A few of my favorite things...and on a budget too!

Here's the finished tree in all its glory (hehe)! Interesting tree topper, I know, but I totally LOVE it on my tree! Since I am fairly new to the whole decor bloggin world I have just been discovering some other great blogs to check out. While doing so I found some "tree party's" where you can upload photos of your decorated Christmas tree for others to see and in turn check out others...what a great idea, huh? Well, you guessed it...I uploaded this baby on http://thriftydecorchick.blogspot.com/ and on http://funkyjunkinteriors.blogspot.com So what are you waiting for...go get yours uploaded and check out all the great ideas and inspiration out there :)!

As I mentioned before, I was desperate this year to change up our tree decor but with a very limited budget had to be very creative in doing so. I chose to use a black and white scheme and used picture frames as ornaments to hang on the tree. I started hunting the thrift stores in late October for the frames and luckily for me there were plenty to choose from ranging in price from 10 cents to one dollar. I used black and white spray paint as well as acryllic paint to coordinate them all. I just love how they all turned out and that EVERYTHING on my tree is refurbished in one way or another! Oh, and I almost forgot...the tree also came from a thrift store this year ($25.00, lights included)!

I picked up this old wooden frame for a $1.00 and spray painted it black. It is a gorgeous frame and I have a feeling I will be using it year round. Also, above the frame is a little glass ornament. I picked up a bag of these at Michaels a couple of years ago for around $5.00 and have been using them on the tree and elsewhere ever since. They came in various sizes and shapes which I also love. Oh...I almost forgot the rag garland...don't you just love it on the tree? I must admit that was a bit tedious to make but I am so glad I did!

Here is one of my favorite new creations...I tore strips of cotton fabric (an old sheet will do) and fastened them over the outside of some old ornaments then glued down a tack on top with some string for hanging. I love the "old" feel these give as well as how they tie in with the rag garland wrapped around the tree. I also ended up using some torn sheet strips as garland around the tree.

I hope this gives you all a little inspiration in decorating your tree this year...it's nice to know that you can still have something pretty in your home and not have to spend much! Happy decorating!

More homemade Christmas gifts...

I know, I know you're sick of the blocks already but unfortunately for you I am not :) I just can't get over how easy these are and fun at the same time. Thanksgiving is such a great time to gather together with those we hold most dear...our families. Each year as part of our gifts to our parents and grandparents my husband and I try to include a recent portrait of our family and our children. I thought this would go along great with the prints this year. Hope they like them! Oh yes, and wrapping or embellishing with ribbon is another treat for me! Happy Thanksgiving everyone and check back to see my finished tree in a few days...the frames (ornaments) are almost finished!

Notice anything different?

Remember this headboard I bought for $20.00 at a consignment store? You might also remember how I recovered it in a nice simple off white fabric shown below. Now...do you notice anything different about it?

That is the question I asked my husband when he came home today. His answer, "No"! I admit it was a subtle difference I made but had a huge impact on the look in our bedroom. If you still haven't figured it out I changed the buttons on the headboard from white to brown. After I completed the chair (left corner) and placed it in the room it's bold fabric and dark colors sucked all the attention away from the rest of the room. After creating some interest in color by adding a high contrasting color to the tufted buttons I brought some balance back into the space. Love the result...now I just want to drape a light colored throw over one half of the chair, and maybe a small pillow...then some sort of artwork above the chair...okay I'll stop now :) I'm linking this post up to http://thriftydecorchick for her before and after party...check it out...loads of inspiration!

I finished!

All finished!

Here's the fabric I intended on using to recover the chair...right up until I found my 4 year old cutting it up! Actually he didn't cut very much but just enough to prevent me from using it. I'm sure I can find another use for it but it was a maddening experience at the time :)

The new and improved chair with a fabric much more my style and only $4.00 a yard! I really didn't think I would be able to finish this for a while but it took alot less time to recover than I thought it would...I was able to start and finish the whole recovering in the time my 1 year old was napping today (2 hours 10 min)! It doesn't get any better than that! Hope you like!

Coming soon...

Perhaps this "before" image does not inspire you...I am hoping my "after" will. I was really hoping to have this finished by now but due to other circumstances that I will not take the time to go into I'm afraid it won't be finished until sometime this week...or next :) Anyway, just thought I would post this as a teaser until the big reveal. I paid $8 for this old thing and once completed I think it will be a perfect addition to my bedroom. Stay tuned ;)

It's all about presentation...isn't it?

My sister has a friend who recently did this and I loved the idea so I picked up some random plates at the good old D.I. and some candle holders. I spray painted some of the bases because they were silver or gold to begin with and then with a little epoxy glue created unique pedestal stands to serve Christmas goodies on this holiday season...it's hard to believe something so cute could cost less than those ugly plastic trays from Walmart! I can't wait to see some homemade fudge resting on these plates!

Thrifty organization

I found these metal filing drawers for $2.00 each last week at a thrift store and couldn't resist snagging them since I have been in desperate need to organize my supplies once and for all. I used 1 can of spray paint to brighten them up a bit and there you have it... I feel fortunate to have a large craft room in my home that I can work in and now I won't be going through every other drawer and room in the house trying to find a certain pair of scissors to use on a project...well, that's it now back to work :)!

An early start.

I know, I know it's barely November and here I am posting about Christmas already but before you condemn me let me explain my reasons for doing so. After putting away my Halloween decorations the other day I pulled out a couple of boxes of Christmas decor. As I looked at the same old ornaments I have been using for the past three years or so I realized how boring and uninspiring they were. I separated all of the colored balls and glittered icicles from the other ornaments and that's when I decided to change things up this year. I want to create a timeless look for our Christmas tree and using what I already had I began to paint and refinish ornaments and so far am loving the transformation from the old tired look I had before. This year our tree will be adorned by varying picture frames reminding us of the relationships we hold most dear to our hearts. I am just getting started but because I am shopping thrift stores for these items I have to start early in order to have it completed by the end of November. I can already picture the end result and although it excites me I am refraining from turning on the Christmas music until after Thanksgiving...so there you have it, what are you doing to spice up your holiday decor this season?

Wall Photo Collage

Check out the Saturday Night Special #9 Party at http://funkyjunkinteriors.blogspot.com where I uploaded this project to a list of so many other DIY inspirational projects and add your own!Seriously, there is no end to the talents and creativity out there!
Ever have a hard time deciding which photos to hang where or have hard time combining different types of frames? I think this is a great way to display a variety of favorite photos without going overboard on the wall. For these collages I used modge podge and applied it to the back of the photos as well as to old canvas' and a wooden box. I painted the outside edges with some brown craft paint as well to sort of unify the three since they all vary in thickness and size. I love how they turned out against my new burnt orange wall (autumn ridge is the official name of the color, although my son insists the color is called "red brown"). I bought the paint two years ago and unfortunately they no longer carry it but luckily can match my existing color since I have a little left over to finish the rest of the hallway. Here's a closer look at one of them...I think the hardest part was deciding where to put each photo...so many possibilities!

$15 end table

Today I set out to find a pair of chairs for the end of my bed (I have been looking for some time now) and as you can see I was still unsuccessful...but, I did find this great end table for only $15.00! It is a good solid piece and for the price I simply could not pass it up. Here's the before pic I took when I got it home (don't mind the sippy cups)! A little scratched up here and there and the top was a mess but mostly it just needed to be cleaned up. After a fresh coat of paint and a thin layer of polyurethane on top! I LOVE how it turned out with little time, effort and cost on my part! It was a good day...but I am still on the look out for those chairs :)