Decorating On A Dime

Decorating Tricks On A Budget 

Tis the season where Christmas decor comes out and is put on display. Whether you go all out and it fills your home or it's contained to your Christmas tree; there is something about those twinkling lights that brings warmth to the home. There is always a little more sparkle in the Christmas decor and in my opinion it just adds to the joy and excitement of the season. 

But when January rolls around and the decor has to be packed up (sad day😭), I always feel like my home is left feeling bare. It's usually then that I get inspired to switch things up, add a few touches, finally start one of my many DIY projects (or let's be real, just dream about them happening in this season of life😁).  

I'm sure the weight of Christmas spending is still fresh in your mind so the thought of spending money on new decor is laughable at the least. Or maybe you live in my reality where no matter the time of year there is little to no decor budget on any given month. Maybe it's neither one of those but you just like to save money. Whichever it is for you, I encourage you to read this post and see if you can't come away with a few new ideas to get a fresh or updated look for less, by implementing one of the following tips.

Before we get started I feel like I should preference this post with the following….Remember just because something is on sale, on clearance, marked down several times, or in the “dollar” section; does not necessarily make it a good deal and certainly does not automatically make it a must have for you. There I said it for you! Now tell yourself this every time you enter a store and you will set yourself up for success (which may in fact mean walking out of the store with nothing. What? Shocker!😁).

So why this post right now in the midst of the crazy of December? Well because some of my tips relate to the season we're in. And because I hope this reminds you to slow down a bit in this busy season, sit by the fire (or heater😁), and take in all your surroundings and be reminded and thankful for what you already have within. So take a few tips and then come back around to this post again in the new year to implement some changes!

Getting Creative with What You Have:

I have said this on past posts and I will say it again that a fresh new look can be found within your own home. Rearrange a room, switch decor pieces from one room to the next, use a piece of furniture or decor item in a different way than it's original intention. Or finally use one of your random clearance purchases or finds that has been sitting in that closet or garage. You may be surprised how different you can make a space look/feel simply by shopping from things in your own home. 

Think Outside the Box:

“Don't make thinking outside the box stressful or you will stay in the box. Instead, think of it as designing your own unique style.”

1. Christmas Decor-

Next time you go to Target or Home Goods or Michael's take a longer look at the Christmas decor. I believe you will find, as I have on many occasions, several things that can be used for decor beyond Christmas. Crates, containers, greenery, chalkboards, cake plates are just a few things. However, this is where you have to act fast and hopefully score some items before they are gone. They put this stuff on sale/clearance before Christmas is even here. But if you want to hit the 60-70% off you have to go 1-2 days after Christmas (I think they let people shop when the store is closed because this stuff is gone fast😁).

2. Dollar Section-

Okay, so most of us have realized that the “dollar” sections in stores now days really mean $1-$10, but there can even be some decor finds in those for a steal. I have especially been impressed with Target's dollar section when it comes to this. Check out their Christmas items right now to find some year round decor. Again sometimes you have to think outside the box, but you can find some good accent pieces.  

Treasure/Thrift Stores:

There is no doubt that treasure stores (what my kids and I call thrift stores) can be overwhelming, to say the least. But there is also no doubt that they can hold some great finds for decorating your home for a lot less. Here are a few tips to make your treasure store experience less stressful…

• The best time of year to go to a treasure store is mid to late January and February. When people have dropped off unwanted Christmas gifts or have moved out old things to replace with their new things, or have made their new year's resolution to clean out their attics and garages😁 (April is another good month to catch  the spring cleaning wave).

• I always have a list written down/on my phone of things I am looking for so I can look for specific things when at the treasure store. But of course it's always hit or miss so I usually look over most aisles quickly to see  if any unique treasure pops out. If I find something I usually try to think about where I will actually use it/if it will fit or work in my home. If I can't think of a place or I realize it won't fit, I don't get it. There have been many times where I have left stores with nothing because I have simply not found any treasures. But there have also been many times where I have found crazy good treasures that have made up for those times of leaving empty handed.

• If you can go on a weekday you will avoid the weekend crowds plus avoid your anxiety going through the roof😁.

• Make sure you know your prices. Because as I said before just because it's a treasure store does not mean it's the best price around.

Clearance Spots in Stores:

Most stores have a clearance section. Some obvious and some are hidden. So you might have to search them out in some places. Not all clearance is a good deal and some clearance will be marked down again so you can wait for it (you always take a risk of missing an item, but I also have scored great deals this way). 

