM

    You totally transformed the pieces - I love them! The chalk brings out the details beautifully, too.

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  21. Emily @ Two Purple CouchesDecember 1, 2014 at 11:09 PM

    I never would've thought to paint these! Great idea!

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  22. ℳartina @ Northern NestingDecember 2, 2014 at 12:19 AM

    Love the way they look!

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Thank you so much for stopping by Number Fifty-Three! I look forward to your comments.