budget-friendly wall decor

unfortunately, i agonize over placing thing on my walls. i'm not sure what the hesitation is...if i'm afraid of commitment, holes in the walls, and/or making it look perfect.  the picture collage above displays the only six walls in my home that actually have any ornamentation, with the exception of the guest room and nursery, and they still are not quite perfect.  we've been living here for exactly two years; so, let's just say i'm taking my time making decisions.  

because these decisions are so difficult to come by and i often change my mind, it is very important to me that i decorate my walls on a budget with items that are meaningful to me or that i have altered in some way. it's nice to look at your walls and see your family and a little piece of your hard work and creativity. 

these six walls are in my adjoined foyer, formal living room, family room. each room has white trim and crown molding and are painted the same shade of brown-gray with the living room a tad darker.  it is important to me that these rooms flow together and create a seamless, cohesive space.  aside from color scheme and complementary furniture, wall art is an excellent way to provide cohesion and interest.  but, it requires the ability to commit and can get a quite expensive. 

here are my tips for budget-friendly wall decor: 

Texture: 

 think outside canvas and framed art and pictures. wall vases, ledges, shelves, boxes, mirrors, and sconces all add texture, depth and interest to your wall.  mix and match this list to create a unique collage for your wall and complement the space with similar pieces on opposing or adjoining walls.  my favorite pieces of texture on the above six walls are the bud vases by Colin Ross Designs from CB2.  they are no longer sold, but were only $6.95. I wish I would have ordered enough to cover an entire wall.  other budget buys are my mirrors: the distressed rectangle was $12.48 from Target and the ornate white one is from G n J Treasures Consignment Shop for $15.00.

Theme:

a key aspect of cohesion among walls and wall decor is a theme.  your theme can be color and/or subject-matter.   however, it's not advised that everything you place on your walls be the same color(s) and/or same subject-matter(s).  i do recommend that you use frames in matching and complementary color schemes on each wall in your group and group like/similar images together. clearly, white is one of my themes.  i like to use white frames in varying shades and levels of distressing; they are clean, bright and put the focus on what's actually in the frame.  another theme that i have going on right now is images of the hydrangeas from my garden last summer.  at some point, i will switch these out, which leads me to my next point.

Replaceable:

 when creating budget-friendly wall decor for the indecisive, it is important that you be able to switch are your art and piece of interest as your please.  for example, i can change the images in each frame on my wall. i can also change the objects on the ledges and foliage in the bud vases.  this is great because i change my mind frequently and the only commitment i made was the placement on the wall and what holds the decor. my white frames are these and these, both are under $15 per frame with the mat.

DIY:

my last and most important point regarding budget-friendly wall decor is DIY.  use your black and white photos of your kids and family, use typography, graphic designs, book plates, and other works of art that you can create yourself.  you don't have to be a professional photographer to take an interesting photo of your children or use your computer to scan an image from a book and enlarge the letter of your last name, nor do you have to be very talented to purchase an old botanical sketch book and cut out your favorite images. but, if you do have an artistic talent, your walls are the perfect place to show it off!

i hope these thoughts help you plan your next wall!

*remember to enter my Hotslings giveaway if you haven't already!*

Parties I'm Linking To Today:

Feature Yourself Friday at Fingerprints on the Fridge

re-purpose: growing seedlings in baby food jars

if you been reading, you may know that i'm growing my garden from seeds this year.  here is a little update on the progress. 

box 1

and

box 2

with so much growing going on around here, i needed to start thinning the new seedlings.  the conundrum: what do do with the thinned sprouts??? the fix: a few modge-podged baby food jars and some old polymer clay tags. 

the result: perfect little jars that will allow the seedlings to prepare for transplanting. these will make cute (and cheap) gifts and for now look adorable on my kitchen window sill. 

what i did:

 1) i cut strips of paper to cover the flat part of each baby food jar.  

2) using matte mod podge, i adhered the strips to the surface, let each jar dry, and then sealed them with more podge.

3) i placed a rock and the bottom of each jar to aid water drainage, filled them with Miracle Grow Organic Choice potting soil and planted my seedling.

4) using a few polymer clay tags (from a craft project gone awry), i labeled them with a sharpie and tied each tag around the jars with hemp twine.  

this project was quick, easy and cheap. the baby food jars make the cutest little pots and they will make fun "surprise" gifts!

Parties I'm Linking To Today: 

Penny Pinching Party at The Thirfty Home

Whatever Goes Wednesday at Someday Crafts

Be Inspired at Room to Inspire

Wednesday Giveaway from Hotslings!

I'm very excited to announce that Hotslings is sponsoring the first 30girl giveaway starting today!  Hopefully, this wonderful giveaway will be the first of many here on the30girl.  

Among the myriad of sling and baby carrier options, Hotslings slings are the perfect option.

-easy to use-

Simple, clear instructions included with your sling explain the cradle, front and hip carry and simple video instructions are located on the Hotslings website.

-fun, stylish patterns-

Numerous options in all varieties of prints and colors to suit your style and highlight your adorable baby! 

-close comfort for baby-

Hotslings keep your baby close and snuggled as they mimic a swaddle in the cradle carry.  Using the front and hip carry, the leg/back padding provides extra comfort for your little one. 

-comfort and options for mom-

The wide shoulder band provides support and balances the baby-weight across your back and shoulder, rather than focusing the weight on spot.  Hotslings provide independence by keeping your hands-free allowing you to hold your baby while shopping, cleaning, and playing with your other kiddos. You can also use the sling as a privacy barrier while nursing your baby in public.  It folds up very compactly, making it perfect for stashing in your diaper bag or even your diaper clutch.

