Mini Topiary Upcycle - a Thrift Store Find

6 Materials
$20
2 Hours
Easy

At the risk of sounding redundant...I adore a great thrift store find!


But what separates a dud find from a great find?


Read on to see how I transformed a pair of dusty old mini topiaries and get details on how you can always find the good stuff when you shop!

These mini topiaries were a no-brainer when I spotted them.


They were quite the pair in their day, I'm sure.


But their day had come - and gone.


Now the were dusty, bedraggled, and tossed on a thrift store shelf.


I saw potential in them. They had great form, just too much mileage, and a makeover was all they really needed.

First, I stripped off all the dusty ivy and tossed it.

Next to go was the supporting vine masses, and as much of the moss as I could strip away.

Down to the bare bones now, I gave the entire surfaces a fresh white wash with spray paint.

Since this was a simple upcycle and not a repurpose (you do know the difference, right? Check out this post if they're much the same to you), I was ready to start rebuilding them as soon as the paint dried.


Step 1 - I filled in the sphere area this time with floral foam. They wedged in well between the supports, but I added a line of hot glue to the backs for extra support.


Worked perfectly!

Starting at the top, I stuck in some bright pink floral sprays along the edges.

Next, I added some floral and leaf pics just under the bright pink sprays.

Next, more sprays at the bottom, this time angled downward to help recapture the circular shape, and some extra leaf elements to fill in the gaps.

Finally, I pushed some moss into the spaces to cover the remaining visible foam and to give the whole arrangement a finished look.

With a few remaining stems, I poked them into the base and covered it over with more moss.

Bright and new, I love how the makeover gave those tired little topiaries a new lease on life!

I rarely find a piece at the thrift store that I can't transform into something I love because I have a handle on my creative style.


Check out The Creative Design Template if you need a little help discovering yours. Knowing your style makes thrift shopping a breeze and you'll never leave frustrated or disappointed again!

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  • Delanie Delanie on May 12, 2020

    When I click on your links, they take me to a site called “itsahusbandthing”. Every time. Has anyone else had this problem? Could you please assist me in navigating to your blog? Love your thrifty projects and would love to read your post on best thrifting advice.

    Thanks!

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  • Chris. Chris. on May 14, 2020

    I certainly will.

  • Chris. Chris. on May 14, 2020

    Sorry , I did something wrong and lost the rest of my reply, request. I can’t get your blog either and now I know why. Would it be possible for me to have a copy of your ebook as you mentioned to Delaney. I love what you did with those topiaries. They would enhance any event. Christina, (down under in Aust.)

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