Decorating with Junk

I am not a buyer of new furniture or knick knacks for my home.  Most of our things have been handed down from family or purchased second hand.  I've never wanted to own something so precious that it would be a tragedy for it to become damaged.  I don't want the pressure, nor do I want my family to feel they can't be comfortable.

This doesn't mean that I don't want my environment to be attractive,  but in my search for items for my home I have always overlooked those that are damaged or kitschy.  Recently, while researching American folk art, I've seen some wonderfully eclectic and comfortable homes decorated with what I would consider junk.  Really beautiful and attractive junk.  Junk that is chipped or worn, yet is visually appealing.

One of the best books I have found about using junk to decorate with is "American Junk" by Mary Randolph Carter.  She describes her junk finds, where she bought them, how much it cost, and how she uses them in her home.

I will say that I think some of her junk was overpriced, but I live in the southeast where prices are considerably lower.  Also, we have a large number of retirees that are downsizing their homes and must sell what won't fit in their smaller apartments.

So, now when I'm out scouring the thrift stores for finds, I won't turn my nose up at an attractive, but flawed, piece of junk.

God bless,
Pam

Burlap Rice Bag Pillows

I love to find new uses for those interesting items that sometimes find their way into our lives.  We eat a large amount of rice in our family, so I buy basmati rice in bulk.  Several times the basmati came packaged in plastic inside a zipped burlap bag.

The graphics on these bags are striking and attractive in a rustic way.  When I look at them and see how they are constructed with a zipper at one end, I think of a decorative pillow case.  Just insert an inexpensive pillow form, zip and you have a modern, casual throw pillow.

Can't you just see these in a casual, outdoor setting?  It reminds me that our grandparents would never have thrown a bag like this away.  They would have found some way to have made good use of it.  Think of the undergarments that were made of the printed portion of feed sacks.  I've heard of several instances where a woman was embarrassed when she realized that the printing showed through her dress fabric.  Nothing like being a walking advertisement for chicken feed.

I can also see this bag being cut up and turned into scrubbing pads or used as a carryall bag.  Just use your imaginations!

God bless,
Pam

Frugal Little Flower Arrangements

I don't have a garden dedicated to cutting flowers, but I do like to bring cut flowers from the garden inside for special, little flower arrangements.  This harkens back to my days at the Waldorf school when I would substitute for the kindergarten assistants.  We would walk in the field behind the school cutting wild flowers, weeds and interesting leaves to create small arrangements to decorate the childrens' snack tables.

Using small vases, purchased in thrift stores, and random foraging finds we created truly charming flower arrangements.  This is such an easy thing to do, just give up any thought of creating designer looks and allow the natural beauty to shine.

Find a small vase at a thrift store or at online stores such as  Ikea or Chinaberry.  Look for inexpensive vases that are made to display one to several flowers.

Picture This Beauty From Ikea With Three Daisies

I like to fill my vase with water, grab my scissors, then head into the garden to harvest flowers and leaves.  Having my vase in the garden with me allows me to see my arrangement grow flower by flower and allows me to harvest just the flowers I need.

Soon I have little arrangements on the bedside tables, in my kitchen window and in the bathroom.  Any place that makes me happy.  These arrangements are for private viewing and need only give pleasure to my family.

A Grouping Of Vases From Chinaberry

When using small vases you can make a more powerful visual by grouping vases with different types of flowers.  Or you can use just one perfect little vase to display the flower brought in to you by your children.

One Perfect Vase From Chinaberry

Have fun with your arrangements.  Simple flowers from your own garden and both beautiful and frugal.

God bless,
Pam

Decorate With Vintage Seed Pack Images

With my mother in a rehabilitation facility, I struggled with how I could decorate her room.  I keep fresh flowers on the dresser, but we are not allowed to use nails to hang pictures.  The Contact temporary hangers are good for framed pictures, but I wanted some decorative art on the walls that I can change according to the seasons.

While toodling about on the internet I decided to look for vintage Easter card images.  Low and behold, there were quite a few open stock images available.  A rule of thumb is that if you can print the image by itself without any accompanying text or web page detail it is more than likely open stock.  If it is on someones personal web page assume that it is a privately held image.

I printed the images on card stock from my HP printer and they turned out very well.  I cut them out and needed to find a way to put them on the walls without framing them.  School teachers know about blue tack (sp?) temporary adhesive.  It is a putty that you soften in your hands, then pull off small pieces to stick on the back of a picture.  You press the picture with the blue tack onto the wall and it sticks up quite firmly.  To remove just pull the picture off and roll the blue tack off with your fingers.

Easter is over, so I decided to change Mom's decorations to vintage seed packet images.  I just googled "vintage seed packet images".  Vintage seed packets are quite beautiful.  You can find bright, vibrant colors and soft pastels.  They are all works of art as they were hand painted/drawn by artists, not photographed as they are today.

Bright and Cheerful

This would be a great way to get your children involved in decorating their rooms.  They could find, print, cut out and hang the art to their hearts content.  The only drawback is the cost of color printer ink, but I have noticed that the newer printers use ink cartridges that are less expensive.

Peaceful Pastel

Or you could decorate with framed images in a room that has an environment that is harmful to standard art, such as a humid bathroom or hot kitchen.  Some people use vintage images printed on regular paper for decoupage.  Please do make sure that they are open stock images.

Have fun enjoying the everyday art of our grandparents.

God bless,
Pam