-infant to toddler-proof-

You can use your sling from Day 1 until your kiddo doesn't fit anymore and can climb out!

I used my sling at least once a day from birth until 14 months; you could even use it longer depending on the temperament and size of your kiddo.  

-comments from a trusted friend and mother of two-

"Well, my slings have always been quite helpful in freeing my hands to do much needed things around the house, but allowing me to keep my baby close and snugly. With fussy babies who require a lot of additional work to put down for naps, I found the sling to be quite helpful in eliminating this when out and about at functions, particularly in the evening hours, when you would normally put the baby to bed (like a baseball game). Also, slings are often imperative during the “witching hours” between 4-7 pm, which coincide with the need to make dinner. The sling, particularly Hotsling, have such a basic design, that daddy can be comfortable using as well."

The Giveaway

Hotslings is generously giving away one of their Hotslings AP adjustable slings, which fits size 2-5 on their standard sizing chart.  This sling is an excellent option because it will fit you right after the baby and as you loose the baby weight! Plus, it can be adjusted to fit Dad, Grandma and anyone else!

Also, Hotslings is giving away one of their awesome MilkDaze tanks that acts as a nursing bra, camisole and "muffin top" concealer.  I don't know about you, but I'm thinking I will want several of these for my next kiddo!

To Win

1. Comment on this post with a) your preferred Hotslings AP sling pattern and b) why you want to or do use a sling. 

2. For one extra entry, become a fan of the30girl on facebook. 

3. For one extra entry, subscribe to 30girl feed.
4. For one extra entry, become a follower of the30girl.
5. For three extra entries, blog about my giveaway!

Please leave a separate comment for each entry and your email address(just on one comment) so I can contact you if you win!

This giveaway is open until April 14 at 11:59pm CST.  The winner will be selected using random.org and I will announce her/him on the30girl on Thursday, April 15th.  I will contact the winner via email.  Thanks for entering the first 30girl giveaway! Good luck and have fun!

The products in this giveaway were provided free of charge by Hotslings. The above opinions are my own and not influenced by any other party.

a few minor projects

Good morning! I hope you had a wonderful holiday weekend, enjoyed the nice weather and spent some quality time with family and friends!

Here are a couple of minor project updates. 

First, I painted this very old mirror that I found at a consignment shop for $15. I did like the gold, but it needed some help and didn't quite match my home. 

 Finally, my bare walls are getting a little dressed up.  Hopefully, someday in the near future this wing back chair will have a nice white twill chair cover with a ruffle, but I need to find a good and inexpensive seamstress in the area. 

a little detail...

I also needed to transform these brass knobs to match the rest of the brushed nickel knobs and door handles that we have recently updated.  I have found that using the Valspar primer combined with the Valspar metallic spray paints works wonders for painting metals; in my opinion, the primer is key for staying power. 

First, I primed.  

 Then, I painted. 

Last, I put them back on the closet doors they came from...see how they look practically the same as the brushed nickel door knob? Cool, right? 

Last project, I promise.  

I had this old pine bench.  It is purely decorative as it is really not sturdy enough for storage; so, I painted it, distressed it, and put it in a little corner by the stairs at the end of our long entryway.  I'm happy with how this project turned out; especially, for $0!

I really wish I had taken a "before" picture of this bench so you could see the comparison! But, trust me, this is a big improvement.  I'm working on the decor on the bench...I'm thinking some burlap pillow covers with a little decorative fabric paint and a stack of pretty old books.  

Happy Monday! 

PS. Coming this Wednesday is the first-ever 30girl giveaway! It's from Hotslings! Visit on Wednesday for a chance to win an Hotslings AP adjustable sling and a MilkDaze nursing tank.

Parties I'm Linking To Today...

Made by You Monday at Skip To My Lou

Just Something I Whipped Up at The Girl Creative

Making the World Cuter Monday at Making the World Cuter

sowing the seeds

What are you growing? 

I'm growing...

box 1

box 2

I did get a bit of a late start on growing from seed, but I think the seedlings should transplant just fine outside in a few weeks. I'm so excited to watch my herbs, flowers, and veggies grow from scratch.  

Check out the progress. Box 1 has about a week head start on box 2; so, I haven't seen any sprouts box 2 yet.  So far, my observations are that Zinnias germinate very quickly in about 3-4 days.  Moonflower and Sweet Basil germinate in about 5 days.  I think I'm starting to see a couple of Impatiens and the Chives, but no sign of the Four O'Clocks yet.  This is only day 6. 

I'm using Burpee's Eco-Friendly 25 Pellet Greenhouse Kit.  I purchased mine at Target for $6.97 and it came with a clear plastic lid to create the "greenhouse" effect.  For some reason, I can't find the same thing anywhere online, but here's a picture from my kitchen windowsill. 

  

I purchased my seeds at Target as well because my kiddo is a one-stop shopper; however, I recommend your local nursery.  They will have more of a variety and the staff can give you good advice as to what will actually grow in your area and yard; also, their prices will probably be cheaper as well.

baby zinnias

baby basil

Overall, growing from seed is much more economical and environmentally friendly than purchasing individual plants. Plus, it's a fun activity for kids to plant the seeds, watch them grow, transplant the new seedlings, and, potentially, indulge in the fruit of their labor.  My kiddo is still a bit to young to enjoy the fun, but I'm having enough for the both of us. 

I promise to keep you updated on the30girl garden's progress!