Fabulous Friday!!!

Good Afternoon, and welcome to Fabulous Friday! Friday is the day we share "fabulous" tips for decorating, dressing, and living large "on the cheap". A person can't visit Living Large on Less very long before they discover a common theme running throughout every tip, make your choice according to what works best for your own, personal situation. We at Living Large have more than our fair share of individualism and independence. It is this independent individualism that enables us to jump in head first when trying out new ideas. Many "inspirations" have resulted in amazing results. So, please don't despair if the desire to decorate your home beautifully seems impossible because resources are low or nonexistent. Look around you. What's in your house? Look over the glass recycle box. Do any of the jars have potential for vases? Would they make a fresh decorative statement if filled with pebbles or dried leaves and berries? How would jar that once held your candle look used as a cannister in the kitchen filled with various colors of dried beans? How perfect would just the right reused glass container look filled with coffee beans? It would be even more perfect if it was accented with a brown craft paper tag tied around the neck with twine. Trust me. It's Rustic Elegance at its best. No brown craft paper? No prob. A brown paper grocery bag works just as well. Even better as the paper from the bag will be sturdier. When the grocer asks "paper or plastic" say "paper". Brown paper bags can be reused for multitudes of purposes. They won't go to waste or fill up the landfill. Better yet, go for a little stroll around the yard and see what's outside. Are there any grasses with interesting textures, colors, or shapes that might look nice in an arrangement? Are there any pinecones or nuts free for the taking? What about berries that have dried? Any of those? Look at the outdoors with a new eye. View everything around you as if it were showcased in a store, and you are a shopper looking for just the right item. Maybe there are some rocks with interesting patterns and colors to gather. All of these items from the great outdoors can provide a beautiful, new, FREE touch to your home's decor. When walking, take along bags or sacks to place the treasures you will gather in. Don't forget to bring along some scissors, not your favorite ones, or a utility knife to cut grasses and/or branches. Making certain that any gathering you are doing isn't causing harm to the plants and that you have been granted permission from the yard owner, begin your "shopping". Several varieties of tall grasses grouped together in a dry vase look like a fashion accessory straight from the showroom. Branches of various heights spray painted in the color of your choice plopped in the container of your choosing give the impression that you just might have called a designer. Best of all, by using containers already on hand and spray paint leftover from other projects, your new decorating was absolutely free of expense. That's not all...pinecones are a winter decorator's best friend. They are my personal favorite. Pinecones are also an excellent fire starter too. Anyway...gather up all the pinecones you want, and then gather some more. Have the little ones help you. They will love the exercise and the fresh air will clear out the cobwebs from everyone's outlook. If you wish to use the pinecones for any length of time, you will want to preserve them by cooking them in a 200 degree oven for 30 minutes on a foil-lined cookie sheet. This will get rid of any little buggies hiding in them. It will also cause the sap to run out and coat the cones leaving them with a nice shiny finish. You could spray them with a shellac or varnish after they cooled if you wanted, but it really isn't necessary. Now that the pinecones are preserved, place them in a basket, on a fancy platter, in a bucket, in a lead crystal salad bowl, anywhere you want. They look fabulous wherever they're put, and best of all...you guessed it...they're free! No matter whether you gather items from inside or outside of the home, it is possible to create a place of beauty for our families with minimal expense. By learning how to practice these simple suggestions, beauty is never farther away than what your eyes can see. Here is a brief recap for you. Don't despair at low funds. Look around with a new eye. What's in the house? What's in the yard? Could it be used somewhere else for something else? Could the item be used for a new purpose? Because we have lived in such an extravagant society for so long, we tend to view our lives from the viewpoint of disposability and excess. As a society, we have become so used to much, that many times we miss the simplicity in less. Adding beauty to our homes by looking at what is already in our possession and perhaps using those items in a new way, frees us to grace our homes with a timeless beauty that won't ever go out of vogue. Listen to the voice of your heart. Your eyes will see new and fresh ways to decorate not only your home, but your front door and porch as well. God provides all the needs of His children. Look around, see what is there, and use what He's placed there for you. It will be FABULOUS!