The Frugal Designer

Bird's Nest Display

Ok, by now you have seen the bird's nest display in my Farmhouse Inspired Table-Scape but thought I would just give you a quick run down on how to achieve this, in case you were smitten with it, as I would have been had I seen it on another blog or site.

A simple tutorial on how to achieve the weathered paint finish for the candlesticks is found here.  In addition, you will need to purchase 2 simple and budget friendly bird's nests (from Michael's or your local craft store selling such items) 4" in diameter, each at a cost of $1.99.  Then I used 2 out of the 15 (per package) eggs that came in the prepackaged bag of speckled friends that I purchased from Michael's (cost $4.99 for the 15, see DIY -  Farmhouse Found Object Display for both the eggs and the nests I purchased) though these can be accomplished very easily by painting plastic or styrofoam eggs from your local dollar store or the like.  If you plan to do these on your own (I will provide a tutorial shortly) a color such as Robin's Egg Blue is probably the most pleasing with an Espresso or Burnt Sienna for the speckling that is typically found.

Once you have accomplished the candlesticks (or allocated candlesticks you already own) and their respective paint finish, you will want to focus on your bird's nest display.  To do this, you will need to rough up your bird's nests so that they look slightly more realistic and a tiny bit less contrived.  Bend them, break a few of the  lesser twigs involved - make them look like they might have actually been found in nature.  Then place your egg (created or purchased) in the nest.  If your egg doesn't stand upright very easily, use a bit of peat moss (also can be purchased at your local craft store or as I found it at Target in a package for a reasonable price) in the nest first to give your egg a bit of support surrounding it so that it might stand relatively upright.  If it is leaning it will look a bit weird...

Then you can put on display wherever your hear desires.  For me this was on my Farmhouse Inspired Table-Scape, but since I love aspects of Farmhouse style this is very fitting for me, otherwise as Easter approaches these will have more importance to those of you who aren't already obsessed with bird's and their nests...

Farmhouse Inspired Table-Scape

This table-scape involved a bit of crafting and craft store visiting to accomplish but cost less than $15 to create.  If my things weren't still packed from my move, this would have cost me next to nothing.

Items used for this scene: (many of these I purchased for earlier projects)

1. 2 unfinished candlesticks from Michael's - cost $2.99 each

2. 2 4" bird's nests from Michael's - cost $1.99 each

3.  2 blue spotted eggs (15 per package at Michael's - cost $4.99) can be made from plastic or styro eggs...thinking an Easter project for those.

4. 2 or more blue glasses from local dollar store (can be used for candle holders as seen above or for drinking glasses)

5. 4 or more extra small grape vine wreaths from Michael's - cost $.49 each

6. Turqouise and Robin's Egg Blue craft paint from Michael's - cost $.50 each

7. Lt. Turquoise ribbon from Michael's - cost $1

8. Twigs and berries floral arrangement created with stems from Michael's - cost $1.99 each

9. Candles from local dollar store - cost $1 for pillar candles and 2 for $1 tapers.

10. Sand from my local playground

I will provide tutorials on painting the candlesticks and creating the bird's nest display shortly.  Hope you enjoy my farmhouse table decor!

 

Today is the Farmhouse Table-Scape Reveal!

I am excited to share my most budget friendly farmhouse table-scape with you all.  I'm sad to leave the Farmhouse theme, but very excited for my upcoming month's theme as well.  I know you are all on the edge of your seats here...but no I won't tell you in advance. 

Just isn't as much fun that way!

I will be posting my table-scape this afternoon but thought I would share a picture with you all from my Valentine's Day Table-scape, get your excitement going... I will also be giving you guys another crafty project or 2 before we end this month.

DIY - 3D Bird Art

The wonderful gals over at Blazing Lily have created this trio of fabulous 3D birds, for sale in their Etsy storefront, and have been kind enough to share with us a wonderful tutorial on creating some of our own little 3D friends. The bird trio pictured comes framed, with a soothing lavender fill and is priced very reasonably, just click on the image to take you right to their site for purchase and know that I will be envious of their new owner (I would love to hear from whomever purchases them).

