WFMW: Cute Compromise

A chandelier at Lowe's for $99 made my heart sing. Recent car troubles meant I had to dig deep to finish our remodeling on the cheap. Lampshade, $4.99, skirt, $3.99 = $8.98 for a cute, cottage light fixture. I simply put a lacy skirt over the shade, nothing more. When I finally do get around to getting that chandiler, the shade can then grace a lamp (yes, Nester, I'm working on lamping it up.)

For more great ideas, scope out the WFMW tips!

Frugal Friday: Vacation Edition

Since we are "spring breakin' it," I thought it was only appropriate to have a few frugal vacation tips.

Before you leave, make sure to pack some everyday types of medicine: tylenol, bandaids, neosporin, pepto bismol, immodium, heart burn releiver, sleeping medicine (Advil or Tylenol PM), etc. This will save from going to find a Target or Walmart, and we know you can never just buy ONE thing there, or if you get it at a convience store you will pay 3X as much.

When you get to the hotel, look around up front for pamphlets, many will have coupons for local attractions to save you a little money. Even restaurants will get into this game sometimes. You can also look online by Googling the name of the town you are in plus "discount coupons." Many visitors centers have websites to help tourists save. Entertainment Books can also be a great source for special deals. Coupons help get more people in the doors, which means you save!

Try to find a hotel with a pool for some free fun, as well as a contential breakfast. If you can eat a free breakfast, it will be one less meal out of your budget. Also take advantage of lunch deals, making it your larger meal for the day, so that you can eat a lighter dinner (which translates to cheaper). Use those same online coupon sources to look for 2-for-1 coupons, too.

To learn more ways to save, check out the Frugal Friday gang at Life as Mom.

I'm sure there are a ton more ideas out there. If you have some advice, please share! Every dollar counts when you are 'trippin' on a budget.

Keeping it in the Closet

Anyone with little kids knows that adult height closet rods are not a good thing. And when I say little, I mean a nearly 10 year old girl who looks like she is still in first grade. She is old enough to choose her own clothes and dress herself, but simply can't keep her closet straight because it was just not useful. Luckily, I finally found a solution.

With all of the new custom built-ins that DH is constructing, we have a few free standing shelves that really don't have a home right now. They will eventually make their way to my mom's basement (which is where all family surplus furniture ends up), but I had one that was still sitting in the dining room and, quite frankly, was just in the way. After freaking out one too many times over the mess in the floor of her closet, it finally dawned on me to get her things on her level.

A $29 bookshelf from Target (which earned all that money back over the 7 years we have already owned it) with a couple of holes drilled in each side to hold a stray wooden rod (no idea where it even came from), and voila, an organized closet.

Well, it is never that easy as DH had some struggles getting it into the closet as well as some irritation getting the old shelf out, but less than an hour later it worked perfectly.

It was basically a free closet redo. And you know "whatever's free works best for me!"

Go see what other fine frugalites have come up with. Go on -- scoot over to Life as Mom for Frugal Friday.

It's about time

Time really is the largest single money saving tool. Remodeling our kitchen in a weekend on such a small budget would not be possible, since we would have had to buy pre-made cabinets, etc. Since we took nearly 4 long months to do each step ourselves, that time translates into big savings. We have saved thousands upon thousands by taking our time and doing each step of our custom kitchen to be exactly what we wanted. Quick results were not our goal, a truly custom space with quality furnishing was.

So, yes, your mamma was right -- Take your time!

Come on over to the other side

Except for installing the new light fixture, the other side of the kitchen is pretty much complete. It looks a lot like the flip side, obviously. Our galley kitchen is so spacious now, funny how removing a couple of very small walls can do that for a space.




Like the barn star? It was an ugly green when I found it at a surplus merchandise store for $4.99. A few strokes of some paint and glaze transformed yet another piece of the puzzle.


Funny how a little paint really does go a long way..... it works for me!

For more WFMW, scoot on over to see the gang at We are THAT family.

