Eating My Words when it comes to Vision Boards

Remember back when Oprah was talking about those Vision Boards?  I love and respect Oprah, but I thought that idea was really dumb.  The whole thing was to cut out pictures from magazines depicting what you want to accomplish in your life.  Clip words or blurbs of ideas you want to achieve.  I remember seeing a girl contestant on the reality show the Bachelor (yes, I watch it) proudly showing her vision board to the confessional camera.  With words like "Husband" and "Forever" I remember thinking that she was pathetic.  Well, I am here to tell you, I was wrong and I have been putting together a Vision Book for years without even realizing it - for decorating.

When I look through magazines, I tear out decorating ideas and visions I want to recreate in my home.  I also clip words that correspond with the feeling I want to envelope my home or ideas I want to remember.  Words like "barefoot elegance," "easygoing style," "juicy pops of color," "make it yours," "this new old house," "the simple life," "rules of the remix," "come-hither softness on a sculptural silhouette." 

I also keep important things like sketches, room dimensions, flea market schedules, and a page of thrift shops from the Yellow Pages in this book.  It's a simple three ring binder with clear, plastic sleeves.  Nothing fancy, but everything is right where I need it.  I bring it with me everywhere.  I refer to it to be sure that the piece I am looking at is in keeping with my vision.  It helps with decisiveness and decision making.

The other benefit of this is when you want to begin a project with the help of a decorator or a designer, you might not know how to convey your style.  You just might not have the vocabulary to describe an Eames chair or a french sideboard.  But, if you clip pictures of things that make you happy, you can show these to the designer to bring the look to your home.  It puts you on the same page and off on a good communication track.

The Vision Book I am talking about is not to be confused with a design plan or a decorating board.  You've seen these on HGTV when the designer puts matching fabrics, paint colors and flooring together to show you the floor plan and finishes for your room.  These are the designer's way to show you they have been listening to your needs and these are the options they have chosen to pull your room together.  Bring them your Vision Book, they will give you a design plan in return that fits you perfectly.  Both should be in sync and reflective of each other.

It's assignment time!  Put your book together and tell me all about it!  I can't wait to hear what you clip pictures of and what words are in your vision book. 

Studio, Action Plan, Confidence, and Credentials

This new endeavor is the beginning of a new phase for me.  My kids are going back to school next Tuesday and I am ready to dive deep into it!  There are some hurdles I will have to get over to make a career of my decorating hobby.  I am determined to persevere through it and achieve my goals.  I have narrowed my  list down to four main hurdles that I need to do to get off the ground here. 

A proper work room or studio to paint, sand, saw, craft, and organize my furniture rehab projects, etc. is necessary.  My garage just can't take that kind of pressure and won't foot the bill because it will be getting very cold in Michigan soon - yuck.  I want to be cozy in a sunny, warm and happy space.  Work bench, tools, paint, shelving, etc.  Oh, boy.  It's gonna have to be cute and inspiring, too!  And some great music pumping to keep me motivated.

I also need to organize my thoughts and priorities and set some goals.  I need some accountability!  An action plan or a loose business plan is always a good idea.  It will help me stay on track and know which direction I am going.  I will be setting myself up as an LLC, and getting my Tax ID number so I can become official - AND buy wholesale!!   I've gotten a long way without it, but it will open up more doors for me - and for YOU!

Thirdly, I need to embrace the support many of you have given me thus far and truly follow this passion where it takes me.  Your feedback has given me great comfort and confidence to make a go of this.  I do have confidence in my abilities, but not in my credentials.  I have a good looking portfolio, and lots of great word-of-mouth support, but I need to take it to the next level and enter into the trade.  In entering the trade, I'll have to become certified which means I will have to take some tests (which I have not had to do since just before graduation in May of 1995 at Michigan State and I barely passed that last final of Anthropology 404).  This is where the confidence boost is needed!   (Insert positive-self-talk here)  I can do it!  I am smart!  Blah, blah, blah.  But, once I pass the tests and get certification to enter the trade, I will have access to the Merchandise Mart in Chicago and all of the design stores that are for the "trade only."  Woo-Hoo!

