Keep Calm and Decorate

Getting Back into the Swing of Things

2012-02-08T18:08:00.000-08:00

I am trying to get back into my blog and regular posts. I have learned that if I want to have time to blog than my perfectionism is going to have to take a back seat. I try to always write the perfect post and have the perfectly edited pictures. I barely had enough time to do that before I had a baby and now I have even less time. I decided that I am just going to write my post and not re-read it over and over again. I blog to share my love for crafts and decor, I never claimed to be a journalist or photographer. I can't remember the last project that I did and shared it with my bloggy friends and I am so proud that I am able to finally have a little project to post about.

You all know how much I love to decorate with silverware. I found this idea on Pinterest for a fork easel. These little guys were so easy to make and the possibilities for how they can be used are endless. Here are some picture of some that I made. Basically, all you need are some good pliers and a towel to put over the metal when you bend the fork.

You can dress up the fork with a ribbon and a charm. I am going to give some of these easels away and put a picture of my little one in it. I love the one above my kitchen sink to put my rings on. I have found that the smaller forks are easier to bend. I also try to look for forks with a lot of character. You can find old forks at just about any thrift store, I also found that The Dollar Tree has forks with a decorative handles. I personally like the old, vintage forks.

I am linking to:

The Shabby Creek Cottage
http://www.theshabbycreekcottage.com/

House of Hepworths
http://www.houseofhepworths.com/

Guest Post: Warming Up a Large Space with Decor

2012-01-31T03:06:00.000-08:00

I apologize about lack of blogging. I know you all understand how being a mom, working a full-time job and taking care of your home doesn't leave much time for blogging. I really want to be better at keeping up with my posts.

To start off the New Year, I have the pleasure of introducing you to a guest post by Christina Johnson. She offers some very good tips to warming up your space. WE all have those rooms that we never know what to do with. I think you will find her suggestions very helpful.

Warm Up a Large Space with Décor

Article submitted by Christina Johnson

If you are a homeowner and are looking to add some warmth and charm to a large,cold room you are in luck. There are many design ideas that you can choose from that will take that once wide-open and uninviting space and transform it into a room that everyone will want to spend time in.

There are several ways to begin these types of projects, but the first and most important step is to take a moment and decide what you really want to accomplish. Will this room be the focal point of your home going forward? If so, you may want to consult with your family members before hand. You should also consider what you would like to use the room for; a large living room can be broken up into an entertainment area with your TV and media and another space can be for a workspace or library.

For example, if the room has windows on all sides, consider the windows as your focal point to begin dividing your space. You can place a couple of chairs and a table with a lamp in one area for those who like to read and place a computer desk and light fixture near another window to encourage use.

Characterize your spaces with unique touches like throw rugs, dividers or even the room’s own special design features. Beware of the size of your rugs if you choose to divide your room this way. They should be a minimum of 1/3 the size of the space. You don’t have to perfectly match each rug in the room but they do need to stand out as dividers of the space and be unique to each. Furniture when arranged in different seating areas will also create dividers.

Keep continuity in your wall color. If you apply different wall colors for each space, it will start to look cheesy and tacky. Remember, while you want your spaces to be different, you can achieve this task by incorporating pieces of artwork and furniture. Your wall color should be as neutral as possible and maybe a bit darker. Colors like chocolate, olive green and navy blue work well because when you apply dark colors to the walls, the room appears smaller.

Since you have such a large space, feel free to use large scaled pieces of furniture like a large sectional sofa to have for watching TV or an overstuffed chair that is perfect for curling up to read. If you use large pieces of furniture, try to stay clear of bright colors and patterns. Instead, opt for neutral colored furniture that matches your wall colors. You don't have to match the colors, but try to stay in the same family. You can then use your accessories like rugs, throw pillows and artwork to bring splashes of colors throughout the room and in each space.

Remain focused on the overall look of the entire room and don't focus on any one area. You should avoid any spaces that can be considered ‘wasted or empty’. The object of this project is to present a fully-functioning room with different spaces. For continuity, place a small stool or planter in any areas that look ‘empty’.

Select more textured pieces to accentuate your room rather than plain covered fabrics. Aim for rugs that are more plush and perhaps patterned as opposed to smooth and boring. This includes your wall coverings as well. You can easily distinguish one area of the room from another by simply adding a large framed picture on one wall to define the space and smaller framed pictures on an opposite wall to add depth.

Christina Johnson who works remotely for Elliman Prudential in the New York City Apartments and Rentals market. She is using her journalism major to combine what she loves most, writing and her career. Her specialties include home decor design and DIY home improvement projects.

Life Happened!

2011-07-14T12:34:00.000-07:00

Wowzers! It's been almost 3 months since my last blog post. Well, I am officially now a mom. Our baby girl entered the world on May 23rd. I don't want to disclose too many details because I am weird like that. You just never know who might be reading your blog and will want to steal your baby. Like I said I am weird or maybe a tad over-protective. I will say she is the most beautiful baby I have ever seen. I am so proud of her and I have lots of great plans for her and I'm sure she will some for me. I have a few details left to do in the nursery and then I will promise to share some pics. I probably only have 2 blog readers left. (Hee hee) So, for my two blog readers I will leave you with a picture of the cutest little piggies.

I am still here!

2011-04-24T16:58:00.000-07:00

Happy Easter to all of you and your families! Well, we have about a month left until the big due date. I have been so fortunate to have such a healthy pregnancy. I am anxious and nervous about meeting this little person. I am worried about labor of course and not sleeping and all of those other fun things that a new mom gets to experience. I don't want this to turn into a just a mommy blog but I think it might be one for a little bit. I really appreciate all of your sweet comments and I know I have lost quite a bit of readers, so for you few dedicated readers I thank you for hanging in there with me. My blogging will return and so will the projects but for now I must take care of myself and my family. I am still working my full-time job and plan on returning after maternity leave so my blog is not going to be a top priority. Unless, there is any nice person out there who would like to pay me to blog for a full-time job. :) On a side note, we almost have our nursery done and I just ordered this bedding from Target. I love how it can be for either a boy or a girl.

Loving Life!

2011-03-21T18:21:00.000-07:00

I have about 9 weeks left until my little babe arrives and I have never been more excited! I have so many things that I need to get done and just have to keep telling myself that it will all fall into place. We still don't know the sex of the baby which is fine with me. Our next ultrasound won't be until 3 weeks before my due date I think we are just going to wait until the big day to find out. I don't have any projects to share with you yet, but I promise you as soon as I get everything in place in the nursery I will show you some pictures. Here are some things that I am loving right now.


Lush Massage Bar - It is supposed to prevent stretch marks and relieve an itchy belly. I use this stuff in the morning and and at night. I haven't seen any stretch marks yet!

I love this tumbler from Moosejaw, I don't know why but it is so much more fun to drink from a straw. It also encourages me to drink more water and to stay hydrated. Starbucks also sells these types of tumblers!

I love these types of pants...I have a few from Nike that are so comfortable! They have just been growing right with me.

I bought a Be Band similar to this one at Target. It has made my non-maternity pants last a little bit longer. You just put the band over your un-buttoned pants and you have yourself a pair of maternity pants. I think it also gives my belly a little extra support.

I am in love with this bedding from Skip Hop ! It is so stinkin' cute and the colors are perfect for a gender neutral room.

I hope you are all doing well in blogland....please stay tuned for upcoming projects!

One Lucky Reader!

2011-03-08T14:50:00.000-08:00

I would like to announce the winner of the CSN stores giveaway. Insert drum roll here....Laura at The Ethertons has won the $40.00 gift certificate. Thank you to all who participated, I am so glad CSN has let me offer this for my readers. It really is a one stop shop. Please go visit their site you will not be disappointed. Thanks again friends!!!

CSN Stores Giveaway Ends Today!

2011-03-07T18:36:00.000-08:00

I am going to give my readers until 12:00 AM (eastern time) to enter into the CSN stores giveaway. The winner will be announced tomorrow, so if you haven't already and you would like to enter now is your chance. You never know you might be the next winner!

CSN Stores Giveaway!

2011-02-20T13:42:00.000-08:00

I know how all of you love giveaways! Well, I have been given another opportunity to give one of my lucky readers a $40.00 gift card to CSN stores. If you have never been to CSN stores site than you should really go check them out. I have been wanting to re-do my home office for quite some time now. I love the home office furniture selection that CSN stores offers! Here are a few of my favorite pieces from CSN.

Isn't this office chair to die for? I love how elegant and curvy this desk is! I could see myself spending hours here. I would probably do more day dreaming than working though. :)

I think this desk would be very functional for a home office. The shelving alone would help with getting my stuff organized. I like how it doesn't take up a huge amount of space in the room.

I would love to have this book case with filing cabinet drawers for all of my crafts. I have a lot of scrap booking paper and I could use something like this to keep it all organized.

I am going to make this giveaway simple for all of my bloggy friends.

All that I ask of you is that you leave an entry on this post telling me how you would spend your $40 gift card. If you would like to become a follower that would be great but it isn't necessary. So, all you need to do is leave your 1 comment on how you would spend the gift card. Good luck to all of you!

Rules For The Giveaway: This contest is open to US and Canadian readers. If you choose to purchase an item that does not have free shipping, you will be responsible for shipping costs. If you are in Canada, there may be Canadian fees that you will be responsible for. You must be 18 to enter.

The giveaway will end Monday, March 7th 2011. I will pick the winner by using a random number generator. The winner will then receive an e-mail from me and will have 48 hours to reply before a new winner is chosen. Thanks for stopping by and taking advantage of this great giveaway. I look forward to hearing about how you would spend the $40 giveaway!

Nursery Inspiration

2011-02-03T18:08:00.000-08:00

I am sorry it has taken me this long to blog. I almost forgot how to login to blogger. I had become a little obsessed with the blogging and I have had to just let myself walk away from it. We all know how long it can take to write a blog and it was just consuming too much of my time. I probably won't be blogging as much as I would like, especially since I will will be taking on a new role as a mother. I want to thank all of you who continue to read this blog and I am still surprised when I see I a new follower.

