Our current sofa is GORGEOUS and super comfy but it's linen which apparently you can't touch. I have 3 rambunctious kiddos and while we don't eat in the living room, it's literally 3 feet away from where we do eat and a few more feet from the kitchen. Let's just say my kids aren't rule followers and I need a sofa I can wipe down or wash. Enter slipcovered sofas. While I love modern decor and clean lines, slipcovered sofas have the casual look I'm craving. They now come in low and deep styles with track or shelter arms that make my heart go pitter-patter. Per usual, my budget is smaller than my appetite (is that a phrase? It should be). So here are the best, slipcovered sofas I could find for under $2000...and one over that. Couldn't help it!

It's been a few months, ahem 4, but this party is too cute not to share! You guys know I have a running list of party themes I want to use and a space theme birthday party has been high on that list for years. When Dax couldn't decide what he wanted I jumped on it since a) he loves outer space and b) there were so many cute possibilities! Here are the details to look for:

You guys. I can't even admit to you how many hours I've spent looking for a stylish outdoor sofa that will withstand the elements here in the south. I'm talking full sun for days, 100-degree temps, and plenty of rain to boot. While I LOVE the look of wood outdoor furniture, it's just not practical here. I was ready to pull the trigger on this sofa when I shared it on Instastories and the feedback was unanimous- only buy wood patio furniture if you're okay replacing it in a year or two. Spoiler alert. I'm not. So that began the search for steel, aluminum, faux wood (usually aluminum painted to look like wood), or an all-weather wicker stylish outdoor patio on a budget. I've spent way too much time searching for the best all weather outdoor sofas on a budget to just file it away. Sharing makes it a bit more worth it! So here are my picks for modern, stylish, and affordable outdoor sofas that can withstand long, hot summers!

You guys. It seems like it recently became a thing to find cool stuff at Wal-Mart. But that's been my world for a long time. I'm kind of mad that I didn't come up with @whoawaitwalmart or @walmartfinds (check them both out on Instagram. They are so fun!). I have a strange attachment to Wal-Mart. I can't explain it. I think it comes from growing up without a lot of extra funds and knowing we could get what we needed at a low price at the local Wal-Mart. I was oddly grateful.

I could have used the word loot, or spoils, or treasures, or finds...but booty is so much more fun to say isn't it?  Recently my mom gave me maybe the best gift I've gotten all year (wait a minute; it's only January--most definitely the best gift I've gotten all year).  A day to myself.  Thank you mama! I started it with a trip to Hobby Lobby.  Usually when I go, I have two children in tow and it's just not the same experience I had last week.  The one of wondering the aisles somewhat aimlessly.  Getting ideas for future projects.  Leisurely looking through the clearance aisle, completely lost in thought.  It was amazing.  You know what else is amazing? The things you take for granted before you have kids!  I never would have thought I'd appreciate a trip to store quite so much! Anyway, I was so excited about what I snagged and even more--the prices at which I snagged these items--that I wanted to share.

Forever ago, I saw these centerpieces at a corporate event.  I vowed that I would replicate it.  A few years ago, I did.  This is the easiest and least expensive tabletop decor ever.

What you need:
Glass dish--you could get fancy but mine were .97 from Wal-Mart.
Cranberries-- somewhere around $1.50 for a bag.
Water--free ☺
Floating candles/Tea lights--$1.97 for lots at Wal-Mart.

This post was inspired by my absolute love of the Land of Nod (Remember, I got Nadia's party activities from there?).  And my absolute reality of a budget. One that does not include $44 blocks.  Even on Christmas.  I love "look for less" posts!  And I love writing them; finding similar items in lower price brackets is such a fun challenge.  And pretty much my reality. (And all of our realities at some point right?).  Now of course I love the "look for less" features where one item is $5 and the other is $5000 and they look exactly the same.  I'm going to apologize in advance that this is not one of those posts.  BUT it's super realistic and all the price differences (from $7 to $30) add up--especially at Christmas time.  Not to mention that if you're looking for kids' gift ideas, I think you'll love some of these!





Now in some cases the differences are more obvious.  And they might be worth the extra $15.  But in others, the differences are minute...and while you might notice them, I'm guessing your two year old won't.  

