
Itโs no secret that I love all things sparkly. I was basically born with glitter in my veins and a coupon for Michaels in my hand. Itโs also no secret that I have a HomeGoods problemโand by โproblem,โ I mean the thrill of the hunt is my cardio.
For those following my crafting and upcycling escapades, buckle up. Itโs rhinestone season, baby. Because if it stands still long enough, Iโm gonna glue something shiny to it.
But you know what else Iโve been hopelessly obsessed with since childhood? Monopoly.
The OG paper-money version, the fancy credit-card one, and all the special editions Iโve collected over the yearsโGoonies, Star Wars, Boston Terrier, and Golden Girls (yes, I own them all and yes, they are fabulous).
And donโt even get me started on McDonaldโs Monopoly. Thatโs my Super Bowl. Itโs the only time of year I find myself in a drive-thru whispering, โSupersize my fries and give me Boardwalk.โ
One year, my son and I were convinced weโd hit it big. We drove around to ten different McDonaldโs locations like caffeinated treasure hunters. Spoiler alert: we did not win. Turns out, โCollect All Fourโ means all four, not โthree and a dream.โ
๐ฉ Fun(ish) Facts You Probably Didnโt Know About Monopoly
- Itโs sold in 103 countries and printed in 37 languages. Translation: capitalism speaks every dialect.
- There are over 3,500 official editions, from Hello Kitty to The Simpsons to Cheaters Edition (because irony is alive and well).
- The original version was created by a woman named Elizabeth Magie in 1904 as The Landlordโs Game, meant to warn people about the dangers of wealth inequality. (Jokeโs on herโnow we argue over fake rent.)ย
- The longest Monopoly game ever lasted 70 straight days. Thatโs not a game; thatโs a hostage situation.
- The total money supply in a classic set? $20,580โand zero actual financial literacy.
- And yes, โFree Parkingโ jackpots are not an official rule, which means your childhood was built on lies.
(Want more Monopoly trivia to impress no one but yourself? Scroll to the end, Iโve got a whole sparkly list. You’re welcome.)

๐๏ธ The HomeGoods Heist That Almost Was
Cut to January 2025. I wandered into the HomeGoods in Bellevue, WAโbecause where else would I be? I like to think of it as the meeting before the meeting. #IKYKY And there they were: giant Monopoly wall art pieces.
Like, statement-wall-in-a-Vegas-penthouse big.
- 41 inches tall, 31 inches wide
- Brand: Fabric of History (found later at ikonick.com for $239 each)
- HomeGoods price: $50 each
My reaction: pure feral glee.
I wanted them. Bad. But there was one teensy issueโI have no wall space left. My home dรฉcor aesthetic is what I like to call dopamine maximalism. Every inch of wall already sparkles with personality, pop culture, or both.
So I did the unthinkable. I walked away.
I took photos and texted my friend Brian, who had just gotten new office space. Because when I canโt justify my own addiction, I enable others. โYou need these,โ I told him, like a rhinestone pusher.

๐ The One That Got Away
Months went by. Every time I hit a HomeGoods (and trust me, I make my rounds like a Real Housewife at a sample sale), I looked for those Monopoly prints.
Nothing. Gone. Vanished like my self-control in the candle aisle.
Every time I saw Brian, Iโd say, โStill thinking about those Monopoly pieces,โ and heโd say, โYouโre sick. Go to a meeting.โ (Rude, but fair.)
Then one glorious afternoon, I popped into the Covington HomeGoods with a coupon burning a hole in my pocket, summer candles hopefully on clearance, and there he was:
THE MONOPOLY MAN.
Actually, three of them. Three different designs.
I may have short T-Rex arms, but I moved like an Olympic sprinter grabbing those canvases before someone else could. I even committed the cardinal HomeGoods sin: I got a cart.

๐ DIY or Die (of Joy)
I had spent months dreaming about turning these pieces into bedazzled Monopoly upcycle art, so naturally, I headed straight to Michaels and Hobby Lobby to load up on bling and glue.
Then, because Iโm me, I also ordered a ridiculous amount of gems online because the size ratios had to be perfect.
Once my supplies arrived, it was time to Netflix and glue.
No chill. Just rhinestones, caffeine, and questionable ergonomics.
Two of the three are now complete and hanging proudly in my hallway. The photos donโt do them justiceโtheyโre pure dopamine pop culture dรฉcor, radiating main-character energy.
The third one is next on my crafting docket, and Iโm currently deciding what show to binge while I glue (suggestions welcome, but it must have drama, sequins, or both).

