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Upcycled Dollar Tree cross turned into a rustic french country cross.

Rustic French Country Style Cross

/ DIY / By

Hey friends! I recently asked my followers on Facebook what kind of crafts they would like to see me do. One of the most requested was a craft that involved a cross for the upcoming Easter season. On one of my recent trips to the Dollar Tree, I found a couple of wood crosses that were perfect for this challenge! Keeping my decorating style in mind, I decided to turn them into Rustic French Country Crosses that can be used all throughout the year.

I am going to show you how you can upcycle a Dollar Tree wooden cross and turn it into beautiful, boutique worthy home decor for only a few dollars.

You will only need a few items to create this Rustic French Country Cross. You can find most of supplies over at The Dollar Tree.

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Here is what you will need:

supplies used to make a rustic french country cross

How to make a Rustic French Country Style Cross

First, begin by tracing out your cross onto the scrapbook paper. I’m using this beautiful hymnal scrapbook paper that I found over at Hobby Lobby.

scrapbook paper traced and cut out in the shape of a cross

Next, apply mod podge to the cross and place your paper on top. Make sure to smooth out the wrinkles and bubbles the best that you can. I like to use my heat gun or blow dryer to help this process. Simply blow the heat directly on top of the paper and smooth it out with your hands as you go.

Note: In case you cannot find the crosses at the Dollar Tree, I have found a similar item on Amazon. You can find the crosses here.

wood cross with scrapbook paper applied to it with mod podge

Grab some sand paper or a sanding block and sand off the edges of the paper. This will give you a nice clean look and will get rid of any over hang of the paper that might have.

applying stain to wood

I applied Antique Wax with a baby wipe on to the base of the cross and the back of it.

a wood stained cross

Antique Wax works like a stain on raw wood. It is one of my favorites to use because it always turns out so beautiful. You can achieve a similar look with watered down brown paint too!

using a palette knife with paint to create a rustic finish on a cross

To create some texture, I grabbed my palette knife and gray paint. I applied it mostly around the edges where you would most likely see distressing.

using a palette knife with paint to create a rustic finish on a cross

I applied some of the Antique Wax onto a baby wipe and rubbed it around the edges of the cross. This creates a more weathered and patina look. There really is no right or wrong way to go about this. It’s all about experimenting and playing around until you achieve your desired look.

To finish it off, I painted on some Enchanted Shimmer. This gave it a nice shimmery look and adds that little bit of rustic elegance to it.

a rustic french country cross

In the Crafters Square section at the Dollar Tree you can find these laser cross cutouts. I wrapped some jute around the top center of the cross and strung the smaller cross through it. I did end up painting the cross white and added a small jewel to the center of it. If you cannot find the laser wood cutouts at the Dollar Tree, I have found similar ones here.

How to style your Rustic French Country Cross

Now that you have made your Rustic French Country Style Cross, you may need some ideas on how to style it. Here are few different ways that I have used them in my home.

Upcycled Dollar Tree cross turned into a rustic french country cross.
Upcycled Dollar Tree cross turned into a rustic french country cross.
Upcycled Dollar Tree cross turned into a rustic french country cross.
Upcycled Dollar Tree cross turned into a rustic french country cross.
Upcycled Dollar Tree cross turned into a rustic french country cross.

I absolutely love how these crosses turned out and I hope that you do too! This is just one of the many ways that you can upcycle a Dollar Tree item and really turn it into beautiful home decor. This project cost less than $5.00 to make, but looks like you spent more! I would love for you to leave a comment below and let me know if this has inspired you.

Pin to your inspiration board for later!!

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If you enjoyed this craft, here are a few others that you might like.

Thanks for stopping by!

Happy Creating!

Nikki ❤️