Tile with style

When we had to make some adjustments to move the counter forward, we decided to add in a backsplash. I fell in love with a sheet of gorgeous glass tiles, but at $15 a square foot, it was way too much for my heart to cope. The great lady at Lowe's helped me find some 22 cents each subway tile to cover the bulk of the area, while using the glass tiles as an accent. Two sheets were a lot easier to stomach than ten of them.

Beauty on a budget, gotta love it!

Chair Repair

I had never taken on an upholstery job this detailed before. However I knew that I could figure it out! So I thought I would share a few hints on how I figured it out, as well as how I kept it all on budget.

The chairs had springs underneath the seat for support and were filled with cotton and horsehair. That was not very appealing to me. I did look at webbing, but the chairs were sort of short, and so I decided to to put wood on them instead. You could use whatever you want, but particle board was the cheapest, and it is incredibly strong. A whole sheet is about $6, and these six chairs took half a sheet. Cut a template out of cardboard or posterboard, and use it for the wood, as well as the foam.

For the foam, I had an idea that cut the price for the project in half! To get enough 3 inch foam for the chairs, it would have been about $100. However, we were replacing Bre's mattress, which was a foam bunkbed mattress. When we went to throw it out, I realized it was just foam. We were replacing her mattress anyway, and a dear friend who was moving needed to get rid of one. We bought it for $25. Since Bre's original one was going to the dump, it was basically a freebie once I figured out I would use it. We used the same template for the wooden bottoms, traced the outlines and used an exacto knife to cut them out. I trimmed them with a pair of scissors, washed them in the washing machine and they were ready to go.

Remember that fabric that I got on sale? I used Scotch Guard to protect it, so it would be more family friendly. After sanding the bases well, I used $1 a can spray paint for the legs, and used $1 a can clear coat for some more protection. To protect the back, I wrapped them in Saran Wrap.

For more padding, I covered them in quilt batting, using two bags of king size sheet batting. I also covered the backs, just for a little more comfort.

So between the batting, foam, wood and sale-priced fabric, I kept this portion of our remodel well under budget. In a few days I will share more on making them look fabulous!

Rewarding Reveal

So you wanna see some results, eh? Well..... OK! Remember those chairs?

Before.....

During......

After!

I love, love, love them! A sweet bird told me about the poshness of their original home -- and I feel so blessed to have a set of six of these lovely, lovely chairs, which was a mere $125 total! Come back tomorrow for hints on how I did them.....

Budget Blowers

Thank you to all of those who are stopping by from sweet Meredith's blog!

Grab a glass of tea and stay a while!

When we started this project, the decision was made early on that we would have that one item that we would splurge on. It started out as the sink, then I found the great deal. Next was the dining room set, and then that was settled. Item after item we decided to splurge on has changed time after time.



There are a couple of places you honestly should not scrimp on, but you might find a good deal all the same. First and foremost please, please, please do not use cheap paint. This is not to say that you cannot find incredible deals on good paint, but do not use bargain paint. If you are using Wal-Mart paint, get Kilz. If you are using Home Depot, go with Behr. I prefer Glidden, but Duron, Sherwin Williams and Benjamin Moore are all excellent choices. First, check the mistint section of the store. Our Glidden dealer sells mistint paint for as little as $4 a gallon. This is an incredible deal, since you are getting $30/gallon paint for basically pennies on the dollar. Also check out the Habitat Restores for paint. Last time I was there, quarts were 25 cents, gallons were $1 and 5 gallon buckets were $5. I got 2 quarts of neutral colors that would basically match everything I have. I had no specific purpose for these, but knew they would come in handy eventually, so they went into my paint stash. Even if you cannot find the color you want, spend $10 more and get good paint. It will go on better, cover better, and the end results will be so much better. There is a reason professionals use good paint. It is definetly one of those areas where you will get your money's worth.



Our big splurge on the current project is going to be reproduction door knobs for our hallway. Since the hallway connects to the dining room and is very visible, it is the perfect touch that will tie in the vintage look we are trying to replicate. We choose to do these because, honestly, we were at the end of the list of things we need to find. We only need four sets, so even though we are not using simple $10 sets, we will not be buying tons of them. I guess this does make it a little easier to stomach paying $40 a set.



