Autumn Decor

I've been very pre-occupied with an aging mother-in-law. In and out of hospitals, nursing homes, her own place, now moving this next week to an assisted living (guess who's doing all the packing?).

Anyway, I thought I should shoot and post my Autumn decor before I switch it out for Christmas. Here goes:

 My belljar needed updating. I recently bought 2 new picks at Michael's. This one had fall leaves and a cute bird. I also bought one for Christmas, you'll see it soon.

 I bought these fall colored curtains at Goodwill for $2.99. They made my kitchen look warm and cozy as the cold weather approached.

 I found I had very little autumn decor to display. Even after shopping verious places, I had a hard time coming up with anything substantial, but this had to do.

 This is one of my very favorite pieces. I love this ceramic turkey. He used to be on display in my bakery and when it closed, I brought him home.

 I bought the flowered plates in a thrift store for a $1 a piece. The flowers are yellow and brown. They are so delicately pretty.

 Sign on my back door.

 I inherited this Hummel from my Grandfather. She is wearing such autumnal colors, she was moved from the china cabinet to the kitchen window. (I prayed she would not fall and break). I really enjoyed seeing her on a daily basis!

 This is another turkey that graced my bakery. He is made of metal and I just love him. He adorns my living room now.

 Mug full of fall flowers hanging in my kitchen window.

 I bought this pear as a joke Halloween costume (it opens and I could say "I'm out of my guord"). I never used it that way. It has always graced my dining buffet in the fall.

 One end of the buffet. Is that a perfect looking pie or what?

 My dear friend, Sandy, created this flower arrangement for me. It looks great with the wallpaper that she helped install in my dining room years ago.

 A purchased fall decor item that makes me smile. Sunflowers always make me smile!

 A closeup of a new gorgeous cream colored rooster on display in my kitchen.

A new wooden rooster on display in my kitchen window. Can't you just hear him crowing?

Bedroom Reveal

I must sincerely apologize for my lack of posts. Life had gotten away from me.

Here is the bedroom after we've finished. We removed 3 layers of wallpapre and painted the walls, ceiling &  trim. We changed the positioning of the furniture as well. We went with a French theme.

South Wall Before   
                                                                 

 






















South Wall After

West Wall Before

West Wall After

Remember the curtains? 

 Remember  the lampshades?

Remember the poster?

I added this cute tray above the dresser and some faux roses.

I ironed on a French address on my pillow cases
(courtesy of The Graphics Fairy).

My husband and I love it. It is crisp, clean and relaxing. We wake up to a "vacation" in France every morning.

Thrifty Deals

I got some new thrifty deals:

This basket was $2.99 at Goodwill. It is super sturdy and will be perfect to carry things out to the new patio (when it is done).

This frame I got on clearance at Hobby Lobby for $2.90. It was regularly $29.90. It opens , but the glass is missing. It is a bulletin board of sorts, for photos. You use pearl headed pins to post the photos. I am going to paint it black and use it in my newly redone bedroom (it is half done - reveal to come in the next few weeks).

I had never heard of Hobby Lobby until entering Blog-land. All the blog-ladies kept showing all the cool, cheap things they got there, so I looked them up on the Web. There is not one in the Twin Cities, why, I have no idea. But, there is one in rural MN, so my girlfriend and I went on a road trip. I bought some very cool things there, some on clearance, some not. Some for my new bedroom, some not. You will see them in posts to come.

This last item I got at Goodwill for $3. I haven't decided what color to paint it, black or white. I haven't decided where to hang it, kitchen or bedroom. I think I'll wait until my bedroom is complete before deciding.

I'm linking to Today's Thrifty Treasures at Southern Hospitality

Chairs Recovered

When I got married, my parents gave me 4 large arm chairs to use in my dining room. They were covered in army green vinyl with brass tacks all around the edges. They were not pretty. But along with the chairs, my mom gave me some very nice cream colored fabric and I had them redone. They looked great for the first 20 years of our marriage. Lately they've been looking shabby. I found some really beautiful fabric at a thrift store for $3.99. It was enough to redo 2 chairs. The task was daughting to me, so I sent them out to be redone. They look beautiful and we will now be using them in our living room as side chairs. Take a look for yourself!

Before:

After:

Here's some close ups of the fabric:

 I think they turned out great!

I'm linking up to Between Naps on the Porch's Metamorphosis Monday and  Thrifty Decor Chick's Before and After Party

Needed: Bedroom Redo

When we moved into this house 14 years ago, it was like going back in time. EVERYTHING needed to be redone, it was totally 1965 inside. We're talking harvest gold, avocado green, and burnt orange EVERYWHERE! We decided to do the most lived in areas first. But, our bedroom had the most hideous wallpaper. I just couldn't live through a long Minnesota winter with it. We agreed to do a quick fix and paint over the wallpaper. We didn't touch the trim (it was cream, dirty and old, but it was cream). Slowly, but surely we've redone every room in the house. Alas, not our bedroom.

Our bedroom has become a dumping ground. It was still not the relaxing haven I longed for. Piles of laundry, school projects, kids toys, half done projects, vacuum cleaners, they all lived in our bedroom. Just look (my husband is horrified that I'm posting these pictures)!



So after years of living with a "who did it and ran" bedroom, it is getting a makeover. I'm pretty excited! We're going with a French theme. Blue walls, creamy white trim, and black and white accessories. Last weekend we steamed off 3 layers of wallpaper. Thanks to my friend Diane, and her trusty steamer, it wasn't all that bad. I've already been working on a few other things and shopping, of course! I wanted to show off some of it and build excitement for the reveal:

I'm gluing toile ribbon around the base of the lampshades I already have.


I bought these black tab-topped curtain valances at Target on clearance for $2 each!


I bought some Waverly toile fabric on sale and used No-Sew glue to add a strip to the curtains. Cute, eh?


I read on a few blogs that Big Lots sells curtain rods for $6-8. I haven't been there in years. I went and found these on sale for $5. I was pretty darn happy.


I also bought this black and white poster at Big Lots for $4. It's perfect!


This weekend we wash walls and ceiling and prepare for the painting. I can't wait. I'm going to leave you with the desktop wallpaper that has kept me in the mood for the past week:

Salut!

Dollar Store Frames Redo

I bought these 3 frames at the dollar store. They are PLASTIC gold frames, but so shiny and I love the detail. I put a piece of whiteboard in one. I put a piece of cork board in another. In the third, I covered a piece of sheet metal with material and hung all three over my desk. Thrifty, functional and beautiful...oh YES I AM, but I was talking about the frames!

I am linking up to:
and

Vanity Stool Recovered!

Here is the $10 Craig's list vanity stool after I recovered it. It looks so cute and my 16 year old daughter is in love with it (Score!). I used a pillow sham I bought at Goodwill for $1.25 for the fabric. YeeHaw! Truly frugal! I love it! I'm joining Susan for Met Monday and Tales from Bloggeritaville.