I wanted to leave you with some nursery inspiration pictures. All photos are courtesy of Project Nursery

As you can see I am loving the gray walls with all the splashes of color. I am using a gender neutral theme. We had an ultrasound a few weeks ago and since my baby is already stubborn or very modest we were not able to find out the sex. I was not disappointed at all though because I got to see our baby and he/she is healthy.

I love this little bird house! What a cute idea?

Check out the moose heads!

I want this elephant hamper!

I still have a lot of work ahead of me, but I have already bought the paint. It is an actual Crayola crayon color called Timber Wolf and is made by Dutch Boy . I have been collecting little things to put around the nursery and I am ready to start pulling everything together.

Merry Christmas from my family to your family!

2010-12-24T13:42:00.000-08:00

First of all I just want to say THANK YOU for all of your sweet comments on my new arrival in May! Blog friends really are the bestest! I am feeling so much better and am really starting to feel like my normal self. I am almost 19 weeks along and we will be having our first ultrasound in about three weeks. We have decided that we are going to find out what we are having. I just can't wait until May! I promise to keep you updated with nursery pictures and my growing bump.

I also wanted to wish all of you a very Merry Christmas and a Blessed New Year! I leave you with a picture of Clark Griswold (the smile on his face says it all).

(Photo Courtesy of: http://screenrant.com)

Special Announcement to Make

2010-11-14T13:56:00.000-08:00

Hello my dear blog friends, it has been forever since I have written any posts. Well, I think it is only fair that I share my news with all of you. I am expecting my first child this coming May. My husband and I are very excited and still in complete shock that we are going to be parents. I am just about through the first tri-mester and am starting to feel somewhat normal again. I have had morning sickness (no pukes just queasiness) and have been extremely tired. This morning I woke up and felt the best that I have in 3 months. I had my first Dr.'s appt. last week and was able to hear the heartbeat (so awesome). The heartbeat was 160 which I have heard a fast heartbeat usually means a girl, but I am not sure if I believe all of those old wives tales. I would be happy with either a little boy or girl. I am just so happy to be almost done with the first tri-mester. I am probably going to be needing some advice from all of you mommies out there because I have no idea what to expect! Please stay tuned for upcoming projects including the nursery. :)

Feeling a Little Overwhelmed

2010-10-20T13:00:00.000-07:00

Thank you to all of my new followers and for all of your lovely comments. I have been MIA lately because I have been feeling overwhelmed. I apologize for my lack of posts and projects but sometimes I just need to take a break from it all. I am hoping that I can get some projects posted soon but I need to find some balance and just needed a little break. I love you all dear blog friends and I hope you will continue to read this blog. I will be back soon!

Gotta Love CSN Stores!

2010-10-14T13:23:00.000-07:00

I just love CSN stores! CSN has given this little ol' blog some great opportunities to give a few of my readers a $40 gift card. They have just about everything that you can imagine such as cookware, bedroom furniture and dining sets. Here are a few things that I would love to have from CSN stores.

This mobile kitchen cart would be perfect to bring out for family gatherings and the best part is that you can wheel it anywhere.

Ok, I am a kid at heart! I would love to have this cotton candy machine. It would be perfect for my nieces and nephews birthday parties.

These chair slip covers would be really great to dress up a boring chair.

CSN stores has anything and everything you could ever want!

A Backyard Makeover

2010-10-04T14:40:00.000-07:00

Wow! It seems like forever since I have posted any projects that I have been working on. I apologize for taking so long, I have been feeling a bit under the weather lately. I want to say thank you to all of my new followers and dedicated readers. Now for the good stuff! I will start with some before pictures. I am a little embarrassed on how bad our yard looked but that's what makes it a good before and after.

BEFORE

This was our sad, little fire pit. It seemed like a good idea five years ago, but as you can see it is pitiful pit. LOL!

DURING

We decided that this sad fire pit needed beefed up and it needed to be well round. We priced out fire rings and mobile fire pits but the quality just wasn't there and some of them were too much money. So, we decided to make our own. Lowe's has a pretty good tutorial we didn't use as many pavers/stones as Lowes did, but you get the idea.

AFTER

Aww, much better! Now, that looks like a real fire pit. We got the adirondack chairs for $25.00 a piece unfinished. I stained them with dark stain. I sewed the pillows and used fabric from a yellow table cloth that I had bought from a thrift store.

The picnic table was white and I painted the top of table and seats brown. I think the brown gives it a little character and goes better with the chairs.

Now, we can spend these crisp fall nights by our new fire pit. I love looking into my backyard now!

I am linking to:

http://thediyshowoff.blogspot.com/

Not Much to Thrift About!

2010-09-28T17:45:00.000-07:00

Hello blogger friends! I don't have a lot to report from this past weekend of thrifty finds. My old, reliable friend Goodwill had their 50% off sale this weekend and the husband was kind enough to go with me. I only found one thing that I couldn't live without.

Isn't this owl the cutest? I just couldn't resist.

I hope you are all having a great week! Maybe next week I will have more to report.

I am linking to:

If The Broom Fits!

2010-09-22T17:41:00.000-07:00

I love Halloween decorations! I would have to say Halloween and Christmas are probably my two favorite Holidays to decorate for. I don't know if you all have seen Matthew Mead's Halloween book or not, but if you haven't you must go get it. You will not be disappointed! I got this witchy coat rack idea from this book. The best part about it is that I already had all of this witchy stuff and I didn't spend a dime.

This witch is ready to fly out the door. I bought this broom at Target on clearance a few years ago.

This witch finally was able to get those ruby slippers from Dorothy.

Stockings to keep warm!

Save the date!

A Jack-O-Lantern

And to complete the outfit, a witchy hat!

Ok, now I need to go dig my other decorations out of the basement!

I am linking to:

Thrifty Weekend

2010-09-20T17:39:00.000-07:00

I hope you all had a terrific weekend! I don't have a lot to report this weekend but I was able to find a few things. It is kind of sad that garage sale season is ending, but I am really looking forward to fall and Halloween. I also love that this week some of my favorite TV shows are all brand new. Anyhoo, now to show you all of you what I bought.

This is one of my favorite finds this week. I bought this end-table at a thrift store for $25.00. I love the hardware on it and the shape of it.

I found another vintage soda crate. This pepsi crate cost $8.00....still way cheaper than Pottery Barn.

I do not have very many things to decorate my house with for the red, white and blue holidays. I bought this wreath for $2.00.

And I am sure you have all know how much I love vintage bottles. This one was calling my name and best yet I got it for .50 cents. Woo Hoo!

I am linking to:

Going to the Chapel Pumpkins

2010-09-15T18:18:00.000-07:00

I was looking at some pictures for my scrapbook and I came across these pumpkins. I had painted them and decorated them for our cousin's wedding a few years back. They were so fun to make and quite a hit at the rehearsal dinner.

I used acrylic paints and paint markers to do the faces. I am not very good at drawing but I thought they turned out ok. The top hat and bow-tie is made from poster board. I just hot glued it right onto the pumpkins. The veil is made out of tulle and her pearl earrings are little buttons that I had. Oh yes and no bride should be without her tiara. I know they are a bit on the cheesy side, but I just had to share them.

I am linking to:

It's Fall Y'all!

2010-09-14T18:53:00.000-07:00

I have always loved fall and definitely get fall fever this time of year. I love the crisp air, the mums, the pumpkins, the scarecrows and I could go on and on. I tend to sometimes go over board with my fall decorating. I must say the Dollar Tree has really been a great place to buy fall decorations this year. I got some really great Halloween decorations there too. Anyway enough about my love for Dollar Tree. I wanted to share some of my fall fever with all of you. Go ahead and make yourself comfortable and be prepared to go into picture overload. :)

Let's begin this fall tour with my mantle. Remember those candlesticks and picture frame that I posted about yesterday? The frame turned in a chalkboard and the candlesticks got a fresh coat of spray paint.

The pedestal, candle and glass votive all came from Dollar Tree! I wrapped the twine around the bottom to give it some fall texture.

I drew and painted the L on the funkin (you read that right funkin not pumpkin). A funkin is a fake pumpkin that you can carve. I bought three of them last January at Jo-Ann fabrics. They were $1.00 a piece, the retail tag said $19.99.

I also love mason jars! These are the easiest thing to decorate with and can be bought almost anywhere. I put some acorns and a votive in mine.

Wrapped some twine around these mason jars along with adding the acorns and candles.

I stuffed some orange lights into these old, aqua color mason jars (sorry I should have hid that extra cord hanging out). I think that this is a 50 count strand of orange mini-lights. I just love how the color pops in these jars. The white pumpkin also came from the Dollar Tree.

I bought these little pumpkins at Dollar Tree, too. The pumpkins were attached to some plastic greenery. I pulled them off of the greenery and added them to this tray. Does the tray look familiar? Yep, it was a goodwill find from this past weekend.

Just a few more pictures left! This is the centerpiece for my dining room table. I put the one pumpkin on an iron trivet that I bought from Goodwill.

I just love this little squirrel! I got him at a garage sale this summer. I just had to have him when I saw him!

Last, but not least here is a picture of my front porch. It is a work in progress! We just got the new door and sidelight installed this summer. We want to build a small porch eventually, but until then this is what I have to work with.

The little pepsi crate wagon was also a product of garage sales this summer. I just love how the mums look sitting in it.

Well, I hope I didn't bore you too much with all of my fall fever pictures, thanks for stopping by!

I am linking to:

Weekend Update!

2010-09-13T17:59:00.000-07:00

I was so bummed on Saturday because it rained all day and I couldn't get out to very many garage sales. Luckily, Goodwill was having another 50% off sale. I can always depend on Goodwill to help me with my addiction. I didn't find too many things but I was able to find a few. I was also able to visit some of my favorite thrift shops!

