Thifty Decor - My first attempts.... =0)

Well I managed to get some projects done this past weekend and take some pics. They aren't anywhere near as fabulous as some of my thrifty decor blog counterparts but I'm pretty proud of my first attempts. So here we go:

1) We're re-decorating my daughter's bathroom and within a VERY tight budget. We used a can of paint to do the walls that I originally bought for the kitchen. But after attempting a small area and realizing the lighting in there made it look like pea puke I decided against it. But it looks great in my daughter's bathroom. We're going for mostly black, white and green but we're going to highlight a few decor things in the bathroom with the other colors. My daughter's color inspiration was a little stuffed Victoria's Secret dog she got for free last christmas. I used a old picture I had from years ago and pertyed it up!

Before

After

The damask looking print in the middle is, get this... a folder! Yep, a .92 school folder we picked up at Walmart. The black print in the middle was actually printed in brown so I colored over it with a sharpie marker =0) The white mat around it is a textured poster board I bought at Michael's for around $3. I'm actually using the other half of it to mat another picture too. You know how big them poster boards are! We painted the frame black with acrylic craft paint and... TA-DA!!! Total Cost : about $4 (considering I already had the frame)


2) Ok, so my sister gave me the idea for our nursery theme. After she thought of it she was mad at herself for not doing it herself for my neice. Hehehe... Sorry Christy. It's Dr. Seuss... DON'T YOU LURVE IT!?! We figured we could get a start on it early since it's "gender friendly" and believe me, I didn't waste any time in getting my shopping on! First off, Pottery Barn Kids is the only actual store (besides Ebay) that sells the Dr. Seuss nursery stuff. Well, it would be great to be able to save some time and go buy up all the goodies there to decorate but let's be honest. I'd rather save $MONEY! Soo... I flipped the switch on one of my talents and made it myself.

Dr. Seuss Art Work @ Pottery Barn Kids

Price $70.00 EACH!

My version

Cost: Approx. $6

I purchased the matching 8x10 picture frames at GW for $1.99 each. They were already black so I didn't need to paint them. The drawings were copied from images I found on the internet and then colored them colored pencils on some sketch paper I bought at Micheal's. A whole sketch pad for $1. The white mat around the pictures are also from a acrylic paint paper pad I bought a Michael's for $1. The paint paper is real stiff like cardboard almost so it has a different texture and stands up a little bit. I just used an exacto knife to cut out the middle. And again... TA-DA!And what did I save.... drumroll.... approximately $221.00 AND they were made for our baby boy by his momma's own hands! Priceless.

Ok, ok, enough of my fasicination with thrifty decorating. I just can't help it, it's become such an addiction! I'm hoping to get everyone as hooked as I am! My sister is my next victim... *insert evil laugh*...

Have a Blessed Day, Kim

P.S. I've added a picture of Daddy and Uncle Leo painting the nursery in my previous post.

It's a Boy!!!

Yes, we're having a boy. Big Daddy was so excited he did the arm yanking "Yes!" almost knocking a hole in the wall and then rubbed the sono tech on the back and said, "Thank You". Uh hello!?! What about your overly sized wife who is laying on the table with your son ACTUALLY in her belly!?! Hehehe... He was redeemed, he helped me off the table and gave me a quick kiss through the large joker sized smile that was affixed to his face. Hehehe... He's now officially talking to my belly button like it's a direct portal to the baby's ear! Saying, "Can you hear Daddy?" It's too cute for words. I'm sure when he starts to be able to feel the baby move his hand will be super glued to my belly. Baby Jacob is developing perfectly and weighed approx. 11 ounces on sono day. It looks like he's sucking his thumb or hand in mouth on the second picture. =0)

The nursery is also finished with the painting, thanks to Daddy and Uncle Leo (Sissy and Bubba also helped a little bit).

We had a marathon make over weekend and knocked out alot of projects. We got one wall painted in my oldest son's room, a few items hung on the walls in my daughter's room and my daughter and I knocked out a few craft projects for various rooms. I scored an AWESOME deal last week on an armoire for the baby's room for...wait for it... $40!!!! It got a pretty decent sanding job by my oldest son and I will be revealing it as soon as Big Daddy finishes the make over. And my daughter painted her ENTIRE bathroom all by herself!!!! Lots of fun remakes to show off. I'm telling I'm hooked!!! The NEW items in the store don't even appeal or excite me anymore. I'd MUCH rather find something cheap that needs some TLC and make it my own. It's so fun and you feel a sense of pride when your done. I think it's because you took something that cost a $1 and made it look like it cost $25 and it has your own personal touch! Best Hobby EVER!!!!! And I'm telling you it all started with this fabulous lady... http://thriftydecorchick.blogspot.com/! Thrifty decorating heaven!!!!

Every body head on over to my wonderfully, beautiful sister's blog to wish her a HAPPY BIRTHDAY tomorrow and while your there check out her cake blog. She's amazing!!! I can't wait to see my baby shower cake!!! She does such adorable, creative cakes. If you want one for your next special occasion let us know. She did our wedding cake (beautiful) and Andrea's baby shower cake (adorable)!

Mascara Alert... Put on your prayer hat and say a word for my SIL's friend back in her home state of Iowa. Her friend lost her son just a few days after his 18th birthday to a tragic accident. My SIL just returned from Iowa and said it was one of the hardest things ever to experience. Kiss and hug your kiddos EXTRA hard tonight.

Have a Blessed Day, Kim