Today, I BEGAN!!  I cleared out the empty space in our basement that will eventually be my studio.  It has great natural lighting, and good ventilation for stinky projects like painting and staining.  It is a big room.   It was slated to become a workout room in the future, and it still could be as the space could easily be divided into two rooms.   For now, my studio may or may not include a treadmill.  It has been kind of a catch all, romper room of sorts recently for my kids.  I love having this kind of space that has evolved with our family.  So, I scraped up the old Play-Do and Moon Sand off the floor and started moving in. 

And, the rest of the plan is in place.  I'll be studying and cramming for tests, filing paperwork and transforming my unfinished basement room into an inspiring space.  All the while taking on projects as they come up.  I'll be completing the two decorating projects I currently have going (the guest bedroom mentioned in a previous post and my mom's bathroom face-lift).  Oh, and blogging about it thru it all. 

And as if that is not going to be enough to fill my time,  I am going to collect some fantastic fun finds at the shops I've been telling you about.  I will keep posting them on Etsy.com (search Affordable Adornment) as well as Craigslist.   

A few weeks ago, I started this blog.  It was my first step - to put it out there!  If you like anything you read here, please do me the favor of posting it on your Facebook page or talking about it with friends.  Also, take a look at things in your home - could my ideas work for you?  I am hoping that my posts will generate some excitement and start everybody thinking about projects in their own homes that I can either help with or handle all together!  In the meantime, I am going to work on my hurdles.  I want to be ready to act when you need me!  So stay tuned!  It's about to get good!!  Tell your friends!

Sometimes, things just STINK!!

Did you recently pick up something at a flea market or antique store, put it in place in your home and then notice that your entire house (or at least the area around the new item) has taken on a serious FUNK?  Don't let this deter you from shopping at these retail venues.  Stink happens.  Chances are this great thing you have found may have been in a barn, or a basement, or a stinky old warehouse in it's previous life.  Smells are unpleasant, but not uncommon.   There are solutions.  Here are a few tricks to having it smelling so fresh and so clean like a summer breeze in no time:

First: Bring it out in the SUNSHINE!  The best place to clean up a piece that has been in a barn or a basement is in out in the fresh air, breeze and sunshine - like on your driveway.  Open it up and let it air out in the sunshine for a bit.

Next: CLEAN it.  Vacuum all the nooks and crannies to remove cobwebs, gunk and critters - yikes, I hate bugs.  Then, use a mixture of your favorite cleaning solution diluted in water.  I don't think vinegar/water is good here - your just asking for more stink - go with something lemon scented!  Give it a good wipe down with a rag dampened (not soaked) in your solution.  Then wipe it down again  - this time with a dry rag to clear away any residue and dry it completely.  Leave it in the sun to let it dry to the bone.

Then,  give the inside, underside, and backside a good spritz of unscented Lysol - the original.  I would not recommend spaying Lysol directly on the finish of a beautiful antique heirloom piece with a beautiful finish, but I would not hesitate to spray the inside or backside of trunk, inside a drawer, a dresser, or armoire.  At least you will know that you killed any mold.

I'd say now it is safe to bring it indoors, but chances are the odor may still linger.  Here is what to do:  The best products for odor elimination along with Lysol, are Arm & Hammer, and Kingsford (yes, charcoal).

Odor Eliminators!  To get rid of the dank, damp, musty smell of an old piece can be tough, but if you are sneaky, the odor will disappear.  An Arm & Hammer Fridge and Freezer (no-spill) box can easily be hidden behind or inside a piece with a funny smell.  The no spill box has mesh on the sides of the box so the odors get sucked right into the baking soda.  This is a chemical free and very safe way to eliminate unpleasant stinks.

Also, you can be sneaky with charcoal briquettes.  Place 5 or 6 briquettes in an old colander or disposable container with holes poked in it.  Hide it inside or, if the piece is tall, on top of it out of sight.  Charcoal naturally absorbs odors like a champ.  FYI: no lighter fluid necessary!  Do not light this charcoal!  