I got these wooden candlesticks for $.50 a piece. I was able to find another coke bottle for $1.00. My mom gave me this cart. Gotta love free! I am thinking about using it as a mobile island in my kitchen. The leaf tray was also only a $1.00, I will be using it for my fall decorations.

I got this iron grate for $4.00 at one of my favorite thrift stores. I love the design of it!

I am a fool for frames! Again, this picture and frame only cost $1.00. I will show you tomorrow what I did with it.

I hope you all had a great weekend!

I am linking to:

Where were you when the world stopped turning?

2010-09-11T10:42:00.000-07:00

I wanted to just take a moment out from my normal decorating and thrifty finds posts to remember the importance of this date. It is a day that I know that I will never forget and I know that none of you will ever forget. I still get chills just thinking about the events that occurred on 9/11/01. It was one of the scariest moments for our nation. As you go out and about this weekend please just take a moment to remember this day, remember those who died, remember the heroes and remember why we love this country so much!

Winner of the CSN Stores Giveaway!

2010-09-11T10:25:00.000-07:00

Thank you all for entering into the CSN stores giveaway! I appreciate all of you and your lovely comments. Ok, now on to the winner of the $40 CSN stores giveaway. And the winner is............Calamity Anne! Anne wants to use the gift card towards a vessel sink. Congratulations to Anne! Please be sure to check out her blog, she has a lot of delicious recipes!

CSN Stores Giveaway Ends on Friday!

2010-09-09T14:10:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to let you all know that the CSN Stores $40 giveaway ends tomorrow! Check out this post to enter. You don't want to miss out on this giveaway!

Coke Bottle Soap Dispenser

2010-09-07T13:52:00.000-07:00

Finally, I am able to sit down and post one of the many projects I have been working on. Do you guys remember these Coke bottles I had found a few weeks ago? I got to thinking about how I needed a cool yet classy hand soap dispenser by my kitchen sink. Here comes the fun part! I was getting ready to put away my shampoo bottle that I had just bought and noticed it had a salon pump (instant light bulb went off). I thought to myself I wonder if this would fit on top of those coke bottles I just bought. So I took the pump off the shampoo bottle and put it on top of the Coke bottle and it was a perfect fit. I thought to myself "oh my gosh" this is too cool. Here are the steps on how you can make your very own:

1). Find a vintage Coke bottle (I used a smaller one, it looks like it is approx. 8" tall or so)

2). Use a salon pump from a Suave shampoo or lotion bottle. I haven't tried any other brand, but I prefer the silver pump.

3). I bought this 3 piece funnel set from Dollar Tree for $1.00. I used a funnel that would fit into the bottle and then I poured my soap into the bottle.

4). I cut the tube on the pump to fit the bottle. I didn't measure it exactly on much I needed to cut. I just held it up to the bottle and measured. After I cut the tube I screwed the pump onto the bottle. I did not use any glue or anything it just screwed right on.

It was a fairly easy project and it only cost $2.00 ($1.00 for the bottle and $1.00 for the funnels). I already had the shampoo bottle and the hand soap. I am just so please with how it turned out!

I am linking to:

Thrifty Decor Chick: Before and After Party

I am back!

2010-09-05T23:02:00.000-07:00

Whew, I just got done with a terrible ordeal with blogger! My account got hacked by spammers. To make a long story short I was finally able to re-set my password and get into my e-mail. One of my nice spammer friends tried to send a virus infected website to about 11 of my contacts, it sent a red flag to google and closed down my blog. I have been trying to figure out a solution for the last 4 hours. Finally, google sent me an e-mail to my backup account so I could re-set my password. I found the culprit once I opened my e-mail! I have a message to all of you spammers out there: Get a real job and leave all of us honest people alone! I must say I was mad at google at first but completely understand why they had to do it. The spammers were sending harmful messages to my followers. I am glad they never made it out of my mailbox.

Lessons I have learned today:
1). Change your passwords regularly
2). Backup your blog regularly (thankfully I backed mine up a few weeks ago)
3). Spammers SUCK! (pardon my bluntness)

I would like to send a HUGE thank you to my friend Debbie for noticing that my blog was gone and for her moral support. Debbie is a true blogger friend and a great host. Go check out her last post, she brings up some really great topics. I promise to never leave blogland on purpose without saying goodbye!

Garage Salen Days Drifting Away!

2010-08-30T18:34:00.000-07:00

Well folks, I can tell that summer is just about over with because the garage sales are dwindling and so am I. I love garage saleing, but I have not wanted to get up early nor have I wanted to deal with the heat. I went to two garage sales this weekend and I went to Goodwill's 50% off sale. I could have went to more garage sales but Goodwill was air conditioned. Here are a few of the finds from this weekend.

This cabinet was the only thing I bought at the garage sales. It was $25.00 and is very well made. It is a lot heavier than it looks. I have a little craft area set up in our basement and I am planning on using this cabinet to store all of my supplies. I am not sure if I am going to paint it or leave it as is. I kind of like the sage green color!

All of this other stuff came from Goodwill! The glasses were 12 cents a piece. You just can't beat those prices. I have seen these types of state glasses all over the place in blogland and in magazines. I only have 48 more states left to collect.

The sundae dishes are perfect for my little nieces and nephews. They are going to love visiting their Aunt Melissa!

One for the money, two for show and three to get ready! Can you name that tune? I just thought these glasses were too cool for words!

I got this wood tray for $2.00. I think it will look pretty with some fall decorations sitting on it!

Cute little sleigh for a $1.00! It says it was made by Hallmark cards...I think it might get a coat or two of spray paint.

And finally a little bucket that I picked up for $1.00. This is definitely getting spray painted!

I hope you are all having a good week! I am looking forward to the 3 day weekend with my family. I can't believe summer is coming to an end.

I am linking to:

CSN Stores Giveaway II!

2010-08-26T13:58:00.000-07:00

Guess what my friends? CSN stores has decided to offer my readers another giveaway for a $40 gift certificate. So, here is your chance to win if you missed out on the giveaway the first time! CSN has over 200 stores to shop from. They really have a great selection and there are so many different styles and colors to choose from. You should really go check out their site if you haven't already. I am especially loving their bedroom furniture sets! Here are a few of my favorites! I would love to have one of these sets in my guest bedroom, although I don't think my guests would ever want to leave once they see one of these bedroom sets.

Love the rich color of this bedroom set!

Beautiful headboard!

Here is how you can win this AWESOME giveaway!

Visit any of the CSN stores and leave me a comment telling me how you would spend the $40. Please leave your e-mail address in the comment so I can contact the winner.

Bonus Entries: (Please be sure to leave a new comment for each bonus opportunity)

1. Become a follower and leave a comment that you are a new follower.

2. Post something on your blog or sidebar about this giveaway and link back to Keep Calm and Decorate. Please leave me a comment letting me know about your post.

Rules For The Giveaway: This contest is open to US and Canadian readers. If you choose to purchase an item that does not have free shipping, you will be responsible for shipping costs. If you are in Canada, there may be Canadian fees that you will be responsible for. You must be 18 to enter.

The giveaway will end September 10th, 2010. I will pick the winner by using a random number generator. The winner will then receive an e-mail from me and will have 48 hours to reply before a new winner is chosen. Thanks for stopping by and taking advantage of this great giveaway. I look forward to hearing about how you would spend the $40 giveaway!

Winner of the Target Gift Card!

2010-08-25T17:51:00.000-07:00

Thank you for all of your support and participation in my giveaway! I appreciate all of my followers and your sweet comments. I must say that I am addicted to blogging as much as I am to garage saleing. Sometimes, I just can't wait to come home after work and read all of your posts and projects that you have done. I am so glad I have entered into the world of blogging!

Anyway, enough of the rambling and on to the fun stuff. The winner of the $25.00 gift card is........Jenny from Freebie Spot If you get an opportunity you need to go check her site out...she's got the scoop on all of the good deals (including free stuff).

Also, if you have time you might want to come back tomorrow I have another fun giveaway to share with all of you. Oh, I am also working on some home projects that I will be posting about soon! :)

Weekend Goodies!

2010-08-23T14:27:00.000-07:00

First of all I would like to thank all of the blog lurkers who finally became followers. LOL! I am so excited about all of the wonderful comments you all have left and for all of my new followers. I just wish I had more time to visit with each and everyone of you! I truly appreciate your kind words...it definitely keeps me inspired.

Now onto what I found this weekend. Garage sale season is winding down here, there just aren't as many sales as there were a month ago. It makes me sad because I LOVE garage saleing! Oh well, that just means that I will have more time to spend working on projects I bought at garage sales.

I created a list at the beginning of the summer of things that I wanted and found almost all of them. One thing on my list that was left to find was a glider rocking chair. Our neighbors down the street from us had a garage sale this past weekend and had this glider rocking chair for sale. I bought it for only $15.00! It is real wood and is very firm...it has a new home in my spare bedroom.

I found another cloche with a very unique plate. I am not going to paint this plate because it is too pretty! I got it for .50 cents.

I found these little coca-cola bottles at an antique store for a $1.00 each. I might have to go back and buy more. I have a little project up my sleeve with these cuties. Don't you just love the color of them?

This is a miniature chicken dish! I don't think I had ever seen a small version of these chickens. The dish cost $2.00.

I bought this Noah Ark's lamp for $3.00. I love the shape of the lamp and thought it would be cute painted a fun color...no offense to Noah and his Ark but it doesn't fit my style.

I bought this mirror at a thrift store...I think it has a paint job gone wrong. No worries...a little Oil Rubbed Bronze spray paint will take care of it. I got this mirror for $8.00. It was a little bit more than I wanted to pay but I have not been able to find these mirrors for less than $40.00 at retail stores so I bought it.

Lastly, I found these (6) glass globes for .25 cents a piece. I bought a new vanity light for my master bathroom and have been searching garage sales trying to find globes for the light. Patience is the key when garage saleing!

