Works for me Wednesday- Beautifying Our Home On the Cheap

***I am not going crazy, I realize it is not Wednesday, but I did not get a chance to post this on Wednesday. I hope you all enjoy it, even if it is a couple of days late :).

This week, I decided that I would share some of my favorite "cheap" ways to beautify the home! I think it is important for our homes to be a haven for our families. While the physical appearance of our homes is a small part of creating a haven, beautifying the home can certainly help! This being said, I think it is even better when we can beautify our homes without spending a lot of money. I am not a professional decorator (not even close), but these cheap decor ideas "work for me"!

I used a few simple black frames that used to hang in my kitchen and simply placed scrapbook paper in them to add color to one of our walls. Tip: If you don't have any frames lying around, check discount or thrift stores and be willing to paint them.

Another great "decor" idea is to display old books. I bought a bunch of old books from a thrift store (they were 25 cents a piece) and I have them displayed all over the house. I use them to add height to other pieces or to take up space. I think that almost every lamp in my house is sitting on some old books :). Tips: Look for fun colors and fun titles! Tie a big bow around a few books for a more feminine look. Cover books that you currently have with fun scrapbook paper.

We picked up this mirror on the side of the road several months ago! The steps I took to create this simple "antique" looking mirror: #1- Rub the entire surface with sandpaper, #2-Clean the surface (some people suggest using alcohol), #3- Tape the inside of the mirror (I used painters tape), #4- Paint your base coat (I used some paint we had left over from painting our house), #5- Use sandpaper to scratch sporadically (the original color of the item will show through, so if you do not want this color to show through, you should account for painting it with a base coat and then another coat of paint, then your base coat with show through), #6- Paint all over with acrylic pearlizing paint (97 cents at hobby lobby). Tip: Think of ways you can spruce up old items you have in your home or find at a thrift store with a little bit of elbow grease and paint. If you are looking at an old item, think about how much it would cost you in order to make the piece something you would enjoy in your home.

One of the best tips I received from a dear friend is to look at the items you have in your kitchen cabinets that are not being used and find a way to use them in a different way and in a different place. I found this footed dish in my cabinet that I rarely use and decided to place it in one of our bathrooms. I simply looked around the house for some "bathroom" items to place inside the dish. Once I found a few items that I thought would look cute, I decided to "modify" a few of them to better suite the room. I covered the lotion bottle with a small piece of thick scrapbook paper and tied a string around it. I used another sheet of scrapbook paper to cover a small soap I picked up from our last hotel stay. Lastly, I tied a cute ribbon around a simple cream candle. Tip: Use what you have, but be willing to modify it!

I know I have posted about these plates in the past, but I thought they were another great example of using kitchen items in a new way. These are old platters (I purchased them for a couple of dollars at a local thrift store) that I painted and hung on the wall. The steps I took to create them: #1- Spray paint the platters with your base color (I used a teal color), #2- Let the base coat dry, #3- Use an old rag to rub acrylic paint (I used espresso brown) sporadically on the plates, #3- Rub a different color of acrylic paint (I used antique gold) sporadically on the plates, #4- hang with inexpensive (I got these from Michael's for a few dollars) plate hangers.

Other ways I aspire to make my home a haven:

#1- By being thankful and content. Smiling often and finding ways to "have fun"!

#2- By not only working diligently in my home, but carrying out tasks with a joyful heart! I try to sing, dance, and/or talk to God while I work. Jesus understands, he was a servant himself.

#3- By trying to lay down my critical spirit and giving grace to all those who enter- namely my dear husband. I also try to remember to give myself grace when my homemaking plans get off track or when I am feeling tired.

#4- By maintaining order and warding off procrastination! If I put something off, the task only becomes more burdensome. This includes sticking to a schedule and using my time wisely.

#5- By keeping a heart that is always willing to serve. Laying down my self-entitlements daily.

I always try to remember that I can have a beautifully decorated home with everything neat and orderly, but if I'm frazzled and frustrated, my home is not a peaceful place.

Learning...
"For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he..." (Prov. 23:7)

"Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant,does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered,does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth;bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things." (1 Cor. 13:4-7)

If you are interested in learning more about making your home a haven, check out this blog for an entire series on the important subject.

UPDATE ON US, COMING SOON! I need to download some more pictures to share with you all :)!