The beauty of knowing when and what to choose for budget blowers is a fine line. Some people might rather have gorgeous electrical faceplates for all of their switches/sockets. Since we needed 22 socket covers and 7 switch covers, I honestly could not see paying $5 each for them, when the basic model was only 27 cents each. $145 versus $7.29 was a no-brainer while I was standing in the aisle. I just knew that it was not an area I was particular about. I honestly did not think that the difference was worth the price. However, if it is what "makes the room" in your vision, GO FOR IT! You may not have that many to purchase, which would make it much more economical.



Other than paint, there is no right or wrong item to splurge on. I think every great project needs one splurge, no matter how small. Even if no one else notices it, every time you see that one thing you love, it will make your heart sing. Your home should make your heart sing! So find that one detail, and be your own conductor!

Remodeling on a Budget: 102

With so many ways to save money on my big project roaming around in my head, I thought I would offer some more of my ideas. I hope that you are don't mind me using my recent experiences as blog fodder, but I think that is what we all generally do.

Yes, my friends, there are even more things to consider when you are remodeling any room of your house. These are a few more of the tricks I use:

1. Consider all of your options. Although you might have a clear vision of what you think that you might want, take the time to see what is out there. Just like with the sink at the Restore, finding a different option was really a turning point of this project. Spend some time when you are 'shopping around' to really see what all that is available. Who knew that there are four different options when choosing a beadboarding method? There is the traditional way, then there is a thinner version of traditional, paneling and then plywood that looks identical to beadboard once installed (this is called plybead). We choose plybead, because visually it is very similiar to traditional beadboard and the application process for an entire wall is much faster. Did I mention the price difference? Traditional is 5 times the price! And that was without our research discount. GI Joe was right about "knowing is half the battle." Once you know what is actually available, you might find something that you like better than the original image in your head.

2. Learn a new skill. This follows closely with the DIY in 101. I had NO idea how to redo chairs. I had never taken one apart, let alone put it back together. I used great care in demanteling the first one, so that I could see how the original builder had put the chair together. Once I saw the way that the fabric was put onto the frame, I then did a little research online to figure out my best option. Instead of using webbing, I have decided to use pressed wood for an actual seat and then put LOTS of padding on it. The chairs sit much lower than our old chairs did, so we were not very comfortable at 2 inches shorter. I am a tall girl, and squatting at the dinner table is not my idea of a good time. Redoing my chairs in a different manner means that I will get the look I want, at a fraction of the cost. Not only is using wood sturdier, it is also much cheaper, because the webbing and clips alone would have cost nearly $100 for six chairs. Half a sheet of the pressed wood cost about $5. Without learning different methods of doing the chairs, I would have never thought to do them in a different way.

3. Creativity is the key. In doing my research for this project, I found a gorgeous green armoire that would have looked ideal in my dining room. It was aged to perfection and had that warm glow of something that had been loved for a long, long time. After a few days I could not get the image of that cabinet out of my head. Slowly I realized that I could get the same effect by using a paint treatment on my own china cabinet. I love my china cabinet, it is an heirloom that I will never part with, but I was not a big fan of the deep, dark finish on it. The cabinet itself is a gorgeous, well-built, all-wood piece that my children will probably fight over when I am gone. Once I realized that I could get the wow-factor from the colors of the gorgeous green armoire on my very own furniture, I was excited! With some paint, glaze and a couple of new handles, my china cabinet will be completely transformed for abou $25. Since I had no room to put yet another piece of furniture in my dining room, and I knew that I was not going to get rid of my beloved cabinet, it was a wonderful compromise. Learning to be flexible and gather some creativity was just another way to keep my budget down.

