Friday, May 29, 2009

Decorating for Free or Almost Free

Hello, it's me again. You know I usually don't like to post pictures of myself because I am not a skinny little thing like I used to be. But, since I created my excel sheet chore list for myself and one of my daily chores is exercising (being goal oriented I can't stand not to cross off something on my list!!) I have actually started exercising and I lost 1.5 lbs last week. YIPEE!! So I thought I'd put my little chubby cheeked self up to say yay for me.

Knowing I am blessed because God loves me & refusing to moan about not having any money to make my home the place I want it to be.... I have been having fun this year creating decor or finding decor on the cheap that has transformed my house into a home. I haven't done anything for a couple of months because I literally didn't have even a dime extra and traveling around blog land there are so many inspiring decorating blogs, it just kills me to not be able to decorate on the cheap even. I used to own Southern Charm Home Decor so you know, I just love decorating. Being broke I wanted to decorate my hubby's office which has bare walls (anybody remember the bye bye garage post?).

So this is what I did this morning. I said I know there is something I can do something with in this house with for FREE. I found it. FREE stuff, yea baby.

My husband loves eagles. Me no likey eagles but I found these 8 years ago on ebay and bought them for him. I had planned to make pillows for him or something. I actually can like these eagles. SO, being me, they have sat in my closet for 8 years. Today they will make their debut in the new office. But how you say?

Remember Home Interiors home parties? I loved those parties. I had this print for like 18 years and it has faded and doesn't match my home anymore. Miss Victorian lady has been in the closet or the laundry room for various years. Love the big frame, can't use the print. Hmmm....


Won't he be surprised? This wall is just off center from some french doors and right in front of his desk. I think it may be something nice he can stare at when he is contemplating construction stuff. I didn't have a frame for the other guy who is much longer. I have some ideas for him to maybe hang over the french doors. I have some rectangular scrap wood and I think maybe to cover it with some neutral fabric and then attach the long eagle to it so the piece becomes much larger and is in scale with the french doors. Then it will be more of a work of art. I have the wood, the staple gun and the tapestry. All I need is some good cheap clearance fabric from Wal Mart or Goodwill. Can you believe we don't have any fabric stores closer than 40 min away? Stinks. What do you think? I am happy with it and I got to do some decorating for free. God has really been working hard on my heart to give up worrying and being content in my circumstance. Which if you can't supply basic needs is difficult but boy am I so close to saying I am content in all things. So today I chose not to mope about not being able to indulge in my passion and I found a way to do it. I'm not going to wait on things to get better before I get my happy groove on!!
Some other great finds I found this year? Take a look.



My big barn star in my laundry room. He is big and I super duper love him. $10 at Hobby Lobby. See the print next to it? That is a .59 cent scrapbook paper put into a spare frame that I painted just like I did the eagle. .59 cents for new artwork. yea, baby.


I made this one too. It hangs on the opposite side of the barn star. Spare ole frame painted black and a .59 cent piece of scrapbook paper. $1.18 for two new pieces of artwork and a $10 barn star decorated an entire laundry room wall for $11.18. Who can't afford that? Okay, me at this moment, ha ha.


Still in the laundry room. $10 sign half price from $19.99 at Hobby Lobby. Boy, somebody spilled some soap on the wall didn't they? It blends in with the natural lighting in the room. That dang flash lighting exposes everything doesn't it? I will have to clean that up today. The Mount Sockmore you see are our socks in black baskets waited to be sorted. I had natural colored ones for years scattered about the house. To coordinate with all the new black in the room I took leftover black paint in the garage that I also used on the frames and painted the baskets. FREE.


$2 and change at Hobby Lobby clearance aisle. Also in my laundry room Yes, I have a vase of silk flowers in there too. If I'm gonna spend time in there I want to enjoy it.


Okay, the flash made this so bright but being impatient as I am I don't know how to photoshop yet. Maybe when the 2 year old is older..... So, I had this for sale in my home decor store that sadly had to close in Jan. Stinkin economy. I loved this rooster arrangement & it was on consignment. Never could I afford him. He was like $175!! I almost sold him several times but during the bad economy people just didn't want to spend. When I closed the store the lady who had several arrangements in my store said I could keep any piece I wanted. I refused, I'm just not comfortable taking things. But she insisted and I loved my rooster so much so here he is!! FREE. I got lucky on that one.


Another great barn star in my guest bath/Brandon's bathroom. $10 at Hobby Lobby. Me likey.



A view from the throne. Two candle holders from Goodwill for $1.91. I love these. They look brand new. This room is a work in progress.
Well, it's Friday and I wanted to end the week with a happy note about something I love to do. Decorate. What a great lesson to learn that there isn't much keeping me from doing what I love to do but my own little self. Has anyone noticed the FREE VINTAGE ART button on the sidebar? Own a color copier? Copy some of those bad boys, make a statement and use your own old frames if you need it to be free!! I'd suggest painting the frames if you make a collage of them. I will be working on that this weekend as well as my 1Timothy scripture I want to frame. Don't wait to do what you LOVE!!!!!!!!!
I am linking up with Julia's Hooked On Houses weekly blog party. Some great links here guys, go check 'em out.
Love y'all,
Jennifer

8 comments:

Faye said...

This all looks great! Hope you have a great weekend! Blessings, Faye

Terry said...

Live, Love, Laugh, (Laundry!) You are a hard working girl!

Misti of Studio M Designs said...

Hi Jennifer- I didn't recognize your blog name! Love your eagle project, and I would suggest your builder husband build you a quick frame for the larger eagle piece. Tell him Misti said so! You have done a great job decorating on a dime. I have been scrounging around here finding all kinds of goodies to breath new life into. Oh, and I love Vintage Moth. I have printed several of her pieces.

Have a wonderful weekend.
~Misti

Trish @TheOldPostRoad said...

Thanks for the view from the throne!

Bdubba said...

Love it ALL! I so cannot wait until our house up north sells so we can get out of this apartment so I can decorate cute like you. Thanks for the inspiration!

Wendy Blight said...

Thanks for stopping by my blog and leaving me such ENCOURAGING comments and CHALLENGING me to live out my high calling as a wife. I am so blessed to have a godly husband who loves the Lord. I have a strong willed part of me that needs to SUBMIT in all areas of my marriage...not just some. Your words truly blessed me today!!!

ENJOY your day,

Wendy

Decor To Adore said...

Wow! You have found some great treasures!

Ladybug's Mom said...

Thanks for the link to the vintage clip art. I have a pretty, but really ornate (too ornate) picture frame and I like to put a vintage picture in it and put it in the bathroom on the counter. I'll browse it later when I have more time