The Gift of Thrift: Hot Lava-ed

If you've been following my volcano-making over the past few months, you know I've been working frantically to make 21 volcanoes for Jonamor Decor's Senor Amor and Jonona's wedding coming up this Sunday. All of my lava lovelies made it to LA just fine, and Jonona greeted me on Tuesday evening with our brown babies all gorgeously glittered! Just wait until we add more red and black lava rocks and the floral explosions that rise from the mouth of these vivacious volcanoes.

For more frugal entertaining ideas, pick up The Find: The Housing Works Book of Decorating with Thrift Shop Treasures, Flea Market Objects, and Vintage Details at Borders, Barnes & Noble, Amazon or Powell's.

The Elegant Thrifter

Always Frugal, Always Fabulous!

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Fabulous & Frugal Fun: Hot Lava Part 2

My task was to bring down the sizzle on what my pal Jonona Amor of Jonamor Decor called a "bacony" paint job that I applied to my papier mache volcano. It's just one of the dozon or more that I'm making for her and Senor's tablescape for their tiki inspired wedding celebration.

She wisely suggested a burnt umber coat of acrylic paint sponged over all of the siennas I had originally applied. Eventually, these little masses will drip red glitter lava and spew red and orange flowers from their mouths.

Back to the volcano factory in my dining room!

The Elegant Thrifter -- Always Frugal, Always Fabulous!!

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Fabulous & Frugal Fun: Hot Lava Part I

When my pal Jonona Amor, soon to marry Senor Amor, was talking to me about her wedding tabletop, she described to me a tiki-ish Polynesian themed event to take place in a man-made resort where fan dancing and wicked fun would rein. As we discussed what to do with her flowers, for some reason the vision of a volcano popped up in my head. "I'll make papier mâche volcanoes, and you can put red and orange flowers spewing out of the top." Maybe it was the morning caffeine talking or the jet lag between New York and LA, but no sooner than I said it, I was committed to creating these "lava-flower-spewing" constructions.

I had never made a papier mâche volcano before, but before I knew it, I found myself cutting down plastic water bottles into 8-inch towers, dipping strips of newspaper in a watered down Elmers Glue solution, and draping them from the top of the bottle to the cardboard base.

I used a hairdryer to set my form and then applied a coat of raw sienna acrylic paint, followed by stripes of burnt sienna. I once again looked to the hairdryer to speed up the setting process, which also caused the surface to contract and stretch, thereby creating natural looking crevices.

So far, the results look good. Jonona liked the form, but thought my paint job looked "bacony." I can see what she means, so I'll sponge a coat of burnt umber on to bring it down. I'll show you how my project progresses.

Check out the fabulous Amors of Jonamor Decor here.

For more thrifty decorating and entertaining tips, pick up The Find: The Housing Works Book of Decorating With Thrift Shop Treasures, Flea Market Objects, and Vintage Details atBorders, Barnes & Noble,Amazon or Powell's.

Hot lava.....wooooooo!
The Elegant Thrifter -- Always Frugal, Always Fabulous!

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The Gift of Thrift: Another Eruption!

I wanted to share with you a couple of photos of the final stages in the creation of the papier mâché volcanos that I made for Jonamor Decor's Senor and Jonona Amor's "Fantasy Island" wedding last month. I built and painted all 21 hot lava makers, and Jonona added streaming touches of molten red glitter for a bit of extra sizzle.

Here I am putting the bouquets together of hot-colored flowers and sparkly twigs. (Note my workwear of choice -- one of my favorite Dolly Parton t-shirts!)

And then finally, the setting, complete with red and black aquarium rock.


Truly an eruption of wedded bliss!

For more thrifty party ideas, pick up The Find: The Housing Works Book of Decorating with Thrift Shop Treasures, Flea Market Objects, and Vintage Details at Borders, Barnes & Noble, Amazon or Powell's.

Read more from this post in Shopping blog »