DIY Americana Topiaries And Vignette Using Flea Market Junk

It's time for another Junk Revision Challenge. This month's challenge is "PATRIOTIC" and since I married an American and am living in the US, I am finally able to decorate with red, white and blue which are my favourite colors. So the challenge was to come up with a project using so called "junk" and God knows I have plenty of that...

For this challenge I wanted to repurpose a topiary found at the thrift store a while back that has been patiently awaiting a makeover. It was the best $3 I ever spent. The urn is heavy and has a great patina. The top of course needed a facelift. I figured the galvanized tin bucket would serve well as the new slipcover for the tired top.  While looking through my stash I spied some silver and aluminum pieces gathered from flea markets and garage sales and decided to create a secondary topiary.

The plan was to paint a flag pattern on the tin, but after finding this large flag in my stash that nearly covered it, I changed my game plan. So I simply covered the tin with the flag using double sided tape to keep it in place. I also made a small star topiary using a candlestick holder, a decorative metal lamp piece and a star shape cookie tin. I used putty to temporarily keep the star in place atop its base.

After removing the dried and dusty moss near the base of the topiary trunk it was a little bare, and so I decided to add some unfinished wood stars for interest...

... and sprinkled more throughout the vignette. I also added a vintage star shaped cookie cutter...

... some old worn books in red white and blue and a tarnished silver salt shaker in an urn shape to create my flea market style 4th of July/ Americana vignette.

All things red white or blue were up for grabs and incorporated into the vignette. The tobacco tin apart from being red also has an eagle on it so I thought it looked great with the rest of the items.

I even went through my stash of vintage glass jars and found some with red, white and black lids that fit in nicely.

A simple rag banner that I had made using scraps of red felt, blue jean fabric and off white canvas fabric was played with in the vignette! I had originally created it to hang in my booth a few years ago along with the flag that I used to cover the tin to create the topiary.

I tried hanging it across the back of the vignette...

...and just below the vignette. I think I like it like this the most . How about you?

So I am happy to say that I didn't have to spend any money to create this patriotic Americana vignette and I'm sure you would be able to do something similar using what you had and to get that vintage flavor with a time worn look there's nothing like items found at the flea market.

Hope this Canadian transplant has inspired you to do some decorating for the 4th of July with your collection of flea market junk!

 
Blessings,

Lucy

Make sure to check out more inspirational ideas by my fellow Junk Visionaries below...

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