Lace to Transform a Bedroom Window

http://www.faithtap.com/6063/she-uses-lace-to-transform-her-bedroom-window/
 
What an awesome idea to give privacy, but allow natural light to shine into the room.

She Brushes Cornstarch On Her Windows. Her Next Step Makes Them Absolutely Gorgeous

Just because her bedroom faced a window, London-based blogger, Annabel Vita, didn't want to lose the natural light in order to have some privacy. So she thought…

www.faithtap.com

 

 

 

Go to this link for detailed instructions:
http://www.faithtap.com/6063/she-uses-lace-to-transform-her-bedroom-window/

Add Some *Light* to Your Living Room!

Used with Permission by Carmen Jorissen of Crafty Queens
Please see website for full tutorial and pictures:  http://craftyqueens.nl/2012/12/29/add-some-light-to-your-living-room/

(Please go to the link above to see a photo.)

When looking for the lights, make sure that they are LED-lights. As far as I know, these don't heat up, so there's less chance of fire hazard. They are safer and energy-saving!

I understood that I would have to crochet in the round a few times, until it would fit the inside of the lights.. um..  cord? Anyway, because the cord is very stiff, it would not curl up small enough to work it into the crocheting from the beginning. I crocheted 8 SC in a magic circle, and then 2 SC in every SC, before I could start working with the cord. 
 
It's kind of tricky, but you'll get the hang of it. For the first few rounds, keep crocheting with *1sc, 2sc*. Crochet very loosely! After the 3rd round, I noticed that if you just crochet loose enough, you don't have to increase that much. When you do need to, just chain 1 in between stitches. ( I did this every 6 stitches) I found that doing 2SC covers the lights too much. It would still shine through, but I thought it was nicer to leave larger gaps. If you need to increase in the last round, however, use 2SC instead of chains, as it makes for a nicer edge.

Mine turned out to be smaller than I wanted it to be, so maybe I'll put it on the table instead. The lights cord I used was 6 meters long.

When you've come to the end of the cord, crochet some SC without the cord in it (see pictures on website.)

Then, crochet 2 slip stitches (1 per stitch), to make a nice circle.

Weave in the ends. You'll need an extra large needle for this. If you don't have one, maybe a crochet hook will do the trick too.

And it's done!

Repurpose Flower Baskets into Glowing Outdoor Chandelier

by Pauline Molinari from allfreekidscrafts.com that encourages sharing.   http://club.chicacircle.com/repurpose-flower-baskets-into-a-glowing-chandelier/

 



My family is so lucky to live in Southern California. I’m originally from the midwest, so there isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t realize how fortunate I am to be living in such a beautiful area. Being able to enjoy outdoor flowers and foliage year round is a treat. We currently have hanging flower baskets in our backyard, but after awhile they needed to be refreshed.

My super smart husband figured out that it was more cost effective to buy new hanging baskets rather than replace the insides of them. Once I saw the empty wire frames I knew I had to make something with them. The outdoor chandelier craft was born!

My daughter and I worked together to attach two empty wire flower baskets together with black pipe cleaners to make a globe shape. But, first we filled them with a large string of white holiday lights in the center. We used the kind that we could adjust the “twinkle” factor on the set of lights. I cut the black pipe cleaners into 3 pieces each. We secured the two baskets together, as well as the lights hanging from the top of the now globe-shaped wire frame. This allowed the twinkling lights to hang nicely throughout the frame.

It was that easy!

We reused one of the chain hangers from one of the baskets too, and attached it to the top of our homemade outdoor chandelier. We hung it above our outdoor patio area, and now we can enjoy it year round! Lovely!

I  love when I can re-purpose something into something beautiful!

Happy crafting!

Writing Nook

by Michelle Gill  www.michellegill.us

I love reading nooks, tree houses, making small spaces into favorite places.  We have a walk-in closet in our living room.  I took the doors off and made it my writing nook. 

So if your house is lacking in space or you just feel the need for a creative space, take a look at your closets.  How can you change it into a usable space versus just storage? 

At the top of my closet, I used a quilt my grandmother made for me to create storage space behind it, while showing off her handiwork and bringing some warmth of color into the space.  On the left side, our jackets and coats still hang but on the right side, I put in a bookshelf and my printer.  

It is not only functional, but it also deepens the closet visually.  If you don't have a window like I do, the color on the walls or a large mirror that will reflect the light will help brighten it up. 

A small space just my own with my favorite things around me is the perfect creative place for me to write.

