There are some things that I will buy new and other things that I’d prefer to find “gently used” and then refinish them (whenever I get in the DIY mood). Well, last weekend I found this great vintage sunburst clock on ebay and won it for only $9.99! Now I know it may not seem like much, but these things run $250 or more in the store and I’m on a budget lol.
Images via ebay
The seller disclosed that the clock didn’t work, but I wasn’t worried about that since I didn’t really want the clock part. I wanted a solid gold sunburst to hang over my couch. The finish on the clock was pretty close to they way I wanted it, but it was a little worn and dull and I wanted more sparkle. So, once I received my clock I headed over to my local hardware store and bought a can of primer and a can of gold spray paint. I used the box that the clock came in to sit the clock on outside in the grass. I then applied a thin coat of primer onto the clock and let it dry for about an hour.
(after primer was applied)
Once the primer was dry, I applied three thin coats of gold paint to the clock (each a few minutes apart).
(after one coat of gold paint)
(after three coats of gold paint)
The last step was to just wait for the paint to dry, which was pretty quick! The whole redo was very simple to do and saved me a whole lot of money. Here it is in it’s new home all shiny and like new 
Price Breakdown :
Vintage Sunburst clock bought on ebay : $9.99 + $8.05 shipping
Primer and Gold Spray Paint : $10.80
Total cost for my pretty new decor : $28.84
Not bad huh!?!
As I was doing some cleaning today, I came across my favorite little tea set that I had gotten from my Aunt who is from Spain.  I decided that I really wanted to display it, because it was way too beautiful to stay hidden inside that cabinet. So, I decided to create some quick and easy budget friendly vases to dress up my room.  Something that we all can do using things we already have at home! ÂÂ
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No matter what season it is, I always enjoy having flowers throughout my house.  They add a softness to any room and also give it life!  While I love fresh flowers, and try to pick up a bouquet every now and then, it’s not always cost efficient.  So, I go for the next best thing, life-like artificial flowers.  They’re less maintenance then real flowers, and can be shaped and cut as you like.  Many of us have accumulated artificial flowers over the years, so it costs us nothing to switch them out.  If you don’t already have flowers at home, you can run out to your local craft store and pick up some for under a dollar and you will be able to use them over and over (with the holiday season coming up, you can also use fall leaves, garland, or anything else you can think of  to put in your vase).  You can also head right outside and find some flowers and greenery to add to your vases for free .
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Here’s what you need to make your own budget friendly vases :
- real or artificial flowers
- scissors and/or wire cutters
- something to use as your vase, such as cups or bowls
Thats it!
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Here you’ll see the parts of my tea set that I decided to use, as well as some of my faux flowers and wire cutters (I use these because they cut through the faux flowers the best)
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Take your flowers and cut them or bend them to size.  With the artificial flowers, you can bend them to make them shorter or to make them lay as you want them to.  Then, when you want to use them in another vase all you have to do is re-shape them.
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Shape the flowers as you like and arrange them in your budget friendly vases and you’ve created an updated look using things you already have at home!
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For those of you that don’t know, Better Homes and Gardens recently tasked 5 fabulous Home and Garden bloggers with designing an outdoor project at home, given $500 and two days.  The winner of the challenge will receive a $5000 bonus!  I have check out all of the completed projects and they are  all beautiful.  It is very apparent how hard everyone has worked on this challenge.  What these bloggers have done with $500 (to spend at Home Depot) is incredible.  With everyone looking for ways to save money these days, while still enjoying and enhancing our own homes, these completed projects are an inspiration for homes big and small.
Sherry and John of This Young House, a couple of my favorite bloggers, just so happen to be a part of the 48-Hour Challenge.  Sherry and John update their blog just about every day of the week, and provide all kinds of inspiration for home improvement, decorating, entertaining, etc.  They also plan to donate some of their winnings to one of their favorite housing charity’s.  Check out their before and after pic’s…
Before…a lovely home, ready for a little outdoor makeover
After…an outdoor oasis, ready for loungin’, lazy summer days, and summer time fun!
Images courtesy of This Young House
To vote for Sherry and John, go here .  Voting ends this Friday
Hey everybody! Today my sister Ashley, who will be working for Glamour Magazine this summer, is visiting to share some tips for shopping and staying fabulous on a budget. The floor is yours Ash
With every screech of the metal hanger before, the search for the perfect fashion piece becomes more intense. Browsing through the racks and racks of shirts, dresses, skirts, and pants, brings about the excitement and thrill of finding the perfect item in any vintage store. This store in particular hosts garments and accessories from the 1940s to the 1990s. Each piece, unique and one-of-a-kind, subdues any shopper’s passion of finding items seemingly created solely for them. Looking through this quaint vintage store, the super short, shapeless mod dresses from the 1960s and the knit off the shoulder sweaters from the 1980s all hit the right spot in my fashion-filled mind. But as I glance over to the accessories counter in the little vintage shop, I notice a 1960s vintage Dooney & Bourke bag that only my grandmother could have owned. When I realized Dooney & Bourke bags cost about $300 plus I knew I had to have it. Retail price: $60. The all leather, emerald green, navy blue, and cream handbag with brown detailing is the perfect fit for my purse collection, actually, the perfect fit to anyone’s collection. So of course, I got the bag. A unique find like this can be achieved by anyone. Having a good eye and knowing where and when to shop are all factors of buying on a budget for any fashionista, or anyone interested in fashion, that is. With some tips and hints I’ll show you the best places to shop when you want to buy a great piece on a tight budget.
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