Quick decor changes that won't break the bank

I am always on the hunt for quick, inexpensive ways to save some money when it comes to changing my home around to make it fresh and inviting.  The seasons changing is a great excuse to change our home around and I have learned, throughout the years, how to cut corners without anyone know the wiser.  Here are a few things I have learned that make your home look fresh for the seasons and won't break the bank in the end.

1.  Re-hang your window shades.  That's right, re-hang them.....Change them to either hand inside the window moldings for a smaller window look, or hang them on the outside of the frame to make the window appear wider.  If you do hang them on the outside of the window frame make sure you hang them higher than the window panel itself.  This gives the appearance of the room being taller than it actually is.

Here the curtains are hung inside the window frame as see on Pickled Tink Crafts.

Here the curtains are hung on the outside of the window frame and higher than the actual frame as seen on Canadian House & Home.  I think the black on white is lovely.

2.  To add privacy, but still get the most out of the light through a window, pair a print, solid, or patterned curtain with a sheer panel.  The sheer panel will allow for light to come through, but still add privacy and the print panel will allow for light blocking and privacy when needed.  Be sure and hang each curtain, the sheer panel and the print panel, on separate double rods.

Here you can see the double rod with the solid and sheer panel as seen from Curtain Works.  

3.  When you hang your curtains higher than the the window frames consider hanging the curtain rod longer than the molding on each side of the window.  This look make the window appear wider and in turn makes the room appear wider as well.

The rod here makes this smaller window appear as if it takes up a longer space in this room as shown here from the Pepper Design Blog.

Window treatments and curtains aren't the only way to redecorate without breaking the bank.  There are many other ways to give your home a fresh look too.

Look to ways like reclaimed wood.  One of the most popular items on the web currently is making your own Farmhouse Table.  

Thrifty and Chic provides a fantastic tutorial on how to accomplish a Farmhouse Table like the one shown above.  Of course the one above was made with new boards, but you could always duplicate the same process with reclaimed woods.  Consider railroad trestles for a smart, but reclaimed look.

You could also look to saw horses for a different table look.  I have a glass-top table and I have been on a hunt for a few different ideas to make it look different from time to time.  A couple of ideas are saw horses and even tree stumps. 

Something similar to one being sold on Etsy via the Driftedge shop.

Or the saw horse table shown here from Busy Bee Design.  This look would work for an office desk as well.

I have found that adding a bit of color to the kitchen is a great step as well.  Of course this design idea might cost you a bit, but if you already have the colorful flatware, bowls, or mugs you won't have to spend a dime more.  Pull all of your colored cookware and utensils onto seen shelves for a pop of added color.

Bringing out colorful bowls and plates that are hidden behind the cabinet doors will bring a quick change and a pop of color to your kitchen, or any room for that matter.  These colorful bowls are a nice addition to this kitchen seen here from Charles Lantz Cabinetry.

Or this colorful kitchen from Kickrs.

Adding a strip down the wall of any room will also give your home that added decor move without breaking the bank either.  Chalkboard pain is quite popular right now as well.

These vertical stripes brighten this room and also bring the room a bit of character in this photo from Shelterness.

Or this one horizontal stripe down the hallway in this photo from Fridge Coaster.  I think this look is a very nice, calm, and eye-drawing addition.

Or paint an entire wall with chalkboard paint like this one from Design Life Blog.

Or this one from Ewehooo!

I hope some of these design and money-saving ideas help you to bring a fresh and new look to your living space.  If something can be used in a new way, try it!  It's so fun to give the home a new look and even more fun using something you already have for that newly achieved look too! 

Eco-Tip:  Opt for reusable products over disposable ones.  Try with small items such as dinner napkins and toothbrushes, then venture out into large items, such as razors, dust mop heads, and even using tennis balls in your dryer over dryer sheets.  For this and other tips on going green visit, The Earth and Me Go Green.

What was popular on Pinterest this week?

During the week I find Pinterest "pinning" quite relaxing.  Finding ideas for crafts, home schooling, children's clothing, women's styles, and even pins for lavender, rosemary, pom poms, and even decorating ideas that I never thought to dive into within my own home.  I find that even if I don't get to a craft, or decorating idea right away, it's nice to pin it for a later use on a rainy day here in Oregon.  Which is quite often here this time of year, I might add.  With all of these pins, I decided to add a weekly perk to my blog posts with "What was popular on Pinterest this week?"  So with all the pins I looked through this week here is what I found that was rather popular.

Spikes are in:

Spikes seem to be appearing on everything from shoes, to shoulder pads lately.  All of these styles below are from Threadsense, but many other companies are getting into the spiked crazy too!  Could you see yourself wearing these?

Find more Spiked Styles HERE!

Super Bowl Party Foods:

Football Tags for your beverages:  These are super easy to made and with the step-by-step tutorial from Scrappin Danielle you'll be making them with a snap.  

