I DIY"ed" ... It's my little slice of Heaven here on Earth

Since moving into our apartment in March, I have been slowly transforming the space into "home." It's the perfect project for me since it never gets old (there is always a new season to decorate for) and I can mold some of my former pre-marriage hobbies into some sort of decorating diva persona. And here is where I insert plugs for my favorite spots of inspiration. If you haven't already heard of them, get over to Young House Love's (YHL) amazing blog. They do the coolest things, not to mention the million and one fantastic ideas they blog about. It's the mecca of aspiring DIYers and my daily cup o' Joe. Lately I've been mixing it up a bit with PB. Peanut butter you ask? No, not for this self proclaimed interior designer. It's Pottery Barn... the other mecca :). I am in love with their stuff, but not even to fork over the $$$ for their price tags. This is where I introduce my new favorite hobby! I think I found one that will stick!!

THRIFTING: refers to the act of shopping at a thrift store, flea market, garage sale, or a shop of a charitable organization, usually with the intent of finding interesting items at a cheap price.

I die, I DIY. Those defining words speak to my very soul! Shopping, Charitable Organization, Finding, Interesting items, and the best for last: Cheap price! My Mennonite heart beats hard for those bargains!

So, in a effort to combine all of those sweet sounding melodies into one amazing musical composition, I'm challenging myself to accomplish these 4 designs below... all before Christmas! The rules are plain.... I have to use my creative, God given gifts, shop at local charities/ thrift stores, and accomplish each by December 22 (gotta make sure they're completed by the time we have Christmas visitors!)

The Challenges:

#1 Create this Pottery Barn centerpiece....


#2 Recover this lamp shade (the lamp is a $5 thrift find!) ... inspired by a YHL project



#3 Update this door with a seasonal wreath...



#4 Make or thrift find Christmas Stockings and come up with a way to hang them


Wish me luck! And I'll keep you posted!

P.E.A.C.E.