Home Sweet Home: Drab to Fab Pumpkin Floral Arrangement

I can not get over the fact that the fall season is upon us.  What better way to showcase the textures and colors of the fall, then by making a floral arrangement using a pumpkin as it's base! 

I just absolutely love the Dollar Tree Store.  They have great holiday decor, and everything is a dollar.  I found small foam pumpkins and a variety of fall colored and themed floral stems.

Floral Stems ($1 each)

5" Foam Pumpkins ($1 each)

I started by cutting my floral stems with a floral wire cutter.  When cutting your floral stems, make sure you cut them in a variety of lengths.  I cut some at 6", some at 4.5", and the rest at about 3".  Remove some of the leaves from the floral stem.  I used the leaves to fill in any bare spots.

 

Now, all you have to do is poke the flowers through the foam pumpkin.  Use a low heat glue gun to adhere some leaves to the parts that look bare, and make sure you give your floral arrangement some dimension (i.e. different heights and different textures).

One pumpkin arrangement is placed in our guest bathroom.

The other arrangement is placed in our kitchen counter.

-DOMESTICATED DIVA PRICE BREAKDOWN-

$4 (four floral stems) + $2 (2 foam pumpkins) | $6 total or $3/each arrangement

I have seen completed pumpkin floral arrangements at Hobby Lobby for $10-$20 each.  This is such an easy and thrifty way to incorporate a fall theme to your home.  

Home Sweet Home: Fall Themed Fireplace Mantel

I absolutely love this time of the year.  The weather is slowly cooling down, the leaves on the trees are changing colors, and stores are full of fall decor.  I especially like that last part ;)  I wanted to have touches of fall decor in our home, so I stopped by Hobby Lobby because they had 40% off fall decor...woohoo!  Here's our finished fireplace mantel...

Awesome 40% off Fall Decor Sale at Hobby Lobby

I purchased a "Welcome Fall" table sign, a fall leaf garland, and fall leaf greenery.



Home Sweet Home: Knockout vs Knockoff (Interior Decorating on A Budget)

After moving from an apartment to an almost three thousand square foot house, I knew we were going to need a lot of house decor and furniture.  I wanted our house to have a country modern feel (i.e. rustic woods, antique niches, soft warm colors, copper and bronze metal finishes).  There are ton of stores in the Houston area where you can find great decor and furniture at a great price such as Homegoods, Kirklands, Garden Ridge, Ashley Furniture, World Market, Hobby Lobby, Ross, and even Walmart.

Here are some tips for bargain decor shopping:

• Look at sales ads
• Print coupons (many stores have coupon on their website or will send you coupons to your email when you register your email)
• Look for the sale or clearance aisle.
• Browse website like Pinterest, store websites, Better Homes and Garden, and HGTV for inspirational ideas.

Here are some of the Knockout vs. Knockoff finds I have found at these stores... 

--Ethan Allen Leather Accent Chair vs. Ashley Furniture Durablend Leather Recliner--

--Crate & Barrel Taverna Dining Bench vs. Home Goods Rustic Wood Bench--

--Ethan Allen Balta Ottoman vs. Walmart Better Homes and Garden Ottoman--

--Z Gallery Succulent Garden Decorative Balls vs. Hobby Lobby Decorative Topiary Balls--

--Sur la Table Hand-Painted Rooster vs Hobby Lobby Resin Rustic Rooster--

--Restoration Hardware Fishing Weights (Set of 4) vs. Home Goods Antique Inspired Fishing Weight--

--Pier One Glass and Iron Hurricane Candle Holder vs. Kroger's Hammered Glass Hurricane--

--Pottery Barn Faux Hydrangea Arrangement vs. Ross Faux Hydrangea Flower Arrangement-- 

--Pottery Barn Tolix Barstool vs World Market Arlo Barstool--

--Restoration Hardware Monastery Collection vs. World Market Greyson Table--