                 

Covering a Foam Bench Cushion

by Lois Breneman - Heart to Heart - August, 2014

The foam cushion on our porch bench needed a new cover. This is outdoor fabric, and I hope it won't fade as quickly as the previous fabric which was outdoor fabric for creating flags. This project was a super quick and easy no-sew project. 

I simply wrapped the foam cushion as a package and fastened the fabric underneath with long straight pins.

Unique Touches of No-Sew Home Decorating

by Lois Breneman, © 2006, Heart to Heart 

 

Sheer Bunched Up Fabric on a Table

I unexpectedly came across several pieces of gorgeous sheer fabric on sale, thinking of an idea for it.   It looks very pretty all bunched up, in hills and valleys, on a small round table in our dining room.  The raw edges and selvages simply get tucked under, so there is no sewing whatsewever!   A centerpiece of napkins in a lead crystal bowl, a teapot and votive candles in lead crystal holders placed in the valleys of the fabric add a finishing touch.

 

Centerpiece of Cloth Napkins in a Lead Crystal Bowl

To make a centerpiece of napkins in a lead crystal bowl, use an assortment of cloth napkins. The napkins may all match or be two or three designs, complimenting the decor of the room. Press out flat.  Pinch the very center of a napkin between your fingers and shake out the napkin.  Use this same method for at least a dozen napkins, then tuck them all into the lead crystal bowl.  Fill in the empty spaces with bouquets of small silk flowers in colors that compliment the room.

 

Fabric Wall Coverings

Do you have bedroom walls with holes remaining from nails, greasy marks from sticky goo and other evidence of past wall hangings and posters?  Is that wall crying out for paint?  But how does a beautiful temporary quick fix sound to you?  You may like it so much that it will end up being permanent.

 

A decorator fabric, purchased on sale and fastened to a wall with upholstery tacks is just what you need!  I chose a beautiful piece with large burgundy flowers, dark shades of green leaves and shades of beige as the background for a bedroom.  Measure the width of the wall that you want to cover to determine the yardage needed.  At this point, this job works best with two people.  Using a 60 inch wide piece of fabric, turn under the edge, stretch the fabric until it is tightly drawn, and either push or hammer in an upholstery tack along the edge, about 10-12 inches apart. 

 

Start at the top and hang the fabric horizontally along the ceiling edge.  Turn under and tack along the sides, then the bottom.  Just be sure to choose a fabric pattern that is not vertical only.   In most cases, the fabric would reach down as far as where a chair railing would normally be.  For the effect of a chair railing, you could add a stained or painted strip of wood or crown molding along the bottom edge or simply use more upholstery tacks to fasten the fabric.  You may choose to decorate only one wall - or all four.  The choice is yours!

 

A Unique Decorating Idea Using Paint Strips

My future daughter-in-law, Emily, shared with me how she has seen beautiful mosaics of flowers, butterflies, etc. on the walls in a dorm - using paint sample strips!  This unique idea would be fantastic for any age (rooms for babies, young children teens or adults) - depending on the design chosen.  For ideas, a coloring book is a good source.  Some paint samples are already in the shape of squares.  They will need to be cut apart.  If they come in rectangles, they can be cut into smaller squares, as well. 

Be creative and arrange the hues in lights to darks - all in one color.  Another method would be to go from pinks to reds or go all the way through the rainbow colors - Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet.  Use your imagination - or your child's!

 

I called an office supply store to ask what product they would recommend to stick posters and light pictures to the wall without leaving a hole or residue.  I was told that "Stickem," a 3-M product, is a puddy-like substance that will not leave a greasy mark - no residue at all.  It can be found in the tape aisle. 

 

As I got to thinking about this unique idea, I thought it would also be fun to use paint strips as a border.  One way to do a border would be to stick about three squares along the ceiling edge, then jog down to the bottom of those three squares and stick three more squares in a row, continuing on to give a checkerboard effect.  If you need a substantial amount of paint sample strips, it would be best to ask the store owner if you may purchase a stack of strips.

 

Fabric Covered Foam Fireplace Seat or Dormer Window Seat

Increase your seating capacity by using the fireplace hearth as a seat.  Measure the seating area.  Purchase a piece of four inch thick dense foam at a fabric store and cover it with upholstery fabric.  Sometimes you can purchase fabric to match your sofa, but if not, check out the fabric stores for a coordinating fabric.  Now, I know I said these were all no-sew projects, and this one no different! 

