Moodboard Monday - Sales

I happened to come across several great sales and thought I'd share them with you!  Most of them are 50% off, plus an extra 15% off with code HOME.  

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Have you seen any great sales this weekend?

Moodboard Monday - Affordable, Neutral Rugs

I am definitely not against a beautiful statement rug, but in my own home I tend to gravitate towards more neutral rugs so I can change things up through throw pillows and accessories.  They are harder to find than you might think though!  So when I recently came across several I thought I'd share them with you for Moodboard Monday!  These are great neutral rugs to ground a room without committing you to a color scheme.   Several of them are on sale right now and most of them come in a few different neutral color options.  

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DIY picture ledge

My sister recently moved into a new house and we've had fun slowly turning it into a home for them. We've repurposed things she already had and kept things super budget friendly.  Proof that it doesn't cost a lot to make your house into a space you love!  

The little bump out in the wall made it feel sort of awkward and unworkable, but we turned it into a much more functional space that made sense of an otherwise unusable area.  We decided to add these picture ledge shelves and create them in a way to where they were flush with the other side of the wall.  Making it feel more even and balanced.  My brother in law made them so that they would fit the wall perfectly.  You can see the DIY of how he made similar ones for me here.  The great part about making them yourself is that you can adjust the width and depth to fit the space.  If you aren't up for a DIY, you can find lots of premade options here and even a few customizable options as well.

Can you believe she found those lights for $1 at a yard sale?  The thrifting gene runs strong!  We didn't want to spend the money hardwiring them, so we used the magic light trick to make them functional.  If you've never tried it before, it's genius!  I found similar lights here and they are very affordable.  They come in lots of finishes too.

Most of the frames were ones she already had, but we added new mats to some of them and a few inexpensive new frames to fill in the gaps.  She has the same light that I have in my dining room and I think it works so well in this space.  The large mirror is old from IKEA.

Picture ledges are one of my favorite ways to display photos.  It makes it so easy to switch the pictures out and rearrange them when you want to change things up!

Inexpensive Magnolia Centerpieces

It's no secret that I love magnolia branches!  They are so pretty and classically southern.  I'm determined to plant one in my yard one of these days.  But for now, I'll keep picking up other people's clippings on the side of the road. :)  

I was driving in my parent's neighborhood and saw several large magnolia branches by the curb.  I made a quick u-turn and loaded them up in the back of my car.  I was in the middle of trying to make budget friendly centerpieces for an event and knew I could use these.  You can't beat free!

Simple magnolia branches in a vase are beautiful, but I wanted to do something different this time.  

I shared these on instagram (@dwellingsbydevore) but thought I'd share here too in case any of you missed it.  

I started with foam wreath forms from the dollar store.  Then, I took all the leaves off of the branches.  I found, through trial and error, that cutting the base of the stem at a diagonal to form a point, made it easier to poke them into the foam.  

I was in a hurry, and needed to make several of these, so I skipped preserving the leaves.  However, if you want these to last longer I would recommend preserving the leaves first.  

We put a mason jar with a candle in it in the center to make a centerpiece, but these could also be used as wreaths as well.  Wouldn't it be pretty with a simple black and white striped bow on it?  I also mixed in a few sprigs of seeded eucalyptus from Trader Joe's to add some variation.  The best part is these only cost $1!  

While I was grabbing the foam wreaths at the dollar store I saw these other inexpensive centerpiece ideas and thought I'd share them as well.

This is super simple too.  Start with a glass taper candle holder.  Then take two frames and use hot glue to glue the back sides of the frames together.  If the frame has a stand on the back you'll probably want to rip that off to make the frames fit together more seamlessly.  Then hot glue the frames to the top of the candle holder.  You can put anything you want in the frames.  Some thoughts I had were, black and white photos, prints with inspirational quotes, table numbers, etc.  Total cost, $3.  I would probably surround these with tea lights to make it seem more substantial.

I also saw these cute little mirrors that could be used with a simple chunky pillar candle.  I would probably spray paint them a solid color, maybe gold, but loved the modern look of them.

I'd love to hear any ideas you have for inexpensive centerpieces!  Do you use dollar store items as well?

Simple Fall Baby Shower

I hosted a simple fall baby shower at my home this past weekend.  I wanted to make it pretty, but didn't want to spend a lot on decorations that would just get thrown away at the end of the day.  So I focused on using what I had with a few inexpensive items mixed in.