When all else fails, get a Plug-In and put it in the wall outlet behind your funky new piece. 

These tricks work! 

C-O-A-S-T-E-R for 26 points!

Here is a cute and quick idea.  Instead of freaking out when your child sets a drink down on the coffee table without a coaster, put down a game board.  If you can't find a vintage game or one with character, give it instant age with some Old English Furniture Oil.  If the game board gets a water ring, it will give it more age and charm.  Put the game pieces in a cute vessel of some type and always be ready to play or at the very least protect your table from drink rings!  Great for homes with grandchildren visiting or kids at home.  It's a great look and you might actually play!

And you thought I was collecting firewood!

Get to know Ballard Designs!  I just love the catalog company Ballard Designs.   I admire the french influence in their designs and the casual elegance they depict on the glossy pages of the catalog.  It looks so comfy to me - I could just move into that catalog!  And I swear, I about fell on the floor when I was paging thru the latest catalog... they now offering but DRIFTWOOD pieces!  I laughed because my husband thinks I am CRAZY for collecting this stuff on the beach and made a reference to kindling/firewood last time I brought home a big bundle.  I ran over to him to show him the photos on pg.39 and pg.56 as proof that I am indeed SANE!  I knew I had something great for decorating and sure enough, the designers at Ballard Designs were thinking the same thing!  We had the same vision!  Here are a few of the pieces they are offering and links.  But, just wait until you see what I have done with driftwood...stay tuned on Etsy.com (my shop is called AffordableAdornment) because I will offer my pieces a lot cheaper! 

The tray is offered at $79 and the mirror is $329.  http://www.ballarddesigns.com/

Something else to look forward to is my fall road trip to the Ballard Designs Outlet just outside Cincinnati, OH.  I've been there before and spent the entire day from open to close in there!  It's fantastic.  I'll take you along!  The store is also in the same building as the outlet for Ballard's sister company Frontgate.  I can't wait!

Look at my CANS!!

Got your attention with my cans, did I?!  You know I am talking about my decorative outdoor trash cans, right?  These are the best!  If you have an outdoor kitchen, a pool or a cottage, these are a MUST!  Do you find Popsicle sticks, snack wrappers, and empty juice boxes all around your pool area or deck?  Chances are you've got an ugly, utilitarian garbage can.  You need one (or more) of these!

These are old fashioned (but brand new) 20 gallon galvanized metal garbage cans painted in fantastic colors.  They look so SMART and hold up to the elements - and keep out bugs, bees and rodents.  Use one for trash, another for returnable bottles/cans, and one more for recyclables.  You could even use one for towels!    Match your outdoor furniture or go with a fun, bright color!  Line them up - red, green, blue to make a statement!  Who says trash has to be ugly? 

They look so sleek in an oil-rubbed bronze finish, too!  AMAZING!

I sell these locally on craigslist.com!

http://grandrapids.craigslist.org/hsh/2561832157.html

Contact me and I will customize one or more for your outdoor space.  I'd love to match your umbrella or cushions or the finish on your furniture.   Get yours now before summer is over - just in time for your Labor Day party!  I have many colors available: shown above are Swimming Pool Blue, Antique White, and Oil-Rubbed Bronze Metallic, but I also offer Red, Lime Green, Sunny Yellow, Coral, Crisp White, Royal Blue, Navy Blue, Forest Green. 

 

Tick, Tock, it's about time for a ROAD TRIP!

Isn't this a cute 1960s vintage clock?!  It plugs in to the wall and has the faint hum of your Grandmother's kitchen!  It was not originally this fantastic lime green color, but I could not picture it any other color.  It would be so cute in a retro kitchen or in a laundry or bathroom!  Keeps great time.  Check it out on my http://www.etsy.com/ site.  Search Affordable Adornment.  This clock, however, is not the subject of this blog entry...

It's time for a road trip!  I'll do weekly road trips around west Michigan to flea markets, estate sales and thrift shops on a treasure hunt and you get to come along!  Here are a few tips before we venture out together:

Pack your canvas bag! 