After this post fed to Taste{full}'s Facebook page, I got a question: Where do you get the furniture you paint? Here are my top sources for used  pre-loved furniture:

1. The side of the road.  Yes, it can be embarrassing.  You have to be fearless. Like me.  I seriously don't care what people think if I see potential in a cool piece of furniture for FREE! Unfortunately the husband is not like me so I've passed up some good pieces because he refused to didn't pull over.  (Although maybe it's good that he's less tolerant because my garage would be even more of a mess than it already is).  Here are the pieces I've found on the side of the road:
-magazine rack.
-nadia's modern rocker.
-cool vintage office chair kind of like this one (I never got around to painting it though and ended up selling it on Craigslist.  Easiest $15 I ever made).


2. Craigslist.  You have to be patient, willing to negotiate, and willing to drive.  Here are a couple of pieces I've found on Craigslist.
-genevieve's "new" dresser (to be revealed soon)!
-"vintage" wooden high chair (below).


3. Thrift/Antique stores.  This might be my favorite "source."  It's more convenient than randomly stopping on the side of the road, they'll hold furniture for you until you can pick it up (usually 24 to 48 hours), and while it's more expensive than "free," it's still pretty cheap. Here are a few pieces I've found at Thrift stores (I could list so many more!).
-Genevieve's 1st Dresser.
-genevieve's rocking chair.
-nadia's changing table.
-Quarterfoil bar- I can't wait to share this project with you.  I just have to start it first.



1. Bring a tape measure with you whenever possible.  And have your home/space measurements with you if you're looking for a specific piece (I keep a "note," in my phone).
2. Take your time to check out condition and if the item is real wood.  If it's in rough shape and you're aware of that, fine, but it's a bummer when you get home and realize the piece isn't what you thought it was or is more damaged than you realized--this has happened to me a few times!
3. Don't be scared to negotiate.  The worst that can happen is they say no.  The best- with 20 seconds of your time you just saved ten or twenty bucks!

Well I have to say, looking at all the furniture I've painted over the last few years (and I didn't include every piece) is so fun. It often feels like I never get around to projects but now I have proof! ha!

HomeGoods.  I love you.  I want to marry you.  And live in a house of design and style and texture and patterns and happiness.  Oh, Hi.  I didn't realize you could hear me.  Clearly I'm HomeGoods Happy.  After reading this post over at A Place for Us, I could no longer deny my HomeGoods crave.  When Nadia skipped her nap yesterday, Genevieve woke from hers, and it was nice out, I decided it was the perfect opportunity for an impromptu trip to HomeGoods.  I got the kids in the car quickly and headed to one of the two HomeGoods near me.  Here are a few gems I found.

[I started this post weeks ago so this is my disclaimer that these items may not be around any more!).

I didn't jot down prices, nor did I take enough photos of the tons of other cool and inexpensive things I found there!  I felt like I was taking a lot of photos but when I got home I realized it only felt like a lot because I felt awkward taking pictures in the store! lol.

Anyway, come back soon so I can show you the item I actually purchased as well as the super fun 'found objects' I purchased just yesterday (from HomeGoods) for the living room re-do I briefly mentioned here and here.  I am so happy with them and can't wait to share!

I made this book as a small softcover book for my mom's birthday a while ago. Then I sent it and it got lost in the mail. :( But maybe it was a happy accident because I just upgraded the book to a hard cover 8*8 and used "BOOK40" to get it for 40% off! Plus I had a $10 coupon. Can't wait till she gets it. I love giving a photo gift because it's something that people often don't have the time, skill, or inclination to make for themselves. I'm still a little sad the other one got lost but who knows--maybe it'll come back to me one day and I'll get to keep it for myself! Just maybe!

 

I'm at it again.  Spray painting that is. :)  I won't even link to all my posts about spray paint because there are just too many (and soon to be many more).  But I did want to highlight this look-for-less project. A while ago I was researching decor ideas for my mantle.  I never know what to do there and the old standby of a mirror, framed pictures, and candles just seemed so boring.  I came across this photo over at Centsational Girl and fell in love with not only her seasonal mantle decor but also this mirror! When I saw it, I immediately clicked the link to Lamps Plus and was just as quickly disappointed at the price tag.  I'm a bit annoyed that I can't remember just how much it was (and now it is sold out there and on Amazon who also used to sell it) but I think it was somewhere around $160.  I can barely spend that on a rug, let alone a mirror.  Of course I searched the Internet trying to find it for less but to no avail.  Enter HomeGoods.  I am in love with that place for so many reasons and this mirror is just the latest of them.  I scored a Casbah look alike for $24.99.  It was smaller but so is my fireplace so that was ok.  It was also black, so I spray painted it gloss white.  I was scared- I'd never spray painted something brand new.  If you mess up a $10 find from a thrift store or a cute little 'found object' that you got at the dollar store- who cares.  But to mess up something brand new...Let's just say I tried my hardest not to rush through the project like I usually do.  Unfortunately I failed to take 'before' and 'process' pictures, but here is the after.  You can imagine it black right? :)



As you can see, I still haven't styled my mantel! And I'm not naming names Joe DeLangie, but someone has been procrastinating on actually hanging the mirror for months so there it sits propped against the wall.

