Does anyone know where I might find... (UPD: Found some stuff! P2)

[Rajah]

...miniature wine-related items? Or items that would work on a miniature tree (about 18-20 inches)? I'm thinking decorative corks (gonna try Bed, Bath and Beyond and Specs this evening I *think*), decorative corkscrews (better yet, fake ones so if the kitties knock them down, they can't get hurt), and mini plastic decorative/party wine glasses. I can find all the plastic *champagne* glasses I want, but I haven't been able to find any *wine* glasses. Does such a thing even exist? Or decorative mini-bottles of wine as ornaments?

So far I've tried Hobby Lobby and Garden Ridge, the two easiest for me to get to.

I decided to do the wine tree for DH.

 

[binny]

Have you tried all the wedding supply stores?

how about a World Market?

Let me look I have a few wine sites saved

 

[Rajah]

Closest we have to a wedding supply place within a reasonable drive (meaning, that I can visit on my way home from work or during lunch) is either Garden Ridge, Hobby Lobby, or Michael's. Garden Ridge has the best selection, and that's where I've found the champagne glasses.

Would you use champagne glasses if you were doing a wine-tree if you couldn't find wine glasses?

 

[denisem]

Can't help with miniatures (other than maybe those elaborate type doll-house furnishing/accessory stores/sites?), but don't forget the basis of any wine-themed tree: Artificial GRAPES (to help fill in empty spots).

Denise < --- loves themed trees & stuff

 

[Baboo]

Wilton makes champagne bottle candles for going on cakes. You could tie them on the tree. There is a pic of them on the Wilton site. http://www.wilton.com/wiltonos/default.htm Click on party shop, and they're one of the featured items. Hope this helps.

 

[Rajah]

Denise -- I couldn't find any nice artificial grape clumps small enough to look good *on* the tree, but I've got three good ones to put *under* the tree, along with a wine glass that I'm debating what to fill with. I'm going back and forth between gold beads (because I have too many of them) and rose petals.

I toyed with getting one of those things of grapes and making a grape garland, but decided that would look too strange and it would be better if the grapes were left in their bunches *under* the tree.

I'm going to keep my eyes open for other grapes, though!

 

[binny]

ok how about the little bottles of wine that you can buy? ALso wine glass charms those are cute and you can buy them almost anywhere now,

try this

http://www.allaboutpartiesandgifts.com/winetasting/wineaccessories.htm

http://www.iwawine.com/default2.asp


http://www.wine-racks-glasses-accessories.com/

 

[Rajah]

Wine glass charms -- if I can find any nearby (or break down and order online) that look *masculine* instead of the pretty jewels and stuff that I've found that I know DH won't like, those would be great! You think a wine/liquer store will have some?

Which little bottles of wine are you talking about? The ones that are one serving? If so, those are still too big. What I'm looking for is something that is no more than about 3 inches tall -- the only small wine bottles I've found are closer to 5". Am I missing some?

Keep the ideas coming! Thanks for your suggestions all!!

 

[J&D]

Rajah- Aren't you from Houston? If so, how far do you live from Arne's? They would probably have some.

http://www.arneswarehouse.com/index.htm

 

[Baboo]

How about filling the glass under the tree with some of those chocolates that are shaped like champagne bottles and filled with it too?

 

[binny]

Oh great idea baboo!

I bought a huge box of them at Costco for $12.00 they are YUMMY!

 

[Rajah]

J&D -- excellent idea! I'll bet that's where I've seen them in the past! Unfortunately, Arne's is in a bad part of town about 45 minutes' drive away, and somewhere I won't go alone. Unless I can convince my parents to go with me (for obvious reasons, I can't have DH go ), it's either order online or skip Arne's. But I bet that's where I've seen them. Hmm... a phone call may be in order. (Yes, I'm in the Houston area, though I'm well on the South Side about half-way between Houston "proper" and Galveston)

Baboo -- Neat idea. Unfortunately, DH doesn't like chocolates, and I couldn't leave it out that way because the kitties would get into it. If he liked chocolate candies, I'd do that!! Those candles you suggested are a good idea, though... That's along the lines of what I was looking for, though I was hoping for *wine* rather than champagne since DH isn't that fond of champagne.

 

[J&D]

Arne's is in a bad part of town ..., and somewhere I won't go alone.

I wouldn't either.

World Market might have some since they sell a lot of wine.

 

[Rajah]

Where's World Market? That's one I'm not familiar with...