For this project you will need: 

1. Fabric for the background - muslin, linen, or cotton would all work well.

2. Fabric for the bird itself and a coordinating fabric for the beak - cotton or linen would be great.

3. Ribbon for the legs.

4. Button for the eye.

5. Thread for sewing.

6. Polyfill for stuffing.

7. 2 Beads for the feet.

Begin by printing out the template, or any bird image that you love, to use as a pattern to cut a bird shape from your chosen fabric. 

Cut out a small triangle of fabric for the bird's beak.  Cut 2 matching lengths of ribbon for the bird's legs.

Place the bird in the desired location on your background fabric and pin it there, making sure the legs and beak are pinned into place beneath the bird's body.

Sew approximately 3/4 of the way around the bird's body, either by hand or with a a sewing machine...and any decorative stitch will do. The Blazing Lily gals use a blanket stitch if you are wondering.

Gently stuff the bird with polyfill and sew the opening closed.

Sew the button on as the bird's eye and thread each ribbon through a bead and knot.

Congratulations, you are finished! Easy peasy, right?

There's lots of room for variation in this project. You could use felt or leather for the beak. You could fill the bird with dried herbs or small scraps of fabric instead of polyfill. You could use a bead or a sequin for the eye. Any sort of pretty ribbon or string would work for the legs, and if you'd rather not use beads for the feet, just tie knots at the ends of the legs. You could add wings—use a small feather, or cut out a wing-shaped wedge of felt or coordinating fabric, or maybe crochet a wing-shaped wedge, and use hot glue to attach your wing to the bird's body. The finished project could be framed in either a frame or in an embroidery hoop—or maybe something entirely different! The only limit is your imagination.

Here are some close up's of the birds for sale, they are a slight variation on the template we have provided, but they show the detail quite well.

DIY - Bird on a Tree Limb Painted Plate

This project took no more than 20 minutes, and that was with many interruptions from my 2 year old and making dinner.  For the rest of the world, this would have been a quick less than 10 minute, but huge pay off project.  I found this plate at my local dollar store, so it obviously only cost me $1. 

I found this image on www.daddydrama.com, a site to explore for another day. 

I printed it out using letter size paper and started cutting so that I would be left with something of a template.  If you like this image also, right click and choose save image as...then choose a folder that is convenient and save it.  Open the image from your chosen location and print.

I taped it to my plate and carefully held it in place while I lightly painted using a stippling technique (an upright pouncing of your paint brush so that you don't accidentaly move your template aside and paint underneath).  I chose an olive green acrylic craft store paint (less than $1).

Very carefully remove the paper shortly after you finish with the paint so that you don't have bleeding.  Once your paper is removed you can see if there are any areas you might want to touch up.

Since the majority of this images is twig and branch, it doesn't require perfection and is supposed to have a graphic quality.  Don't worry if you aren't a skilled painter, this project can be done by anyone. 

Note: if you purchase a ceramic plate to try this project with, you might want to consider choosing a paint that states it is for use on ceramic. 

P.S. I took a picture of my finished result before the paint was dry, so it looks a little spotty.  To touch up,  I continued to add layers of paint as each dried, and used the stippling technique even though I had removed the paper, since it adds paint rather than removing it as regular brush strokes can.

DIY - Graphic Bird Prints

This project couldn't be easier and might even be done for next to nothing.  Old magazines, paper, fabric, just about anything can be used to create these cute little bird cut outs.  I am providing a sketch that can be used as a template, but you can use any bird image or other image you fancy.  Just print out your image and then cut it so you have something to trace onto your paper or fabric.

I chose cross stitch fabric for my background because I liked the color, it came prepackaged and had a texture I liked.  It was $3.99 for a 15x18" rectangle and I used the glass from my frames to cute 2 pieces to size.  You can use inexpensive poster board, cardboard would be interesting, or anything you have around the house that will give you a surface for applying your shapes.

I found 2 rolls of gift wrap at Michael's yesterday that were wonderful and  wonderfully priced at $.99 per roll.  They acted as the jumping off point for the color story I was working with for this project.  I also purchased a 54 sheet pack of heavy card stock, patterned papers, sized 4x6 because I don't happen to have access to magazines at this point in my unpacking.

