Get the Look For Less: Brass Sphere Lamp

I've seen similar posts but had to brag about my real-life savings and encourage you all to run, not walk, to your nearest Target.  Isn't this lamp fantastic?!  What is not so great is the huge price tag attached to it: $492.

Enter my hero, Target.  Bringing high-end style straight to our everyday homes.  I scooped up the base on clearance for $31 and the shade for $16.  I was so proud that I practically screamed it from the rooftop...or told everyone that would listen.

What kind of fab finds have you discovered lately?  Any of them to the tune of $450?!  Please share if you have a good one and maybe we can feature it next Friday!  Here's to a weekend full of fall decorating and hot apple cider...see you Monday!

Get the Look For Less: Accordian Side Table

A few months ago, I fell in love with this beautiful Global Views Accordion Accent Table.  The price burst my pretty little bubble when I read $622.  That's when I discovered this very similar Urban Outfitters table.  At $64 it was a no-brainer.  I'm thinking a $7 coat of antiqued brass spray paint (I shared my love for gold things here) and we are good to go with a savings of $550!

I hope your weekend is full of friends, family and maybe a DIY or two!  I'll be finishing up my Thanksgiving Tablescape!  Anyone else honing in on their T-Day decor?

See you Monday!

Get the Look For Less: Dining Room Chair

TGIF!  The week is coming to a close and that means college SEC football is gearing up for a huge...seriously, HUGE weekend!  My Arkansas Razorbacks (ranked 7th in the nation), are taking on number 9, South Carolina.  Another game not to miss--#1 and 2, LSU and Bama, play eachother as well.  Yes...it's going to be a great weekend (hopefully).

Now, on to decorating.  I have an obsession with mixing and matching dining room chairs.  This is one of my favorite examples:

What a great way to get creative and add that little something special.  Disclaimer:  I heart West Elm (I just received a package and have another on the way).  While I was checking out the new catalog, I found this beauty with a not-so-pretty price tag ($249):

I knew there had to be something similar out there for less.  Enter IKEA for $79:

You're not seeing double, just an example of how amazing furniture doesn't have to deplete the holiday funds.  And how great would a pair of these look flanking a farmhouse table?! 

So, have you ever mix and matched your dining room chairs?  Did  you have different styles or maybe the same style, but painted all different colors?

Have a great weekend and WOO PIG SOOIE!

Get the Look For Less: Area Rugs

First off, good morning and Happy Happy Halloween!!  Alright, time to get down to business.

I know Flor tiles are nothing new, but sometimes they just get forgotten when looking for the perfect area rug.  Well, I've been eyeing this rug from Rugs USA for my office but couldn't seem to pull the trigger because of the pricetag ($504 for a 5x8).

Yesterday, I was catching up on HGTV's High Low Project and Sabrina Soto was using Flor tiles.  I headed over to their website and you'll never guess what I found:

They are the Flor Faux Bois tiles by Martha Stewart and are on sale right now for just $11.49 per tile!  This takes the cake for a few reasons:

1. It sports a $172 pricetag for a 5x8 rug.
2. If you get a stain, simply pull up that tile and replace it with a new one!
3. You can create your own with different patterns and colors if you want something unique.

Yep, I'd say it's something well worth remembering and possibly hitting that "Checkout" button!

May your evening be filled with ghosts, goblins and kids on a sugar high!

Get the Look For Less: Mercury Glass Lamp

Good morning and Happy Hump Day!  The Mr. and I are on a mini vacay and HomeGoods was our first stop when we arrived.  Can you believe that the closest one to us is 2 hours away?  Well, the store didn't disappoint.  There were several items I wish I could have scooped up, but I have to keep my cool.  I have another full day of shopping ahead of me and another HomeGoods store to hit up!

While I was there, I spied with my little eye this beautiful mercury glass lamp with a light grey shade.  When I flipped over the price tag I wanted to grab him and about 3 of his friends...$50 for the lamp and shade.

Of course I was anxious to see what these were actually going for at other retailers and found this one from Lamps Plus for $198.

 

It's not very often that I fall in love with a lamp (especially one for $50), so I may need to go back and grab him.  I'm off to continue my bargain shopping and hope to show you some goodies when we get back!  Have a great day!

Get the Look For Less: Antler Mount

Speaking of antler decor, remember the paper maché antlers I loved (and ordered) from West Elm for $29:


Well, I still love them.  And they're still a steal compared to some of the other taxidermy out there.  But look at what I spied with my little eye today while perusing my other love, Hobby Lobby:

Oh, did I mention they only cost me $12 bucks?  I left the store cloud nine.  Don't worry, I already found a home for them and I can't wait to show it off later this week!  Happy Tuesday!

Get the Look for Less

Since I'm still waiting on my delivery from West Elm, my big (ah-mazing) project that was oh-so-near completion was put on hold.  The good news?  This little look for less could save you and your love-for-all-things-industrial-farmhouse self $65!  So sit back and get ready to hit that "add to cart" button!  You can thank me later.

Behold, the West Elm mid-century Scandinavian goodness that is the Finn Pendant:


Great right?  But at $99, it isn't exactly easy on the pocketbook.  Never fear!  While I was at Lowe's this week, I spotted this beaut and the $35 pricetag can't be beat:

You're welcome!

Get the Look For Less: Floral Chairs

I don't think it gets much better than this chair from Anthropologie.

I'm loving the large floral pattern, the curves, and don't even get me started on the legs.  Yep, this baby would be the perfect pop of color for an office, in the corner of a living room, as seating in a master bedroom...the possibilities are endless!  And it's only $1598!