I actually thought it might be fun to try to challenge myself by buying most of the things from the dollar store and I ended up sticking to that for the most part.

This was my first attempt at a naked cake.  Look at it from straight on and it's pretty good, but things get a little more "rustic" when you look at it from other angles.  As long as it tastes good that's all that matters right?  I added some fake peonies to the top and they actually are surprisingly realistic looking.  

I picked up these disposable coffee cups from the dollar spot at Target and borrowed the flowers from my daughter's room.  

I love using these gold bottles for coffee syrup.

We kept the food spread really simple too.  It was an afternoon shower so most people had just eaten lunch.  We had coffee, this fall punch, cake, cheese and crackers, and apples with cream cheese fruit dip.

This cutting board was a Homegoods find, but this one has a similar feel.

I made this print and popped it in a dollar tree frame. 

Feel free to print one for yourself if you would like!

I always love getting a chance to use my milk glass.  I really don't use it often enough!

And I made another faux real floral arrangement with my pumpkin vases.  I got some more fresh eucalyptus and added some of the fake peonies that I had leftover from the bunch I bought for the cake.  I love that I can keep using these flowers over and over again. 

The wrapping paper was another dollar tree find.  I love using wrapping paper for parties like this.  It's perfect for a table runner.

I also almost always get my plates, cups, and napkins from the dollar tree.  They aren't anything fancy but the price can't be beat and they have lots of different colors.

These little battery powered lights were an after Christmas find, but these would be fun too!

My mom let me use this vintage pink plate/bowl set that was my grandmother's.  I love the subtle pink touch.

I also gave this dollar store banner a makeover with some glue and gold glitter.

This drink dispenser was a gift several years ago.  I bought this white pedestal in the dollar spot at Target and it elevates it just enough so you can get a cup under the spout.  

It was a fun shower and I think the mama to be felt loved, which is the most important thing!

Pink Fall Table Setting

I hosted a fall-ish themed baby shower over the weekend and I thought it would be fun to reuse the centerpieces to create a fall tablescape.  The jumping off point was these fake peonies.  I love real peonies, but they can get pretty pricey and are only in season for such a short time.  I've seen lots of pink this year for fall and I'm loving it!

The gold polka dot napkins were an old Marshall's find, but these look similar.

I grouped together some thrifted brass candlesticks and my faux real pumpkin arrangements to create a simple centerpiece.  

Mixing in the eucalyptus with the fake flowers really helps them look more realistic.  I never thought I'd like fake flowers so much, but they are really growing on me!  No pun intended ;)  

Have you started decorating for fall yet?  It's still pretty warm here, but decorating at least makes me feel like the cooler weather will be here sooner!

Neutral Fall Table Setting

For me October is when things really start to feel like fall.  So for today's Moodboard Monday I did a roundup of items that would make a cozy, neutral fall table setting.  The great part is, other than the pumpkin, these items can be used all year round and even easily transition to Christmas.

1. Eucalyptus Garland - Y'all know I love eucalyptus!  This is a great faux option.  I would use this as a centerpiece for the table and weave it through some white pumpkins of all different sizes.

2. Large & Small candlesticks - These are great for anywhere and anytime of year.  They're a good staple decor item to have around.  I would use them grouped together in the center of the table, mixed in with the eucalyptus and white pumpkins I mentioned above.  I would do an odd number, three small and two large.  You could line them up in a row or disperse them randomly.

3. Wood Chargers - I love using organic materials anytime of year, but especially during the fall!  These would add the perfect natural element to the table.

4. Blanket Scarf - I've been seeing lots of tablescapes draped with cozy blankets and I love that look.  This is actually a scarf you would wear, but I think it would work perfectly for a table setting.  Just drape it across the table diagonally.  And when you are done with it, add it to your wardrobe :)

5. Gold Flatware - Gold Flatware is another home decor staple.  It's perfect for anytime of year, but adds some nice warmth in the fall.  

6. Black Dinnerware - I don't know why, but black screams fall to me.  I love the depth it would add to this table setting.

7. White Pumpkin Baker - We make a lot of soup this time of year and I think it would be so fun to serve it in this!

*This post contains affiliate links, which means I earn a small commission (at no cost to you) if you purchase some of the items listed in this post.  As always I only share things that I love and think you will too!