Sober Curator Fun Fact: Click HERE to see the artwork come to life on my IG.
๐ญ Why I Craft Like Itโs My Job
Projects like this keep me saneโor as close as I get. They calm my nerves, give me a false sense of control, and let me sparkle my anxiety into submission.
The world feels like itโs quaking lately, and honestly? Itโs a bit much.
Iโm not burying my head in the sandโ
Iโm bedazzling the sand.
So even if everything goes to hell in a handbasket, at least my corner of the world will be fabulous, glittery, and unapologetically extra.
๐ Shop My Sparkle
- ๐งฉ Monopoly Idea List: amzn.to/48Klqer
- โ๏ธ Craft Supplies List: My Craft Supply Favorites
๐งดOther Sparkle Projects ๐
- Sobriety โ Just Do It or Just Glue It? | Curated Crafts: DIY Bedazzled Nike Shoe Box
- Razzle! Dazzle! Bedazzle! Your Homeโs New Sparkly Obsession
- Bedazzling My Big Book: Because Recovery Deserves Rhinestones
- Taylor Swift Inspired Diamond Art Funko Pop-Ups: The Sparkliest Way to Spend a Sober Sunday

๐ฒ 20 Fun & Slightly Ridiculous Facts About Monopoly
Because whatโs the point of hoarding themed board games and rhinestones if you canโt also hoard useless trivia? Letโs roll the dice, babes.
๐ฉ The Origin Story (aka How the Monopoly Man Got His Moneybags)
- Monopoly wasnโt originally Monopoly. It started in 1904 as The Landlordโs Game โ created by a woman named Elizabeth Magie to warn people about greedy landlords. (Irony called; it wants its board game back.)
- The idea was kindaโฆ stolen. A guy named Charles Darrow โborrowedโ her concept, sold it to Parker Brothers in 1935, and became a millionaire. Elizabeth got $500. No royalties. No justice.
- Those streets are real! The original properties are based on actual Atlantic City streets. So yes, you can literally visit Baltic Avenue if youโre into disappointment.
๐ต Money, Mayhem & Monopoly Math
- Thereโs $20,580 in every standard box. Sadly, none of it counts toward rent or Starbucks.
- The longest game ever lasted 70 days. Thatโs not game night โ thatโs a cry for help.
- โFree Parking Jackpotโ isnโt real. Sorry to ruin your childhood, but that house rule was never official. Youโve been living a lie.
- The orange properties are statistically the best. St. James Place, Tennessee Ave, and New York Ave โ apparently there was Taylor Swift Life of a Showgirl energy back in the 1900s when the board game was designed.
- You can go bankrupt on your first turn. Land on Income Tax, then Luxury Tax, then draw โPay Poor Tax.โ Boom. Financial ruin in 30 seconds.
- โGOโ used to be โCollect $100.โ Inflation hit the board game economy too.
๐ World Domination, Literally
- Itโs sold in over 103 countries and printed in 37 languages. Thatโs more coverage than the Kardashians.
- There are over 3,500 themed editions. From Star Wars to Golden Girls to Millennials Monopoly โ where you canโt buy houses but you can collect student debt.
- The most expensive Monopoly set costs $2 million. Made by jeweler Sidney Mobell with solid gold and diamond dice. Imagine losing a piece under the couch.
- Thereโs a Braille edition. Monopoly got inclusive back in 1973 โ accessibility with a side of capitalism.
- It was used to help POWs escape during WWII. The Red Cross hid maps, compasses, and real cash inside special sets. Thatโs next-level Easter egg hunting.
๐ฆ Pop Culture, Scandals, & Sparkly Legacy
- Thereโs a Monopoly World Championship. Yes, people travel across continents to fight over fake property.
- His real name isnโt โRich Uncle Pennybags.โ Itโs Milburn Pennybags. Sounds like someone who owns too many yachts and votes against public libraries.
- McDonaldโs turned Monopoly into a worldwide obsession. And also a major scandal when one guy rigged the contest for years. Somewhere out there, Ronald McDonald is still furious.
- Thereโs a version for literally everything. Video games, NFTs, even one themed around cheating. (Which, honestly, feels on brand.)
- The biggest Monopoly board ever was 9,687 square feet. Thatโs bigger than most apartments โ and yes, they used human-sized tokens.
- Itโs estimated that over a billion people have played it. Which means statistically, someone right now is flipping a table because Grandma bought Boardwalk.
- In Monopoly: Bitcoin Edition, Chance cards are just tweets from Elon Musk. Collect $200? Not anymore. Youโll just get a digital token worth $1.37 and good vibes. (Also, I just made this all up, but you can buy a Bitcoin Edition HERE.)
๐โโ๏ธ In Conclusion
Monopoly isnโt just a board game โ itโs a lifestyle. A pop culture phenomenon. A multi-generational test of patience and power.
And for me, itโs also a fabulous reason to break out the rhinestones and make capitalism sparkle. โจ

CURATED CRAFTS at The Sober Curator is all about keeping your hands busy and your mind inspired in sobriety. Whether youโre diving into art therapy, channeling your inner Sober Picasso, or laughing your way through a Pinterest fail, creative expression can be a powerful tool for stress relief and emotional healing. Crafting isnโt about perfectionโitโs about expanding your mind, expressing your feelings, and having fun along the way.
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