Living and Designing on a Budget

 Yes.... I am a budget conscious frugal lady with a creative mind full of ideas on designing on hardly no money.  I have always been this way and since our church stresses the importance of living providently, I follow it even more.  A few years ago I needed new lamps for my home and since I can see something that for someone else can be trash...for me its a treasure.

This lamp cost me $1.00 without the shade, its was white and it was very dirty. I saw its potential so I purchased it. I brought the lamp home and I washed it well with mineral spirits, then I dabbed it lightly with  brown, gold, green and cranberry's paint with a small sponge. Once I got it to look the way I wanted it, I washed it down with a raw umber wash. I purchased the tan shade for $1.50 in a garage sale and adorned it with one of my necklace's to dramatize it even more. It looks fabulous in my living room for a total of $6.50 with the lamp & paint I turned a trash item to treasure.

This small lamp was also white and without a shade so I purchased it for $2.00. I rubbed some gold and brown paint to give the illusion of an antique look and then I found this beautiful hand painted metal shade for $5.00 dollars in another garage sale. It came out beautiful.

I purchased this lamp at the flea market for $15.00 dollars and I paid that amount because it is hand painted. It is beautiful and for $28.50 I bought all three lamps...that is a great way to design on a budget.