4. Think outside the counter. Yeah, you thought I was going to say box. This tip might only apply to the kitchen and bathroom, but it is a great one (or so I think). I can completely relate to Natalie Portman's character in Where the Heart Is when she confesses, "I've never lived anywhere that didn't have wheels under it." Other than a couple of houses that we lived in before I can remember, I have spent my whole life living in mobile homes. Some big, some small, this one is just right. I sometimes get offended when people stereotype me as a redneck because I live in a mobile home. I really shouldn't care. Mine is about 15 years old, but was well built and is very sturdy. We bought it from my mom and dad when they decided to move to a real house (that was my mom's one dream in life -- to own a REAL house). They did not want to make any money off of this house, so they offered it to us for pay off. The location is a serene one, which includes an 8 foot waterfall about 100 yards from my front door, a babbling creek ('cause in the south we don't call them brooks), and some of the most sought after real estate in our area. People who generally move to "the Branch" don't leave quickly.
Now, back to the original point. Trailers always have cheap countertops. They use cheap materials to make the most money. I completely understand the concept. I love the look of granite counters, but they are very impractical for trailers. Trailers tend to shift too often, and they can break (but they do not always). I did not want to put hundreds of dollars into something that had the possibility of self-destruction. I also did not want laminate. After being inspired by a show on DIY where they put wood counters in a bathroom, I thought, "If you can use it in a bathroom, you can use it in a kitchen." Since I had used laminate for as long as I could remember, I knew that I would not be sitting any hot pots onto the top, therefore damaging it. And since I always use a cutting board, I knew that cutting the counters would not be a problem either. Want to learn how to do these? Gimme a couple of weeks and I will show you how! The point is to take inspiration and flip it around to see what you can do. My counters will be about $100 when finished, which is half the price of laminate, and even cheaper than tile or natural stone. The bonus? I get to choose the color and texture.

I think I have a few more tricks and tips up my sleeve! I'll be back in a few days to share more of my ideas with ya'll!

Remodeling on a Budget 101

I have recently found that if you tell the average person that you are gutting your kitchen and completely remodeling it for under $2000, the reaction is a little lackluster. Tell that same person that you not only intend to remodel a kitchen, but also a dining room, hallway that connects to the dining room and a laundry room, and they will think you are nuts! I, my friends, am not nuts. I am frugal.


One of the most expensive parts remodeling the kitchen is new appliances. My appliances are mid-grade and work absolutely fine. I see no need to replace a perfectly good appliance that I bought merely 5 years ago. The only appliance-related expense in my budget will be to repair the broken dishwasher. (If you listen carefully you will hear my girls singing songs of joy over this event, since they have been the resident dishwashers for the last year at my house.) Another huge expense in remodeling is flooring. A couple of years ago we replaced the floors in the laundry room, dining room and kitchen, so that will be another project out of the way. I made a long list of things that were going to be done a couple of weeks ago, and if you would like to see exactly what we are doing, then go here.


So, how does one do everything on that list with that budget? A lot of shopping, a lot of work, and some good help goes a long way.


1. In with the old! There are some great stores out there, along with online resources, that sell used building materials. My favorite? The Habitat for Humanity Restore, hands down! Although there are several within a two hour radius of my home, the best one by far is located in Nashville on Division Street. In Nashville there are two different stores, one with furniture and decorating items, and the other with building items. Although both offer some great deals, you also have to know what you are looking for, and know the average retail price for those items. Originally I was going to buy a farmhouse sink, and the one that I found that I was going to get was $700. I know that sounds expensive, but it was supposed to be my "one big splurge" for the project (which at the time was running about double my current budget). That was before we went to the Restore. On our first trip there, I found a sink that was almost exactly what I wanted, minus the apron front. I looked at the price tag, $18.75. After taxes I would save nearly $750 to live without an apron front! You better believe I scooped it up (ok, well DH lugged it up front). The same sink that I got for such a great bargain is listed in Home Depot's website for $381.41. So, at the very least I saved $320. Although it is a little dirty and scratched, it cleaned up well. As for the scratches, after six months even a brand new one would look the same.