Rummaging is not the place for your Louis Vuitton handbag.  Leave it at home along with most of the contents in your purse.  When you are shopping in thrift shops, it is not appropriate to flaunt the fact that you are there to beautify your lovely home when most shoppers are there to clothe their family.  Also, you don't want to be distracted by your heavy purse with all your valuables in it.  Thrift shops are great places, many run by churches or Christian affiliated organizations, buzzing with shoppers from all walks of life.  They are not dangerous or scary, but as always, be aware of your surroundings and be respectful to everyone you encounter.  I always use a canvas or re-usable shopping tote to go thrifting because I don't like to take my purchases in plastic!  Plus, let's face facts here, some thrift stores are down right dirty.  A canvas bag can go right in the wash if I set it on the floor while inspecting or measuring a cool item.

Stuff to have at hand

• Always carry a TAPE MEASURE!
• Bring CASH!  Sometimes, when your cash is gone it is best to call it a day.  Don't go over your budget by carrying exactly the amount of cash you can afford to spend and work within your constraints.  If you find something great, most shops take Visa/Mastercard/etc.
• Yuck - you'll want HAND SANITIZER.  Some things are on the floor or deep within a dusty shelf.  It's a good idea to bring along something to clean up after you get down and dirty!
• Bring a SNACK!  While you are out and about, you might be in unfamiliar areas of town.  Some shops are in areas you might feel a little uncomfortable in stopping for a soda.  Bring along some things to get you thru that sugar low until you can find a place you are comfortable in.
• Of course, it goes without saying, bring your PHONE.  Not only for phone calls, but for the CAMERA!  Snap quick shots of things that catch your eye, but know if you think about an item it will most likely be gone before you get back to it.
• In the back of your vehicle, make sure you have some BUNGEE CORDS to make transporting your items securely stress free.

More quick tips before you go

• Keep an open mind.  Have a list of things you are specifically looking for, but also look up and down the aisles for things that you don't necessarily need.  Treasure hunting means sometimes not knowing what you are looking for!  If you see something that "speaks to you" buy it!  Worry about where you are going to put it later!
• Know your car!  Put your seats down and take measurements of the back so you know exactly what you can fit (or cram) in there.  If you can't get it home, don't bother looking at it - save yourself the embarrassing parking lot scene where you are trying every angle shoving it in unsuccessfully!  

Sorry - I know it needs a good vacuuming job!

Power in Numbers - how to create a great group!

Some things are just better in groups.  Try accessorizing with like items en mass.  Any more than two constitutes a group if you ask me.  Start with a small collection and build it over time.  Here are a few great collections I've used to decorate in various projects.  Alone, these items are boring and out of place, but multiplying the look by adding other like items creates a fantastic, purposeful look.  Give it a try!

A trio of vintage mother and baby prints reminds me of when my kids were babies.  So sweet!

A group of four spools I found at an estate sale.

The beginning of a collection of inexpensive milk glass pieces.  I love the translucency and crispness of the white glass.

I adore Paris and this grouping includes a photo in front of the Eiffel Tower.  A great resource for finding Eiffel Tower statues in any size and color is this website:  http://itsallaboutparis.com

Salvaged door plates painted in various colors.  I picked these up at The Blue Door in Grand Rapids.  Cool shop.

Project Time: Grandma's coming - it's time to make room at the inn!

Basketball orange, AstroTurf green, navy blue, and Ohio State red.  Not exactly relaxing colors.  Not a restful place for Grandma to retreat to while visiting.  Not a peaceful get-away for guests.  Not yet, anyway! 

Follow along as I transform this wild, colorful, crazy space once used for a small child's room into a serene guest room for a client.  The room needs a queen sized bed and a dresser.  The crisp white, hotel-style duvet cover and linens on the bed will stay - everything else must go.  It's a small room - only about 8 X 10 - with some odd angles, but the potential is there to become a quaint, cozy space for guests.  Oh, my the possibilities.  Small budget.  Big changes.  Let's begin!  First we need inspiration...then lighting, wall color, artwork, window treatments, throw pillows and accessories.  Where will our inspiration come from...watch and see!!!

