Dollar Store Christmas Swags
I was challenged by Hometalk to create some holiday decorations from the dollar store. I created some fun dollar store decorations for Halloween but this one took some creativity! 
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I bought several plastic bats at the dollar store. 
I painted my baseball bats with Krylon green paint. For full disclosure, the paint is something I already had, so not figured into my bargain price.
I drilled holes in my baseball bats.
I drilled one pair of holes in the fat end of the bat and one pair at the top of the handle. All of the holes are drilled straight through the bats. Those will be to secure my swag wherever I hang it. I drilled two more pairs of holes in the handle part of the bat as shown. These will be used to secure our arrangement to the bat.
If you have followed along with my projects in the past, you will know what this will be used for! A piece of leftover chicken wire from previous projects and a block of dry floral foam from the dollar store will get together now.
It only takes a small piece of the chicken wire to wrap around the block of foam. This will keep it from breaking apart as I stick things into the foam.
Secure the chicken wire around the foam with chenille stems as I have shown above. Sort of like lacing up a corset, nice and tight to hold the foam securely. 
Next step is to attach the foam to the handle of the baseball bat. I used chenille stems for this also. I like to use them over wire just because they are a little gentler on my hands when I am trying to twist them really tight. Stick a chenille stem through each of the holes in the handles. I will use those to attach the chicken wire wrapped foam to the bat.
Here is an idea how this will look. I will be hanging this from the handle of the bat. 
The next step is to take an evergreen garland from the dollar store. Mine came in a 15 foot length for $1, but I only used 10 feet of it. I wrapped this around the foam and secured it with greening or floral pins that I already had. 
Keep wrapping your foam until you have it fairly well covered. 
I used the tail end of the garland to wrap down around the rest of the bat. Secure it in several spots with hot glue so it will not slide off of the bat. 
I picked up some rolls of mesh ribbon and used greening pins to attach them to the foam through the greenery. 
Here is another picture of the mesh and how I attached it. This is rather free form, you have to decide for yourself how big of loops you want and where you want to secure it. 
This is what my swag is looking like when held up vertically. I then took my red mesh and gathered it in a couple of places and hot glued it in those spots to the bat. 
Next I added my Christmas ornaments. I used one large red ornament to the top of the swag where the foam is. I added a medium size gold and tiny red ornament next to the large ones. I used an ample amount of hot glue to make sure these stayed in place. 
I repeated the look with gold and red ornaments at each of the spots where I had glued the mesh ribbon to the bat. 
Just like that, I have a lovely swag. The total for this swag was just $5! A pair of these would be pretty displayed on double doors. I have one single door, so I will make these to hang on my railings of my porches. this tutorial can be used with all kinds of decorations from your local dollar store. 
This is a second swag I made using the same technique but opted for a snowflake theme for this one. Instead of the red mesh, I used red ribbon with snowflakes on it, silver and white faux poinsettias and snowflake ornaments. All of the items to assemble this one also came from the dollar store. The grand total for this one was $9! Use your imagination and add the things you like to your swags!
Smart! I am going to look with different eyes when I walk through the dollar store.
It took a ridiculous amount of time wandering around the store, but alas, I did it!
You are so very talented, Chloe. Great job, going from cheap to chic. And I prefer the cheapest one, if I had to choose!
Thank you Rita!
You win the creativity award for this one! I was totally stumped with the baseball bat you worked it our beautifully. I too, will look at the dollar store differently.
Thanks Sandra! It took a lot of wandering around the dollar store to get to that point!
Chloe, you are so ceative! What a wonderful idea! Thanks for sharing! I hope that you have a wonderful day!!!
Thanks Shannon, you have to like a bargain!
Chloe, you are a talented one for sure, I need to go to the dollar store! Happy Thursday!
Thanks Pam…get creative!
Ingenious, Chloe.
You are one busy lady and I might add successful lady!
Oh my, thank you Bonnie, I don’t know about the successful, but I can tell you I am REALLY busy gearing up for the holidays!
Holy wow Chloe, who would ever guess they were baseball bats! Very creative, clever, and budget friendly!
Thanks Jenna, getting a challenge is a great way to stretch your imagination!
What could be used in place of chicken wire? I don’t have any. How about tulle? You’re just using it it to hold the foam together and are sticking pins in it and not picks, right?
Hi Donna! If you are not using any floral picks like the poinsettias, then you probably could use the tulle. Yes, the pins would go right through the tulle.
Hi from Australia Chloe’
I love the swags you made.I am planning to do one or two this year. They look awesome.Thank you for sharing your talents and ideas, Have a lovely Christmas ( how great having your Dad so close ) 😀 x
Thank you Joan! Hi all the way to Australia, a place I have never been! I am so blessed to have my Mom and Dad so nearby, I am fortunate in our community they allow for apartments over the garages. This is not a commonplace thing in the US, and I feel it should be. I am sending you long distance hugs today, I hope you, too have a wonderful Christmas and a very happy new year!
You are awesome, i took your bat idea and made my first swag and totally love it , thank you soooooo much.
Thanks so much Julie! Those dollar store projects were a challenge by Hometalk, but they are really easy, and a bargain, too!
Wow chloe,this is such a cute idea.You are so talented.
hello Chloe’
I saw your video last fall for the baseball bat swag but forgot to write down the decorator… i have a trunk full of dollar tree bats but couldn’t find you blog..lol
I’ve been searching the web for your tutorial on the swag with the dollar tree plastic bat.. im so thrilled that i finally found you… i think your ideas are amazing and can’t wait to make these swags as gifts to family n friends..
i will be following you for more ideas… keep it moving…
i love to look at your creations… i made my first fall wreath and i’m pretty proud being a newbie and all. I have to admit your tutorials are awesome and so specific… thank you so much keep on crafting … i love wreaths but the prices in stores is to high.. now i can make my own for a few dollars and looks just as pretty
Thank you so much Geri! I am glad you have taken the first steps to making your own holiday decorations! The part I like best about making my own wreaths and swags is that they are original, I won’t see them on anyone else’s front door! Keep crafting!
where do you get small amount of chicken wire ? don’t need a new fence LOL
They sell small pieces at craft stores like Joann’s and Michael’s. They are packaged and you can find near the wire and other floral supplies.