 

Several years ago I wrapped a thick piece of foam with matching sofa fabric as I would wrap a gift, and secured it with long straight pins, sticking them in at an angle, so as not to jab anyone when they sit on it.  The sides should be wrapped as neatly as possible and the seam, of course, should be on the bottom.  The pins have not presented a problem in our home, even with a toddler grandson, but you be the judge on this one if you have toddlers. 

 

Some of these projects are such that when you get tired of them, you can still use the fabric for something else, as is the case with the sheer fabric, the fabric-covered wall and the foam seats!   So why not try some of these ideas and unlock those creative talents of yours!

Creating Outdoor Rooms from Scratch, on a Budget! / Backyard Play Area

Creating Outdoor Rooms from Scratch, on a Budget!
by Kathleen Wilson ~ Used by permission

Creating an outdoor living space is no longer just about increasing property values or impressing the occasional guest. It is about creating a warm, welcoming, nurturing place to come home to … a place that soothes the stress of out daily life, and brings us closer to nature and spirit.  And we have to remember that decorating our home should not stop inside our front door!

It doesn’t have to be complicated to create your own outdoor haven, and it doesn’t have to cost a lot of money! Follow my step by step instructions to create a personal outdoor space from even the smallest nook, the tightest budget, and with beginning skills.

Step One: Find a spot in your yard that could provide privacy, a view, warm bathing sun … whatever most appeals to you for your special place. This could be as little as your overhang near your front door, a slice of ground in your side yard, to a corner on top of your apartment roof! If space is at a premium, look for areas where a shrub could be removed, or a barbecue stored, or even a privacy screen erected to provide your “room.”  A small space is  actually easier to decorate, and more intimate!

Step Two: In order to give the sense and security of a “room,” you need to provide some structure in the form of walls. No, this isn't the construction phase! In fact, no construction is needed for this room, just some creative ideas! Walls can be created out of a row of  planters, existing wood fences or walls, living plants in the garden, or a lattice panel supported by two posts. These walls need not be solid structures, just the mere illusion of a wall to stop the eye is enough.  Use the patio or porch structure as your walls, and add potted plants as needed to create intimacy. Plant a trellis in a rectangular planter with some morning glories or other fast growing vine, and you have portable walls that can easily be moved to expand, or enclose the space, depending on the occasion or use.  If your special place is away from the walls of porch or house, cement two four by four posts into the ground with quick setting cement (no mixing required, you do it right in the hole!), and attach a simple lattice panel found at your home improvement center.

Step Three: Add a floor and ceiling! Floors in your outdoor room can consist of anything from gravel to decking to concrete! If your outdoor room just has dirt floors and money is tight, add a bag of pea gravel or mulch to dress it up. Nylon throw rugs hold up pretty well to the outdoors if they are out of direct sun, but no fabric will last forever outdoors, so go for the cheap ones you don’t mind throwing away at the end of the season. If you have concrete floors, paint an area rug right on the concrete! Use foam brushes, mask out your shape with tape, and try to  choose natural colors that go with the surrounding or your home’s colors. Use stencils on top of the  base coat for a custom look. Use the chisel edge of the foam brush to tap “fringe” at the end of each rug. Seal with polyurethane formulated for outdoors, and it should last years! 

As far as ceilings go, the sky works for me! If you have an overhead structure, consider growing a fast covering vine for shade and ambience. Morning glories are a great annual that fits the bill! You can also hang light fixtures from beams or hooks … look for old chandeliers at garage  sales you can strip and transform to hold candles instead of electricity!

Step Four: Now, we need to furnish the space. Consider what you will be doing in your space … will you need a table for dining, will it just be a private retreat for one, or will you be entertaining guests here? If the area is covered such as a porch or patio, feel free to bring out some interior items, provided they are not too precious. This would be a great place for thrift store finds. If all you can afford is the cheap plastic stuff, never fear! Krylon makes a new spray paint called Fusion that adheres to plastic without priming … use that to customize your colors, then add accessories to dress it up!

Step Five: The best fun there is … accessorizing! There is no reason to treat your outdoor room much different from the indoor ones … except you have to make allowances for weather. Benches and seats cry out for fluffy pillows and cozy throws for those cool nights out star watching. Outdoor fabric is available, but I just use cheap twin sheets on sale, and stitch up accessories I don’t have to stress about! (Hint: Use ties for your pillows if you live in an area with wind!)  Candles are ideal, or you can make your own firepit by simply lining a debris free area with sand or gravel, then edging it with stone or bricks. Remember to NEVER leave a fire unattended, and always have a water source nearby. Make paper mache sculptures and coat with linseed oil to waterproof them, and use them on tabletops or hung from ceiling beams. Containers of plants gathered in corners, windchimes from the dollar shop hung off a branch, and my favorite … birdhouses … are affordable and ideal for outdoors. I pick up wooden birdhouses from the craft shop and decorate them myself in different themes, then cluster them on tables, or hang them in groups on garden walls.