Since I would have to sell my left hand and possibly foot in order to pay for that chair, it will not be making its way to my house anytime soon.  The good news is I was strolling through Pier 1 and spotted this gem:

Obviously they are not exactly the same, but it's very similar and get this--$299.  What a statement piece at a great price! 

Have y'all found any looks for less lately?

The DIY That Got the Best of Me.

Whew.  This was the project that I thought would never end, but was totally worth it.  That being said, I won't be making another one for a very, very long time.  But the beauty of me going through all the pain is that I can give you some tips and tricks that I learned along the way that will make this project much easier for you!  So let's get to it!  Here she is!  Our subway art that represents different places the Mr. and I have each lived (or just happened to be born) at some point in time during our 26 years on this lovely planet!

This all started with an empty corner.  I have plans on a little reading corner complete with a West Elm tulip chair, small side table and lamp.  But the wall had me stumped.  See it...to the right of the shelving?


So I ventured around the blogosphere and it didn't take me long to decide on a large piece of subway art.  But with the least expensive customized option around the $250 mark, I knew I was going to have to roll up my sleeves.  That's when I found a DIY distressed subway art at House of Smiths.  This was perfect for a few reasons. 

1. I needed a 4' x 2 1/2' piece of art .  I searched high and low (well, from Google to Bing) and I couldn't find stretched canvas that didn't break the bank, so plywood was a great option.

2. I have some other shabby chic items on my Wall-o-Shelves and Gallery Wall, so the distressed look would be a perfect fit.

3. How hard could it be?  Shelley made it look so easy-peasy!  This is something I should have taken some time to think over since she had a few items at her disposal that would have made this project much less of a headache (specifically the negative space vinyl stencil, gah, I wish I had one of those).

After absorbing a few tutorials, I had the confidence to get her started.

First, I  didn't have a fancy shmancy program to create my poster.  So I typed it up in Word and knew the size I needed my final project to be.  I gave the Kinkos girl my measurements and let her do her thang.  This is what I took home for $10 (I think I may have been able to get it cheaper somewhere else but I didn't shop around, darn it):

I attached my poster to contact paper using spray adhesive.

Then, I cut each address into strips so I could set up the layout.  It was pretty much in the order I had originally typed it, but I moved a few things around.  Make sure your large font lines are spread evenly throughout. 

I spent the next three nights catching up on Keeping Up With the Kardashians and cutting letters to my little heart's content.  Yep, I cut every single letter out.  I kept them organized with sandwich baggies and I labelled them with the address and the line number so I could keep them in order.  I nearly developed carpal tunnel syndrome, but no pain no gain.  Then, I was off to Lowe's where I picked up a sheet of plywood and had them cut it into a few 4' x 2 1/2' sheets.  I had a sliver leftover, so, yay for another DIY!  FYI, they cut it fo' free y'all.  Take advantage.  Once I got home, I got my sand on including rounding the edges a bit.

Tip:  I got a relatively raw plywood.  However, I suggest getting a smoother version that could eliminate a lot of the sanding as well as possibly help the letters stick better.  They didn't want to stick to my splintery wood.

I knew I wanted my art to be off white with black letters to match my wall-o-shelves.  So I spray painted my entire sheet black with a satin finish.

Remember when we laid out our strips for a layout mockup?  I spaced my lines 1 1/2" apart in order to make the layout reach my 4 ft. goal.  So I laid my words out one more time for letter spacing as well as to make sure the piece as a whole was evenly spaced and filled the entire sheet.  I drew a line to keep everything straight.
 

Time to stick!  I peeled the contact paper backing off and stuck each letter in it's place.  Then, I took a regular cheapo fine bristled brush and painted over the entire piece, using the letters as stencils.

Tip:  Be sure to clean your surface thoroughly before sticking.  Otherwise, you end up with runaway letters like you see below.  See how the letters aren't stuck to the wood surface.  pain. in. the. rear.
 

In the midst of my frustration, I looked over at Miss B enjoying her Dingo bone.  She gave me the "c'mon mom, you can do it" look and I was rejuvenated.  Time to press on.


After two, that's right TWO, coats of off-white paint, I was ready to reveal my letters.  I used tweezers on the ones that actually stuck like Shelley suggested.  Unfortunately, I had several that were not stuck and I just pulled those right up.


Since I was going for the distressed, a.k.a. not perfect, look, some of the bleeding paint on the letters just added to the piece.  I think it's a great addition to our living room and it makes the corner much less of an eyesore.

 
 


Time to break it down:
roll of contact paper     $4
Kinkos print                $10
Black spray paint        $4
Off white paint            FREE!  Already on-hand from My Big Fat Chevron Wall project
plywood                     $7

TOTAL $25!  Told ya it was worth it!

I'll be linking up to these great parties:
The DIY Showoff
At the Picket Fence
Serenity Now
The Shabby Nest
Shabby Creek Cottage
Just a Girl
Thrifty Decor Chick
Home Stories A to Z
Tatertots and Jello
The Lettered Cottage

Get the Look for Less

Happy Monday everyone!  I've got some eye candy for ya to start your week off right!  Check out this beaut from Restoration Hardware:

Oooooh....Ahhhh.  The industrial chic look + casters = Love.  And only $1095!  Bah!

Now, I see DIY all over this bad boy.  But for some of us that aren't up for the task (ahem, me!) World Market to the rescue!

Yep, this industrial chic coffee table with casters is rockin' a $229 price tag.

Have a great week and I can't wait to show off what I've been working on!