On another trip to the same Restore (after checking out a couple of others with no luck at all) we bought all enough doors to replace all of the interior doors, exterior doors, and a set of beautiful doors that will become "French doors", all for around $280. The same set of French doors at the local Home Depot was $300. I also found a double paned window to replace the one in the kitchen for a mere $5. Yeah, I love that place! The estimated savings for all that we have purchased there so far is about $700 if you are comparing the sink to the Home Depot one. Since I fully intended on buying the apron front sink, the savings would be much, much more if you consider that.


2. You better shop around! Home Depot and Lowe's both have a price guarantee. If you find the same product somewhere else for cheaper, they will match the price and give you an additional 10% off. This is not generally worth the hassle of running all over town, unless you are buying a huge amount of one item. Well, we were! First we went to Home Depot, where we looked at all the prices of lumber and wrote everything down. After we got all of that info, we went to look at faucets and light fixtures. I simply did not find what I had in mind at Home Depot, so next we went to Lowe's. While I was looking at light fixtures, DH decided to go see what the price of bead board paneling was, since this was going to be the biggest single expense of our entire project. The Home Depot price was $18.97 a sheet, while the Lowe's price was $17.99. That translated to about $2.79 a sheet savings, and multiply that by 30 -- after tax we saved $75, all because DH looked at the price while I was finding light fixtures. He took a photo on his cell phone, we showed them at Home Depot, and voila! Another big cost cutter we found was the "cull cart" at Home Depot. We needed several 2x4s, and DH found ends that had been cut off of 2x8s that were amazing cheap. For $2 we got 13 2x8s, which means 26 2x4s, once DH ripped them on the table saw. Between the cull cart and price matching, we saved nearly $125 total. It really does pay to shop around!


3. Do it yourself -- or have someone you know help you! Custom kitchen cabinets are soooo expensive. Traditionally I could not even get the cabinets for this project on the original $4000 budget, let alone the slashed-in-half version. Fortunately, my wonderful father-in-law is an awesome carpenter. His father built houses literally by hand, no power tools needed. His name is still well known in our area for the quality work that he did the majority of his life. He taught my FIL how to do things right, who in turn taught his son (my DH) the same lessons. My FIL can build anything by simply looking at a photo of the object. He is amazingly talented and I am so grateful to be lucky enough to have such a resource. For my kitchen cabinets, I simply had to purchase the wood and hardware for the project. This one thing has saved me at least $5000. Honestly, it is probably much, much more than that, since he came to my house and took all the measurement, asked me exactly what I wanted in my kitchen, and is doing all of the work out of love. (My budget will not absorb the gift that I will give him for his wonderful generosity.) The only other discount I found in this particular project was the handles for all 7 of the new, deep drawers that will soon find a home in my kitchen. I found drawer pulls at Hobby Lobby for $2.99 and bought them during a 50% off week (these usually rotate every other week), and with 11 total pulls, I saved about $15. Similar pulls at Lowe's or Home Depot were $5 each, so the savings were much greater. (I guess this tip also falls into shopping around.)


4. Beg, borrow or barter. The original budget included the purchase of a new dining table and chairs. I looked and looked, but never really found anything that just sang to me. I wanted something that went well with my style of decorating, but was also sturdy and dependable. I did find a set of chairs at the Nashville Flea Market, but there was only 4 of them and they were $200 each. I might have splurged on them, had there been six of them. The saving point for me was that the day we went to the flea market we drove the car instead of the truck. Silly, I know! Let's just call it divine intervention, because the next day when I was at my mom's house I noticed that she had gotten different dining chairs. The chairs were worn, but had a great shape to them. They were a freebie from a friend of hers, who simply wanted to get rid of them. Stained white pleather covered the parson-type chairs, and she used them because she needed chairs, but did not like them very much. I, on the other hand, instantly fell in love with their shape. I knew that with a little work they could be amazing. Ever see something that you just knew was worth saving? These chairs had the it-factor. I half-jokingly said, "Mom, we need to trade chairs." She loved the idea! The chairs in my dining room were originally a hand-me-down from her. She had bought a new dining set and gave me her old chairs. Although the new table she bought was gorgeous and sturdy, the chairs were not and didn't survive very long.


