I am a bargain decorator....major. Bargain decorating has its pros and cons. It's takes more work, creativity, time, and patience BUT costs less, and gives you a feeling of accomplishment. I have a strategy...it's quite extensive, but I'm always SO happy when I'm done. When I know I want to decorate for a new season, I start with looking around for ideas. I thumb through magazines at the store, browse martha stewart's website, and this year, I looked at blogs. Then, I take out ANYTHING i could use that I already have....such as fabric in the right colors, pretty glasses, frames, food, and miscellaneous stuff I've gotten at garage sales. My house becomes a wreck to help hone my creative process. I assess what I have and try to put it around the house...this way I can tell if I need more. So by this time, I have modern ideas/inspiration floating in my head, I know what I have to work with....now it's time for BARGAIN HUNTING. Off to St. Vincent. I find great candle holders and candles. At the dollar store I get some pumpkins and orange stuff to help round out the splashes of orange I want to use. I bring it all back, and start arranging....then I have to clean up whatever I don't use, and I'm done. Here are the results.
Pillows! I sewed the orange one last year....super cheap cuz I made a slipcover for a pillow I already had...and by doing this, you only have to sew 3 seems, one hem, and NO HANDSTITCHING. Plus, when the season is over, I take it off and throw on something different. For the back, I used spare fabric I already had too. Oh yeah. 
These pics are for my sister. She just finished interior design school, and I needed help deciding what color to paint the living room. She rescued Chad and I from almost doing orange....when we have a yellow dining room across the hall. Talk about citrus, psycho clown circus house. I've NEVER been happier with a wall color....BEAUTIFUL...thanks Nicole. Anyway, I found the perfect curtains for them. I'm am a genius. They are 2 twin sheets from Wal-mart, less than $6 a panel! I didn't have to sew ANYTHING. I just cut slits in the top so the rod could go through it. Plus, they are twice as wide as normal curtain panels so I have more room to gather them. Now, it really helps balance the blue accent wall and anchor the window. Booyah!
This is my orange motif. I love changing the rocks in our fish's bowl depending on what look I'm going for. Last time, I did yellow and green rocks for the beginning of the Duck football seaon. We love our goldfish, and they are also my favorite decoration in the house...lol. One of them was from a centerpiece at our wedding, and the other we adopted from Chad's sister Hailey. Bruno and Patrick are so happy, and they perfectly match the fall season. 
Okay, I admit this centerpiece is kinda ugly, but if I had bigger, better candles it would be a ton better. But lets face it, nice candles are spendy, and they don't last that long if you actually burn them.
These are Martha Stewart inspired, and they cost me $0. I painted funky frames I already had. Then I printed out cool templates from Martha's website. I cut out the figures in fabric I already had, and covered cardboard from cereal boxes with fabric for the background. The fabrics have subtle patterns on them for more dimension. I glued the shapes on with a glue stick. I just love them. Oh, and the little shelf? $.50 at a garage sale. Now I can sit back, and enjoy my house.....MMMMmmmmm, I feel like cider.
8 comments:
Jess you are so funny, I was seriously laughing through that whole thing. You guys have such a cute place, and i'm jealous of your creativity and knack of putting things together and decorating. SO cute!!
WOW! You totally remind me of Amy! You're place is way cute and I love all your decorations! Also, that is so funny about the curtains because the first thing I thought when I saw the picture (before reading about the curtains) was: those are nice curtains, I wonder if she made those. What a good idea!
I love the color you painted your front room! I wish I could decorate a home as beautiful as you do. Next time I come to town you, Rhonda, Linds and I will have to go hunting for bargains at garage sales! I'm so glad I came across your blog. I love you guys!
Ok, where to begin: I am the same as Danielle, I before I read the blog- I noticed your curtains and I thought- "what the heck- those are nice curtains....how'd she get a hold of those?!!!" They look so good. I love that the curtains go all the way to the ground. I wish mine did, but that's all the fabric I had. But that's so what's in style right now- all the way to the ground. OK- I love the wall painted. You're so lucky, I wish we could paint our apartment. OK- all the decor: I love the orange pillow, I like how you designed it with the lines. And I love those orange vine, branch whatever they are things. Where did you get those? You didn't get those from the dollar store did you? I loved all of it. I also love to bargain shop. It's very hard for me to buy something expensive, and I love to go garage saling. And I love Value Village, do you go there? it' really cheap- I think vincent is way expensive. I'd love to go garage saling with you- except- we'd probably go for the same stuff :( haha. I love the bat and owl- You have inspired me to do more!
I had to say, I love your leather couches. So ritzy looking. I wish they were mine. Also, LOVE the framed black and whites. Such a good idea! Greg, isn't big into decor unless it's classy and I think those qualify!
ok I am obsessed with you!!!!!!! for REAL MAN that is all so incredible!!! I'm so proud of you jess- you're house is SO CUTE! i can just imagine you doing all of this and being so proud of yoruself and you sound SO FUNNY! I LOVE IT!
you should be proud of yourself. it's SUPER impressive ;)
Impressive decorating! I like the goldfish too. Speaking of which, we also have a goldfish from your wedding: Chad. We used to have Chad and Jessica, but alas, Jessica went to her fishy maker in the water(not sky!). Chad is still going strong and has a hearty harem of other fishy girlfriends that appeared out of the blue one morning. Had Chad given birth? No, they just swam home with Emily after the Senior all-night party two years ago.
I just re-read what I wrote. I really can spell. I think Chad has a hardy harem...by now I'm brain dead though and I may rethink it again after I post this comment. It usually works that way.
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