Glamping: Crafts prove camping can be glamorous
Want to camp in style? Try glamping, or glamorous camping.
Many outdoor destinations now offer a glamping option, providing luxurious comfort in well-appointed yurts, vintage Airstream trailers or treehouses. Can't afford a luxury getaway? Create some magic of your own with these glamping craft ideas.
Heather Mann is a Salem mother of four boys and is constantly on the lookout for fun games, activities and recipes to keep her busy boys, well, busy. She shares crafts with a frugal twist at dollarstorecrafts.com. Email Mann at heather@dollarstore.
Bohemian Canopy
Excess and embellishment is a hallmark of glamping style. You can create your own romantic mini-retreat by making a canopy from a hula hoop and sheer curtains. We found our supplies at the dollar store, the curtains at IKEA for $4 and the scarf at the thrift store.
It will take just minutes to assemble the canopy, but you'll want to spend some time creating our easy bohemian-style embellishments.
Supplies
- Hula hoop
- Mosquito net curtains
- Large square scarf
- Faux carnations in several colors
- Assorted ribbon
- Pom poms
- Metallic pipe cleaners
- Colored Mardi Gras-style beads
- Hot glue gun and glue sticks
- Scissors
- Tape
How to Make the Canopy
1. Open the hula hoop at its seam. Slide the curtains onto the hoop. Close hula hoop, and seal seam with tape.
2. Tie four pieces of ribbon around the hoop to create the hanger. If needed, snip a small slit in top of curtain to allow you to tie ribbon around the hoop.
3. Drape scarf around the top of the ribbon hanger, and tie in place with narrow ribbons. This makes it removable and reusable.
Embellishments
Each of these embellishments can be draped and tied onto the canopy with narrow ribbon. If needed, cut small slits in curtain to anchor ribbon.
Flower garland: Measure a piece of wide ribbon around the circumference of the hoop. Hot glue disassembled faux flowers to the ribbon, layering petals in different colors, and adding flower petals made of pipe cleaners and pom pom centers. Tie garland onto hoop.
Flower curtain tie-backs: Use above technique to create a single flower that is hot glued to a small piece of wide ribbon. Glue a pipe cleaner to the back of the ribbon to create the tie-back.
Flower strings: Disassemble faux flowers and string petals onto narrow ribbon, securing with hot glue.
Pom pom strings: Hot glue pom poms at intervals on a length of narrow ribbon.
Colorful bead strings: Cut individual Mardi Gras-style bead strands between two beads, then hot glue ends of beads together to create a long strand.
Luxury Solar Lanterns
Dollar store solar light stakes go glam when placed into glass shaker jars and embellished with ribbons, lace and beads. Place these solar lights along the pathway to your campsite to add light and stylish flair.
Supplies
- Small solar light stakes
- Glass shaker jars
- Ribbons, lace, Mardi Gras beads
- Hot glue guns and glue sticks
Instructions
1. Remove stake from solar light. If desired, glue ribbon or lace onto solar light. Insert into shaker jar.
2. Embellish shaker jar and lid with beads, lace and ribbon. Make sure you can unscrew the lid to access the light if needed.
3. Add a ribbon handle to the lid.
Pretty Party Lights
Bring the party wherever you camp with a strand of battery-operated LED lights from the dollar store. Dress the lights up with pretty paper cups with added embellishments.
Supplies
- Battery-operated LED lights strand
- Paper party cups
- Lace and ribbon
- Hot glue gun and glue sticks
- Scissors or craft knife
Instructions
1. Embellish paper or plastic party cups with additional lace and ribbons.
2. Cut a small slit or X in the top of party cups and slide LED lights through the hole.
3. Although LED lights are low-heat, use good judgment and don't leave lights on when unsupervised.