A CHEAP MAKE

      No, of course I'm not talking about myself, any of my friends from high school, or anyone else for that matter.  I'm talking about this:
                                        

It was so easy to put together and so darned inexpensive!  I made it from items I already had.

Started with this:

 You've probably seen a million of these.  Okay, maybe only half a million.  This one was a curbside find with broken wooden leaves, etc. on it.  It also had a "welcome" sign on it, which I kept for this project.

I gave it a light sanding, just enough to get some of the old glue and paint off.  Next came a light coat of Lowe's most inexpensive white paint.  Once dry, I applied an opaque acrylic stain that I found in a sale (auction) box lot.  Yes, I know - once it was cleaned up it had to be reworked to make it look a little dirty and worn again.  There is a big difference between real dirt and fake dirt.

Next came this guy.  He was a yard sale find.  His clothes are totally faded (so what? He's a scarecrow) and was kinda droopy but a little sprucing up with a glue gun was all he needed.  Oh, and his stand needed to be knocked off because it would have hung over the base of the fence.  

Finally, this vase with four fall floral stems (say that three times fast) would provide the final touches.  It was another $1 yard sale find.

I only used three of the stems; the fourth will be used for another future project and the vase already has a spot reserved in one of the shops we're in.  

So, for a little more glue gun work plus $2.00 and some change, this little guy will greet visitors coming into the Village Antiques and Home Decor mall in Bristol, Tn.