Article By: Mirna Cacic

We just love anything shabby chic, and this cute chair planter is no exception! Raid your local thrift store or garage sale for an old wooden chair that you can turn into a planter for cheap! This is a great way to dress up your porch, patio, or garden if you’re on a budget. Paint the chair a fun color or add whimsical designs to it to dress it up and match it to your garden decor. This project is great because you don’t need any special power tools to get the job done, and it can be done in less than an hour!

Supply Checklist:

1) Old Chair

2) Paint

3) Sand paper

4) A planter with a lip, wide enough to fit inside your chair (the lip will help hold the planter in place)

5) Polycrylic

6) Screwdriver

7) Damp cloth

8) Plants and soil

Step #1:

Sand your chair using the sand paper. This will help remove any varnish that will prevent the new paint from sticking to your chair. Sanding the chair will roughen up the surface so the paint can stick better.

Step #2:

Take out the seat from the chair. You can do this easily by removing any screws using a screwdriver.

Step #3:

Get a damp cloth and wipe down the chair to get rid of any dust before painting. When you’re finished, paint your chair your desired color.

Step #4:

To make the new paint on your chair last longer, give it a few coats of polycrylic.

Step #5:

Add your soil and plants to your planter, then place the planter into the spot where the chair seat originally was. Now place your new shabby chic planter anywhere you like! Try it out on your patio or porch, or place it in your garden amongst your flowers!

Photos: DIY Cozy Home, Love This Pic, Moonstruck Vintage.

If you’re unsure of how to decorate your mantle this fall, take a look at this one! It’s simple, festive, and you can put it together on the cheap! Scroll down for more pictures!

The first thing we noticed about the mantle is the neutral backdrop. The mantle itself is a crisp white, which makes the fall accessories pop! For your mantle, choose fall shades that stand out. The bright oranges work great against the white, and if your mantle is more of a beige color, choose contrasting, but similar tones. Since the crisp white of the mantle is a cold tone, the fall accessories are as well. Choose what fits your mantle best.

The rustic crate makes the perfect stand for these flowers. To fill up the crate, a pumpkin nestled on top of leaves works great. The mini pumpkin, squash and pinecone look so cute inside, too!

One of the easiest ways to accessorize is with pillows! You can use slipcovers if you don’t want to buy new ones. For festive but cheap pillows, check your local Wal-Mart or Target.

Add warmth to your mantle with candles! Grab cheap candleholders and candlesticks at the thrift store and spraypaint them to match your mantle.

The top of the mantle is kept simple, with a salvaged piece of fence painted white, a leaf wreath, and more mini pumpkins. The garland adds a cute touch to the mini shutters, which can easily be replicated at a larger scale, if you like. You can make a large garland covering the entire mantle with burlap, which is a great choice for those on a budget.

Photos: The Frugal Homemaker.

We love anything that looks expensive, but actually isn’t! This fur ottoman can be easily made using a salvaged footstool, some fake fur, and spray paint! Let’s get started!

Supplies:

1) Footstool (take a look at your local thrift shop or yard sales for one)

2) Spray paint in the color of your choice

3) Leather-looking vinyl

4) Nail head trim

5) Fake fur

6) Hot glue gun and glue sticks

Step 1:

Give the legs of your footstool a few coats of spray paint and allow it to dry completely overnight.

Step 2:

Cut and measure the vinyl strips and fit them around the sides of the ottoman. Trim them, leaving a 1/2″ margin. Tuck it under to give it a finished look. Wrap the side piece between the legs to the under side and hot glue in place.

Step 3:

On the top sides of the vinyl strips, trim the corners so it will lay flat and glue it down.

Step 4:

Cut out the fake fur to the size of your footstool and hot glue the edges down.

Step 5:

Add nail head trim to the edges, and you’re done with your gorgeous new ottoman!

Photos and idea: Dimples and Tangles.

Halloween is one of our favorite holidays! Turning our home into a realm of spooky and creepy is always fun! Sometimes other things can get in the way of the Halloween spirit, and there isn’t enough time to get all the decor ready. Have no fear, these decorations are quick and easy, so let’s get started!

1. Creepy Snake Wreath

Get out a plain vine wreath and spray paint it black. The plastic snakes you can find at any dollar store, and spray paint them too if you can’t find any in black. Glue them on using hot glue and you’re done! Tutorial over at Martha Stewart.

2. Mod Podge Pumpkin

Mod Podge creepy print-outs onto a pumpkin! Vintage encyclopaedia images work great, and you can find tonnes over at The Graphics Fairy.

3. Crepe Paper Curtains

No spooky home would be complete without creepy, torn curtains! Pick up crepe paper streamers at the dollar store for this easy project! Tutorial here.

4. Tin Can Luminaries

Save your tin cans for this project! After you’ve washed the can, simply poke holes using a nail and hammer to spell out a creepy message. Then, give it a coat or two of black spray paint and place a candle inside. Make a few to line your porch steps! Tutorial here.