I traced, I cut, I arranged my little friends in a way that was pleasing to my eye, and then I measured for placement.  This was the most difficult part of the project, but I began by finding the center in each direction and roughly measured my fabric in thirds.  I used Scotch Mounting Squares, that I cut in half, to apply the birds and give them a bit of depth.  Hang and enjoy!  

 

DIY - Farmhouse Found Object Display

  I think having a collection of mementos from family vacations, events, or everyday life is a wonderfully romantic notion and keeping them sealed in mason jars is so perfectly farmhouse and fabulous.  For this month's theme, nothing could be more precious than a "found" bird's nest.  It's February and a real one is not to be had, so I created one from items I purchased at Michael's.  I purchased a Mason jar for $1.99 as well as a 4" wire wrapped bird's nest for the same price.  I found the most wonderful package of 15 spotted eggs in various colors for $4.99.  I only needed one for this little project, but I have big plans for the rest!

Before I placed the nest inside the jar, I gave it a roughing up, if you will.  I wanted it to look a little less perfect and a little more realistic, so I broke some of the edges and pushed out the center a bit. 

I had to give it a bit of a squish to get it inside the mouth of the jar, but once inside it sat at a perfect for display.  I chose an egg color I liked, and that went with my home's decor best, and placed it inside the nest.  I actually used the sheer green ribbon that came on the package of eggs, to tie around the  jar, and figured an antique looking tag hanging from the ribbon would be an amazing way to label the object's origin and date of find (if it actually had one, but since it doesn't...a fake set of details will work just as well).

A series of these jars each with something different and beautiful tags to journal their wares, for display on a shelf, would be quite amazing.  Start your own collection, either real or imagined from far away travels or important moments in time and enjoy this budget friendly  manner of 3 dimensional scrapbooking.

 

Kickoff to Craft Week

Today marks the beginning of a very crafty week of Farmhouse Fun!  I'm off to my local craft store to find some supplies for this very craft filled week of goodness.  See you soon!

 

{Image Source: www.petslobby.com}

DIY - Tab Top Panels

There is nothing that says Farmhouse quite like a tab top curtain panel.  Something simple in a beautiful fabric...maybe linen, or a pale colored sheer.  The beauty of designing your own window treatments is that you can customize both the style and the size to fit your needs precisely.  Honestly with the no sew hemming products available...you don't even have to be that great with a sewing machine to pull this off. 

Click here for a very comprehensive and easy to use set of instructions and materials.  

Start with something simple in a fabric that won't show mistakes too obviously and if you mess up...who cares...just love the fact that you made it yourself!

It's all About the View, and Maybe it Shouldn't be?

That's right, you guessed it, today is all about window treatments for completing the look of your room.  I will begin with a short shopping list of panels that can be purchased, for reasonable prices, and will follow with links to fabulous DIY tutorials on creating your own curtains, throughout the day.  Something for everyone.

Since my style theme for February is Farmhouse, I will tend toward those treatments that fit within the style, and I will continue in the future to add and display treatments that fit with the styles to come.  I hope these posts will inspire you to create or purchase your own perfect window dressings, that fit your home's personality best, and lead you on your hunt to stores and sites that will aid your pocket book in retaining some of its fluff.  Window panels can be outrageously expensive, but there is just no need to participate in that vicious cycle!  

Let me begin my shopping post by saying that you should most definitely check stores like TJ Maxx, Ross, HomeGoods, Marshall's etc. as they frequently have screamin' deals on panels that actually occasionally come with 2 to a package!  Since each store has different merchandise I am not able to display their available wares for you...but will suffice to say you should definitely go and take a peak, it will be worth your while.

My second note of importance is that you must always pay attention to the packaging, to determine if 1 panel or 2 are what you are getting.  Don't be fooled by the fact that the picture on the front shows 2 panels and that most of the time windows always need at least 2.  Retail is not always common sense and is usually about nickel and diming (spelling?) you where possible!