I hope you all had a good weekend and were able to come home with some cool treasures!

I am linking to:

http://creatingahouseofgrace.blogspot.com/

A Few Finds!

2010-08-17T18:30:00.000-07:00

First, I would like to thank all of you for your nice comments about having 100 followers! You guys are the BESTEST followers a girl could ever have. I apologize for not having the opportunity to visit you as much as I would like, but I truly do love all of your comments!

Ok, now on to what I found this past weekend! I was able to make it to a few sales so, I really don't have a lot to report about this week. I have just been way too busy to go garage saleing. Actually, it kind of bums me out because garage saleing is one of my favorite past times. Don't worry though I am planning on letting loose this weekend!

Ok, I might be addicted to chandys but how could I resist? Just look past the ugly, tarnished gold. Wouldn't she be pretty with a few coats of Oil Rubbed Bronze paint? It is a smaller chandy and I think it will look very elegant in my master bathroom. And I am not sure what is up about that cage looking thing on the top, it is coming off!

I forgot to post about these shutters a few weeks back. Have you ever been to a garage sale where everything is free? Well, I have been to two of them this summer. I know it sounds crazy but I can't make this stuff up folks, even if I wanted to. I found this pair of shutters and decided that they needed to go home with me. I am sure I can think of something to do with them.

I am linking to:

100 Followers Giveaway from Me to You!

2010-08-15T17:25:00.000-07:00

Wow, summer has sure flown by fast this year! One of the BEST things about this summer is getting to know all of you and sharing some of my favorite things with you! I have met such a talented group of people and can't wait to see what this next year will bring. I also realized now that I should have started this blog a long time ago...it has been such a great outlet for me. I also feel very blessed to have 100 followers and I appreciate all of you. So, in honor of having 100 followers I am going to do a giveaway for a $25.00 Target gift card. I hope you all love Target as much as I do!

Here is how you can win:

1. Please leave a comment letting me know that you are a follower. Sorry, this giveaway is only open to my followers. I don't want to be unfair, but my followers are the reason why I am having the giveaway. I love all of you blog lurkers too, but I must be fair to my followers. Please feel free to become a follower I would love that too!

2. Please leave a comment and tell me how you found my blog. Or let me know what was your favorite post on Keep Calm and Decorate!

3. I would LOVE it if you would post this giveaway on your blog or sidebar.

I will announce the lucky winner on Wednesday, August 25th using a random number generator!

Goodwill Finds

2010-08-11T18:55:00.000-07:00

The past two weekends have been jam packed with summer activities. I have not had anytime to go garage saleing. I did squeeze in a trip to my local Goodwill Store though. Lucky me, they had 25% off of everything sale...what is a girl to do? Well, when I go to any Goodwill I always come prepared. First, I go to the dishware section and then to the framed picture section and work my way through the store. I love the thrill of finding something unique and fabulous. Here are some pictures of my scores from Goodwill.

I thought the little bell was just too cute...I might put it outside on one of my patio's or in my kitchen somewhere. The bottle is a 1979 vintage 7up bottle. I have been searching everywhere for a juicer and found this one. It will be perfect for making lemonade.

I thought the coral vase filler was unique!

Another spray paint project! I have so many spray paint projects going on right now....I better start getting busy painting.

I only needed a fork or a spoon, but I couldn't decide which one I like better. I know they were less than a $1.00 a piece.

I can't resist white plates...I love the scalloped edges!

Oh and pretty picture frames!

The total cost was $13.29 for all this stuff...love you Goodwill!

I am linking to:

Thank You, Thank You, Thank You!!!

2010-08-09T18:08:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to say Thank You to all of my followers! I now have 100 followers and I still can't believe it!!! I never imagined that I would have so many followers. This blog has been such a wonderful experience for me and I have truly been inspired by all of you! I am planning on doing a giveaway later this week...so please stay tuned.

Silhouette Giveaway at Infarrantly Creative

2010-08-04T10:39:00.000-07:00

I have to share this great giveway at Infarrantly Creative . I am sure you have seen the projects that have been done on the Silhouette in blogland. So, You proabably already know that this thing is amazing! Be sure to check out Infarrantly Creative's blog and register for the giveaway!

Summer Highlights So Far!

2010-08-03T19:18:00.000-07:00

I wanted to share some highlights of things that I have done this summer. I feel like sometimes I get so involved with all of my projects that I forget to share some things about myself. First of all, I just wanted to say that one of my favorite highlights of the summer is getting to know each and everyone of you. I am so happy that I have entered into this wonderful world of blogging. You all have been so supportive and so sweet!

Last month the hubs and I went to a state park in Illinois and did some hiking. It was so nice to be able to just get away and spend time with each other. The state park had some amazing canyons! Here are a few pictures from the state park.

I also got to visit IKEA for the first time! Wow, it was an experience that is for sure. The store was huge...I mean gigantic. It was a bit overwhelming for me at first but I felt very inspired afterwards. If you ever get a chance to visit an IKEA you SHOULD do it at least once. I would also like to warn you that your husbands may not enjoy it as much as you might. My advice is to make sure there is a Bass Pro Shop within a few miles of IKEA. Sorry, I only got a picture of the store front. They also have a great website http://www.ikea.com/

Ok, this next picture is just for fun! I need some advice about this dress. Do you think yellow is a good color for me? It is very yellowy and I loved it but wasn't sure if it looked good. It is a great summer dress that I just might have to go back and buy, but I need some fashion advice.

I got to spend some time hanging out at the lake and enjoyed some boat rides with some great friends!

And This past weekend I celebrated my 5th wedding anniversary. I can't believe it has already been 5 years! It was a great anniversary weekend. We went to Michigan to visit some friends and we also got to see Brooks and Dunn. This is their final tour and there was no way I would miss seeing them. I apologize for the distance of these pictures. I am a thrifty girl and didn't buy the front stage tickets and all I had was my point and shoot camera.

It has been a really great summer so far and I hope you all are enjoying this summer as much as I have!

PurpleTrail Giveaway

2010-08-02T16:44:00.000-07:00

I have some exciting news to share, PurpleTrail has contacted me and would like to giveaway a one year basic membership to one of my lucky readers!

Some of you might be asking what is PurpleTrail? Well, I am glad you asked! PurpleTrail offers fully customizable printed cards and photo books, as well as ad-free online invitation and e-card services. Check out some of these cool designs! Oh, did I mention you can print these from home?

PurpleTrail also has party ideas and recipes!

Here is how you can win the One Year Basic Membership:

1). Go to the PurpleTrail website and choose a card design or party idea that you like. If you have a facebook account you can choose the design you like from there. After you have chosen the design come back to my blog and tell me which design you liked. Also, please include your e-mail address so I can e-mail the winner of the giveaway.

2). For a bonus entry I would LOVE it if you would become a follower! Also, please comment on this post so I know that you are a new follower.

The winner will be chosen using a random number generator. The giveaway will end on Saturday, Aug. 14th. I am looking forward to reading what designs you liked!

Loving My New Patio Table!

2010-08-01T17:44:00.000-07:00

Thank you for all of your wonderful comments! I really do read each and every comment. I am so fortunate to have such a great group of new friends. I am approaching my 3 month blogaversary and can't believe all of the wonderful comments and people that I have met. I would have never of dreamed that I would have 97 followers!

Ok, now on to the fun stuff! I have been waiting to share my new patio table with everybody. This table had some major transformations done to it. I am so happy with how it turned out. I have seen several websites and blogs that have made tables like this. I don't know if you remember back in June when I bought this table for $5.00 at a yard sale?

I didn't like the legs on the table. I really wanted farm-style table legs. I was very patient and determined to find table legs. I found these table legs for $10.00 at a garage sale later on.

I had my very sweet husband detach the old legs from the table and attach the farm-style legs. He had to screw in the legs from the top of the table. You can hide the screws with wood filler. We also added some gorilla glue in-between the legs and the table for some extra support.

I sanded and primed the table to make it easier to paint.

Now, on for the paint transformation. I decided to paint the top of the table brown to make it look like it was stained. I used flat, brown exterior paint for the top and painted the legs with the chowder color paint that I had left over from my patio. The brown paint is the Color Place brand (from Wal-Mart) and cost aboout $7.00.

Here is a picture of the table with the umbrella and place settings.

Almost everything on this table came from a garage sale or the Dollar Store. The bamboo placemats are from the Dollar Tree. There was a fabric border around them that did not match my color scheme. I took a seam ripper and took the fabric off of the placemats. Aww, I think it looks much better now!

Do you remember my whale napkin holders? The napkins are really kitchen towels from the Dollar Tree. I think they look like the real thing! I am going to have to go back and buy some white kitchen towels, too. I can't wait until we have our next barbeque so I can show off my new table! I hope you have enjoyed this transformation as much as I have.

I am linking to:

;

http://thriftydecorchick.blogspot.com/

Garage Salen Finds

2010-07-28T13:50:00.000-07:00

First of all I apologize for being MIA all week. This is a busy time of year for me at work. Unfortunately, I did not have a lot of time to go to too many garage sales. However, I always try to to fit in a few a week. On a side note, I wanted to say thank you to all of my new followers and for all your nice comments.

Now on to my finds from this weekend!

I found this folding rack that I am going to put in my spare bedroom for my guests bags and suitcases. I am going to spray paint it (of course) but I think I am going to leave the yellow and white fabric. The rack cost $3.25

I love vintage bottles...I don't know if you saw my dish soap bottle post but I am planning on doing something like that with this bottle and use olive oil or some other condiment . The cost for the bottle was 25 cents. I am searching for more bottles like this for my collection.

I have been on the hunt for a cloche and found this one. There are a lot of great ideas out there that my fellow bloggers have done to embellish these. This cloche cost $4.00.

I just loved this white jar. I am probably going to use this in my bathroom to hide my makeup. The cost was $1.50.