There's a Party Store a little out of the way, but close enough that if I took a long lunch I could get there... maybe they'll have soemthing.

 

[J&D]

There are stores in:
Houston- Town & Country
Houston- Willowbrook
Sugar Land
The Woodlands

I'm not sure which store would be closer to you. We go to The Woodlands store.

http://www.costplus.com/costplus/public/products/home.html

Check out their wine glass charms. They look like Christmas ornaments.
http://www.costplus.com/costplus/showpublicproducts?cat=kitchendining&PAGENO=2
The site says they sell other wine accessories.
http://www.costplus.com/costplus/showpublicproducts?cat=kitchendining&PAGENO=6

 

[Rajah]

That's cute!!

The Sugarland one would be easiest to reach, but that's still 45 minutes away. Sigh. Why is it all the good places to go are on the opposite side of town?

I do like those glass charms -- those would be great!

I may stop by Linens & Things tonight... I seem to remember seeing some of those things there when I was looking for cookie cutters last month.

 

[mrsapalm]

Don't forget to check on Target - they have new charms in! Also, don't bypass your local Big Lots - they have all sorts of kitschy stuff, and Ross Dress for Less (look in the home section). That sounds like such a neat idea! Also, swing by Spec's.... I'm sure they will have stuff there that you can use!
Let us know how it turns out (i.e.... I want pics!).
-MrsAPalm

 

[TigerBear]

Rajah, there is a Costplus World Market on Richmond, just outside of The Loop. I'd be happy to go with you to Arne's if they have what you want and your parents can't go with you. Working for Houston ISD, I am used to traveling all over the city.

 

[Marion]

What about Dollar stores? They often have little stuff near the checkouts, like keychains and magnets. I know I've seen some at ours that have bottles on them. Would be easy enough to 'alter' them into a tree decoration.

 

[Rajah]

Okay, I really shouldn't have stopped last night, but I made a few stops on the way home even though I was tired.

I've almost found everything now!! Maybe not everything I originally wanted, but at I'm getting enough stuff that I think will work well together.

Okay, what I found last night between Michael's Crafts, Linen's & Things, and Garden Ridge:
* Some beads with letters on them that I'm going to use to spell out various wine names.
* Some gemstone beads that were wire wrapped in pretty gold wire that I'm going to make my own glass stem charms with.
* Grapes!! Finally I found some grapes that were the right size clumps to use *on* the tree instead of just around. These are actual Christmas grape sprigs/sprays/clumps/whatever that are about the size of the larger branches. I got 6 of those to use in colors that will compliment the artificial grape bunches I've got for the base of the tree.
* Actual stemware charms that are Christmas ornaments and really cute! I got 12 of them (2 boxes of 6) and I think I'm going to put all but 1 on the tree.
* A few corks/stoppers with the grapes on top. I was hoping to find more of these, but they only had grapes or butlers, and butlers just would *not* work
* A new glass that I can use for decorating without stealing one of those that DH actually uses. I plan to put the 1 remaining stem charm on the glass and fill it to the "proper amount" with some of the leftover gold beads.

What I'm looking for now (at the least) is a normal glass bottle that I can fill with gold beads (that pesky leftover bead garland) up to about the point that would make it look like one glass has been poured. I couldn't find just plain glass bottles anywhere last night, and you used to be able to find them all over the place! I'm considering just buying an actual bottle of cheap wine and just dumping the wine since I can't drink it and what I want is a clear bottle but DH usually drinks reds.

Combine what I found last night with the lights, bead garland, and fake corkscrews I'm making (didn't want to use real ones in case the kitties knocked them down on each other), and the bow I've got for the "topper" and I think I have enough! We'll see once I get it put together (hopefully tonight!)


I did look at Specs last night and they had the type of stemware charms I was looking for (wine theme), but they were 3x what I was willing to pay for tree decorations at this time. They were really nice, though!

I'm going to keep Target (don't know why I didn't think of them ) and Big Lots in mind -- Ross has kitcheny stuff? I didn't know that! Cool

TigerBear -- that's sweet of you! Thanks for offering! I looked through their website and didn't find anything like what I was looking for, though I know they have a lot more than just what's on the website. If I decide I need to check them out, I'll let you know! (We should get together again whether we go to Arne's or not! )

Marion -- Now that's an idea I hadn't thought of! Keychains! Great idea! I'll also keep those in mind!

Thanks so much for your help, all!! I hope it turns out well

And yes, I'll post pics when I get the display finished. (And before the kitties get ahold of it