Frugal Decorating.....

A month or two ago we went to visit some of our sweet friends and while we were there the city was having a clean up day.

Anyone who had big items to get rid of could set it out with the trash and the city would pick it up or anyone who wanted it could have it.

Well, this is my kind of stuff,

so we went driving around and found some fun items.....

But this is my ultimate find!!!!

A very nasty white wall shelf!!!
I was so excited. :)

This is the side view.

Pretty yucky........

I sanded it first and wiped it down really good.

Then I spray painted it. I had to go over it a couple of times, but it only took one can of paint!

Here is the final product!!!!

Isn't pretty?

I think it turned out great!!!

I set it up in my room in my reading nook and put two of my Betta fish (Sherlock and Watson :) )

on it to use as bookends.

I am so pleased about how it turned out!

Here is the side view with my photographs above it.

The rainbows on the wall come from a prism I have hanging in the window

I got the idea for that from Pollyanna! :)


The total cost for shelf: $1.08 !!!!!!

Since my post is about how to frugally decorate, I though I'd share some pictures of the rest of my room as well!

This is my bed.....

The picture frames to the left I got very much on sale at Wal-Mart. I just put some photographs I had taken in them.

All the pillows I have were either given to me or I got them from a little old lady who makes them and sells them at garage sales. (I love garage sales! You never know what you will find!)

The shelves to the right I also got at a garage sale!

Here is a close up of the pictures.....

The center painting I got as a graduation gift and the one in the far right bottom corner my Great-Grandma painted for me!






I wanted to show you a close up of this one because
all the picture is a pretty card a sweet sister sent me!


I wanted to be able to see it often, so I just framed it! :)





Here is the other side of my room...

These shelves my Dad bought me a Habitat for Humanity.
The things on them were mostly given to me or I got them at a garage sale. :)

I'm still looking for the right piece to go above my CD player......
Who knows what I will find? :)

I hope this little tour of my room may have given you
some ideas on how to fix up your own space and still be frugal!

Have you refurbished something you have gotten at a yard sale or used?
What ways have you decorated your room/house frugally?

Please share so the rest of us can get some ideas! :)

Laundry Soap

Homemade Liquid Laundry Soap-

for the front or top load washing machine
We really like this detergent recipes that we found off of the Duggar Family website (www.duggarfamily.com).

It works wonderfully on Baby Girl's diapers and makes our other clothing smell very fresh and clean!

4 Cups - hot tap water

1 Fels-Naptha soap bar

1 Cup - Washing soda

½ Cup Borax

- Grate bar of soap and add to saucepan with water. Stir continually over medium-low heat until soap dissolves and is melted.

-Fill a 5 gallon bucket half full of hot tap water. Add melted soap, washing soda and Borax. Stir well until all powder is dissolved. Fill bucket to top with more hot water. Stir, cover and let sit overnight to thicken.

-Stir and fill a used, clean, laundry soap dispenser half full with soap and then fill rest of way with water. Shake before each use. (will gel)

-Optional: You can add 10-15 drops of essential oil per 2 gallons. Add once soap has cooled.

-Yield: Liquid soap recipe makes 10 gallons.
-Top Load Machine- 5/8 Cup per load (Approx. 180 loads)
-Front Load Machines- ¼ Cup per load (Approx. 640 loads)

Baking Bread

.

Tuesday's are my baking days around here.

So, I thought I'd share a great recipe that a sweet friend gave us.

5 Loaf Whole Wheat Bread

2/3c. oil

3/4c. honey

51/2c. hot water

3 heaping TBS yeast

up to 15c. whole wheat flour

(works well in a Bosch or any kind of mixer)

Mix together oil, honey, hot water and yeast .

Let sit for about a minuet until the yeast starts to bubble.

Slowly add the flour until the mixture is very slightly sticky.

You made not need the whole amount of flour.

When it has reach the consistency you want, kneed for about 12min.

When the time is up, place in bread pans and set some place warm with a dish cloth over it.

Preheat oven to 350.

When it has risen to about double in size place in the warm oven and cook for about 20-25min.

Take out and let cool for a little while, then place on cooling rack to finish cooling.

This is our favorite bread so I end up making several batches.

I think the last time I made it I made 12 loaves! :)

When you have growing boys you end up making a lot.

Sometimes I will fold raisins and cinnamon it to a couple of loaves for a breakfast bread.

I have also folded in oatmeal.

and this last time I made an Italian loaf by folding in cheese and parsley.

What we don't eat right away I freeze.

Do you know of any other combs I could try?