This is a vintage pyrex bowl. I love old pyrex bowls and they are so easy to clean. I paid $1.00 for this bowl.

The pumpkin cost $2.00. I like the color and design so I might not be spray painting this one.

I found this white dish and thought I could use it as a soap dish in my small bathroom. It is kind of beachy looking, don't ya think? This dish was only $.50 cents.

I found this wood bowl/tray. I thought it would look great with white candles sitting on the patio or on the dining room table. The cost for this was $1.00

Lastly, I found these vintage, christmas lights. I have always loved these chunky lights. The cost for the lights were $1.00.

Cost Breakdown:

Folding Rack: $3.00
Vintage Bottle: .25 cents
Cloche: $4.00
White Jar: $1.50
Pyrex Bowl: $1.00
Pumpkin $2.00
Soap Dish: .50 cents
Wood Tray/Bowl: $1.00
Vintage Christmas Lights: $1.00

Total Cost: $14.25

I am linking to:

Wicker Chair and Table Makeover

2010-07-21T13:58:00.000-07:00

Do you remember this wicker chair and table from one of my garage sale finds?

I am sure you guessed it by now that this baby got spray painted! The white looked O.K. but I think this wicker set needed some sprucing up. I painted both the table and chair with Krylon's, Gloss Leather Brown spray paint. It took about 4 coats and 4 cans of paint to cover the wicker.

I bought the chair pad on Ebay for $22.00. I love all of the different colors that has in it.

And here is she is in all of her glory! I was a little scared painting wicker but I think it looks pretty good.

I am linking to:

The Sunshine Award

2010-07-20T17:59:00.000-07:00

My sweet blogger friend Allison from A Glimpse Inside gave me the Sunshine Award! I would like to thank Allison for this award! Please be sure to check out her blog she is a very talented girl!

The rules are as follows:
1. Thank the blogger who gave it to you.
2. List 7 things that people may not know about you.
3. Pass the love to 15 deserving bloggers that you have discovered recently. (I am only going to pick 7 like Allison because that is a lot of people).
4. Let them know that you gave them an award

Here are 7 things that you may not know about me:

1. I have a Master's degree
2. I have lived in the same small town all of my life except during the years I went to college.
3. I am a big advocate for children, animals and the environment
4. I hate public speaking...I break out in a sweat and I can't talk (one on one I can talk your ear off)
5. I pray everyday!
6. I have had a lot of people say that my husband looks like Tom Cruise...and I never get sick of hearing it.
7. I love to watch documentaries (I know I am nerdy like that).

These are 7 things that I can think of about myself!

I would like to get to know more about these lovely Blog friends!

Nataile @ Carriage House Antiques
Kim @ My Domestic Bliss
Gloria @ The Little Red House With the White Porch
Kristin @ What Happens At Nap Time
Jennifer @ All That Glitters
Linda @ Itsy Bits and Pieces
Elizabeth @ Habitually Crafty

Tales from Junkville

2010-07-19T15:18:00.000-07:00

I had so much fun this weekend going to garage sales. I went to a neighborhood garage sale on Saturday and thought that I was in junkville paradise. Let's just say I had to restrain my self from buying something at every garage sale.

I have been on the look out for a chandelier all summer. I never thought that I would find this beautiful chandy! I found this little gem at the first garage sale I went to on Saturday. The lady who sold it to me was so sweet. She told me that she really loved this chandelier but just didn't have room for it in her house. I assured her that it would be well loved. She sold it to me for $5.00. I just love the design of it, so pretty and elegant!

These lamp shades were bought at a different garage sale and I thought they might look nice on the chandelier. They will need a little embellishment but I think I can make it work. I bought them for $1.50.

I found this Pepsi crate wagon buried under a very strange, 1990's painted stuffed bunny. The bunny came with the crate (needless to say the bunny now lives at Goodwill). The crate with the goodwill bunny cost $5.00. I am not sure if I am going to leave it as a wagon or take the wheels off. I think it is kind of cute how it is.

Isn't this little bird cage adorable? I bought it for $.75, I think it will be cute for spring and summer decorations. I am not sure if it is going to remain white, I might have to add some color.

The next is a small Pfaltzgraff canister. I love the colors of it. IKEA has a bedspread that kind of matches it that I would love to buy. The canister cost 10 cents.

I am a big fan of sweet tea and I needed a new jug. I was so happy when I came across this cute watermelon one. It doesn't look like it has ever been used. I bought it for a quarter even though it was marked $.50 this couple said I could have it for a quarter.

This little guy was just too cute to walk past. I saw myself enjoying a lot of mornings drinking coffee with this little owl. The coffee glass was $.50.

I am always on the look out for holiday decorations. I saw this cute turkey that I think might use a table decoration during Thanksgiving. The turkey cost $.50.

Ok, a few more things! I hope I am not boring you too much. I love to make cards for others but do not like to spend the money on the tools it takes to create the cards. I found a fellow card maker's garage sale on Saturday and came away with a lot of great stuff. All of the stuff in these 2 pictures cost $5.00. You can't even buy one stamp at Hobby Lobby for $5.00. I love the stitched stamp!

Breakdown of Costs:
Chandelier: $5.00
Lamp Shades: $1.50
Pepsi Crate: $5.00
Bird House: $.75
Pfaltzgraff Canister: $.10
Watermelon Jug: $.25
Owl Coffee Cup: $.50
Turkey: $.50
Card Making Tools: $5.00
Total: $18.60

I am linking to:

The Lettered Cottage: Favorite Yardsale Scores

CSN Stores Giveaway at Creative Decorating on a Budget

2010-07-16T11:26:00.000-07:00

I wanted to let you know about about another opportunity to win a CSN stores giveaway. Check out my friend Bonnie's blog at Creative Decorating on a Budget. She has a really great blog and some great projects, stop in and check them out!

Winner of the CSN Giveaway!

2010-07-15T15:23:00.000-07:00

I apologize for getting this up so late today! May I have a drumroll please..........and the winner of the $40 CSN stores gift certificate is Lucky 7 Design . The entry number was 29 and she wrote this as what she would purchase, "I would purchase Nature's Garden 3-pc Canister Set...but for my bedroom dresser to store my husbands clutter (wallet,keys,badge,change)". Lucky 7 has great taste! I posted a picture below of the canister set. If you get a chance go check out her blog. Thanks again for all of those who participated and to all of my new followers!

Don't Forget About The CSN Stores Giveaway!

2010-07-13T17:25:00.000-07:00

This is just a reminder that the CSN stores $40 giveaway ends tomorrow! Here is the post if you missed it the first time. This is a wonderful opportunity to win some great stuff for your home.

THIS GIVEAWAY HAS CLOSED. WINNERS WILL BE ANNOUNCED LATER TODAY (JULY 15, 2010). THANKS TO ALL OF YOU WHO PARTICIPATED!

Weekend Finds

2010-07-12T15:31:00.000-07:00

I hope everybody had a great weekend. Here are some pictures of my finds from this weekend.

I apologize for the orange blur....my cat decided to get in the picture. Here is a general picture of almost all of my finds.

The blue fish tea light holders have a sticker on the bottom that say they are from Pier1 and were $6.00...I got them for $.75 a piece.

This frame cost $2.00. I thought the frame had a pretty design.

This cute bird candle holder cost $1.00. I think it will be perfect for my spring decorations.

This iron fan was also only a $1.00...another spray paint project.

This is a Fire King dish. I have never seen this pattern before. It was only $.25. I thought I could put it on my desk for paper clips and rubber bands.

I just thought this bird glass was pretty. It cost $.25 and I might use it to store pens or pencils on my desk at work.

The last picture is a few pictures in one. The rabbit tea light holder cost $1.00. I am planning on using for Easter decorations. The lamp was only $1.25 and I also plan on spray painting it. The plates cost $.15 and I am planning on using them for my patio. There is also a little lantern that cost $1.00. I love lanterns!

Breakdown of Costs:

(2) Blue fish candle holders: $1.50
Frame: $2.00
Bird Candle holder: $1.00
Iron Fan: $1.00
Fire King Dish: $.25
Bird Glass: $.25
Bunny Candle Holder: $1.00
(5) Small Dinner Plates: $.75
Lamp: $1.25

Lantern: $1.00
Total Costs: $10.00

I am linking to:

A New Shadow Box

2010-07-11T16:46:00.000-07:00

I bought this magnetic dart board at Goodwill a few weeks ago for $.80. I thought it would make a great shadow box. First, I removed the dart board from the frame and painted it with some mis-tinted, semi-gloss paint that I got from Lowes for $2.00.

After I finished painting the box I had my husband cut a piece of bead board we had left over from another project. I glued the bead board to the box with gorilla glue.

I then hot glued some twine around the border of the frame to trim out the edges of the beadboard.

I then used gorilla glue to glue the star fish to the beadboard. I am going to hang it up in my guest bathroom. You can buy the picture hangers at any hardware store. I loved how it turned out!

I am linking to:

Please Stay Tuned!

2010-07-10T20:14:00.000-07:00

Hello Blogger Friends! Please stay tuned to a new template and some changes to my blog.

Weekend Finds

2010-07-06T14:18:00.000-07:00

I really did not have a lot of time to get to very many garage sales this weekend. The lake was calling my name! However, I was able to sneak in a few garage sales.

I picked up these little squirrels for my fall decorations. They are little tealight holders. I think they are going to look great on my mantle! Isn't the acorn adorable?

This is an old coffee pot. The lid is a little broken but I thought I could use it with out the lid. I think it would be cute with flowers in it or I could use it as a pitcher for these hot summer days.

The next picture is actually a gift for my dog, Ruby! I always feel bad that she has to bend her head down so far to get a drink of water. Now, she can just go up to the bowl and doesn't need to bend. Of course, this will be getting a few coats of spray paint.

This last purchase made me one very happy girl! I have been looking for pretty table legs for quite some time. You will all see in good time what I will be using these for. They came with a table top but I just wanted the legs. I was so happy when they said they would just sell me the legs!

