decorating on a dime

Decorating one's home can be very addictive. I am constantly leafing through books and magazines for that perfect room that reflects my life and style. Our house is hippy/artistic meets summer cottage with a splash of chaos. While my husband would be fine if nothing matched and all of our books were stacked on the floor, I on the other hand, want our house to look a little less like a college dorm room.

Since only a teeny-weeny amount of our income can be spent on decorating I have become a very thrifty shopper!!
Flea Markets and garage sales are hit or miss but the best treasures I have found at places like Savers and Goodwill. Its all about seeing the potential in an object. Ask yourself "would a coat of paint make this awesome?" or  "how can I use this to make my home more beautiful?" Be realistic. Don't buy a chair with the idea that you will reupholster it. Upholstery is a HUGE project!! Also, don't take on too many projects at once. It is best to think about your priorities and face them one at a time.
Using your crafty knowledge, the Google machine and a little creativity can turn one man's trash into another man's treasure. HAVE FUN!!

Here is a project I tackled last weekend:

so simple!

We needed a second seating area in the living room. I had been keeping my eye out for something that didn't require complete reupholstery. Also, we have one wall in our living room that is a deep purple color so I needed something that wouldn't clash.
I went to Savers and lo and behold there was a wooden loveseat with awful, outdated, western seat cushions! I pulled the cushions off  and took a second look. It had potential! The loveseat was not priced so I asked (which can often work to your advantage) the nice employee at Savers said "ten dollars" so I snagged it! I had to go home and get my tools because it wouldn't fit in my car but after less than five minutes of taking the loveseat apart it was in my car!! I told Savers they could keep the cushions because I only wanted the base.

hand washed and drying in the sun

Next, I went to the textile section of Savers and looked at curtains. I picked out a set of curtains that matched my purple wall EXACTLY!! I also picked up a couple pillow cases and another curtain that was this amazing mustard damask. All for less then $3.99!!The most expensive thing I had to purchase was the foam for the cushion but I used a 30% coupon for Joann Fabrics and saved  $14.40
I found a tutorial for making bench covers at thecsiproject.com that had been posted by Pretty Handy Girl (thank you for sharing)

 It took a couple of hours, a few pin pricks and way too much reality TV but I made the cushion cover and matching pillows in one afternoon...and my dog loves it!!! Hope this inspires! Love, Ms. Kate

 sunny spot for a dog nap!