The key here is to remember that creating a space to enjoy nature is not only easy, it can be inexpensive and fun! We all need that time to absorb what the outdoors has to offer us, and no one should, or needs to be deprived of that based on their income.

Kathy Wilson is an author, national columnist, and editor of The Budget Decorator. For hundreds of free budget decorating ideas and to sign up for her free online newsletter, visit her at www.TheBudgetDecorator.com   Author of "Quick Decorating Ideas Under $20"

BACKYARD PLAY AREA 

Dollar Stretcher - http://www.stretcher.com/stories/05/05apr25a.cfm ~ Used by permission

Question:

I am a single mom of a 10-year-old girl. She is very athletic and wants a fort type, climbing structure. I can't afford what I've seen out there. Are there any suggestions about using/finding items to make a recycled play area? I would be doing it myself. I know it's a big job, but she needs an area for herself. My yard is not that big, but I do have two large orange trees. Ideas or suggestions would be really appreciated. ~ Betty C.

Answers:

Search Online - Go to www.craigslist.org and select your city and search under things for sale. Craigslist is a non-profit website where people can post things they want to sell and buy. Since you search in your city or one nearby, there are no shipping costs and you arrange with the seller privately for payment, pickup/delivery, etc. I've found it to be cheaper than eBay and full of things for kids! ~ Mary in Colorado

A Climber's Delight - I saw a wonderful idea in a book about children garden designs from my local library. They installed two 6x6 posts that were buried below the frost line and went straight up about eight feet. They were about six to eight feet apart. Three or four holes were drilled at parallel distances up the pole starting about two feet up from the ground. A heavy nylon rope was then strung to form horizontal lines between the poles. Another rope was spiraled around the front of the parallel ropes and tied wherever two ropes met forming a spider web climbing area. Another post was secured across the top of the two poles, overhanging on one side far enough for a swing. Perfect jungle gym and swing for the price of three posts and some rope. Ensure that the posts are secure and all knots are tight for safety sake. ~ Jennifer

Make Known Your Need - I suggest that you make flyers stating your need and place them on grocery store or church bulletin boards. Many parents would rather have their expensive play set used by someone who really wants it rather than have it unused or thrown away. You could also place an ad in the penny saver/local shopper. I have seen similar ads for items wanted by people in need.  ~ Tiffany

Recycle an Old Deck - My family built one by recycling an old deck that my uncle was tearing out. We only had to purchase the 4x4 posts (5) to support the structure. It is a two-story structure with the deck railing around each story and it has two swings. We bought a reject can of stain to stain it when it was finished. It was a weekend project that was fun for all. ~ Gayla V.

Talk to Realtors - Check with local realtors to ask if when they sell a house with a play structure that the new owners don't want, they would give them your number. Also, check to see if your local paper has a "free" section, as I have seen these advertised for free as long as you do the hauling.  Until you are able to find the type of structure she wants, consider getting a few big appliance boxes that she can cut, decorate and otherwise form into a fort. If that doesn't last for long, consider getting a few 2x2s and a spare sheet and make a teepee. These ideas will give her at least part of what she wants, a fort, and are very cheap and easy to change as whim dictates. ~ Eric

Join a Freecycle Group in Your Area - I belong to a Yahoo freecycle group in my area. People often request and offer these kinds of items. The items must be free. You will probably need to arrange to transport and rebuild the swing set yourself. The giver of the items just supplies the unwanted stuff. I have given away a handful of items and received several for my home just by signing up and reading the offers. ~ Deborah, RI

Used Tires as Building Material - When I was a kid, my favorite playground was the one at my elementary school, which had been built by volunteers out of used tires. They formed all kinds of interesting structures for climbing on, including a central castle with four "drawbridges" and, in the primary school section, a crouching dragon. There were also tire swings hung up horizontally by three chains so you could recline in them. Obviously you won't have room for anything this elaborate, but do look into used tires as a building material. It's amazing what you can do with them. ~ Amy

From Pallet Topper to Play House - We have built a couple of great play houses using "pallet toppers" from a local bindery. Pallet toppers are solid pallets that are used on top of pallets of books or paper to keep them from being damaged. They are very sturdy and can come in large sizes. ~ Elisa

Update Your Decor, without Emptying Your Wallet

by Kathleen Wilson ~ 10/2003 - Used by permission

As the Holiday season approaches, many people are wanting to make some changes to their home décor in anticipation of upcoming events or houseguests, or just because they want a fresh look for the season!  However, as we are all so very well aware, money is much tighter for many of us these days, and many of us (including me!) would like bring more meaning to the season, and spend less. Here are some great ideas for updating and freshening your rooms without spending lots of cash!