It's safe to say just like I know where every store’s bathroom is located 😁, I also know where every store's clearance section is.

But some of my favorite clearance spots are in Target and Michaels. 

Target-

End caps, end caps, end caps!! Check the end caps on the inside aisles to find some good clearance. Sometimes there will be clearance items on the actual aisles too but the end caps are more consistent. 

Michaels-

This may seem odd but this place is actually my go to for good decor items. They are always having 40-50% off sales and I wait until I get a 25% off entire purchase (including sale items) coupon and then it's a good deal.

In the Michaels by me, they have a clearance section at the back of their store by the swinging stock room doors. It's small but I have found some great finds there.

Well there is a round up of a few tricks to decorate your home when money is tight. Get creative and think outside the box friends. I will end with one of my favorite decorating quotes that I have shared before. It inspires me to take a little and make a lot, to use the old to make the new.

“If you wait until you have enough money to decorate and make your home your own it will never happen. If you wait until you can afford to buy everything new you are missing the point. It is the old, the new, the made, the hand-me-down, the collected, the worn (but loved), things in your home that make it your own.” -stacey risenmay

-Beth

Canvas Word Art

Photo By: Hannah Porter

    Word art has become more and more popular over the last five years from finding it at stores to numerous DIY ways to execute it. I have usually found that buying word art either doesn't say quite what I want it too and/or if it does it's a little to expensive for me.

     I like to have words around my house that have personal meaning to our family. That can encourage, inspire and remind us of  truth and/or share part of who we are.Some of my favorite word art is often lyrics to hymns or songs that have greatly impacted our family and drawn us to Hope in the Lord. Some of the pictures in this post reflect a few of those songs. Other pictures are of fun art in the kids rooms. And still yet there are ones I am working on currently that will be added to this post later.

Since I wanted my word art personalized AND something I could afford, of course I turned to Pinterest. After looking through way too many pins I found my favorites and tweaked them (because as an avid DIY girl I have to make it my own 😉).

My top favorites I have used in my house are word art on canvas and word art on wood. Today's post will focus on word art on canvas because it is what I have done the most of so far and because I think the majority of people are more likely to pick up a pack of canvas from the craft store then find or buy wood and stain it etc. These are not difficult but they do require time and patience (*before you don't think you have either one of those and you give up before starting this project read below to see how I combat these two things 😃).

SUPPLIES

*These supplies are for two types of canvas art. The basic plain canvas with sharpie and the painted canvas with painted words*

Canvas-in whichever size you would like. (Tip: if you know you will be doing a few canvas art projects then I highly suggest getting the canvas packs at Michael's to get the best bang for your buck. I usually either get them on sale or use a 40%off coupon on their app)

Words-printed and cut out

Sharpie- regular size

Ruler

Paint- Acrylic, spray, or really any paint you have on hand in the color you want

Paint Brush- fine tip for words and regular size for background paint

Process

*I took some photos last time I created one to help give you a visual (below)*

Step 1: Pick the words you want to display and then grab a canvas size that will fit them. If you are wanting a background color then go ahead and paint the front and sides of your canvas with your paint. Otherwise just leave it blank.

Step 2: Find a font you like on Word or any place you prefer and type up your words. You will want to enlarge them ALOT!! Then print! It will most likely be a few letter's per page when printed (depending on how large you are wanting). This will be a little trial and error to get the right size that you want and may require printing a few times before you get what your looking for.

Step 3: Once those words are printed you will start cutting them out (HINT: if you are using a letter multiple times with the same font then you only need to cut it out once). You will cut out each letter individually unless it's one that is a duplicate. In that case just cut around the word/letter to place on your canvas so you can line up the order your words go in.

Step 4: Once all of the letters are cut, line them up in the exact order that you want the final outcome to look like. Then begin tracing the letters with your pencil. Use the ruler as your guide to keep the letters/words aligned evenly across the canvas.

Step 5: When all the letters are traced you are ready to begin filling in your letters. This is the point that you choose either paint or sharpie. Have a couple sharpies on hand to rotate between and begin filling in each letter (this part goes pretty quickly once you get the hang of it). You get to go back to your childhood coloring days with the reminder to “stay inside the lines” for the best and cleanest look. If using paint it's the same method of filling in each letter with paint (a little goes a long way).
 

