Garlands, Curtains, Vases, OH MY!

I'm up for trying just about any idea or more like, I WANT ideas, crave them, want to learn new things, test my capacity to learn and so as I search out this neverland of ideas on the multitude of blogs, I'm finding hard just deciding what to do first. I really liked the idea I found here on Angie's blog,Norththreads. I probably should have reread her directions before I got going because I sewed the zigzag seam a little to wide to make the cuts/raggedy enough but hey, I was just excited to FIND the zigzag seam on my sewing machine I got carried away. Her garland is in Christmas colors which I really liked but I already had several squares cut up for a different project so I started using those colors plus some from my newly acquired stash. I went in a pattern of green, white, green, pink and back again. My length is about 5 and half feet, I'd probably go a little longer next time around.

So here it is again up in our front doorway with a little bow in the center. I didn't have much to choose from in the thick ribbon category so this may not show up well. I'll have to keep my eyes open for something that will bring out the colors more. I just put it up to see if the idea works. I like it enough, I may do more doorways :) I'm sure my boys will love having a pink garland on their bedroom doorway..LOL.

I can not wait to get a house of our own so I can truly decorate the way I want to. One thing I know for sure, there will be NO BEIGE anything anywhere. LOL. So anyway, you'll have to excuse the lack of color on my walls. I can't change that here or if I do, I'll just be redoing them on my own dime for someone else. So I figured the heck with it, bring out color with curtains. I made these kitchen curtains with "Mommainlaw" a couple months back when we first moved here. We just made up a pattern then I had the brilliant idea to add lace and gather up the bottom just to be different. The lace was THRIFTED for less than 50 cents. The fabric was free....part of Brenda's stash (Mommainlaw). Curtains for 50cents. Gotta love it. And we made them, too. BIG accomplishment for me.

Last but not least, Sarah had posed the question do we thrift for purpose or for fun, a while back and I do it for both reasons. Most of the thrifting I've done lately has been purposeful, to gather things to decorate and utilize in my house that I had lost this summer frugally. I've needed to be frugal. I already owe my Mom (thank you mom for being such a big help) more money then I care to admit for the the big things I had to replace. Until you loose everything, you just don't realize how much you had before something dramatic happens and ...and then go to get something and it's not, anyway it all adds up BIG TIME. I have no canisters or containers anymore to put things in so when I found this vase (for quarter), I thought it would work for my kitchen utensils/gadgets. I have had fun rebuilding frugally. It really hasn't bothered me to have other peoples things in my new house, in fact, I rather enjoy it so much it's become an obsession. The girls at work laugh at me when I make my weekly withdrawal in small bills for the saling I do every weekend! Anyway I had some choices to make this year. I could go and buy a 300 dollar kitchenaid and that's all I would have in my kitchen or I could buy a 4.00 mixer at a yard sale, a 5.00 toaster oven, a 2 dollar blender, a 4 dollar george foreman grill, a 25 cent vase and make it into a canister....well you get the picture. Choices. I've made mine and I'm not going back, UNLESS, Pier One has a really good sale!!! LOL Seriously, there are just somethings you have to buy retail, but there's soooooo much to chose from in the thrift world, you can have a beautiful home without breaking the bank and without going without. You can have it all, and have it frugally. Thrift for purpose, thrift for fun....I do both. :)