The Frugal Decorator...

Hah! There are those who would dispute the descriptive frugal being applied to me (I am not a penny-pincher), but I definitely feel I qualify as a budget smart shopper and decorator. Let's face it: we all cannot buy what we please, and have to be creative when decorating our homes with style. The other day, I watched a show on HGTV that made me chuckle. Its premise was "Can you shop cheap and look rich?" Well, I don't know about looking rich, but I can certainly shop cheap and achieve a similar look...better than any of the designers on that show! To prove my point, the host wrinkled her nose at a very attractive mirror sniffing, "I'm guessing that mirror is only $100."

Gag...I wanted to reach through the television and give her a good scolding about being so elitist!! I would tell her to check out Winners/Homesense (the Canadian version of TJ MAXX) where she could buy many of the accessories she has in her own home...for a fraction of the cost!

Of course for people of her status, that's not really the point, now, is it?? Some folks just think that more expensive is just more acceptable...and find nothing wrong with having $200 throw pillows for their sofa. Oyy...not me!!

A great example of "shopping with less" is my most recent lighting purchase. As I had mentioned before, I have been on the hunt for a chandelier within a translucent drum shade since the summer. I figured I would do it the cheapest way possible and either purchase a ready made drum shade which I would then slip over my chandelier, or even cheaper, pick up a vintage shade that I could dismantle and put new, sheer fabric on and make my own! After a fruitless search of my area, I had some great leads on a shade from Jerusalem. She had sent me photos of some shade forms she had in her shop, and I was in the process of investigating that option further when I received a call from another great shopper...my sister, Wendy. She informed me that my beloved Winners had the exact light fixture I was looking for ...for only $130!! Now $130 is not chump change, and is decidedly more than I had intended to pay for a simple drum shade, but the temptation for instant gratification was too strong. I hopped in my car the next day and after some earnest pleas to my hubby, it is now hanging like a glorious jewel in my dining area. Aaahh...satisfaction, and on a budget...considering higher end versions of that light extend into the high hundreds to the low thousands of dollars!!

Is that not perfection in a light fixture??

Another cheapie decorating feat I achieved recently was this little chalkboard. I bought the (gold) plastic, embossed picture frame from the Dollar Store, spray-painted the frame cream, painted the glass with chalkboard paint, and voila! Now, I know I haven't invented the wheel here, but one dollar is a pretty good price to pay for a chalkboard...I also made some for my friend's baby's 1st birthday and she used them like this:

She is a very creative gal herself and probably the person who most shares my intense passion for holidays and party planning. I love creative, and budget-conscious people!!