Now on to the fun stuff...Click on the images below to take you to the place of purchase for each of these images.  I have kept the prices under $30 (with exception to the last one which was $39.99) and was even able to provide an option under $5 for a pair of curtains!  They are listed in order of price, from least expensive (the top of the list) to most expensive.  I've included rod pocket, tab top, tie backs, sheer weight, linen and black out lined panels...some are even reversible and many come in different lengths and colors so definitely click around a bit! 

              

Indoor Herb Garden

Nothing says Farmhouse Style like growing your own indoor (or outdoor) herb garden.  If the price is right, on a prepackaged set up, you may even save a little on the purchase of those herbs for your cooking needs.  Don't usually cook?  This may be a good foray into finding your inner Julia Childs.  Don't care to?  Still... an indoor herb garden provides beautiful greenery for your home decor.  Nothing can raise your mental state like living plants in and around your home. 

I am going to share with you a few nice prepackaged gardens.  You will want to keep these under about $15 since building you own will be more cost effective at that point and you can pick and choose the herbs that fit your cooking style when doing so.  I hope to share a fun DIY Herb Garden Project with you later this month (so I guess that would be next week).  For now start thinking about your particular needs and determine if a premade set is suitable.  Some come with very nice vessels and could not be reproduced for less than they sell for, it's the vessel that makes the difference here.  You need to ask yourself "would I find pots of this caliber, or that I like as well, if I were to create my own?".  If the answer is no and the herbs that come with it fit the bill, then making your own is only beneficial for the healthy aspect of crafting.  I am a true believer that crafting and building is good for the soul, so to speak.  

You can click on the images below to head on over to their place of purchase.   I also threw in a couple of cute pots that would be great for starting your own garden and are reasonably priced.

 

Valentine's Day Inspired Table-Scape

I was feeling the need for a sweet cupcake inspired table for my little family's Valentine's Day dinner.  I took the remainder of my color story from my wedding bouquet (to be shown at a later date with a DIY tutorial) and added elements from around my house that I already had.

I used 4 silk flowers (counted by the number of stems, since one stem can have multiple flowers) that remained from the making of my bouquet and trimmed 3 of them down to bud vase height.  A couple of the stems had more than one flower on them, so I removed the extras and I beheaded the 4th stem completely.  I placed a series of mint julep cups (these can be purchased inexpensively, are fabulous as vases and obviously beautiful for drinking out of as well) around the table for that tarnished silver ambiance that I find soooo romantic and added a votive candle to each.  If you have never paid attention to this before, take a look at any silver you may have, that has not been recently polished...pinks, browns, greens...its beautiful! 

I used the china from my wedding registry, which has a beautiful romantic quality to the design, and mixed and unmatched estate silver at each place setting (also tarnished on the handles a bit).

I keep a silver (yes tarnished) candelabra in the center of my table, most of the time, and two silver candle sticks on either side of it.  So other than setting the table and scattering a few added elements a table-scape can come together fairly quickly.

I added 2 jar candles that formerly sat atop my wall piano, and then scattered the leaves and branches from a few of the silk flowers around the center of the table as well. 

Then I added cupcakes to each place setting and a few to the table-scape as well and voila...beautiful table!

This table-scape would also work well for a tea party theme or girl's birthday...it's a celebration of pinks, browns, greens and whites.

DIY - Handmade, Heartfelt, & Budget Friendly Valentine

This was my very budget friendly handmade card for my hubby.  It has a pink fluffy heart, but ya know, he still liked it! hahaha

I was at JoAnn's Fabrics yesterday afternoon and found these ready made pink felt hearts and I completely fell for them.  What gal doesn't love fluffy felt hearts? They were $1 each, so very reasonable for my budget.  I had left over poster board from my DIY Beachy Botanical Prints project which cost $.49 per sheet, more than reasonable, and left over burlap garland from my DIY Coastal Chic Wreath which was less than $5 for some crazy amount of yardage (can't quite remember).  All told this probably cost less than $1.50 and was fun to do.  Can't beat that!

To create the weathered edge around my card I simply gave the poster board a gentle tear in a rectangular shape & folded it in half.

Then glued a scrap of burlap garland on half of the card, leaving the bottom potion of burlap unglued and loose.

I glued on my fluffy pink felt heart, about half way down the card and a little toward the right side.