Beach Combing for Home Accessories

During a trip to the Magnificent Mile in Chicago over Mother's Day weekend, I ventured into one of the well known, time tested, all-American retail stores for the home - Crate & Barrel.  A garland of driftwood caught my eye as it lay cascading down a dining table as a centerpiece.  'Driftwood as a centerpiece?  Driftwood as art?' I thought.  Hmmm.

Then it became clear to me: driftwood has so many things going for it!  It is so architectural and so unpredictable.  It is so interesting with it's natural smoothness and curvaceousness, and the silver/brown color is something only nature could create.  My mom purchased the garland for around $30 and snaked it on her mantel.  Fantastic!  She lives on the shores of Lake Michigan and these beachy artifacts bring her love of the beach to the interior of her home.

I also love the beaches of Lake Michigan.  You just can't beat them.  So while my kids were playing catch and building sand castles on our last visit to the beach, I started beach combing.  Finding driftwood was like treasure hunting - only easier because there had just been a big storm the night before.  I love that each stick, twig, log, and branch is smooth, sliver, unique and beautiful.  Even though the great lake had thrown it out after churning it up for a while in the white caps, these discards are my rewards!  Building on the ideas I saw elsewhere, here's what I did with some of the treasures for FREE:

I've bundled some with some jute twine and placed it in a book case.  These driftwood bundles are also for sale in my Etsy.com shop.  http://www.etsy.com/ Search AffordableAdornment!

I've also used some of the smaller and more interesting pieces in a glass bowl on a table top.  A bag of driftwood is available to purchase thru my http://www.Etsy.com store.  Shop Affordable Adornment!

Contact me and I can personalize a plaque for your cottage or lake house! 

It's true, this girl can shop.

I've got to admit, the reason for this blog is to put it out there in the universe that I am ready to start shopping.  It's been a long summer at home with my kids and we've enjoyed every minute.  But, my creative juices are overflowing and I am ready to get to work.  I'm ready to go - cash in hand - looking for deals and steals on cool home accessories.  The trouble is, I don't need any more cool home accessories.  But you do!  Let me shop with your home in mind!

As a stay-at-home-mom for the last 10 years, I have been decorating and rearranging as a hobby for my own home and for my friends for a while now.  My specialty is decorating on a small budget - I was born to do this.  Bargain shopping, making your budget go as far as it can, and repurposing things you already have in your home are my forte.  Not everyone is fortunate enough to be able to scrap everything and start fresh.  It's just too expensive.  Plus, you might have a few pieces of furniture you invested in and want to keep but can't seem to get your room to look quite right.  That's what I do - I make it all work and look great.

There are so many interesting and cool items out there waiting to be found at thrift stores, consignment shops, antique stores, and flea markets - and finding them is my passion.  I also frequent the usual bargain shops that require sorting and digging thru racks and shelves.  I love finding a diamond in the rough and I am really good at it.  I think a home looks best if it appears to have been pieced together over time - not matchy-matchy or out of a catalog.  You can achieve that look quickly (speeding up the 'over-time' process) if you put a few miles on your car, pop in and out of lots of stores, and pick up pieces of this and that here and there.  If you don't have that kind of time, or don't know where to go, that's what I am here for.  I'll do the running, the hunting and the gathering for you.  It's hard to step into a store and know where to begin.  I know how and I want to help you.

Now, you must know, aside from a few courses I have taken at Kendall College of Art and Design, I have not been educated as an interior designer (and have not earned any fancy letters behind my name).  But I am a seasoned decorator with a great eye - and I am cheap to hire!  I am a gal who has a real life perspective on how a home needs to function, how to make it look great, and how not to blow the grocery money on one piece of art.  I get it.  I have a husband and a budget, too!  

My personal style is just that, my own. I do not wish to push my style on you.  As always, your home should reflect you, not me!  I have worked on projects with various style preferences and I can give you direction to pull your home all together regardless if you love cottage style, traditional, mid-century modern, minimalistic, a mix of it all, or whatever.  If you would like my help, know that YOU will be the one making the choices!

