2011
Quick Christmas Centerpiece
I was recently inspired by an image on Pinterest using metallic painted coffee beans for vase filler. I had just bought some holiday floral at Joann’s (it is all currently 50% until Christmas and there is an additonal 20% total purchase coupon circulating!) and I wanted to incorporate these beautiful beans for my dining table centerpiece.
Well, since Zac and I are not coffee drinkers and therefore not familiar with the price of coffee beans, my hypothesis that they were more expensive than I would like was correct; $12/lb at Walmart! No thanks! Maybe for a smaller vase which would require less beans, I could rationalize that price, but these large vases left over from my wedding would have taken at least a pound and a half each. So I spent the next 20 min wandering around Walmart in aimless circles trying to think of an alternative. Maybe wooden beads? or Rice?
Leaving Walmart feeling a little frustrated that my project was being put on hold, I told Zac my plight when he got home from work. In less than 30 seconds that brilliant boy solved my query! He simply suggested, “Why not use beans?” BEANS! Of course! They are coffee’s cheaper cousin and would serve as the closest substitute. I knew I loved that boy….
I decided to go with pinto. When measuring them out in the vases to figure how many I would need to paint, I seriously considered not painting them as they were naturally beautiful on their own. I would definitely consider using them in their raw form for another holiday or occasion.
After measuring how many beans I would require, I layed them out on a double-width of wax paper as I was trying to minimize the spill-over from the spray paint on the concrete pad (that I just cleaned).
After thinly spreading them out, I applied a light layer of spray paint to the beans. Then I allowed them to dry for 15 min before gently rolling them over with my hands and applying another coat. I repeated this process four or five times. There were a handful or two of beans which may not have been completely coated, but I did not care enough nor have the time to hand-pick out all the undercoated beans. I didn’t mind the variation in some of them to peek through as I thought they were beautiful pre-paint.
After about 30 min for the beans to dry (I was impatient, as usual!) I loaded them up with my winter stems in the vases.
I figured the total cost for these centerpieces, using existing vases, was:
- $4.00 for pinto beans
- $10.00 for floral stems
- $5.00 for spray paint (which I also already had too!)
I think they turned out quite nice! What do you think??
These turned out great. I love the idea of spray painting the beans. Thanks for sharing. I would love it if you could link this up to our linky party going on right now.
http://junkintheirtrunk.blogspot.com/2011/12/link-it-up-wednesday-6.html
Never would have thought to do-up-some-beans that pretty–great idea. Your vases are lovely!
I think silver would’ve gone lovely too – I’m so glad you put how you painted the beans using wax paper. I’m getting ready to start my project in a minute and wasn’t sure what to spray my beans on. I am using mine to fill glass containers for the bathroom – I need something to old makeup brushes, q-tips, etc… Love your craftiness!