Then gave that little heart a bit of a wrap from the burlap...and placed a very heavy box on top of the whole thing (since I wasn't using heavy duty glue, and it was a 3 dimensional object)...

I won't tell you what I wrote on the inside...but I will say that it had something to the effect of capturing my heart...isn't that sweet?  hahaha

Happy Sweet Valentine's Day to you all...

If you haven't noticed by the complete lack of heart shaped posts on my site, I have been a bit Bah Humbug-ish (spelling?) about this most heart shaped holiday.  I have been sick, busy, more busy then sick again....Grrr!  I not really in the mood for celebrating.

But alas, I came downstairs this morning to find a heart melting surprise.  My husband, had made a plate of heart shaped cookies by hand!  I can certify that he must have hand cut each and every one of these because we don't own a heart shaped cookie cutter (not really my style, though I am working on it!) and since I happened to have purchased the bag of sugar cookie mix, I can say this with almost 100% certainty.  The sprinkling of powdered sugar all over the counter and floor is also a dead giveaway that he has been there doing that!  hahaha

Oh how can you not smile with such a fondness in your heart over a little thing like that.  It's so darn cute. 

I also told him all I wanted for Valentine's day was his help digging out my once pretty dining room (pretty 2 weeks ago before we moved more boxes in for unpacking) so that I might do a Valentine's Day Table-Scape for you all...we shall see how that portion of the deal goes..I remain optimistic!

Oh Little Garden I Covet So Much

Pictures like this make my inner East Coast Gal or Midwesterner heart sing with covetous joy!  Don't you love just love this garden?

{Images via countryliving.com}

Frugal Farmhouse Lighting

Lighting is a very vital element in a well designed space, but there is no need to spend your life savings to complete the look.  Below I have provided pictures of several lighting options ranging from $5 to $39 (the one exception being the intro image which came in at $49 at Lowe's) from a couple of key retailers (IKEA and Lowe's-or I would have been at this all day) that carry affordable lighting options.  Given the eclectic nature of Farmhouse Style, I have chosen a few of those lighting options that embrace the era of farmhouse living in all it's glory.  The looks range from Industrial or Utilitarian to Shabby Chic and all work well with Country Living Decor.  Notice I have chosen mainly wall, pendant, and ceiling lighting...this was done on purpose, since other than the occasional table lamp or task lighting, wall and ceiling lighting would have been the norm.  I would also note that antique or rubbed bronze and brushed steel or brass would have been the typical finishes for lighting during this period.  Anything that has any of those finishes will most likely fit in well even if it isn't perfectly matching, since lighting would have been inherited from earlier generations (though most likely lantern and candle lit) and would have been likely mismatched throughout the house.

Images ordered: Floor lamps, table lamps, wall mounted, flush ceiling mounted, pendants, and chandeliers.

 

   

Inexpensive Farmhouse Inspired Prints

While I perused the available prints at art.com, for works that evoked a farmhouse feeling, one thing came to mind repeatedly: there are no set parameters for farmhouse art.  I found myself drifting through birds, landscapes, country still-life's, even modern photography and pop art and always finding a common thread.  I have striven to choose art from a variety of styles, in the hopes that it will inspire you to seek art of your own that speaks to the farm girl or boy in you, and prompts you to take peek at what is available, and learn to love art like I do (if you don't already).

All of the prints pictured below run between $5 and $50 depending upon the size and format you choose (print, giclee, poster, etc.) and can be found on the art.com website, a fav of mine when looking for art prints or artistic inspiration.  

 

           

DIY - Mason Jar Soap Dispenser

My first DIY project for this month's Farmhouse theme, is not my DIY at all, but is that of the amazing Heather Bullard.  If you aren't already familiar with her, you probably should be!  She has a boutique selling the most beautiful wares, and is a West Coast Editorial Contributor for the about to debut Flea Market Style Magazine, which has already sold out of the pre-order copies...not to worry though, it will be available on newsstands February 23rd, and I personally can't wait!  Definitely check out Heather's blog, she has fabulous photography and lots of wonderful ideas like this wonderful Mason Jar Soap Dispenser tutorial.  It wonderfully fits within the farmhouse collective and gives me such an exciting use for all of the random jars I have purchased and collected over the years!   

