Several years ago I attended the Haven Conference (so inspiring!) and started following a few amazing home bloggers on Instagram. See how I fluffed up our home a few years ago (and some lessons I've kept with me over the years).
And over the last few weeks as I've watched them add some incredible pictures of their homes all fluffed up for fall, I've felt more than a twinge of jealousy because I just didn't think I could do what they're doing. Especially on a penny pinched budget.
But in all honesty, spending a bundle to fluff up my home (which is really only seen by my little family!) for just a month or two always seems a little silly to me ~ no matter how much I love beautiful spaces. I know that in a heartbeat I could easily shell out $100 (or more!) to make my home look oh-so-perfect, but I just can't justify the expense all that often on something that feels oh-so-frivolous.
So I decided instead to get a little creative.
I picked up a pumpkin at Walmart for $2.58, then took a walk through our backyard.
I noticed this.
And these.
And hunted down an old bowl and mason jar I already at home.
IÂ gathered up a bunch of stems and made this . . .Â
  And this.Â
Not too shabby, right? 😉
Folks, I know good and well no designer or decorator is ever going to rant and rave about the gorgeousness of my little penny pinched project.
And there's probably some floral design rule that says you shouldn't use hydrangeas and pumpkins all in one bunch.
Or maybe that pulling grasses indoors are a no-no.
And there are a ga-jillion-million-amazing-oh-my-gracious-you've-got-to-see-them-pinterested homes that mine won't measure up against.
But.
This little bunch of hydrangeas mixed with a pumpkin and some weird funky grass are just perfect for me.
I spent a whopping $3.
It fits my budget, it fits my home, and it makes me happy. 🙂
So often we (ahem ~ I!!!) see things on Pinterest or Instagram or wherever, and think our homes (or cars, or clothes, or whatever?) need to look just like that too. But we're all in different places financially, and what we choose to value today may not be what someone else values too.
If you don't have extra moo-lah to spend on a bunch of fluffing this fall, take a walk through your garden to see what you can come up with for free. (You may be inspired by what you see there!)
You may just be surprised with what you find ~ and if you don't have a yard to walk through, see if you can find a friend who'll let you steal a few clippings from theirs. So much fun to create a penny pinched home ~ especially when fluffing for free!
I'd love for you to join me over on Pinterest (I love that place!) If you have a blog and have done a little fluffing in your home, I’d love to see it, so leave your link in the comments section. Also, if there’s a craft you’ve seen on a website that you’re hoping to make, feel free to share that link as well (I’m always looking for new ideas!)
See previous Friday Fluff Up projects and ideas . . . and Happy Fluffing!