1.Paint. A gallon of paint can be gotten for around $10 these days, and nothing makes such a dramatic change in a room as new color! Paint just one or two walls in the room a rich or daring color. Jewel tones, rich terra cotta, sage greens, and honey gold are all very "in" colors, and will be for some time. They also bring a lot of comforting warmth to a room. Use a richer form of colors already in your room, and you will need to change little else!

2.Move things around. We all get bored! Try a new arrangement for the furniture in your rooms, even try moving pieces from one room to another!

That sofa table may make a better sideboard in the dining room, and that large fern may prefer a spot by the picture window instead of the entryway.  Try planning it out on graph paper first: each square will equal one foot, and you can cut out templates of your furniture using the same graph paper and the one foot scale. Now move the furniture templates around the room, drawing until you find an arrangement that works!  Remember to leave 18-24 inches between furniture to walk around, more if that is not comfortable for your family members.

3.Look for wintry photos online, in old books, calendars, catalogs and magazines that you can use to replace your present artwork with. Just open up the frames, and pop the new artwork over the old, then in the spring, you can remove it for a "new" look!

4.Add a little nature to your home! Use natural items that can be gathered on long walks or weekends away to bring charm and warmth into your rooms.  Always be sure you collect non-endangered items, and that you have permission to collect. A bowl full of pinecones or seedpods, pressed fall leaves scattered over a mantle, or evergreen boughs in a vase all add wonderful elements to a room.

5.Dress up your window treatments by adding quick and easy layers. Use cloth napkins to lay overlapping a valance to add pattern or color, add inexpensive strings of beads from the thrift shop as tiebacks and curtain "jewelry," or hang cafe curtains under your main treatments by suspending them with ribbon from small hooks screwed into the window frame. Find old quilts at rummage sales and sew a rod pocket to make warm and charming winter treatments.

Great, easy, and cheap ideas to update your home and add terrific style!  Bring on those holiday guests!

Kathleen Wilson is the author of "Quick Decorating Ideas Under $20: The  Budget Decorator's Bible" and the editor of the free ezine, The Budget Decorator. Find more free ideas and information on ordering her book and her online workshops at http://www.TheBudgetDecorator.com

<a href="http://www.TheBudgetDecorator.com">Budget Decorating </a>

10 Quick and Inexpensive Ways to Brighten Your Home for Spring

by Kathy Wilson - http://.www.TheBudgetDecorator.com - Used by permission

 
Spring is a sign of renewal in many areas of our lives, and our homes are no different! There is something energizing and refreshing about bringing that bright, airy feeling of spring into your home. Here are the 10 best ways to spruce up and revitalize your rooms, on a dime!

1. Add white! White with your present color scheme will both cool and brighten, adding the freshness that only white can! If your room colors tend toward the warm side, such as yellows, browns, or reds…then choose creamier white such as ecru or ivory. If you have cooler colors in your room, such as greens and blues, go with the brighter, cleaner whites.

2. Try painting your focal wall, (that is, the one most seen) in a sunnier, brighter, or lighter shade of your current wall color. It will add lightness to the room without drastically changing the whole scheme. Don’t worry, you can always go back to that rich red in the fall, but how about a little petal pink, or sky blue? Remember, its only paint, its cheap!

3. Add a floral print fabric to your room. Using the primary colors already in your room, visit your fabric store and pick out a floral fabric you love with at least one of those primary colors in it. (The more, the better, but don’t feel you must have every color in the room also in the fabric!) Use that floral fabric to make table scarves, placemats, pillow covers, and simple seat cushion covers. Pair it with a solid fabric color already in the room, and you have a custom coordinated look, for just a few dollars and some simple straight sewing!

4. Pick up some pretty colored glassware from the dollar shop, and display it where the sun will light it up! You could even use clear glassware, and fill it with colored water to coordinate with the room. Use your glassware as vases, pencil holders, or candy dishes, but make sure it is seen! Glass sparkles and adds a bit of sunshine to a room.