The very next day she asked me if I really wanted to trade, and I confessed that I really did want to. Since DH was off work that day, he took my chairs to her house and picked up the six matching parsons chairs that needed some love. When I got home and started looking at the chairs, I found a plate on the leg of each of them that said "Richland Country Club, Nashville, TN." These chairs were expensive in their day. There is no way that any self-respecting southern country club would have cheap chairs. I carefully took apart the first chair, and realizing that all of the springs were worn out, brought it down to the bare bones. I have gotten two broken down so far, along with sanding them so that they are ready to be painted. A warm, clear day is all I am waiting for. $100 worth of upholstery fabric (bought on sale at Hancock's), a half-sheet of plywood to put on the seats in place of springs, some foam and batting, and a couple of cans of Scotch Guard and I will have new chairs. New custom chairs are outrageous! They would cost at least $400 each for the quality of the chairs and the expensive fabric. Since I intended to spend about $600 on a new table and chairs, we will call it a savings of $500.


There are dozens of other ways I have saved money on this project, many of which will reveal themselves in the upcoming weeks. Please excuse my random posting, but we are simply using all free time available to work on dozens of big and small projects that are in various stages.


Currently working on: Redoing dining chairs, Painting/glazing china cabinet, Painting/Polyurethaning counter tops, Sewing curtains and table runner, Among others......


Stay tuned!

Thinking, Planning, Hoping, Wishing

Forgive me for being so slow to posting lately. We have spent so much time lately planning our new kitchen redo (which is slowly coming to life). Not only are we redoing the kitchen, but the dining room, laundry room and another hall off the dining room going that leads to the girls rooms. WHEW!

In the long list of things to do:

Dining Room -- Paint china cabinet, remove built-in mirror, recover new* chairs, build new* table, cover all walls with beadboard (that has to be painted), all new crown molding, 2 new walls built on each side of the entry to the living room, new media cabinet beside one of those new walls, baseboards, new french doors, sew curtains for french doors, sew tablecloth, find artwork for dining room.

Kitchen -- Cover walls with beadboard (and paint it), new crown molding, new baseboards, all new cabinets (custom built by father-in-law), new counters (that would be by me), new custom range hood cover (built by DH), install plate rack and new shelves above sink, install new sink, faucet and plumbing, moving refrigerator to new location (to create more cabinet/counter space), remove one wall, sew new curtains that match those in dining room.

Laundry Room -- Cover all walls with beadboard, new crown molding and baseboards, new cupboards across rest of wall (FIL building -- oh I love him!), move freezer to pantry, install current dining table along wall for "folding space", build two doors, one for broom closet (which is currently just a nook), and another for a small storage spot.

Kid's Hallway -- Cover with beadboard, crown molding, baseboards, replace 4 doors (both girl's bedroom doors, bathroom door and coat closet door), build storage shelf with doors (another DH project) [they simply do not have enough space in their tiny bathroom -- so this will be their storage], trim around all doors.

So, yeah, I'm very busy these days! I have TONS of upcoming posts -- a $200 sink for less than $20, building a dining room table (think windows!), making my own counters, and more!

Wanna sneak peak?

The white is the color of the walls, trim, and cabinets, the black will be the counters and the green will become an accent color. Ahhhh...I love remodeling!

Cheapo Computer Repair

Wouldn't ya know it! Just after my warranty expired on my laptop, the darn thing tears up? I blogged one night, and it worked fine. I woke up the next morning, and all of the keys were confused.

alk;sdjf;alsjfjd;flkm[o3irukmvz,xc ;ioawur[ = Hi! So glad you stopped by to see me!

At first I thought it was a virus, so when I got to work I downloaded the newest version of Avast, and still no dice.

I knew there was only one other option -- the keyboard itself was bad. NOT GOOD. I did not have computer repair in my budget. So, after a little thought, I realized that if it actually was the keyboard, then if I got one and plugged it into the USB port, and it worked then I would have to bite the bullet and get it repaired. Dearest hubby went to Tarjay and picked up a keyboard for about $15, and we plugged it in. It worked -- YAY!

