Frugal Mom Blog

Archive for the ‘Frugal Holidays’ Category

Quick Announcement:  Don’t forget to check in on Wednesday for a delicious giveaway!

By Kathy Wilson
The Budget Decorator

Thanksgiving decorating day is a special time in our homes, when we all take a little time to appreciate the gifts and blessings in our lives. My number one blessing, as yours, is my family and friends! So let’s find some great ways to make your home a warm, inviting place this Thanksgiving Day for all your loved ones, including you!

Use a natural theme. This might seem like a no brainer, but you’d be surprised how many people spend big bucks trying to glitz up this holiday. It’s about the harvest; being thankful for this beautiful earth we live on, and the wonderful food we are so blessed to be given, so let’s celebrate that! It also happens to be a great way to decorate on a small budget! So bring nature into your home, and be thankful!

Most people just focus on the table for Thanksgiving decorating, and while that is indeed important, don’t forget to bring the beauty of autumn splendor into other areas of your home. Some quick ideas include picking up some silk garlands (right now they are on clearance to make room for Christmas stuff, check your craft store!) of autumn colors and drape them over doorways, windows, mantels, and artwork or mirrors. Collect leaves on your next walk in the neighborhood, and then press between paper towels and a book. Because they were already drying outdoors and were low on moisture, this will only take a few days! Now use your leaves to sprinkle over the hearth, the countertops, under candle displays, under glass top tables, tuck into picture frame edges, make them a picture in a frame…you get the idea.

Gourds anyone? These are a wonderful traditional decoration, but here’s a little money saving tip. If you have produce stands near your home, these are much cheaper than the grocery stores for gourds, squashes, and pumpkins. Don’t limit your self to the little mini ones, pile full size versions next to your front door, line a windowsill, fill baskets or fill the planter boxes or a wheelbarrow on the porch with great harvest vegetables!

Consider setting out simple ceramic or wooden bowls lined with a pretty cloth napkin or scrap fabric, and fill with some treasures from your next nature walk . Texture abounds with natural elements, and will warm up a tablescape, a coffee table, and a fireplace hearth. Try getting out the hot glue gun and affixing your items to the candles you packed away at the first sign of summer. Small glass jars make great votive holders when dressed up with a few pressed leaves and acorns. Fill a bowl or plate with goodies around large pillar candles and use as a centerpiece. If you can’t find enough natural material near your home, check out the bulk grain section at your supermarket. Fall is about harvest, so any grain can be used to add that element to your home. Even cracked corn meant for the bird feeder can look great in a jar as a base for a candle.

Now, we aren’t going to forget the Thanksgiving table! This is your opportunity to show your loved ones how important it is to you that they are sharing your table this year. If you don’t have tablecloths, pick up a couple of green or gold sheets from Wal-Mart or a discount store for less than $3. You can even layer a couple of them if you wish. Don’t feel shy about pressing coffee tables or card tables into service if you need more room, just use those cheap sheets! If you run out of chairs, push a table up to a couch on one long side, and you will only need chairs for the other side. Set your table with all your dishware…it doesn’t matter if it all doesn’t match, or you had to borrow salad plates from a neighbor! Just keep the arrangement of each place setting the same, and it will tie it all together. For instance…dinner plate, salad plate, soup bowl, repeat with next placesetting. Distribute the different styles of dishware evenly throughout the tables, much the same as you would do with accent colors in a room!

Use cloth napkins, fold them into accordion pleats and place them in the water glasses. Don’t have cloth napkins? One twin flat sheet, a pair of scissors and some iron on hem tape (you could sew hems if you prefer) and you will have elegant napkins you can use again and again. A good size is 18×18 inches.

The highlight of the event? Your centerpiece of course! This is where your creativity comes most into play. Keep the centerpiece low so that guests can easily converse. I know many designers make beautiful tablescapes on lifts, and talk about height in an arrangement, but isn’t the people what it’s all about? Use your nature theme, gather up some pretty dishes and pitchers, and pick some fall flowers or grasses from the yard. Pile up gourds on platters, fill bowls with nuts and insert a pillar candle, add pretty dried grasses to a wonderful vase, use bowls of apples, lemons, or limes. Take small bunches of flowers, wrap a wet paper towel and some plastic wrap around the stems, and insert randomly into the bowls of produce. Float some mum flower heads in a clear bowl of water, or add some greenery between the other items on the table. Experiment with what you have available, what is affordable in your area, and what creates warmth in your heart. Try things several different ways, until you find a combination you like.

