Do you ever feel as I do – that you’ve just recovered from a volcanic eruption of decorations back before Christmas, only to experience the aftershock of trying to put it all way? No? Well then, I guess it’s just me.

I’m tired of overhauling the whole house just to satisfy my seasonal whims, so as I’ve already mentioned here, I had planned to do a re-mix on some of my winter décor and share the spring results with you.

Remember my winter mantle?

I’m still just all over that terrarium! I knew it would stay. So, with a few simple changes, we’re feeling springy inside, even if there was snow – yes, I said S.N.O.W. on the ground outside as I began this post and more in the forecast for tomorrow. I’m trying to keep my chin up, reminding myself of all you folks out east who just endured their sixth nor’easter.

Here’s how I switched it up for spring while keeping my favorite things –

As you can see, I didn’t make drastic changes.  Switching out a few things seemed to be all I needed to take away winter and invite spring into the room.  I took the photo at dusk to highlight the candles, but things look much more airy during the day.  

Other than the terrarium, the thing I’m enjoying most about my spring décor is my sheep! Aren’t they fun?

I told myself as I stood toying with those in Marshall’s that they would make an ideal First Friday Freebie for one of my loyal subscribers, but once I got them home, I weakened. I sat them here. I sat them there. They just got cuter and cuter! I confess! I crumbled under their vapid gaze and kept them for myself.

Nobody’s perfect. And, a little whimsy never hurt anybody.

The most amazing thing about these little sheep? They sit in plain sight, just inches off the floor and Phoebe June hasn’t eaten them. Come to think of it, I don’t think she’s even noticed them, which is odd because she pretty much pounces on anything with a “face”.

Here’s how much money I didn’t spend –

1. The mirror. It stayed – a family treasure described here.
2. A bunch of forsythia wound into a not-too-perfect wreath – a Hobby Lobby find – maybe $4.00.
3. A metal wreath stand – another Hobby Lobby find – half-price at $12.00. I’ll use this year-round.
4. A topiary bunny purchased years ago at a garage sale for next to nothing.
5. Set of 3 flameless candles (the really cool ones with the realistic moving flames). I found these a couple of years ago at TreesNTrends. The whole set was $29.99! I see on their website that they’ve gone up a little in price, but they’re still worth it. They have timers and a remote and the batteries seem to last a long time. They come in ivory or red and you can find them here.
6. Our mantle clock – it stayed just as in the winter mantle. The clock, as well as the other “keepers” are described here.
7. Green glass candle-holder. Strangely enough, Smuffy found them. He comes home with odd things some days and that’s all I’m sayin’.
8. The terrarium! Another Hobby Lobby find that I describe here.
9. The contents of the terrarium. These were all items I already had – a small fake plant, also from Hobby Lobby on half-price sale; two brown ceramic pillar candle-holders with twine and bead accents that I picked up at Cargo Largo a couple of months ago for $2 each and have been waiting to use somewhere; perched on the candle-holders – a set of white alabaster doves we received as a wedding gift; and a string of tiny battery-operated lights that I taped around the inside frame of the terrarium to light it at night.
10. The word-art sign stayed – another Hobby Lobby find described here.
11. Fake yellow tulips – a rummage sale find I had on hand.
12. Rustic bucket (my tulips needed to be “re-potted” from the ugly container they came in) – a recent Hobby Lobby find – around $5.
13. Glass candle jars with pillar candles – they stayed also.  I shared how I updated them with sisal rope here.  I had the candles on hand.
14. Wooden box with lavender silk crocus. I gave this to my mom when I finished doing some re-decorating for her. Now that she’s gone, they’re another sweet reminder of her and her favorite color.
15. Those boogey-woogie, not-too-intelligent-looking sheep – Under $5 at Marshall’s several months ago.
16. Vintage Black wooden suitcase. It’s something that was always around the house when I was growing up and holds special memories. Mom kept things through the generations, so I have no idea how old it is and, of course, wish I had asked.  It was one of the few things I asked my mom to “put my name on”, if you know what I mean.

I’m happy with this budget makeover. All the items that I consider “new” came to around $20 and all of them can be re-purposed for various seasons and different rooms. I hope it inspires you to work with what you have.

Keeping family treasures where I can see them makes me happy no matter what the trends are. My house does not look like the latest magazines.  Perhaps it did once, back in the 90’s, when designers, on a Victorian flight of fancy, took a turn at decorating with everything old. All I had to do back then was pull out Mom’s and Grandma’s stuff and artfully arrange it all.

Designers moved on, but since my décor and my inheritance were one and the same, I stuck with the look that I like to refer to as a cross between Grandma’s attic and a rummage sale. I’m thrilled that Joanna Gaines has done much to bring back the popularity of “old”.  (I was digging around in dusty old flea markets and toting home “junk” way before she came along!)  The farmhouse style so often featured on “Fixer Upper” is making it easy and inexpensive for me to plan my upcoming kitchen makeover. All I’ll have to do is dig a new batch of “old” out of the closet and, once again, artfully arrange.

A major remodel job is coming my way soon and the “fireplace” in these photos may or may not be staying. I’d love to hear your comments and ideas on this.  (It’s not a real fireplace anyway, so we can do something else fun if Smuffy and I have any strength left after conquering the kitchen.) I’ll chronicle all that here, which might prove to be therapeutic amidst the rubble, so as they say, stay tuned…

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Remember – First Friday Freebies happen the first Friday of every month, so fun stuff is just around the corner – as in tomorrow! Share this post with a friend and if you haven’t subscribe NOW, because freebies are for subscribers only.  Check out the Freebies page to see past gifts and their winners!