After using it for a couple of days, I realized that if it works, don't fix it. As in, the keyboard on top of the laptop works fine, so don't take it to the shop. It's been over a month, and it still works fine. Another plus: I can leave the laptop on the coffee table and just put the lighter, easier to handle keyboard in my lap and write away to my heart's content.

Computer Solution: $15. This soooooo worked for me!

See what works for other people over at Rocks in My Dryer.

To find other frugal tips, see the gang at Biblical Womanhood.

Five More Windows Used

First, I must confess that I miscounted. There are 17 windows total. Yes, two more to find a home for. I am almost afraid if I add these into my home with the four that were already roaming around, it is going to be overkill. I'm not there yet, though!

As I mentioned, there were two sizes of windows, a few small ones and then many larger ones. For this project I used 4 small ones and one large one. The only other items needed were 8 L brackets, two packs of four, all bought at the mart full of walls for $1.97 a pack. Yep, $4 was the only cost for this project.

I, well DH, used the screws included in the pack to put the bracket in all four corners, at the top and again at the bottom. Once it was completed, I put a large window on top. If it is not level, you could use slivers of a cork, those neat little squishy dots of silicone (I have no idea what the real name is), that should do the trick. I was very lucky that mine worked well.

I know that beside my current sofa that the table seems extremely inporportionate. Hang in there with me, we are building a new couch in a couple of weeks. Yes, building. I am hoping it will be fabulous. If the picture in my head comes to life (and DH normally makes sure that it does), then I can't wait!

Oh, and I have a few more window tricks up my sleeve, too. Just wait and see.

Oh, I forgot! Notice the window above the table? I found it, and the matching one on the other side of the actual window, in an alley years ago. There are six panes in each one, and I simply taped black & white photos of my children in the windows. See, my love of windows is not a new found one . *wink*

Pretty as a Picture

How is it when you move around a few simple things can make such a big difference?

This mirror and plaque were hanging in random places in my home. They did not have much of an impact alone. However, once I realized they were both completely in the wrong spots and decided to pair them together, I think it turned out fabulous! I SO cheated in pulling it together, using a thumbtack to attach the ribbon to the plaque, and then again to the wall. Putting two tacks into the wall helps hold the weight, to keep it more sturdy. Using ribbon from my fabric/trim stash, I simply used a lighter to melt the ends of the ribbon to keep them from fraying.

I love quick and easy projects, and this 5-minute fix was a great way to give my living room wall a fresh look.

Monday, Funday -- Chalkboard Revealed

This project was so easy, the kiddos helped me with the beginning phase. First I cleaned the window well, then taped off all the wooden areas. We used paper around the sides, taping it well to the edges. Next, I cleaned the window again, just to be sure.

Then I took it outside (it was so pretty yesterday!) and used a can of chalkboard spray-paint. *TIP* -- once you have done two coats (letting the first coat completely dry first), hold it up to the sunlight so that you can see the areas that are not completely covered. I ended up using nearly the entire can -- four coats total. (There is just enough left to do a small picture frame -- yay!) You will paint straight onto the glass. If you lay the window flat, you will reduce the risk of runs, which is always my painting downfall.

When it was dry, I brought it inside and pulled off all the tape, using tweezers to get into the nooks and corners. Now for the hard part -- you have to let it cure for 24 hours before using! OH--that part was not so fun! Make sure to use soft chalk, so you will not damage the paint. We have drawn on it all afternoon, and no scratches.

Voila! A chalkboard from a free window. Total cost: $3.24 for paint, pennies for tape that was already in my decorating stuff.

Don't forget! You, too, should join in on the fun next week for my first official Monday Funday! Just do something fun with your kiddos and share with everyone -- so we all get new ideas on projects or fun to share with our kiddos!

Windows of Possibilities

I love visiting my sister. She lives in a college town, full of possibilites. When we went down for Thanksgiving, the house across the street was replacing all their old windows with new, energy efficient ones. You know I couldn't leave a stack of 15 windows sitting on the curb.

