One of my favorite things to do is decorate for the holidays! I usually start the day after one holiday ends, and I tend to go a little crazy. This year for Valentine’s Day, I wanted to decorate with an easy, cheap “mantle” piece (since we don’t have a real mantle, I make do with what I have). My first step was visiting The Dollar Tree, which just so happens to be one of my favorite stores, to pick up a few things. I started with the following:

1 8X10 Frame

1 5X7 Frame

1 4X6 Frame

1 3.5X5 Frame

2 Candlestick holders

2 Votive Candle Holders

1 Heart Garland

Total: $9

(For your best results, try to find frames with the most detail. Most of the time, these are the ugliest ones in the store! But when you’re finished, they turn out to be the prettiest)

Then I picked up some spray paint, at my local Home Depot (this would be cheaper at Target or Wal-Mart). Pick up any color you would like, red/pink/white/gray to match your theme. This shouldn’t cost you more than a few dollars, mine was $4.

I mixed these things with a few items I already own, such as glass glue (E-600 works), and a bell jar. Both of these items can be picked up at Target/Walmart/Michaels. I glued the votive holders to the candlesticks. I tend not to let things dry long enough, so for the best result, these will need to sit for 24 hours (I didn’t even wait an hour).

For an added touch, I used a heart sticker to cover a side of the bell jar, so when painted, created an illuminary. I painted all the items red, let them dry, and then arranged them with a few pieces I already had around the house. Any frames/candlesticks/candles in the color pattern would work great. I added two candlesticks and a frame. I printed a Valentine’s Day subway art print from Pinterest (here is a link to subway art), and created one of my own as well. Lastly, I printed a few black & white photos for the remaining frames, and voila! My total was only $13, but if you didn’t have glass glue at home, you may spend a little more. You should be able to create this whole mantle-piece for less than $20, even with no supplies at home.