Football Truffles:  These are made with simple ingredients and as soon as you see how easy they are to make you'll be wondering why you haven't made them for every occasion.

Football Rice Krispie Treats:  This is a game day twist on an old classic.  Rice Krispies have been around since I was a kid and it's nice to still see them making an appearance other than when used on the Cake Boss hidden under modeling chocolate or Fondant.

Find more Superbowl Party Food Ideas HERE!

Paint Chip Crafts:

Paint Chip Chandelier:  This is amazing!  Simple idea put to work for an elegant craft.  It really is amazing what some people come up with when they just sit back and think about things and use their creativity.  I love it!

Paint Chip Favor Boxes:  I love giving handmade gifts and to be able to give them in a handmade box makes it even more amazing.  These little boxes are so fun to make and all it requires is cutting and folding.  Super easy, right?

Paint Chip Utensil Holder:  How clever is this?  Super neat and so creative.  These would work perfectly for a child's birthday party, or just an everyday lunch setting at work or in the park.  I can't wait to give this paint chip craft a go!

Paint Chip Garland:  I have just falling in love with Brit+Co lately.  From their Brit Kits to their modern, innovations to help everyone live a better, and easier life.  These Paint Chip Garlands are the sweetest and so super fun to make too.

Find more Paint Chip Crafts HERE!

Football Nail:

Football nails are all the rage right now all over Pinterest mainly because the Superbowl is on Sunday.  If you are looking to have a Superbowl Party, don't forget to put your Superbowl Nails on.  :-)

Field Goal Nails:  These seem quite easy to do with a simple green and brown nail and a white for the details.  They are super cute and give your nails that touch they need for any party or hosting of a party this weekend.

The Main Event Football Nails:  So of course the main event is the football regardless of the teams that go to the Superbowl and what better way to display the main event than with these nails.  Simple, yet makes a statement, don't you think?

Team "At Home" Cheerleader Nail Art:  Whether you are backing the Ravens or the 49ers, painting your nails your team colors will give you a head start on the rest of the fans.  These nails colors and art are easy to do and won't do anything more than show your team spirit.

Find more Super Bowl nail ideas HERE!

And don't forget the spiked nails!

What did you find popular on Pinterest that you loved?  

Eco-Tip:  Try to take public transportation at least twice a week instead of using your own vehicle.  Leaving your own car at home can cut down on carbon emissions by 1,500 pounds per year.  For this and other tips visit, The Earth and Me Go Green.

DIY: Cloud costume

One of my favorite things is making Halloween costumes for The Bean. This year he wanted to go as a cloud. All I could think was, "how am I going to make a cloud?" The Mr. and I spend weeks thinking of how we could make this come together and while searching on Pinterest I found a cotton candy costume where the batting was the "cotton candy." So with that I bought a sweat suit in The Bean's size and started hot gluing white batting to the suit. 

It was a night-long process, but it was all coming together the way he wanted.

I took a beanie hat and created the top of the cloud.

The Bean was having a blast standing and letting me fix certain areas of the cloud.

The shit part of the costume was really a fun task and he wanted to wear the costume before we were finished gluing on the cloud parts.

When it was all finished I hot glued "CLOUD" across the front.

Even with the word "CLOUD" on the costume people still thought he was other things-"abominable snowman," "stay-puft marshmallow man," and one guy even thought he was a "cotton ball."

It was a fun Halloween costume to make and the best part is, The Bean loved is and had a ball!

How to bring a bit of fun to an outlet

I am all about being different when it comes to something neat and clever for the home.  From my pebble stone foot board to my parasol paper lantern, I love all things worth making a conversation piece over.  With  the recent mustache craze of different things, I thought bringing mustaches to everyday items you look at would be just the right addition, especially in a kid's room.

How cute are these?  The black mustache was made with just a simple Sharpie, black marker and the black one was made by coloring in the white part completely and using a white paint pen for the face.

Mine aren't the best, but here are some that are done a bit better, if you're looking for a more professional look to them.

These are too cute.  These mustache outlet-stashes are from a company called Creative Outlets Shop found on Etsy.  They are about $5 per sheet and come in so many fun styles. 

Or you could go with something like this from Slightly Smitten Kitten Designs.

And here's one for a French outlet, ha!  Just in case you happen to be taking a trip to France here soon and want a laugh or two while you're there.  

These mustache outlet covers are super adorable and very unique for sure.  You can go with one that you purchase, or make one for yourself like I did.  You can even do them for light switches and outdoor light covers. The possibilities are really endless and think what you could turn a surge protector into.  

Let's face it, electrical outlets are super emotional, right?

Photo Credit:  Lost at E Minor

Eco-Tip:  Use oxygen or hydrogen-based bleaches instead of the traditional chlorine bleach products currently on the market.  Chlorine bleach is very harmful when released into the environment and can cause breathing complications over time with use.  For this and other tips on going green visit, The Earth and Me Go Green.