Run, do not walk to your nearest antique store or thrift store to purchase old canning or mason jars.  If you can't find an affordable assortment of old jars with which to do this project, buy new ones (check your grocery store) and make them look old by distressing the lid.  This is so easily done with a whitewash glaze.  See my tutorial on whitewashing, refer to the section regarding glazed whitewashing (section 3.), and simply substitute the latex paint for a paint that will bond to metal or tin. Your local hardware store can direct you properly to just such a product.  Make this a very watery glaze (try 3 parts water to 1 part paint) and lightly wash your glaze over the lid and voila and old jar you have made!  Once you have aged your jars..proceed to Heather's DIY post, and you will forever be that much more excited to wash your hands! 

Farmhouse Inspiration Board

I love a little visual inspiration, and right now while I am channeling everything that is fabulously farmhouse, I thought I would share with you all some of the images that are getting my creative juices flowing. 

Images from Country Living

 

Farmhouse & Fabulous in February

For those of you who live for an estate sale, thrifting, that wonderful mix of old an new, big substantial pieces of furniture with some hints of wear and tear...you are obviously on my level when I say that I just love Farmhouse Style!  In my younger years I never would have imagined saying these words, but as my design knowledge and experience has matured so has my understanding of just why I love this style, and how eclectic and all encompassing this style truly is. 

Let me preface this inspirational piece by saying that every culture...and I mean every...has it's version of a farmhouse style, because every culture, and again I mean every, has evolved from an agrarian way of life (or still exists in one).  That being said, the way this gets interpreted in the design world is through purpose of piece and a celebration of the materials used to build and finish each and everything available in the days of old.  There wasn't room for excess and everything was kept for generations of use, as building a new piece or buying one was not so much of an option for subsistence level living.  

There is a wonderful simplicity in farmhouse style and a melding of that which typically resides out of doors and those things found within.  French country, Swedish design, Cottage Chic, Traditional, Spanish colonial, Coastal Chic and so on and so forth all have an inclusion in this style with rustic and substantial furniture that stands the test of time.  Layer of painted finish upon painted finish, weathered or distressed woods, and farm living crockery and cookery all find a home Farmhouse Style.  If you think you hate this style, I make it my mission to expand your knowledge and understanding of how the styles you do enjoy, have their roots in farmhouse, or at least some definite common ground.  You just might be surprised at what you find!

I will be providing inspiration throughout the month and giving you tips and tricks for creating this look without breaking the bank.  Below, I introduce those of you who don't already get this in the mail, to the inside cover of the Potterybarn catalog from last month, as well as some images from around the web:  Farmhouse...it's all around you!

   

{Images from: www.sacmag.com, www.countryliving.com, www.movingdesignz.blogspot.com, www.ehow.com, www.potterybarn.com}        

Overzealous?

So, I of course found myself lacking daylight hours and burning the midnight oil...so to speak... I suppose I could have predicted this since it is fairly par for the course for every move I have ever had in the history of my short little life.  I know you will all forgive me for not posting my promised articles about whitewashing and the hopeful table-scape.  Have no fear however..cuz while it is in fact the 1st day of February and my 2nd theme will begin today, I have decided to break the rules (yes, these would be the rules that only I created for myself, and no one actually cares about other than me? yes those rules) and overlap my themes for the day.  I will finish out Coastal Chic month with the whitewashing technique chart as promised (a few days ago) and then begin February's theme - and no I won't tell you what it is just yet!  You will have to check back later today for both posts..It is going to be a productive Monday on the FD blog.  At least it is going I am going to be productive on this front cuz I'm definitely dropping the ball on the continued unpacking...Ugh!  I need a break from that task!

Also, a little more good news for both myself and my readers...my new neighbor Cat (hope you are reading lady) is an organizational specialist!  How exciting is that?  You can bet your britches we are gonna have a big, big focus on organizational techniques and habits this year.  And not because I am OCD about it (which I am), but because it is a great way to live life and stay on track both financially and around your home.  Oh the money that can be saved by knowing what you have and where you have it...such a good thing!