Above all, remember this is not about impressing others; it is about making a statement about how much you care they are in your home, and in your life. Enjoy your family, enjoy being creative while saving lots of cash, and enjoy the beauty of nature…and give thanks.

About the Author:

Kathleen Wilson is an author, national columnist, and editor of the free ezine, The Budget Decorator. For hundreds of free budget home decorating ideas visit her at http://www.TheBudgetDecorator.com

The Old Schoolhouse is giving away a beautiful (and did I mention free?) digital book!

This book has beautiful full color photographs and  is filled with wonderful ideas to make your Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday special.  It has ideas for homemade Christmas books, 10 favorite recipes that freeze well, Christmas decoration and card ideas, frugal family gifts, tons of holiday recipes, and so much more!

To get your free copy, just click the link below and you’ll be taken to a page where you can download your free book.  No email address required, and no strings attached.

Click Here for your Free Holiday Book Enjoy – I know I will!

By Kathy Wilson

There was a day in our history when people actually spent time on Fourth of July decorations. They were homemade but sincere, and represented deep patriotism. I think that patriotism still exists today, and we can celebrate with Fourth of July decorations that are easy to put together and low cost. Here are some excellent ideas to get you started.

• Pick up some red, white and blue bandannas and wrap them around your existing throw pillows, then knot in the back. You can use this indoors, or on the porch or deck.
• Use red, white and blue ribbon from the dollar shop to tie up your napkins, wrap around your door wreath or create streamers of ribbon from the back of each chair.
• Print out American flags from the internet, and use them to cover the inside of a window. Be sure to face the flags to the outside, and fit them up edge to edge. The result is a patchwork of American flags shown from your front windows which is quite eye catching. One place to print out free flags online is http://www.printourflag.com/
• Buy red, white and blue craft foam from the craft store. Cut them into star shapes of three different sizes. Layer the different sized shapes onto each other and glue together. Tie the stars from porch overhangs, trees and mailboxes to let your Fourth of July decorations spread patriotic cheer! The kids will love to help with this!
• String white holiday lights through trees to create fireworks appeal! Drape them from porch rafters as well, or wrap around deck railing.
• Cover coffee cans, boxes or other containers with patriotic paper, and use to hold utensils, napkins, or condiment bottles.

Use your imagination, and make your Fourth of July decorating the most memorable yet!

Kathy Wilson is an author, columnist, and editor of The Budget Decorator. For thousands of free budget home decorating ideas visit her at http://www.TheBudgetDecorator.com.

Celebrate Dad this year with a gift from the heart.

1. Hobby Day – Does Dad have a hobby that he loves to do, but rarely has time for?  Plan a day for him to go golfing, fishing, or work in the garden.

2. Detail the Car – Give Dad the gift of a clean car.  Do a super good job cleaning and polishing the car inside and out.

3. Make him his favorite dinner or dessert – if the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, then he will surely love you making him his favorite dishes.

4. Scrapbook a mug – If Dad is a coffee drinker, put together a special mug filled with pictures of the family and special occasions.

5. Do his chores – Mow the yard, weed the garden, wash the dog…whatever needs to be done.

6. Get him books from the library – Does Dad love to read?  Go to the library and pick out books he will enjoy reading.  Give them to him in his favorite chair (or his hammock!) and promise him an uninterrupted day of reading. You can also include handmade bookmarks from the kids.

7. Special Outing – Is there a car show he’d love to go to?  What about a sporting event?  Put aside your own desires and go do something just for him.

8. Music – Find all his favorite songs and put together a playlist for him to enjoy.

9. Coupon Book – This tried and true frugal idea is a great way to give gifts of the heart.  Give coupons for back rubs, car washes, romantic dinners…you get the idea!

10. Pictures – get creative with pictures.  Frames can be bought at the dollar store, and prints can be printed locally very inexpensively.  You can also make a mini scrapbook for him to keep at work.

11. Plan a day with a friend – Does Dad have a friend that he doesn’t get to spend much time with?  Talk with his friend’s family and plan a day for the guys to get together for a fun day.

12. Make a garden stepping-stone with handprints just for Dad.

13. Letters to Dad – Let each child write (or dictate to you) a special love letter telling him how much they love him.

14. Dinner and a movie – Cook his favorite dinner, and rent his favorite movie for everyone to share together.

What fun and frugal things have you done for Father’s Day?