Oh, and I can make it fun, too.  Things can get nerve racking when we first roll that new paint on your wall, or when we put the first nail hole in your freshly hung drywall, but I am always ready to make things go easier with a laugh and a smile.  I'm quite funny ;) and I don't take myself to seriously!

Thru this blog, I am excited to show you what I can do, where I shop, what I find, and what I create, while bragging about how little I spend.  I am hoping to get better and more advanced at the technology thing as I go.  I am also hoping this blog will serve as a digital portfolio highlighting some of the projects I have done over the years - I'll post pictures of before and afters from completed projects and will document new projects along the way. 

I live in west Michigan and am ready to take on more clients.  Feel free to contact me with your decorating questions or if you are ready to do a room in your home!  Please share my blog with your friends and even if you don't live in west Michigan, you might get some ideas for your home.    Let's SHOP - your room is waiting!!!

The Vintage Fabric That Started A Revolution!

I live in a house full of boys.  I have two sons and a husband - all sport-loving, masculine, dudes.  And then, there is the girly-girl, ME!  I preach about how a home should reflect you and your family.  My sons have their spaces - all stuffed with their favorite fodder from NCAA, NFL, MLB, NHL, ETC.  My husband: he likes things to be gender neutral - not too flowery or feminine in the main areas of the house.  Our home is definitely sprinkled with us - some family photos, some pieces from our childhood homes, artwork from our travels, and it is always ready for entertaining our loved ones, friends and neighborhood kids.  It is most certainly family friendly.  But, there is no lace, there are no delicate fabrics and there are no sweet nothings.

So began the revolution!  Take back some girl space!  I decided one day (probably after watching Oprah) that I needed a space for myself.  I needed a GIRL ROOM with no boys allowed! A place to talk on the phone, look at my decorating magazines, paint my nails, and watch Oprah or HGTV uninterrupted!  When my husband took a job that required him to move out of his home office and into the corporate office, we had a vacant room in our home.  I was going to create my own retreat and revolt against the man-ness of my home!  Where a "mommy club house" might sound absurd to you, it sounded like Heaven to me!

I had been sitting on a few yards of vintage fabric that 'spoke to me' one day in an antique store.  I picked it up on a whim thinking I would use it for a craft of some sort.   The colors in the fabric are silly - nothing you would ever call beautiful.  Pepto Bismol pink background, canary yellow, spring green, and cherry red.  Weird combo, I know.  Then, there is the subject matter of the print:  a man on a horse, a church, a wagon, a mill.  What?!  But, this was the crazy jumping off point I needed to begin transforming a manly home office into my feminine retreat.  It was my inspiration.  Here is how it began:

What a man-sized mess.  This is the before shot.  The dark red walls were the only thing to stay!

A covered bridge and a whole lot of crazy.  Inspiring? Yes!

I created the room mixing and matching unlikely patterns in like colors.  It created a quilt like feel for the whole room. 

Wicker, vintage quilts, a worn old trunk, a lacy lamp shade, Shabby Chic books - OOOH SO GIRLY!!

My shelves are lined with my stuff:  buttons, notions, paint brushes in mason jars and an old painted tray.

A weathered old bench I use as a side table.

A $10 flea market chair has a fantastic blue patina making it invaluable to me!

 I can't lay all my cards on the table just yet!  I'll show you more photos of this room as time goes on!  I have to leave you wanting more!  Thanks for viewing!

Need a thrifty decorating resource? Ask MOM!

Nothing could get more FREE than a hand-me-down.  If your parents are big on keeping things in the family and you need a few pieces for your home, it is a win/win.  Maybe your mom picked up something along the way and never had a spot in her house to use it.  Next time you see your parents, ask them if they have anything in their basement, closets, or attic that you could use.  Or, is there a special piece you've always admired that they might be willing to part with.  When you were young, you probably turned your nose up at Grandpa's lamp, but now you recognize the vintage style of it.  Look what my mom had hiding in a closet...a vintage drying rack.  So cute. I hung it on the wall in my laundry room and displayed cute tea towels from it - which I change with the seasons.  I aimed a spot light at it and there you have it! Vintage chic.  Help them clean out their storage areas now and get FREE accessories for your home!