Breakdown of the Costs:
(2) Squirrel Tealights: $.50
Vintage Coffee Pot: $.50
Dog Bowl Table: $2.00
(4) Table Legs: $10.00
Total Costs: $13.00

I am linking to:

Cheap Decorating Tips

2010-07-06T13:41:00.000-07:00

I wanted to share some great tips from Garage Sales Tracker about decorating on a budget. This is great site to use to map out where the garage sales are. Please be sure to check out the site and the youtube video in the post! I hope it gets your inner-creative junking juices going.

(Banner photo courtesy of Garage Sales Tracker)

A lot of the time when you are working on re-decorating your home you will find that it can become quite an expensive task to take on. So in these tough economic times it pays to get a little bit creative and to find places to bargain hunt.

The first that comes to mind is a consignment shop. These stores are great because it’s slightly used goods that are marked down and being sold at non-traditional retailers so you get to find items that are rare, unique, and reasonably priced. Most consignment shops have furniture and desks that really aren’t found elsewhere. For example an Armoire/dresser that is a nice wooden piece that can be purchased at many consignments for less than $200.00. There are always a ton of dining room tables and chairs as well as vanities and a handful of mirrors to place either in the bedroom or in one of the guest bathrooms. A lot of times you may not want to try to mix and match so some of the larger consignment shops will actually have full bedroom sets in which you can purchase and save yourself the hassle but being creative and piecing together different parts at a store is always part of the fun.

If a consignment store is a little bit too pricey for you than the next best alternative would be to shop at a garage sale since this cuts out the middle man at the consignment shop you can often find really amazing bargains for miscelleanous house hold items such as lamps, end tables, coffee tables, vases, patio furnitue, and if you hit a moving sale you can get just about anything you can imagine for the house.

Also if you are creative you can craft up really cool designs for the house with the miscelleanous items that are to be found at a yard sale. For example there is a lady who is known as the junk market queen who turns old trash into treasures from items found at a garage sale. You can take a handful of hard back book drill a hole in them and make it into a nice flower vase and other really creative ideas that you can see here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=--87q2ofEWY
The most important part is saving money, enjoying your re-decoration, and having fun with the concept of finding great items that fit your personality!

This article was written by Garage Sales Tracker specifically for this post. Happy Junkin' Y'all!

CSN Stores Giveaway!

2010-07-05T08:20:00.000-07:00

I have some great news to share with all of my WONDERFUL readers! CSN has given me the opportunity to do a giveaway for a $40 gift certificate to one lucky reader. CSN has over 200+ stores and has very many beautiful things for your home. I have been wanting to give my master bedroom a makeover for quite some time now and have had my eye on a new bed . I am in love with this tufted headboard from CSN. I think it stands apart from other beds and looks very elegant.

Isn't this bedding beautiful? I think it would look great on the tufted bed.

This bench would add some extra storage and would be a perfect fit for the end of the bed.

Here is how you can win this AWESOME givaway!

Visit any of the CSN stores and leave me a comment telling me how you would spend the $40. Please leave your e-mail address in the comment so I can contact the winner.

Bonus Entries: (Please be sure to leave a new comment for each bonus opportunity)

1. Become a follower and leave a comment that you are a new follower.

2. Post something on your blog about this giveaway and link back to Keep Calm and Decorate. Please leave me a comment letting me know about your post.

Rules For The Giveaway: This contest is open to US and Canadian readers. If you choose to purchase an item that does not have free shipping, you will be responsible for shipping costs. If you are in Canada, there may be Canadian fees that you will be responsible for. You must be 18 to enter.

The giveaway will end July 14, 2010. I will pick the winner by using a random number generator. The winner will then receive an e-mail from me and will have 48 hours to reply before a new winner is chosen. Thanks for stopping by and taking advantage of this great giveaway. I look forward to hearing about how you would spend the $40 giveaway!

Christmas in June

2010-06-30T14:13:00.000-07:00

Remember my post from way back when? I was desperately wishing (actually obsessing) for a new camera! Well, after 500 trips to Best Buy and a very patient husband....I finally bought a Nikon D5000. I thought I was in love with the D90 but once I tested the D5000 out and realized there was not much of a difference the choice was easy. The D5000 also came with an extra zoom lens which was the big sell for me.

Here are some of the pictures that I have taken with my new camera. Everything is in full bloom here and I am loving it!

And last but not least, without further ado...making his first blogspot appearance is Rocky the Big Orange Cat. He thinks one day he will be on the cover of GQ. I hope you all are having a good week! Thank you for all of your wonderful comments and to all of my new followers!!!

I Love Being Thrifty

2010-06-28T15:25:00.000-07:00

I had an awesome weekend full of great finds! It just amazes me the things that you can find at a garage sale. I must say I am somewhat addicted to garage sales (just in case you had not noticed). I will get up at the crack of dawn to go to a garage sale. The deals just can't be beat and who wants to pay full price for anything and you meet great people. Here is what I found this past weekend.

I was very fortunate to come across not one but two vintage Coca-Cola crates. You might have seen these at Pottery Barn.. I paid $4.00 a piece for them...Pottery Barn sells them for $24.00.

My next purchase were these fun blue shoes. I love blue shoes! Macy's had Steve Madden blue suede shoes last fall that I absolutely loved. And since I am a thrifty kind of girl there was no way I was going to pay $80.00 for them. I found these little gems for $2.00.

I bought this glass star for $3.00. It is so unique and pretty!

I found this little coffee table/bench for $1.00. The person I got it from said she bought it at an auction last week for $1.00 and didn't have anywhere to put it. She just wanted to get her money back from what she spent on it. It is a very firm piece of furniture and I am still in complete shock that it was only $1.00. I can't wait to start transforming it!

Breakdown of Costs:
(2) Coca-Cola Crates = $8.00
Blue Shoes = $2.00
Glass Star = $3.00
Coffee Table/Bench = $1.00
Total Cost = $14.00

I am linking to:

Painted Patio Tiles

2010-06-22T17:15:00.000-07:00

The painted patio was a lot of work but well worth it. I wasn't sure at the beginning of this project how it would look once it was completed. I am so happy with the results. First, we had to power wash all of the mold and dirt off of the patio.

Once we power washed everything we than filled in the cracks. We bought the cement filler at Lowes, but any home improvement store would carry it.

After the cracks were all filled and dried we then primed the patio with mold resistant primer.

After the primer dried we painted the patio Valspar Porch and Floor Oil paint. The color is called Chowder. This color was used to make the colors of the lines. On a side note, make sure you use a roller brush that is made specially for cement. The cement roller brush will make your life a lot easier in the long run.

After the paint dried we taped the section into 16" X 16" squares. We left about 8" of the chowder color for the border. We used 1" Frog Tape to tape off our lines.

After the patio was all taped down we painted the entire patio with the second color called, Rusted Earth Valspar Porch and Oil Paint.

Now, for the part you have all been waiting for. We pulled off the tape after 24 hours of drying and had this as our end result.

I think it makes the patio look so much bigger and inviting. Now, I just have to fill it with patio furniture. I am hoping someday that we will be able to build a pergola over the patio. We hardly have any trees and the extra shade would be nice.

I am linking to:

Weekend Goodies

2010-06-21T15:41:00.000-07:00

First of all I apologize for my lack of blogging. Summer is in full force at my house and it is hard for me to pull myself away from the great outdoors. Also, thank you for all of your wonderful comments and to all of my new followers. I am still in shock that I now have 43 followers. Ok, now let's get to the good stuff.

I love these cute whale napkin rings. I think I am going to use them outside on my patio table. Aren't they just too cute for words?

This little green planter is also going to be used on my patio. I love the colors and the design. The bottom of it says Haeger. I had never heard of this name before. It has brown drip specs in it too. I don't think the picture serves it any justice.

Lastly, this last picture is a Roseville Brown Drip casserole dish. I love the size and color of it.

Breakdown of Costs:
(3) Jar Wooden Lid Canister Set = $1.50 (These will be used for storing ribbons and stamps)
(1) Yellow Picnic Style Table Cloth = $4.00
(4) Wooden Whale Napkin Rings = $2.50
Roseville Pottery = $2.00
Green Planter = $2.00
Total Cost = $12.00

I am linking to:

Addicted to Garage Sales

2010-06-14T17:31:00.000-07:00

Hi my name is Melissa and I am addicted to Garage Sales. I am so excited to share my great deals with all of you. I was fortunate to go to 3 neighborhood garage sales and a barn sale.

This is what my little, 1999 Saturn looked like after I hit the garage sales. It was tricky getting that wicker chair in the front seat but by golly I did it. Notice the chair leg sticking out of the window. I had to roll the window down and leave it down in order to get this puppy to fit. At least it didn't rain until the last 5 minutes of my drive home.

Here are some group pictures of all the treasures that I found. I am loving this wicker chair and table. I have already spray painted it and will post about it when I get a chair pad for it.

Here are some close up pictures. I love those ice skates, they are going to be used at Christmas time for decoration. The 2 little tea light lanterns are going to be so cute on my patio. I have always liked globes but I did not want a big one, found this little guy and it looks perfect on my foyer table.

I also found 2 jean skirts. I bought them both because I couldn't decide between the two of them. One is from Old Navy and the other is Silver. Also, found this black Coach purse for $10.00. I am not sure if it is a real Coach or not but it was still a cute purse.

Here is a better picture of the wicker table.

Total Costs:
Wicker Chair = $10.00
Wicker Table = $10.00
Coach Purse = $10.00
(2) Tea Light Lanterns = $2.00
Ice Skates = $3.00
(2) Denim Skirts = $3.00
Mini Globe = $.25
Total = $38.25

I am linking to:

Gotta Love Modge Podge

2010-06-13T18:15:00.000-07:00

Today was the first time I had ever used Modge Podge and I gotta say that I LOVE it! It is so easy to use and the results are awesome. I decided that I wanted to do something simple for the 4th of July. I have a jar in my kitchen that I always try to decorate for each holiday. While I was at my local Dollar Tree yesterday I noticed these American flag napkins and a light bulb went off in my brain....I could use Modge Podge on these. I had bought these styrofoam balls and Modge Podge from Hobby Lobby a few months ago. I didn't really have any big plans for them until yesterday.

