25 dollar store summer decor ideas

Using My Noodle(s)

Need a summer display prop? Dollar-store pool noodles, dollar-store wood grain contact paper and some rope. Even a husband could do this! Last week some of my thought processes were along the lines of: “I wish I had something tall to go on either side of the picture on the mantle for summer.” and ” I wish I had a unique decorative item made out of pool noodles to enter into Debbiedoos Pool Noodle Party?.” Then the thought came into MY noodle (brain) to combine both of those needs together and make mini-nautical log pilings out of cut pool noodles to go on the beach-y mantle. The Dollar Tree was my source for cheap noodles and for wood-looking adhesive paper to cover them. Six noodles and three rolls of adhesive covering were used to make these faux pilings. The noodles were surprizingly easy to cut even with a kitchen bread knife. The original plan was to group five lengths of noodles into one piling bundle but it worked out that making two groups of three noodles on each side was better. Working on mantle item placement For the size of adhesive covering that I had, it took 1/2 of the width to cover a noodle. The wood-grain covering stuck on the noodle well and will hopefully last through the summer but I’m not optimistic about long-term viability. The stick-ability even survived me painting the covering with thinned out neutral shades of paint to make it match my brick. If you paint yours too, be sure to thin the paint enough that the wood grain will still show through. The tops of my pilings won’t be visible to anyone unless they are on a ladder but I experimented with cutting out “knots” in the adhesive covering to cover up the noodle end. Here I did a trial run with the logs to show what the pilings would look like if you like the natural wood look and not the painted version. Being bundled with rope made the noodles easy to stand up but if you are going to make these to be outside, be aware that they are very lightweight. Except for the noodles that I tried covering the ends, none of the others of mine are finished off ’cause you and me are the only ones who will see the green foam of the pool noodle from up here on a ladder taking photos for close-ups. I am sharing this post over at Snickerdoodle Sunday blog party hosted by Meatloaf and Melodrama and other blogs