Thursday, September 30, 2010

Spooky Porch Finds

 I couldn't wait any longer to put out the Halloween Porch decorations, so here are my great finds and tips.

 Found this wreath at Target for $19.99.  Added the "Spooky" sign for $5 from Scrooge and Marley's.  If you want to make your own, buy a styrofoam wreath, spray paint it black, and hot glue black feathers in a similar pattern.  The styrofoam is on sale right now at RobertsJoann's has a package of black feathers for $1.99.  You'll probably need at least 5 packages to achieve the same look.

 This is my fun cheap find.  I bought the witch hat at Target for $1.  I love that dollar bin!  I bought the wreath from TaiPan for $5.97, as well as the broom for $2.97.

 Okay, this is my favorite Halloween decoration trick.  Find a great pumpkin with a long handle.  Turn it on its side and add a witch hat.  I found this hat at Walmart for $9.99.

Fresh Market has pumpkins on sale for $.19 a pound and has a great assortment.  The small hay bales are also there for $5.99.  The "Cemetery" sign is another gem from the Target dollar bin.  The other signs, spider web, and bat are all TaiPan treasures.  25% off TaiPan coupons came out in the mail yesterday.  Also, Rod Works is having a big sale starting tomorrow.   Don't forget that tomorrow is our drawing for the TaiPan gift certificate.  Make sure you're a follower to be eligible to win!

Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Porch: An Extension of Your Home

 I have a pretty specific decorating philosophy when it comes to the porch of your home.  The porch is the first impression people have of what your home will be like on the inside.  Thus, it is the perfect spot to say "Welcome".  Each holiday, I change up the porch decor as well as the wreath on the front door.

 Let's start with the black bench.  I bought this at Home Again for $20 and can use it year round.  The basket, metal tray, and rust tin with grapevine sprigs I got at Roberts on clearance.  The rust tin and sprigs were normally $70.  I got them for $15 by waiting for the 75% off end of season clearance sale.  If you want to get the most for your dollar, go to Roberts and see what you like, but wait to buy it when it's on clearance.  They always have loads left.  I bought all of the picks in the basket and the cornucopia from Roberts on sale for 35% off.

 I picked up this darling sign at TaiPan for $7.99.

 I use this grapevine wreath year-round. (Always at Roberts for $6.99 then use 40% off coupon).  I got the wreath stand at Rod Works for around $8.  To make it tie in with fall, I simply added three picks from Roberts

 Now for the deal of the week, I found this grapevine pumpkin at Target in the dollar bins for $2.50.  What a steal.  Roberts is selling them starting at $6.99.  I simply paired it with straw balls from Rod Works that I already had.  Grouping things in odd numbers always looks best.


I hope this information helps you dream a little bigger for the welcoming power of your front porch.  Can't wait to show you what I have in store for October and Halloween.

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

A Sprig of Berries


One of my favorite decor items in my house is my plate rack.  It is a great way to change the look for any season.  I bought these Autumn plates at Taipan for cheap (2.99 a plate).  Mix and match the colors and sizes for a cohesive theme.  This year, I found these berry sprigs at Taipan and thought they would make a great addition.  I bought the sprig for 2.99 and then just cut it apart and placed individual pieces with each plate.  A simple and cheap way to add a little color to the corner of my kitchen.

Teamed with the bench that I found for $75 at Home Again (located in Midvale (801-255-5457), the plate
rack is more of a statement piece.  
I bought the fabric and foam inserts at Hobby Lobby for $20, sewed and stuffed the cover, added $10 pillows from Walmart, and voila. (Will post a little sewing tutorial at a later time.  It is "sew easy".)

Who knew a sprig of berries could bring such a change to plates and a plate rack I've had for several years. 

Monday, September 27, 2010

Welcome!

We are the Do It Yourself Duo bringing you everyday inspirations for your home and life.

Here you will find tips for freshening up your living space, spicing up the kitchen and finding joy and enjoyment in your home.  Whether its holiday decorating, organizing a child's closet or making homemade butter cream frosting, we're here to share what's worked for us and hope to make it work for you in your home. 

Your visits may also turn into rewards!  Become a follower and you'll be entered into our drawing for a $25 gift certificate to Taipan Trading.  Random drawings will be held periodically so visit often for your chance at free stuff!

Need a personalized tip or home question answered?  Please email us at doityourselfdivas@gmail.com and we'll be happy to address it on our site!

Thanks for visiting and we hope you will stop by often!

Lisa McArthur and Lindsay Ercanbrack