I first unfold the napkin and cut it into fourths. I used 1/2 of the napkin to cover each ball with the Modge Podge. It was a little tricky trying to wrap a napkin around a round object and I soon realized that it is OK if it is not perfect. I just took the napkin corners each piece at a time and covered with Modge Podge. Once I had all of my corners taken care of I then applied Modge Podge over the entire ball.

After the Modge Podge dried (takes about 15-20 minutes but if you are going to stack them like I did 30 minutes is better) I stacked them in my jar. It was a very easy project and the napkins only cost $1.00. I also thought about maybe stapling or gluing twine to them and hanging them from my patio umbrella. The other nice thing about napkins from Dollar Tree is that they change every season. You could create these for each holiday.

I am linking to:

http://www.centsationalgirl.com/2010/06/stars-and-stripes-party/

Tickled Pink

2010-06-12T13:39:00.000-07:00

I was invited to join Pink Saturday at How Sweet The Sound. You just have to post about something pink. I love linky parties! Here are a few pictures of the pink stuff that I own. I also have a very lovely, red-headed, 4-legged assistant who goes by the name of Ruby who just had to show off her pink scarf.

Some of my other favorite pink items are the quilts that my grandmother made and gave to me. I love the pattern on the first quilt. I don't know what the pattern is called but I know it takes a lot of time to create. She gave me the quilt that has the little girls in bonnets for my bridal shower. Unfortunately, she died a week before I got married. This was the last gift she ever gave me. It is a very special quilt for me.

The final picture is my cupcake charm. My friend bought me a Juicy Couture charm bracelet for my 30th birthday. I got this little cupcake charm from my in-laws for Christmas.

More Weekend Treasures

2010-06-07T17:36:00.000-07:00

I had another successful weekend of garage sales. The next town over from where I live was having their annual town wide garage sales. Needless to say I was in garage sale heaven! Here is a breakdown of the costs:

(3) light fixture = $2.00

Owl Coaster = $1.00

Pear = $.50

Stampin Up Stamps = $7.00 ($4.00 for 1 set and $3.00 for the other)

The Outdoor Patio Table = $5.00

Total Cost = $15.50

I was pretty excited about the $5.00 table. It needs some TLC but it has a lot of potential! I hope you all had a great weekend. Also, I wanted to say THANK YOU to all of my new followers and for all of the sweet comments. You all have so many wonderful ideas and I love reading your blogs!

I am linking to:
http://www.reinventedkb.com/2010/06/trash-to-treasure-tuesday.html

Letter Organizer

2010-06-06T19:50:00.000-07:00

I bought this letter holder last week at Goodwill and decided that the pink flowers just had to go. They were cute but just not my style.

Here is a before picture of the letter holder.

I spray painted the holder with Krylon, satin ivory paint. The old cabinet knobs came from our kitchen. I spray painted the knobs with Krylon, oil rubbed bronze paint.

I secured the knobs to the holder with Loctite Putty Epoxy. You can find the putty at any hardware store. I was pretty amazed at how well it worked. I also wanted to label the holder somehow but didn't want to commit to something that would be on it forever. So, I thought that I would make these little tags that could be switched around. I used scrapbook paper and paper punches to create the shapes of the label and the 2 holes on the top for the ribbon.

I am very pleased with how it turned out and can't wait to start using it. The best part is the only cost was that of the letter holder. The knobs, paint and labels came from stuff that I already had. I find that I am more creative by using things around the house instead of buying more or new things. I try to use this rule with almost all of my projects when possible. You should try it sometime if you haven't already. I think you would be surprised by how creative you can be.

I am linking to:

Spinach and Mushroom Lasagna Roll-Ups

2010-06-03T14:59:00.000-07:00

I wanted to share with all of you one of my favorite recipes. I love Italian food and I think lasagna would have to be in my top five for favorite foods.I found a recipe similar to this from The Food Network and my Betty Crocker cookbook. I have tried different ways to make it and I think this is my favorite so far. Also, did I mention that this recipe is a healthier version of lasagna. So, don't feel guilty when you take that second helping.

Ingredients
1 lb. container of low fat cottage cheese (small curd)
1 egg
1 tbsp. Oregano or any Italian seasoning
1/4 c. of Grated Parmesean Cheese
1 - 9 oz. Package of Frozen Chopped Spinach
1 - 6.5 oz. Canned Mushrooms
8 to 9 -Whole Wheat Lasagna Noodles (you may only need 8 noodles depending on how you stuff the noodles)
2 C. Low-Fat Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
1 jar or 24 oz. of Spaghetti Sauce (I like tomato and basil)

First, you will boil the lasagna noodles according to the directions on the package. While the noodles are cooking you can put the following ingredients in a large bowl and mix: cottage cheese, egg, Italian seasoning or oregano, parmasean cheese, can of mushrooms and the spinach (de-thawed).

After the noodles have cooked and cooled you can take about 1/3 cup (could be more depending on how big you want to make them) of the mixture and spread it out on a flat, lasagna noodle. After, you have the mixture spread out on the noodle you can start rolling it up. I would put the seam facing down in a 9 x 13 pan. (Note: if you are using a dark coated pan you might want to slightly grease the pan with olive oil first)

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. After the noodles have all been rolled up you can top them with spaghetti sauce. I use the whole jar because we are saucy kind of people but if you don't like a lot of sauce maybe go for only half of the jar. I then top the roll-ups with shredded mozzarella cheese (I use about 2 cups). Cover the pan with aluminum foil and then you just pop it in the oven. Cook it for about 35 minutes covered and then pull the foil off and let it cook another 5 to 8 minutes un-covered. I usually serve the lasagna with salad and garlic toast. Enjoy!

Goodwill Finds

2010-06-01T17:06:00.000-07:00

I didn't get to go to any garage sales this weekend, but I did go to Goodwill on their 50% off sale day. I didn't really find a whole lot but I am happy with what I did find. I was able to score 2 serving trays, wall letter holder, a cute canister with a wooden lid and a kleenex box cover. I believe my total price was around $5.50.

This first picture is of the letter holder. I have been searching for one of these for a long time! I think this purchase might have a future date with a can of spray paint.

And here are the pictures for the rest of my Goodwill finds!

I am linking to:

Welcome Home: Garage Entrance Re-Do!

2010-05-31T17:59:00.000-07:00

I hope everybody had a nice Memorial Day weekend! It sure was nice to have an extra day off from work. Also, I would like to say thank you to all of my new followers and for all of your comments. You all have inspired me so much! Ok, enough of all that back to the project that I am supposed to be posting about.

We never use our front door. I come home from work and I park in the garage and enter the house through the back door. I have thought the entrance from the house to the garage was just so depressing! After five years of coming through this door it was time for a change.

I also need to apologize for the before pictures that I had for this little chair. My camera revolted against me and somehow my memory card got corrupt. I think my camera knows that I am looking to upgrade it. :)

In lieu of the rebellious camera incident I included a picture of this desk to show you what the chair's color looked like before it got painted. Also, look at that gross white vinyl that used to be the chair's pad.

The next picture is the After picture of the chair. I got the chair from my grandparent's house. It was going to Goodwill (of course I could not let that happen). I think the chair is adorable! I spray painted it with Krylon, Satin Ivory paint. The paisley fabric was remnant fabric from a local fabric store. The fabric itself only cost $3.48. I have a little left over that I am going to use for a pillow.

Here is the part you have all been waiting for! I sanded and primed the steps first and then painted them two different colors. I think it kind of gives it more of a cottage feel. I used white Ace Royal exterior paint and for the beige color I used Color Place (Wal-Mart brand) exterior paint. The Color Place paint is good to use for this project but I would not recommend it if you have steps that are exposed to the outside elements all year round.

Here is the After picture! It looks a little more welcoming if you ask me. Does that little welcome bird on the door look familiar? I bought him last weekend at a garage sale . I used a 3M plastic hook to put the welcome plaque on the door. I also put a little plant stand and flowers on the step to spruce it up for summer. I like having a chair by the door so you can sit down and take off your shoes (especially for the husband). Sometimes his shoes can get a little nasty after mowing the yard or working out in the garage. I am pretty excited with how it turned out. If anything it makes my end of the day better.

I am linking to:
Under The Table and Dreaming
Making the World Cuter Monday
Domestically Speaking

The House That Built Me

2010-05-25T17:19:00.000-07:00

I wanted to share one of my new favorite songs with all of my friends. I wouldn't usually post something like this but I think this song is pretty special! It is titled: The House That Built Me by Miranda Lambert. I think it is song that holds true to anybody. We can all think of a home growing up or even now that built us. A house is made up of more than wood and concrete...love really does make a house a home. My mom and dad still live in the house that I grew up in. I had a small, bedroom that I had to share with my sister. Their house is filled with many of my favorite childhood memories. I don't have any children yet but I hope that someday when I do they will remember their home as the house that built them.

(The song might take awhile to load depending on your internet connection)

I am linking to Always Nesting. I am celebrating life!

Weekend Treasures

2010-05-24T19:02:00.000-07:00

I am addicted to garage sales! I love buying stuff and knowing that I am getting a great deal. Here are some of my finds from the weekend. I apologize for the quality of some of the photos By the way, thank you for the camera suggestions, the Cannon Rebel seems to be the popular choice.