Yes, my friends, I found 15 old pane windows. I knew, somehow, some way I would find a use for them. I have a few ideas floating around in my head, but not enough ideas for all of them. There are some smaller ones and larger ones.

One project, which I will reveal tomorrow, is that I made a chalk board out of one. It was easy and cheap, and fun to boot. We will talk about that tomorrow, though!

What would you do with a stack of old windows? I have found things online like greenhouses, etc., but that is not what I am looking for. I know that I can incorporate these into the "cottage chic" theme of my home.

Any ideas?

Old Tree Reused

There is something that will not let me throw away that first Christmas tree that I ever bought. I was young, and it was one week before Christmas, and as a single mom, I knew my baby had to have a Christmas tree. I scrapped up the last bit of money I had, went to Kmart and bought a Charlie Brown type tree for $8 on clearance.

Even though now I have a great tree (bought in January on clearance of course), I still cannot throw away that tree. It has sit in our garage for years, and somehow made it into the house with the other tubs of decorations this year. After looking at it for a while, I realized I could use this. It was just pieces of greenery, afterall.

So after looking at it for a while, I realized that I could use it like garland. Inspired by Lala's favorite movie (The Nightmare Before Christmas), I turned up the ends of each branch, in a swirl motion. I did four branches, making sure that they would tuck into each other well so that I twisted them correctly. (I think Tim Burton would be proud!)

I swaddled them around a martini glass that holds my favorite deep aqua cracked glass ornament, the only ornament that ALWAYS finds its way into my Christmas decor. My mom bought it for me on a shopping trip, and although I fell in love with it instantly, there was no way I could afford it. It is one of my most prized Christmas possessions. (Of course you could use any thing in the middle that you wish -- something in a martini glass would be best, because the flat base with the tall stem lends itself well. Think small floating candles for a centerpiece -- GORGEOUS!)

Once all the branches were around the glass, I dotted the greenery with little plastic snowflakes.

Who knew a tree could make a table so pretty?

See how other people pull off being frugal over at Biblical Womanhood.

Beauty on Budget

Strolling around the dollar tree this weekend, I noticed that they have some beautiful things, if you know where to look!

This garland was made with objects bought exclusively at the Dollar Tree. It contains one garland, two spools of wired ribbon and one strand of lights. Total: $4. I wrapped the ribbon around something round, and then gently pulled it out so it would be in a spiral. I then carefully placed it around the garland, which was bunched carefully with the lights. It may not be as pretty as a gorgeous $100 version in a catalog, but I think it gives them a good run for the money.

What works for you? Share it over at Rocks in My Dryer with others for WFMW fun!

For more gorgeous garlands, see what others have up at Nester's Garland Party.

Oh My Lucky Stars!

Following up with Monday, we went about making our lucky star garland for the tree. I scrounged some scraps from work and cut them in strips at the office on the paper cutter (much easier and straighter than me with a pair of scissors :). Oh? You wanna learn to make the stars?? Check out the video below. I'll wait right here for you to come back.

So then you practice the stars until you get it just right. It takes a little bit, be patient, you will get it, I promise.

So now you can do the lucky stars! To get them on a garland, first you need to get some ribbon. I got this varigated kind (its a pretty blue to white) at Walmart for 47 cents. Measure and mark off your ribbon in 8 inch (or so) increments. Don't worry, I just used the lines on my table as guides. You can do it in shorter lengths if you want more stars or longer if you want fewer.

Since you have got it all wound off the spool, wind it back on there. Now tie knots on top of each mark you made. Tie loops on each end for help with hanging the garland.

Once you are all tied up (sorry for the pun, ok, not so sorry, I gotta get my giggles in somewhere!) Start making the stars over the knots. (For my stars, I used 23 inch long paper, cut into one inch strips.) It takes a long time to make a long garland, so just sit down and watch your favorite Christmas movie and fold away.

Voila! A beautiful project for less than $1.

Run on over to Rocks in My Dryer for more tips and fun!