Plastic pumpkin buckets are a common sight at thrift stores during the Fall, aren’t they? And when they’re not loaded with candy, they’re loaded with upcycling possibilities. So, I decided to give one a makeover for my latest project for the Charlotte Region ReStore blog. I wanted to create some modern Halloween decor that was neither cutesy nor spooky.Read more ›
Halloween Ghost Decoration from a Wooden Cheese Board
October 14, 2020 · By · 24 Comments
Several years ago, I found a wooden cheese board at a thrift store. It was just the wooden tray part, with indentations that I assume once held decorative tiles. But the tiles were long gone and the wooden tray had a peculiar shape. A shape that seemed DESTINED to become a Halloween ghost decoration.Read more ›
Decorating a Mantel with Vintage Halloween Decor
October 4, 2020 · By · 44 Comments
For many years, I didn’t have a lot of vintage Halloween decor. It’s much rarer than vintage Christmas decorations, but I’ve been slowly collecting bits and pieces over the years. But one thing I did have from my childhood was one of my favorite children’s Halloween books. So, I decided to assemble my spooky bits and bobs to use as Halloween mantel decor.Read more ›
100+ Upcycling Projects for Halloween and Autumn Home Decor
September 16, 2020 · By · 3 Comments
It doesn’t feel like Fall yet outside my door, but I am so very ready for it. And based on feedback I’ve received from my readers and friends, y’all are more than ready for the seasons to change, too. So, my fellow Thrift Store Decor Team gals and I decided to pool all of our best upcycling ideas for autumn home decor into a single collection. Call it the ULTIMATE collection of repurposed and upcycled fall decor ideas and projects.Read more ›
Halloween Coasters with HAZMAT Stickers
October 9, 2019 · By · 31 Comments
The thrift store is a never-ending source of surprises, is it? Just when you think you’ve seen it all, the thrift store throws you yet another curve ball. That’s how I felt when I kept finding rolls and rolls of HAZMAT stickers. They had been scattered across the store, so I turned it into a scavenger hunt to find them all. That’s when I decided that I needed a roll to make some Halloween coasters.Read more ›
Halloween Cookie Cutters as Needle Felting Supplies
September 29, 2019 · By · 27 Comments
I can’t recall when or how I first heard about the craft of needle felting. But it is a technique that I’ve admired for a while and wanted to try out. A friend of mine told me that the easiest way to learn was to use cookie cutters as needle felting supplies for shaping the wool. So, when I thrifted these Halloween cookie cutters, I knew it was time to try out felting wool once and for all!Read more ›
Plastic Pumpkins as Primitive Halloween Decor with Rust Effect Paint
October 25, 2018 · By · 37 Comments
I have to admit, on certain junk or antique pieces, I like the look of rust more than actually dealing with rust. Sometimes, the chipping and the flaking of real rust is too much for me to deal with, especially indoors. So, when I had a chance to try out the Rust Effect Paint by Modern Masters, I jumped at the chance! Right off the bat, I knew I wanted to try it on the plastic pumpkins and pumpkin candy buckets that crowd the thrift store shelves. Read more ›
Candy Corn Decorations from Thread Cones
October 18, 2018 · By · 24 Comments
In my neck of the woods (the Carolinas), relics of old industrial textile mills are common at vintage stores and thrift shops. So, it’s no surprise that I run across these types of thread cones at one secondhand store after another. I’ve already repurposed some for a Christmas project, but this time, I decided to upcycle a few into candy corn decorations.Read more ›
Haunted House Decor from a House Shaped Picture Frame
October 10, 2018 · By · 37 Comments
When I first spotted this house shaped picture frame at Goodwill, it had been casually left in a basket of scarves and belts, as if the originally buyer had changed their mind. And as soon as I saw it, I thought, “Oh, look- a haunted house picture frame!”. But upon further inspection, I realized it was just in the shape of a Victorian house.
Making a Halloween Spell Book from an Old Yearbook
October 4, 2018 · By · 25 Comments
There are a LOT of tutorials for a Harry Potter-inspired Halloween Spell Book out there. But, I’ve wanted to create my own versions for a while now. It wasn’t until I found a couple of old yearbooks while thrifting that an idea took root. Their textured leatherette covers and embossed designs REALLY seemed destined to become a Book of Spells or even steampunk books, perfect for Halloween decor!