5. Batty Wall

Cut bats out of construction paper and tape them to your wall, door, mantle, or any other place that needs a dose of creepy!

6. Gross Spider Web Egg Sack

Slightly on the disgusting side, these spider web egg sacks are made using nylon stockings! Stuff them with cotton and glue on cheap fake spiders from the dollar store. Hang them on your porch to scare your visitors!

7. Witch Brooms

These brooms are made using smaller sticks wrapped around one end of a larger stick using twine. Make a couple of them to adorn your front porch!

8. DIY Haunted House From a Yard Sale Dollhouse

This project takes a bit of time, but it’s still budget-friendly! Raid your local thrift store, or check out yard sales for dollhouses. Then, simply paint them and decorate them any way you wish. These cute mini haunted houses would look great on a mantle surrounded by creepy cobwebs and candles. Take a look at more photos here.

9. Hang Witch Hats

Grab a bunch of witch hats from your local dollar store and hang them from the ceiling with fishing line. Add your homemade witch broom close by to complete the look!

10. Trash Bag Spider Webs

Now we’ve come to the cheapest of the cheap! These trash bag spider webs can be made in minutes, and they cost next to nothing. Easy tutorial found here.

Looking for more Halloween and Fall articles? We’ve got you covered!

Make These Faux Mercury Glass Pumpkins Using Dollar Store Finds!

7 Ways to Decorate Your Home This Fall

Halloween Treats: Candy Corn Cookie Bark

Photos: Martha Stewart, Country Living Magazine, Jolly Mom, Dana Made It, Tammy Perry, Over the Big Moon, Hip Hip Halloween, Brooklyn Limestone, HGTV.

We love going to the thrift store, and who doesn’t? There are so many cool items that can be found there, and all they need is a little paint and TLC! Scour your local thrift store for a chandelier and transform it into an expensive-looking antique!

The first thing you need is the chandelier of course! Check your local thrift store, or find one on Craigslist!

Begin by sanding down the chandelier, removing all traces of paint. Take a can of spray paint and give the chandelier 2-3 coats of paint. Allow it to dry between coats.

If you want the chandelier to look like it has real candles, you can add silicone dipped light bulbs for a realistic effect.

To soften the nutmeg brown paint, whitewash over the wood and metal areas. You can do this by watering down white paint, brushing it on, then wiping it off. To complete the look, add a coat of brown glaze to give it an old world look.

To finish the look, you can add these cute wooden danglers to hang from the chandelier. These were found at a rummage sale, cut in half, and painted the same way as the chandelier. They were attached by inserting a screw with an eye at the top.

The final step is to rewire the chandelier if needed and hang it up! Hang it in your living room, or above your dining room table! It’s the perfect finishing touch to any shabby home!

Photos and idea: Reloved Rubbish.

We love the look of milk glass, but what we don’t love is the price! Luckily, all you need to recreate the look is spray paint and a bunch of thrift store vases!

The first thing you need to do is raid the closest thrift store. Don’t worry about color, we’ll be spraypainting everything! Look for pieces that have an interesting shape or pattern. Next, wash everything in warm soapy water to get rid of grime and dust. Allow the pieces to dry completely.

Give each piece a few coats of matte white spray paint and you’re done! Arrange your new milk glass vases wherever you like. Try your fireplace mantle, or above your kitchen cupboards!

Photos: Oopsey Daisy Blog, United With Love, Eco Brides, Rosy Glasses.

Vintage doilies can be used to decorate tonnes of things around your home, and they’re making a big comeback! Decorate pillows, table runners, or bowls with doilies for that delicate vintage look. We’ve got 7 adorable doily ideas that look great and won’t break the bank!

1. Doily Bowls

These bowls look just like crowns, and you can use them to hold jewellery or as a candle holder. They’re easily made using starch! Tutorial here.

2. Table Runner

Stitch a few doilies together to create a one-of-a-kind table runner. This would look great at a vintage-themed wedding! Add white candles in mercury glass candle holders to complete the look.

3. Wall Art

Display your vintage doilies by hanging them on your wall. Simply wrap a canvas in burlap, and glue on the doily. This also makes a great gift! Tutorial here.

4. Luminaries

These doily luminaries are so cute! Simply use spray adhesive to attach the doily to the jar and decorate with ribbon, buttons, and twine. Tutorial here.

5. Pillows

Attach doilies to pillows by stitching them on, or using fabric glue. Use contrasting colors to make the delicate doily patterns pop.

6. Lamp

This lamp only looks expensive, but you can make it for cheap! Follow along with this easy tutorial to make your own doily lamp! Tutorial here.

7. Bunting

Decorate your home with this adorable doily bunting! Hang it up on your mantle, or use it at your next outdoor party!

Photos: Time Washed, How To Set a Table, The Happy Housewife, Crafts by Amanda, Grains of Earth, Handmade Ology, Stirling Design.