Paint and decorate the mantle (and buy new sconces) has been on my to-do list for some time so when that project is complete I'll be sure to blog it.  (wow I just totally depressed myself by revisiting that to-do post only to find not one thing is complete.  Well I suppose I was busy carrying, having, and caring for her  not to mention decorating her nursery which kind of took priority over everything else...so I guess I'll give myself a break)! ;)

As for the process, I basically taped it off with blue painter's tape using newspaper to cover the mirror.  A word of advice for painting mirrors, make sure you cover it thoroughly to make sure no paint seeps through.  Paint did get on my mirror but lucky for me, I was able to scrape it off.  I'm not gonna lie though; I panicked a little.  If I paint a mirror again, I might use plastic just to be on the safe side.  I probably sound like a stalker at this point, but Live the Fancy Life prompted this post, as she took on a very similar project recently.  Take a look at her post- she has a photo of the before, during, and after.  Next time I'll remember to do that!  I promise! ;)

Speaking of being a bargainista, I am in love with Paper Coterie and their free printables!  I learned of them through How Does She.  A while ago they offered a $30 credit and I bought this cute growth chart for Genevieve.  I signed up for their newsletter and am so glad I did.  They've offered a few sets of awesome free printables since then and I am in love with today's Mother's Day set.  My favorite one is below:

This is a random post...I just wanted to talk a tiny bit about being a bargainista.  I love getting a good deal and since I'm a reformed shopaholic, it's actually essential for me.  But I swear even if I won the lottery tomorrow I'd still hunt for a bargain.  And shop at thrift stores.  It's in my blood.  Now that I'm a stay at home mama, It's even more crucial that I stick to a budget.  Sometimes in blog land, it seems like everyone has a ton of money.  I don't.  And I'm not ashamed of it!  I'm actually really proud of the fact that I find 95% of what I buy on sale or clearance or a discount store.  I think I'm the only one who loves Wal-Mart.  No it's not glossy and pretty and fashionable like Target.  But it's cheap.  And I dig cheap.  But, I also like to look good (although unfortunately that's less of a priority lately) and for my kids to look good and for my home to look good.  It doesn't.  But I want it to.  [Man, this is totally a stream of consciousness. I hope you're still reading!].  So in order to accomplish that I hunt for a bargain.  I bring up Marshalls (and TJ Maxx) because I've often been asked where I got something and when I name one of those places, I always hear "Oh, I forget to go there."  So this is just a tiny bit of encouragement not to forget.  Our latest obsession is buying gifts from there.  I'll be honest- we don't typically end up spending less but we do end up buying a couple of items for what we would have spent on just one...so the giftee gets more and that's so fun!  In fact at Christmas I bought my niece a my little pony play set from there.  It was only $9.99 and I felt like that was cheap so I picked up another gift for her.  Later I looked on Amazon and Walmart.com and the exact same gift set was $24.99.  Score!  Ok, this obviously isn't a tutorial or lesson in getting a good deal.  It's just an encouragement to hunt for a bargain and not to forget Marshalls and TJ Maxx.  It's also an excuse to brag about these adorable items I scored the last time I was there:

arrived Thursday! I LOVE it.  I love ethnic print rugs and natural fibers but they are usually so dang expensive. And I am so dang cheap.  Ever since we moved into our house in 2005, I've been buying cheap rug after cheap rug.  Seriously we must have had at least 4 rugs, all under $60 a piece.  Well it adds up and I haven't been in love with a one of 'em!  So lately I've been prioritizing my home a little higher in the budget and the husband agreed that I could spend the money I make doing this on home stuff.  That made my heart happy and motivated me to squeeze in more writing whenever I can!  I've searched and googled and binged and Pinterested (I'm well aware that is not a real word ;) over and over and couldn't find a rug I liked for much less than $300.  But lucky for me I subscribe to Live the Fancy Life (Love you Jessica)! I've mentioned her blog here, here, and here (and probably elsewhere that I can't remember).  Anyway, she blogged about this rug here.  As I was contemplating her rug purchase she posted an Overstock sales alert which was the kick in the butt I needed.  I finally took the plunge and ordered the rug and I'm so glad I did.

