The trick to creating a collection of anything without stretching your wallet is to purposefully look for the pieces you need at times when no-one else is searching for the same thing.
To me, this means to look for seasonal items during the off season. It means searching for summer things in the winter and for winter things in the summer. This is literally, my biggest thrifting tip of all time. It has helped me score amazing deals and it greatly helped with completing my DIY painted village.
Tips for painting:
1. Create a very clean and dry surface.
This means, dusting off any unwanted dust (Hello, seasonal things that get used once a year always have a coating of some kind of gunk that needs dealt with)
2. Then you will need to wash down your village with a TSP mixture and let dry completely
3. Next you’ll need to take your village to a well ventilated area in preparation for spray paint. (I used our garage.)
First I sprayed mine with a quick spritz of a primer. I didn’t worry about getting into all of the tiny crevices, (Because, I’m the most impatient DIY-er of all times.)
4. I sprayed mine on a giant stretched out and flattened cardboard box in the garage (Cause, winter in Canada.)
5. Spray in light mists, approximately a foot away from the item you are spray painting.
6. Let sit for a couple of hours or until dry to the touch. (If you followed step #4 and it’s also winter where you are, gently pick up your cardboard and bring indoors for quicker drying time!)
I used a glossy white spray paint to add a reflective look to my village and love how shiny and glossy they look when any type of light hits them.
This project was so much fun to makeover and only cost me the price of two cans of spray paint approx $3-$5 per tiny house. Now that this village is neutral and easy on the eyes, this little made modern village can get set up in any room of the house.
These little houses have the option of getting all lit up with the addition of lights, or they look just as sweet sprinkled around the house in unsuspecting places.
Do you have a Christmas village in your home? If so, I’d love to know where you set it up! We can’t wait to add to ours yearly! Do you do that too?
