My House in: Thrifty Finds

Don't you just love a good deal? Me, too. In fact, I absolutely refuse to buy something - just about anything - unless it's on sale, I have a coupon, or the seller is willing to negotiate the price. It's not an obsession, it's necessity. We are very blessed, but {like a lot of you, I imagine} we have to be very careful with every purchase we make. That's why when I found the following lovelies at thrift stores and in clearance bins, my heart went pitter-patter.

Welcome to a tour of my favorite thrifty home finds.

I had been searching {and searching} for the perfect little bird statue for my house. I'm not big on knick knacks, but for some reason this one is just me.

{bird statue: $2 - Stein Mart clearance}
I blurred that photo on the edges so you wouldn't stare at my gleaming legs. Stop it!

This creamy statue sits above my cabinets. It had previously been used as a prop used for store displays. My only regret is that I didn't snatch up its twin.

{statue: $3 - Stein Mart}

I discovered this metal tin on my first "home decor trip" to a thrift store. I had been many times for other things, but this was the first time I went deciding I could decorate my home with other's cast-off items. It was the beginning of something wonderful.

{Galvanized bucket: $1; flowers: $4 clearance garden store find}

When I first saw this tray on my favorite aisle at Target (you know the one: pillows, color-coordinated wall art and lamps. Isn't that everyone's favorite aisle?), I picked it up thinking it would be out of my price range. When I turned it over and saw the clearance sticker, I might have heard the angels singing. I'm still baffled at how so many other people walked right past it before it came home with me. But I'm not complaining!

{decorative tray: $3, Target}

This tufted, upholstered storage ottoman was the catalyst for bringing a lot of beauty into our newlywed home. I discovered it while visiting my mom soon after my husband and I had purchased our first home. At that time, our master bedroom was all stark white walls, hand-me-down furniture and college leftovers. I had no idea what direction I wanted to take our new home but I knew that whatever colors and furniture I chose would have to stick for many years to come. Then I saw this ottoman, called my husband to get his opinion and bought it. It immediately became the color palette inspiration for our bedroom and resulted in a blue and brown combination that I have not once regretted in our room. I positioned it by our bedroom door for the perfect spot to sit and tie your shoes in the morning. Inside I've stashed extra quilts and blankets, and a baby girl outfit I bought during my pregnancy when I didn't know what we were having. I have a gut feeling this will be an all-baby-boy house, but I'm not giving it away yet!

{Upholstered Storage Ottoman: $50 - Stein Mart}

Apparently I love Stein Mart's home department. I didn't realize just how much until I wrote this post!

What are your favorite thrifty finds?

My House in Christmas Aftermath...

We've officially escorted Christmas back to the attic. We had a {mini} New Year's Eve party last night and I just couldn't bring myself to not be surrounded by twinkle lights and glitter for one more evening. Now that's it all tucked away, I've realized there are a lot of blank walls and table tops in this house. We've lived here for a while, but when you're decorating one garage sale at a time, it can take some time. Time to get back to thrifting, I guess!

Our Christmas was absolutely wonderful and filled with lots and lots of family, laughter and games. We were spoiled rotten as usual by our generous family and friends. What a blessing community is.

As I walk around my house today, the sweet aftermath of Christmas has kept me smiling...

New toys

New reads from my hubby
New living room lovelies
New equipment for my son's sports obsession

New Year's Eve baklava leftovers
2011 has me smiling.

What does your Christmas aftermath look like?

My House in Faves

It can be easy to grumble at yourself as you walk through your home. There are always to-do's, no matter how perfectly decorated or built your dwelling may be. In our house, right now, we've got moulding sitting propped up in our breakfast room that has been waiting for a spare moment to make it on to the wall, kitchen paint touch-ups that are oh-so-glaring (as you'll probably spy in pictures below), and a birthday explosion of toddler toys scattered about. But we are blessed. And content with what the Lord has so lovingly and graciously poured into our lives. We overflow.

So I encourage you today to walk through your home, as undecorated, or piled with to-do's as it may be, and find your fave spots that shine through all the things that make you grumble.

Here are a few of my favorite bright spots this morning. Thank you, Father.

Leftover flowers from a baby shower I hostessed over the weekend.

Trying to make those fresh flowers go as far as they can by separating the one bouquet into two arrangements.
A repurposed addition to my mantle. It was living in my kitchen. I like it much better here.

My favorite little corner to curl up with our baby boy and read. I almost passed by this $24 pillow at Ikea, but it has been the inspiration for this room. I love it.

And a new (old) addition to my kitchen. My hubby bought this painting for me our first Christmas together. I adore it and it has just been gathering dust in our new house out of indecision. My mom suggested I hang it over the pantry and it was the perfect spot! I love seeing it every day.

What are your faves this morning?


Linking to:

My Obsession with Green

I grew up despising my birthstone. I'm an August baby so I get to delight in peridot. Peridot. All my friends had opals or rubies, even diamonds. I had peridot.

I affectionately called it baby poop green for a few years. Down the road I realized I loved that color. Thankfully, the rest of the world caught on, too and started decorating (again, for those of you who experienced the 60-70s era) with all things citron and avocado. I love it. I know that fads come in waves but I'm clinging to the hope that this one will hang on for a while.

Green has been my favorite color for a long time. I can't help myself. Even my eyes are green. But it's possible to overdo a color in your home, even when it's your favorite. I've tried to spice my green up with shades of blue, yellow and burgundy (not all in the same room, mind you). Even so, there's a lot of green in this house (and more will find its way in, I assure you). So here's a (mini) tour of my house in greens...


The crib skirt in my baby boy's room.

The bird bath sitting on the hutch my mother-in-law passed down to us. (Which one day may be painted white...shhhh!)

The quilt my seamstress of a mother made when my son was born.

My kitchen. When we moved in it was dark, dark brown. I love how cheery it is now.

The original painting a friend of ours painted as a present when my son was born.

Are you excited to display your husband's shaving kit in your bathroom? Yeah, me neither. Until he bought this:

The curtains in my living room...I wish the color would show up better for you. They are fantastic.

Yes, even my soap is green...

I don't even like that lotion very well. But it's green, so...well, you know.

What color are you obsessed with?