Let set for a few hours and congrats!! Your artwork is ready to be hung or placed wherever you want!

*I don't know many people that would say they have time or patience. In the midst of raising a 5,4 and 2 year old right now I certainly don't feel like I do. I will often work on these for months when I can find a few moments. Usually when kids are in bed at night and only when I'm not already passing out on the couch or in a pile of laundry right after their bedtime 😉😃.

You can do it!!! The result, a customized phrase that speaks to you. And, like any DIY you can say you did it yourself!!

Check out the DIY photo gallery for more examples of finished products!

-Beth

Decorating On a Dime

Whether you just moved, or you have lived in your home for 10-20 years and are looking for a change; decorating your home can be overwhelming. And if money is tight it can take a lot of creativity which can also be overwhelming, especially if you don't find joy in decorating, or simply need some direction to get started. My home is a place that I want others to feel welcome, relaxed and inspired. I want my home to help my family thrive and inspire them to have fun and be creative. So how I choose to decorate my home can help reflect that. Below are some tips I have put together to help you get started on continuing to make your house a home.
 

5 Beginning Tips for Decorating Your Home:

1.     Choose A Style-

    There are so many styles out there to choose from that it can be overwhelming. Because of that people will often default to whatever is trending or most popular at the time and realize months later that they actually don't really like their decor or at the very least it's not something that inspires them. Just because someone else is doing it or because it’s popular, doesn't mean it fits you. Kind of like when a clothing style comes back around and everyone assumes it will look good on them forgetting about the different body types God gave us ;). Not every style fits us!

So here are two things to keep in mind when choosing a style for your home

1. Pick two styles that you like that compliment each other and stick with them. That way it gives you options but also keeps things from being to busy. In my opinion once you get beyond two styles it can quickly turn chaotic.

2. Pick styles that you actually really like!! Ones that inspire and excite you. Ones where you will feel relaxed and you will want to spend time in. Colors, patterns and textures you like will all help you make a style decision.

2.     Choose Your Colors-

    “Pick colors in 3 then Let it Be!!”

    When decorating a room it's a good idea to pick a color for each category below for your base colors. Sometimes more color can be added on later but this is a good place to start:

1. Background color- this could be your wall color, cabinets

2. Product color- this could include couches, chairs, shelves, frames, curtains

3. Pop of color- pillows, curtains frames, art, other decor. You can pick up to 3 “pops” of color that compliment each other. Any color after that should simply be different shades of those three.
   
   Example: My living room wall color is grey(background). I have white shelves, white and grey frames, grey couches, white end tables(product color). My pops of color are teal and navy blue and various shades of those. The pops of color show up in a rug, lampshade, frame, bowls, pillows etc.. 3 colors plus various shades of those colors weave through everything I listed above. 

3.     Simplify- “Less Really is More”

    Try to stay away from putting stuff up on walls or out on shelves etc. just to fill empty space or just because you have it and don't want it to go to waist. This will quickly make your space seem overwhelming and to busy. Even if your decor that is out fits your style and colors you want to accomplish, if you have too much, things get lost and the eye doesn't know where to focus. The same is true for those collectible items. Unless you have an amazingly organized, uncluttered way of displaying them, or a separate shrine or room for them (ha!); then just pick a handful and display them well.      

   4. Reuse the Old to make the New-

    We have all heard the phrase “Out with the old, in with the new”. But money is tight that is not always realistic. Plus there can be a lot of life left in your decor. So I like to change the phrase around to say “out with the old in with the new, by using the old to create the new”.

What does that look like:

    -Look at your decorations, furniture etc. and think outside the box. Can it be repainted? Or lightened up, roughed up, or simplified? Can it be re-used in a different way? Does it just need to be moved to a different setting? These are all questions to ask before you think that you have to go buy everything.

Some things just need to move on and be someone else's treasure. But everything deserves a second look.

*There will be a detailed post on #4 coming soon

   5. Flow-

    This ties them all together. If you have a couple styles picked out, use these throughout your entire home. this will help create a flow that keeps the home balanced, organized, and well thought out. Rooms can have different looks or paint colors while still carrying the common style and theme which, in turn, will connect them all together.

Take on one room at a time to make it less overwhelming!!

(Ha! If all else fails, invite me over for suggestions :) )

Happy Decorating!!

-Beth