Search Results for: blog frugal decorating with pine cones

Back to Nature for Frugal Fall Decorations

The other day we were out shopping in Lancaster county, at a little gem of a store. We were looking for something very specific for our home, a set of three candles that we loved but had decided to wait on purchasing until we were sure we really wanted them. On the way through the store, I stopped to admire some fall decorations and picked out a lovely little pumpkin with some hand carving in it. Unfortunately, the price wasn’t too lovely, especially for my husband, but it did inspire me to look beyond cost to find some more frugal … Continue reading →

Holiday Decorating: Altering the Look of Pinecones

I enjoy decorating with pinecones because they are a natural material, easily found, cheap to buy and very homey. They are also somewhat flexible and will adapt to different styles of decorating, from county to town. But if you are bored with the standard look of pinecones, you can alter them to create many new looks. Here are some standard and not so standard ideas for changing your pinecones to reflect your style. Lighten Up If you want something a bit more modern and less dark, you can lighten your pincones by bleaching them! This creates some nice color ranges, … Continue reading →

Thrift Store Decorating

If you get the bug to redecorate, or just to add a bit of life and color in the form of artwork, try heading to the thrift store. Don’t worry, I’m not going to send you off to get framed paint by numbers artwork (unless you want a little kitsch in your kitchen). Instead, why not take a look at some common thrift store finds and use them in creative ways to make one of a kind statements that will have your guest think that you spent a fortune on your design. Frame It! All sorts of interesting things can … Continue reading →

Frugal Christmas Tree Ornaments

Christmas tree ornaments can certainly be expensive. A single ordinary ornament can cost on average $5! Many fancier ornaments cost up to $25! At these prices, you may have to chose between decorating your tree and paying your mortgage for the month. There are ways, of course, that you can decorate your Christmas tree without spending a lot of money. Try some of the following ideas. I’ve included generally ornaments and even some that would be great for a theme. Just think, you could have a designer tree without the designer prices. For no-fuss tree decorating, just hit your local … Continue reading →

Fall and Holiday Decorating with Nature

Have you ever considered using a cut log as a decorative element? This is just one of the many ideas I have for fall and holiday decorating with nature. Fall is a wonderful time for gathering the bounty around you and using it to decorate. And for the holidays, there is often nothing quite as homey and bringing a bit of the outdoors in. It gives a sense of that old fashioned Christmas we all dream about. I talked a little bit about using nature in yesterday’s post about centerpieces and decorative items, but let’s expand to cover little touches … Continue reading →

Fall and Holiday Centerpiece and Decorating Ideas

Over the summer, Better Homes and Gardens published an idea for a nautical centerpiece that used an old lantern, some sea glass and a lemon. While it wasn’t exactly my style, I though the idea could really be adapted to fall and holiday decorating, especially with a few changes. The concept is very flexible, and you can adapt it to suit your own particular style. For example, why not substitute the nautical lamp for a hurricane lamp? This may give you a more homey, New England or country feel to the decor. Actually, any type of container that has some … Continue reading →

Frugal Ornaments

Christmas tree looking a little bare? You don’t have to spend a lot to make it beautiful and full of happy things. Just take a look at the following ideas that will help you decorate your tree for free (or almost free). Some of these ideas are taken from traditional Christmas Tree decorating traditions from folks who know what it is to live frugally, while other ideas have a more modern spin. Enjoy! Here is an idea that an old friend and I used to decorate his tree when we didn’t have much to work with in terms of cash. … Continue reading →

3 Frugal Wreath Ideas

Having a nice wreath for the holiday season doesn’t have to cost you much or even anything at all. Use these five fun ideas to make your own festive Christmas wreaths. I was looking in an LL Bean catalogue today. I love looking through all of those beautiful full-color glossy pages, not really to buy anything, but to get ideas for my home that inspire low-cost alternatives. The Christmas wreath is one of those products that I found can cost a lot less when you make it yourself. A balsam wreath with a cherry red bow can cost somewhere around … Continue reading →

Tips for a Frugal Thanksgiving

Serve a vegetarian meal. The cost of meat is usually a big part of any meal, whether you serve the traditionally turkey or a ham or both. My Italian family always served a lasagna for Thanksgiving, and it was a long time before I ever knew that a Turkey was the traditional main course. When hosting a family Thanksgiving get together, ask the relatives and guests to contribute to the meal by bringing a dish. You can assign dishes ahead of time. There are two ways of doing this. You can ask your sister to bring a “green vegetable,” or … Continue reading →

Quick Harvest Decorating

Do you need some last minute tips for fabulous harvest decorating around your home? Here are some quick ideas that require very little effort or planning. Sometimes life can be hectic, especially around the holidays. I remember one year when I suddenly found out that I was hosting Thanksgiving for our extended family. I found this out less then two weeks before the big day. Ouch. If this is happening to you this year, you have my sympathy. You also can have these quick ideas to get your home in a festive mood. For a quick harvest centerpiece, gather up … Continue reading →