I spent my summer redecorating a bedroom in my house. This is what it looked like before I started.

I knew the direction that I wanted to go in but just couldn’t make it work with what I had. I had some things right, like the plaster roses running around the top of the walls. I made them with a mylar stencil and joint compound. When they were set I dry brushed them with stencil creams.
I wanted a combination of shabby chic and country garden. So I began by replacing traditional, contemporary pieces of furniture with wonderful antique finds. I then started making little accents to pull everything together. I also set a budget for myself, like they do on the decorating shows. It was fun finding inexpensive ways to get what I wanted. It also brought me back to an old love: Sewing! I hadn’t sewn since high school.

I sewed these valances to put more of the candy pink color in the room and added green lace to tie them into the green swiss dot curtains.
I found this sweet little slipper chair in an antique store for only $58!! The color, size and texture were all perfect.
The plates are all vintage and bargain finds that I’ve had for years.
I wanted one of these mirrors made from vintage salvage trim but they were too expensive. I made my own in about 2 hours and I only spent about $30!!
I bought this little unfinished birdhouse at a local craft store and hand painted it. Total cost: $3.95!!
Custom pillows are way too expensive and not even close to what I was looking for. None of the pillows cost more than $5 to make, compared to $40-75 dollars in a department store.
Chenille and awning stripe squares sewn in a rag pattern.
I made this little clutch purse pillow out of leftover valance material and some more of the awning stripe fabric. I added one of my grandmother’s vintage brooches for the clasp.
I made this pillow out of chenille and some wonderful homespun fabric that really frays for a nice ragged edge.
I had some silk-like polyester fabric for years and didn’t know what to do with it. I finally found a purpose. The button was easy to add and I just cut around the edges to make that wide fringe look.
This little pillow is made from two homespun fabrics. When washed, the two ragged edges combine to make one spectacular ragged edge.
Of course our “foreman”, Ted, was involved from the beginning to the end. Here he is inspecting the final work. I hope he issues a Certificate of Occupancy. He can be pretty picky….

All in all, I’m pretty happy with the results!