5. Take down your curtains, and just leave your mini blinds underneath. Don’t leave it bare, though, we don’t want boring! Swag some dried or silk flowers over the top of the blinds, or use some muslin to twist around a curtain rod for an informal but airy valance. (No sew!)

6. Keep your windows sparkling clean. Dirty windows cut down on a surprising amount of light, and make a room look dull.  As a bonus, clean windows mean more sparkling glass, and that makes room feel larger and brighter!

7. Pot up some pansies from the garden center and use them indoors as houseplants. They are cheap, easy, and add flowers to a room without the cost of replacing floral arrangements every week! You can even coordinate the flower color to the color scheme of the room. Don’t match the colors, just pick something complementary. 

8. Clear most of the artwork and accessories out of your room, and just keep a few larger, simpler pieces. It declutters the room, and helps to put the focus on the freshness of a room. Consider picking up a white lattice from the garden center, and hang it on the wall as a focal point. Place a potted plant in front of it, or hang small framed garden catalog prints from it. Let it be a reminder of the outdoors all season long!

9. Use a stencil or a stamp to add floral and nature motifs to your room for very little money. Stencil vines around windows and doors, hand paint seasonal sayings over doorways with a paint pen, or stamp a floral bouquet on the front of cupboard doors. You can always paint over those small areas with touch up paint in the fall. (Or you might love them so much, they stay year round!)

10. Finally, don’t forget your entry area when you are creating that spring glow all around your home. Remember, your entries are a visitors first impression of your home! Add a pot of pansies on the porch, paint your entry a fresh spring color, and hang a handmade wreath or a basket of flowers on the front door.

All these ideas take very little time, little or no money, and do wonders for your spirit and the spirit of those who you love. Take a little time to brighten your lives!

Kathy Wilson is an author, columnist, and editor of The Budget Decorator. If you would like hundreds more great budget decorating ideas, visit her at http://.www.TheBudgetDecorator.com

10 New Uses for Old Items: Decorating with Finds from the Past

by Kathy Wilson, author, columnist, and editor of The Budget Decorator. For thousands of free budget home decorating ideas, visit her at http://www.TheBudgetDecorator.com. - Used by permission


Creativity reigns in budget decorating, and there is no better place to showcase your creativity then repurposing old things. Just a couple of great ideas can make a room scream with style, and add loads of personality.

1. Crate It! - Use an old wooden crate once used for pop bottles as a shelving or wall display unit. Be sure to attach it to the wall studs with heavy duty hardware. Display pretty knick knacks, books or use it as storage in the kitchen or bath.

2. Bring in the Birds - Pick up an old concrete birdbath at a thrift shop or yard sale for a song. Top it with a round of glass for a one of a kind end table.

3. Open Doors for Your Dining Room - Another creative table idea is to use an old door as a dining table. Have glass cut to top the table, and add legs from a home improvement store. The shabbier the door, the better! Peeling paint and rusting hardware adds character to the piece, and the glass adds elegance.

4. Mirror, Mirror - Pick up small wall mirrors on clearance from your local discount store and use as candle trays. Place pillar candles on the trays in groups of three to five. The mirror will reflect the candle light, doubling the sparkle!

5. Fence in Your Pots - Find an attractive piece of iron fencing at the salvage yard and use as a pot rack in the kitchen. Hang from the ceiling with chain. Be sure to secure the hanging hooks into studs for safety. Use metal s-hooks to hang pots, pans and utensils.

6. Serve Coffee on a Bench - Yard sales are full of old wooden garden benches with lots of character. Use them in a casual home as creative coffee tables in the living or family room. They can also serve as entry tables.

7. Make Candlesticks - Old turned table legs or stair balusters make wonderful candlesticks. Use a paddle drill bit to create a seat for the candle just and inch or two deep. You can both sand and paint the candlesticks to match your decor, or enjoy their weathered appearance.

8. Use Old Fabric - Old tablecloths can be sewn into wonderful curtains, and pretty quilts can make wonderful table covers! Cut up stained pieces to create chair covers or placemats. Even a worn floral gown can be salvaged and made into pillows.

9. Plates and Cups - Glass, stoneware and china plates and cups can be re used as wall art, flower vases, planters and candle holders. Check out thrift shops for a great selection for only pennies per piece!

10.Picture Frame Panels - Dollar shop picture frames can be used to add traditional wall panels at a budget price! Remove the glass and backing from the frames, and hang in square or rectangular groupings beneath the chair rail. This will mimic the wood molding panels in expensive homes.