Gorgeous Treasures from The Trip

Oh, Hello, Home Sweet Home! So good to see you and feel you! Not a cloud in the sky, ocean breeze, 76 fabulous degrees! Have gone through the mail and all the mail of my dear neighbor who just moved. Hers is forwarded. I was sad to come home and know that she would not be here. Plants are still alive and will be watered soon.

Lots of little packages with fabulous treasures to unpack from trip. I am so happy with these purchases and love seeing them all together since they've been neatly stacked in bags in the back of my car since purchase.

• Lampshades -- Got some fantastic lamp shades ($12 each) for silver lamps I bought at Target probably ten years ago. Clearly they are good classics because Target is still selling the same lamp. I am very happy about my choice.
• Wood Planter Boxes -- from IKEA. I think these were about $14 total. Adore them and they are a great addition.
•  Bamboo Tray -- was $2 at Deseret Industries Thrift Store and is originally from WalMart. It has a few water rings on it, but I think a little wood oil will fix it right up.
• Pretty Patterned Pillow -- was $9.99 at TJ Maxx. So wished there was another one to make a pair. This happy little pillow brings together all the colors in my living room so perfectly.
• Tall Glass Jar -- was $1. I have a set of these from IKEA, but the IKEA near me only has the two middle sizes. This adds a new dimension to my collection of shells and sea glass. I see sea glass in this one.
• White Framed Art -- ($3) has a collection of loose sea shells inside that should be glued in a pattern on the canvas. I also got this at Deseret Industries. I haven't decided how I'm going to repair this but I saw simliar framed art at discount department stores for much more.
• Small Bamboo Frame -- was $2 at Catholic Charities Thrift Store and is originally from Cost Plus.

So for about $55 total, not including the lamp bases, I got everything on this table and some great stuff to shape up the new look of my home. Bargain hunting is so much more fun to me than shopping in expensive boutiques. It's amazing what you can find at discount retailers and thrift stores is you take the time to look.

I am happy to see that my courage to layer colors and patterns seems to be coming together well. No disastrous buys yet. I love a simple palette of neutral colors for large scale pieces of furniture. I can decorate around them, switching in and out less expensive accessories whenever I get an itch for change.