$100 Month: January 2012 Edition Part II

Hello!

We enjoyed a low key weekend at home. Jacob and I both like a good mix of being productive and being lazy on the weekends. We made some great progress on the guest room, which I'll be sharing this week.

If you're keeping track I still had $25 to spend from January from the $100 we budget each month. To see where $75 went and for a recap go here.

I really couldn't figure out how to love the room with the duvet I purchased. It was dark brown with pinstripes and to be honest....it wasn't me. See it here. I was trying to push my boundaries but I'm a neutral girl at heart. The good news is for $30 (yeah, yeah, yeah I went over $5...sue me....you sound like my husband) I got a white coverlet.

So for $100 I got 2 new bedside tables and a new bed covering. Not too shabby!

Being limited on my purchases is really making me think them through and really really love them. If you're like me and used to waste money on DIY or other things that never really worked it might be worth a shot.

Anyone else on a DIY/Home budget?

Emily

Living Room Progress

Hello!

As promised here is another project I have been working on. I'm dying to pull the formal living room together so it is what I have been focusing on lately.

This last weekend Jacob hung the newborn photo prints I framed (IKEA RIBBA Frames- $10 each with a mat- such a steal). We have 5 in this room and 5 for in our bedroom.

I was so sick of staring at that blank wall. It looks so much better!

I also finished another project that I have wanted to do for awhile but could never figure out how to accomplish it. I wanted to personalize a bus roll like you are now seeing everywhere. Jacob and I have lived in several cities (almost 10) since we met and several states since we got married in 2007. I wanted a way to showcase them and thought this was the perfect solution.

It occurred to me that my mother in law has a Cricut machine and that would make the project pretty easy. So for $25 I completed a custom bus roll.

I blurred some of the words because I'm weird about the whole world knowing everywhere we have lived. :)

So this is the other side of the living room. It's the short wall that is to the right as you enter the room from the entryway.

There you have it! Next on the list is curtains and a rug!

Emily

Mirror Makeover

Hi all!

I have been busy with several projects around the house. I'm anxious to show you them over the next few days.

The first was a mirror I got on Craigslist for free last fall in Florida. I am kicking myself for not taking a before picture. I thought I had one and now I can't find it. Ugh. Anyway it was bright blue and all beat up.....but when I saw it and it was free, I knew I had to have it.

After sanding and spray painting it black, Jacob hung it for me last night (I told you I hate hanging stuff!) over the buffet in the dining room.

You may remember that I purchased the dresser for $20 and gave it a makeover. Details on that project here.

As you can see I haven't touched the brass chandelier, which will change at some point. I might take it down and spray it black since we won't be purchasing anything new until we buy a table.

At first I was worried about the scale of the mirror and the fact that it is pretty big over the buffet. However, it's growing on me. A matching pair of lamps are on my list to flank the mirror. I simply grabbed things from around the house to stage these pictures.

It's amazing that this whole project only cost $10 for 2 cans of spray paint!

Emily

Budget Finds

Hello!

I haven't talked about the blog Copy Cat Chic in awhile. For those of you that love to shop, love home decor, and love a great deal.....this is the blog for you! Here are a few examples of deals she has found (click on the title for the actual entry and links).

Display Case

Layla Grace Display Case $5,554

Paula Deen from Amazon $1,740

Pottery Barn Backless Barstool

Pottery Barn Stools $129

QVC Rush Seat Stool $50.49

Navy Trellis Pillows

Imperial Trellis Pillow in Navy $260

Target Home Pillows-set of 2 $24.99

Found any great deals lately?

Emily

Budget Decorating: Photo Collage

Hi all!

I thought I would start a new blog series called Budget Decorating with featured projects submitted by readers. My first post in the series will be about creating a photo collage or gallery wall.

Jess used frames gifted to her by her mom to create meaningful wall art. She has a large tall stairwell that you see as soon as you walk in the front door. This large wall posed quite the challenge in deciding how to arrange the frames but she pulled it off beautifully.

Breakdown:

21 Frames Free

Spray Paint/Primer $12.00

2 Pieces of Glass $20

Glass Cutter $11

4 Pieces of Mat Board $24

Mat Cutter $20

Enlarging Photos $50

Wall Hangers/Nails $10

Total Cost for decorating a large wall $147

Great job, Jess!

Do you have a Budget Decorating project you would like to share? Email me to be featured!

Emily