I am in love with 98% of the Dhurrie rugs at Shades of Light and guess which one is there?  and for $279 no less?!  Yes, the exact one I ordered and paid much less for (at 15% off the already low Overstock price!)  In fact, I pinned the exact rug (in peacock blue) 3 weeks ago and didn't even realize it was the same one.  I loved "seeing" it in Jessica's house first and while I love the peacock blue shade, I like that the cobalt blue is more neutral and can be paired with so many different (and fun-- teal, yellow, coral, orange, pink!) colors.  I can be so indecisive--I have a really hard time pulling the trigger on large purchases (usually Joe does it for me but he is so not into decorating--as long as there is a big screen plasma TV in the room, it's "done" in his mind), and then regret the purchase after I make it so I'm very glad that in this case I have zero buyers' remorse.


What about you?  Have you made any big (I consider anything over $100 a big purchase!) lately?  Did you love it or regret it?

Nadia is 8 weeks old and I am finally finished her nursery.  Actually I'm lying.  I still have one more tiny task to take care of but it requires shopping around for the perfect thing and I don't know how long that might take (I mean it IS me, after all!).  But more on that later...

Nadia's Nursery was such a fun adventure.  I really wanted to create a fun, unique, functional nursery on a budget.  I wanted it to reflect my style but also be suitable for a baby/toddler and a happy place for Nadia.  I have a love/hate relationship with decorating.  On one hand, I love it.  I love all things pretty and the thought of creating a space that makes me feel a certain way is a welcomed challenge.  On the other hand, I am very indecisive, can have a hard time visualizing the finished project, and am painfully aware of my shortcomings when it comes to interior design.  But when all is said and done, I love learning about design and learning how to execute my ever evolving style.

my inspiration.

Initially I had several different design schemes I really liked for Nadia's nursery. One involved a palette of beige, cream, taupe, and white...a peaceful, natural vibe.  One involved Joel Dewberry's aviary line with a rustic woodsy feel (I have to admit part of the draw here was using owls which despite their trendiness, I think are simply adorable).  The next involved a modernly shabby chic feel with florals and distressed furniture in a palette of bubble gum pink, red, and aqua.  The last was a girly room of bright colors- aqua, pink, and yellow, with an ethnic vibe- based on Dena Fishbein's Kumari Garden line.  Hey, I warned you about my indecisiveness!  I dropped the Joel Dewberry version and then showed photos and described my 3 ideas to my super artistic sister and my designer friend and they both gave me the same advice: combine all three.  At first I wasn't sure if I could do that--I'm a bit of a design schizo and I felt like they were all so different.  But the more I thought about it, the more I felt like I could totally take my favorite elements from each scheme and make it work.  So that's what I did.  I did give one priority and that was the Kumari Garden inspired room.

I had crib bedding made from it and the rest flowed from there.  From the peaceful beige palette, I took the natural elements and used DIY drop cloth curtains, the cute hamper, the natural blond wood shelves, and woven accessories.  From the shabby chic scheme, I took the aqua and pink, used a painted yellow dresser, and painted and distressed an antique dry sink to re-purpose as a changing table.  I also used the ornate (and yes, ubiquitous) ung frame.  The goal of "ethnic" might not have been achieved. I ordered a Moroccan Pouf from Morocco (yes straight from Morocco) and it ended up being a total NIGHTMARE!!!  I ended up returning it and since I can't afford the $400 version and am now deathly afraid of ordering a cheap one after my experience (let's just say it involved goat urine.  yeah that happened), I had to give up that dream. I also ordered a cool coffee sack pillow that I thought gave it an ethnic vibe, but that too didn't pan out.  I won't give you the boring details...I did however create this cool (if I do say so myself) Chinese lantern, pom, and lace lantern mobile and order this beautiful print from Jones Design company--all of which I think contribute to an ethnic feel.  And the Dena Fishbein print which was the entire inspiration, is one of the beautiful prints in her Kumari Garden collection which invokes an ethnic bohemian vibe. I also used her Tarika in gem as well as the Sujata in pink prints.

One last note and then I'll shut  up!  One of the most fun things about this room was doing it on a budget (Not as super tight as Genevieve's nursery but not nearly as expensive as many of the nurseries I ogled on design blogs).  Many of the items in her room came from thrift stores, yard sales, and even the side of the road.  I loved upcycling the changing table and painting the $20 yard sale dresser a cheerful yellow.

So here are some photos for your viewing pleasure (sources for almost everything at the very end)...

One of my absolute favorite features!  Lantern and pom mobile inspired by hers and hers.

Natural wood shelves-- styled but functional.