Let's talk cheap accessories over a glass of good red wine.

My intention with this cute, little, beginner blog of mine (I'm just learning the whole blog thingy - bear with me) is to share ways to pull your home together, decor wise, on the cheap - without actually looking cheap.  A well decorated room has a few key pieces: functional furniture, good lighting, and accessories.  Yes, ACCESSORIES!  Even in bare-boned, minimalist, clean-lined style, accessories are necessary to pull a room together.  Think jewelry for your home. Many people under value trinkets and treasures in decorating, because you instantly think they translate to clutter and mess.  But, accessories are necessary to creating a well styled room, to making it look balanced and to making it your own.  While I'm not talking about ceramic dogs and pig figurines, I am talking about accessorizing with things that tell your story, the things you love, the things that have meaning to you. 

Your home should be sprinkled with treasures from your travels, trinkets your child made in art class, and stuff that has a story behind it making your home a reflection of you and your family.  Many times the things you love might be free and ready to display in your home and with proper placement and purpose, it will also look GREAT...surrounding you with joy and comfort, and not reminding you of your tight budget!

Let's discuss this more over a glass of wine, shall we?  I love wine.  I've enjoyed tastings in Italy, France, California, among other places and I've enjoyed wine for years. To me wine itself embodies travel, good restaurants, good memories, and great friends. We have a small wine cellar that we can not seem to keep full. Tonight I am enjoying a yummy cab.  Opening a bottle and tossing the cork just doesn't make any sense - I'm also green and am an avid recycler.  See where I'm going here?  Let's take that idea and use it as a way to add personal flair to cheap decorating! 

Save the corks from great wines (no synthetic corks, and no screw caps - but if you drink a few bottles of bargain wine, I won't judge).  You already bought the wine, so this is free decorating and keeps the corks out of the landfill for the time being!  Collections and groupings are good - unless you are prone to hording - and you can really make a statement when you display your collection en mass.   I have an old mason jar that I drop corks into in the wine cellar, I also have a cool punch bowl (who actually uses punch bowls anyway?) to house corks.  When I have collected enough corks, I make wreaths using a form from the dollar store and (of course) hot glue.  Cool.  I also sell these wreaths on http://www.etsy.com/.  Search for my store Affordable Adornment!  I will make one for you with your favorite wines if you'd like!

 

Giving Your New Home An Old Soul

Giving Your New Home An Old Soul...I live in a young area of town - "young" meaning: lots of young children, young families, and many young freshly built homes.  Lots of homes are now being built to look like they have been around for years with the large moldings and casings, transom windows, bead board, and craftsman or cottage charm, but they are still shiny and new!  No matter what your personal style, I think it is important to accessorize your fresh new home with some old pieces that have soul (read: flaky paint, and rusty hardware).  Let's face it, with children* and pets, shiny and new eventually looks worn and lived-in.  So, purposely bridge that gap with some vintage accessories.  It will give your home a comfort that you can't achieve otherwise!  

*As a mom myself, it is important for me to remind other moms that if you have small children, old chipping paint may give you the great patina you're looking for, but could contain lead paint.  Take great care to make sure those pieces are up, up, up and away from curious nibbles and picky fingers!  Great style also needs to be safe and family friendly. 

Getting Started!

Well, I am really excited about this blog!  I am a beginner at the blog thing, but I have been rearranging, decorating, and antiquing/rummaging since I can remember.  I will take you along as I go to thrift shops, yard sales, antique fairs, and bargain stores to show you how to accessorize your home for pennies!  I really have a passion for this stuff!  When my kids are in school, I am on the road in my wagon finding darling deals for your home, your child's room, or your cottage that just needs to be spiffed up a bit! 

If you've got a sofa (what I call one of the main ingredients), I can help you spice it up with limited investment!  In my opinion, it doesn't necessarily take a lot of STUFF, just the right placement of key pieces, some balance, and some well thought out accessories to create a beautiful, personal, and well designed room.  Let's begin!