There are several things shown here. The bluish/gray bowl is made by Dansk. The color is Santiago Gray. I got on the Dansk website and found the Black and White Santiago for $57.50 on sale. Umm, I only paid $1.00. I think this was my biggest deal of the day. The bird plate is from Pier1. I paid $2.50 for it. Pier1 still carries it for $5.00. Those two white square things in the back were $.50 for the set. I will probably spray paint them. The little bird decoration was $2.00 and the Ball jar was $1.00. The lantern was $5.00. I saw these lanterns at Pottery Barn and thought the one I bought kind of looked like them (minus the chrome top and hinges).

I also found this cute, orange Nine West purse for $5.00. I don't think it had ever been used. It is a great size and color for summer!

I am linking to:

A Patriotic Table Makeover

2010-05-23T16:06:00.000-07:00

I got this table for free (bonus) and saw lots of potential for it. I'm guessing it's about 50 to 60 years old. It came from my grandparents house. It was painted a dark red on the top and the legs were dark blue. I first had to sand and prime the table. I then painted it with white semi-gloss, exterior house and trim paint from ACE Hardware (my favorite place to buy paint). The front is painted with (you guessed it) chalkboard paint. And in honor of Memorial Day I drew an American flag. I think after Memorial Day I am going to probably put our house number on it or our last name. I love chalkboard paint because I can change my mind a million times on what I want to display. I hope you all had a nice weekend!

BEFORE

AFTER

I am Linking to:

Domestically Speaking
Just a Girl: Show and Share Day

http://www.centsationalgirl.com/2010/06/stars-and-stripes-party/

Wishing!

2010-05-21T19:42:00.000-07:00

I must confess that I am in love with the Nikon D90 camera! If I had a few extra bucks laying around I would go buy this camera. Isn't she a beaut? I currently have a Nikon Cool Pix camera and I like it but it just isn't the same as the D90 (sigh). I have also heard that the Canon Rebel is just as good and it's cheaper (I like cheaper). Is there anybody that has a Canon Rebel that would be willing to share how they feel about the Canon?

Memories of Grandma

2010-05-20T13:55:00.000-07:00

I inherited these bowls from my grandma after she passed away. They make me smile every time I open up my kitchen cupboard. My grandma would always make tapioca pudding for me and put it in one of these bowls (she was so sweet). I remember feeling so special because she made it just for me! My FAVORITE bowls are those with the little pink flowers on them.

The collection was made by Fire King and I am guessing they date back to the 1950's.

I sure do miss my sweet, little grandma!

New Use for an Old Bottle

2010-05-17T16:09:00.000-07:00

I have always dis-liked the plastic dish soap bottles. They really are an eye sore for me and I have spent years hiding them under my kitchen sink. I saw this old bottle at a thrift store and a light bulb went off in my head. I thought it would be so cool sitting on my sink rather than the plastic bottle. The bottle cost $3.00 and I used the top off an oil bottle that I got at the dollar tree.

I am going to buy yellow soap after I run out of the green to make it look like actual lemonade. Dishes are not fun to do but at least this makes it a little better!

I am linking to:

The Real McCoy & Other Garage Sale Treasures

2010-05-16T19:03:00.000-07:00

I wanted to share some of my garage sale finds from this weekend! I got some really good deals. Isn't there just something so exciting about getting a good bargain?

I was able to get these little beauties for $.50 a piece. That's right folks $.50 per bowl. These are real McCoy bowls. These aren't as valuable as some of the other McCoy pottery but they are definitely nice to have in a collection. I am a big fan of their cookie jars! I can't wait until the day I find one of those at a garage sale.

I was also able to find these two little birds for $.50 a piece and this vintage Pfaltzgraff creamer pitcher for $.50.

Also, I'd like to say thank you to all of my new followers! It really is inspiring to me to read your lovely comments. I hope you all had a great weekend! I have some more projects up my sleeve and hopefully I will be able to share them with you soon.

I am linking to:

Pyrex: Old and New I Love You

2010-05-13T14:06:00.000-07:00

First of all I would like to give a shout out to my two new followers. Marla from Always Nesting and Loose Sparrow. I was so excited to see that I have followers. I was worried that nobody would ever read this thing. I would like to also thank all of you for your lovely comments. It really makes me smile! Anyway, back to our regularly scheduled programming.

I have loved vintage Pyrex ever since I was a little girl. My grandma has a set of bowls that I just loved. I am a collector of the colored bowls but I will use anything Pyrex. It is just the best stuff on earth. No offense Rubbermaid but Pyrex is number 1 in my book.

I bought these bowls at one of my favorite local thrift stores at 3 different times. They make me so happy and I didn't pay more than $10 for any of them. Gotta love these kind of deals! Of course, my collection is still growing.

This little platter came from my grandma. I love the little flowers along the edge. I actually have two of these. They are great to use for grilling!

I also have a Fire-King collection but I will save that for a different post. Keep those comments coming!

Use Your Silverware!

2010-05-12T18:25:00.000-07:00

For some reason I have gotten on this kick of decorating with silverware. I think it makes a great conversation piece and is very unique.

This first picture actually has a cool story to it. This set of silverware came from my husband's grandpa. The handles say "U.S." on them. We are assuming he used these during his time in war. His grandpa gave them to my husband so he could use them for camping. My husband was cleaning up some things in the basement one day and I saw them and snatched them right out of his hand. I don't know why he thought it would be weird of me to decorate with them. Needless to say I owe him some camping silverware. I thought the silverware needed a frame to display them. The frame was a $1.00 at Goodwill and all I had to do was wash it (BONUS - no paint required).

This fork was black when I bought it from Hobby Lobby. I think it cost a whopping $3.00. I painted it white and stenciled the initial of our last name.

The next fork project was a vinyl silverware decal that I bought from Stampin Up. I didn't want to put it on my wall because I could only remove it one time. Since, I am somewhat in-decisive I decided to put it directly on the glass. I took the backing off of the frame to make it look like it's floating. I used poster putty to secure the glass to the frame (this stuff works like magic). I think it turned out pretty cool!

I love this next piece of decor! I bought it at a middle school craft bazaar 4 years ago. It is a little plane made out of silverware.

I found this idea for "fork hooks" from Etsy. They are very unique and funky!

A Napkin Ring from Elite Choice

And these little cuties (Garden Markers) from Etsy

I hope you have enjoyed my "using your silverware" ideas.

Home Office Inspiration

2010-05-10T18:45:00.000-07:00

My home office is very boring. It is definitely not a place I enjoy and for some reason it is the only room in the house that I haven't painted. It has become the forgotten room. Here are some pictures that are inspiring to me. Maybe I'll be inspired so much that I will make some changes to this forgotten room.

This first picture is from My Home Ideas . I LOVE the green and the built-ins!

I like how this one has a warm, cottage feel to it. Look at that fabulous memo board.

Country Homes and Interiors

Check out the color of this chair! This office is very simple and elegant. I would have never of thought to put the blue chair with the black and white wallpaper. It certainly makes the office more appealing.

Southern Accents

Ok, maybe I am starting to feel a little inspired.

Mason Jars: Not Just for Canning!

2010-05-09T19:34:00.000-07:00

I just love Mason jars (especially aqua color). They can be used for so many things. Here are some pictures of how I use them in my home.

I found this idea at Weeping Cheeries

I also like this idea from PoshPosh

Just in Time For Summer a Mason Jar Lantern from re-nest

If you use Mason jars in your home please leave a comment and tell me how you use them. I just love how versatile and CHEAP these jars are!!!

Keep Calm and Eat Cupcakes!

2010-05-08T22:30:00.000-07:00

I just love all of the "Keep Calm" sayings that I have been seeing lately. I really wanted to do something unique in my kitchen and did not want to spend a lot of money. I went to one of my favorite Goodwill stores (of course on a day they were having their 50% off sale) and picked up a frame. The frame cost $1.50 and I had bought chalkboard paint to use on another project. I painted the frame white with paint that I had already had and had my husband cut a piece of plywood for me to fit the frame. I painted the plywood with the chalkboard paint and used finishing nails to secure the plywood to the frame. Lastly, I wrote one of my favorite sayings on the chalkboard, "Keep Calm and Eat Cupcakes". It makes me smile every time I walk into my kitchen. You could also use it for your weekly menu, grocery list or a to-do list.

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I am linking to Under The Table and Dreaming for the Sunday Showcase Party.

Today's Creative Blog: Get your Craft On

Organizing Your Necklaces

2010-05-07T19:41:00.000-07:00

I always got so tired of having to de-tangle my necklaces. I found this wooden spool rack at Wal-Mart. Now, I can just go to my closet and pick out a necklace without having to fight with de-tangling them. I also use it for my bracelets. It's amazing how little things like this can make your life so much easier. How do you keep your jewelry organized?

A Birdie Makeover

2010-05-06T19:07:00.000-07:00

I just had to post this picture of this little bird that I got at Goodwill. He was only a $1.25. I spray painted the bird with Krylon, Ivory Satin paint. I bought the paint at Wal-Mart for about $2.97. I bought the spanish moss at the Dollar Tree. The little ivory pedestal was bought at a local thrift shop for $3.00. Total cost of the project only $7.22. I just think he is absolutely adorable! Here are some before and after pictures.

BEFORE

AFTER

Linking to Thrifty Decor Chick: Before and After Party!

Reinvented: Trash To Treasure

Entering into the Land of Blogging!

2010-05-05T18:27:00.000-07:00

Hello, my name is Melissa! I feel like I am entering into the great unknown of Blogland! Actually, I kind of feel like Dorothy Gayle after she lands in OZ. Anyhoo, I decided to start a blog to hopefully inspire others AND to be inspired by others. Decorating has always been a way for me to de-stress and to keep calm! I LOVE good deals and I love telling everybody about the good deals that I get. I am a firm believer that you can paint anything and I mean anything. It's amazing how cheap paint is and how it can make something look like a million bucks. I also like anything homemade, there is just something so unique and special about handmade gifts. And of course I love clothes, jewelry and anything that smells good! I am very excited about entering into the wonderful world of blogging and I hope that I will have at least one reader along the way.