Do you decorate your home for each holiday season? Or perhaps you decorate for a season or two, but nothing crazy?
Whether you start decorating for Christmas in October, or you simply enjoy decorating for a single holiday, this is the post for you!
As we all know, Easter is just around the corner. If you have young children, you may have found that decorating for a holiday or special occasion is an exciting activity. In the eyes of a child, every colorful decoration seems to add a touch of intrigue and a dash of enchantment. Oh, to see the world through the eyes of a child!
As a homeschool mom, I am passionate about teaching my children life lessons whenever I can. I believe that life is such a gift! I want my children to know that each day they are given should be valued and treasured.
~Inexpensive Home Decorating~
One way to mark an otherwise ordinary day is to make it a celebration. Rejoice in the small things.
Decorating can be an inexpensive way to add joy to the mundane, and to remind us all to slow down and celebrate the life God has given us.
I have found that I do not have to spend much money to decorate our home for a special season or occasion. Often, we have bits and bobs stashed away in a closet, cupboard, or cabinet that I have forgotten about. Not necessarily seasonal or holiday things- just beautiful things- that can be given a new life and a new purpose. With a bit of ingenuity and bit of old tat- a thoughtful decoration can be created.
When it is time to decorate for a holiday or special season, I first check my closets and cabinets and try to do my “shopping” there first. If my first treasure hunt proves lean or unfruitful, I then round up the children for a ride to our local thrift stores or antique stores.
~Thift verses New~
Thrift stores these days often cater for holidays and special seasons. It is fun to go in with the whole family and browse their wonderful, sometimes unexpected, selections.
I suppose, in some ways, it is easier when you have a holiday decoration in mind to go into a current store and purchase it immediately. However, I cannot get past the “thrill of the find”. The “thrill of the find” comes, for me, from thrifting and sifting for a one-of-a-kind, vintage treasure. Antique stores often offer an abundance of sweet vintage items, but of course, for a steeper price. But for me, I still rate seasonal thrift finds as number one on my list!
Before I go into a thrift store, I often have ideas about special items that I would like to purchase, and sometimes I do find those said items. However, often I find nothing of what I am specifically seeking-and instead, discover special items which are much better than those I was originally looking for.
For example, this Easter season I have been on the lookout for vintage, hand-painted, porcelain or plaster Easter eggs. I inherited several from my grandmother, but I have been looking for a pink egg to complement her collection. As it would be, I have struggled to find vintage eggs on my thrift finds, but I have found many other exciting, thrifted treasures to use in my Easter home decor. You just never know what you may stumble across. As I said… “the thrill of the find.”
Sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words, and in this case… I agree!
In this next section, I will share several photographs of my favorite spring finds to show how I re-purposed those items or put them out for display in our home.
This spring, my favorite secondhand finds have been charming vases, sweet baskets, and lovely linens. These items have been purchased throughout the year from multiple places. (Some were found at estate sales, antique stores, or are a family piece.)
I added some fun, little eggs on sticks and floral arrangements from Hobby Lobby, Walmart, and the Dollar Tree to help supplement my vintage decorations.
I also purchased a sweet set of three ceramic bunnies from Target for five dollars, as well as a ceramic egg holder and some speckled plastic eggs from Aldi-all of which I have enjoyed using as part of my new-old decorations- which you will see in the pictures.
My decorating tip to all of you is to place all of your thrifted finds onto a table, countertop, or even the floor.
This way you can see what items you have. I then like to separate into sections. I separated glassware, vases, little Easter critters, eggs, artificial flowers, baskets, and my spring fabrics, etc. Then, if you like working in groups of three or five, you can mix and match and grab a piece from each section. A glass plate, an Easter bunny, and some eggs…etc. You can mix and match to your heart’s content.
~Our Thrifted Treasures~
Now, let me share some of my favorite thrifted vases (below). The one on the left is stamped made in Japan. I was drawn to it because of the texture it provides. The basket weave design offered a perfect texture for an Easter display. I love the fine cracks it has obtained over the years. It is an old piece, and the fine lines help to tell its story.
The vase on the right captured my attention because of the pink cabbage rose. I found it charming, and it reminded me of England. I noticed, in my time living in England, that many homes used pitchers as vases for flower arrangements. I found that idea delightfully sweet. On the bottom of the vase is marked 1968. I always love an antique piece that is so fragile, but also so strong to have lasted over the years.
The vase below with the pink flowers was a thrift find that I also found beautiful. I love to find single stem vases-as sometimes all you need is one or two long stem flowers to make a space brighter.
The small crystal vase was also thrifted at another time. I loved the size of it and the little birds on the base. The perfect spring accompaniment.
Note: Ideally, I would always have fresh flowers, because fresh flowers are so beautiful and, in my opinion, make any space brighter and sweeter. However, they do not last long enough. In this busy season of motherhood, I am trying to keep things manageable and simplistic whenever I can. Que the realistic, artificial flowers that require no water.
That being said, the pink tulips and hydrangeas in bottom photo are alive and were beautiful (while the lasted).
Another fun thing the children and I found thrifting was a giant, plaster egg that was brand new with tags still on. We bought it for one dollar…bargain! It is quite heavy, and I was not sure what we would do with it, but I knew we would all enjoy painting it together and picking out a design for it.
Now, disclaimer here…I am clearly not a painter or an artist, but sometimes…who cares, you know? If an activity brings joy and time together, then I say paint and decorate to your heart’s content. This is another reason why I love thrift stores…you just never know what you may find and how you can use it as a special bonding activity.
I enjoy setting the dinning table for special occasions. This is my grandmother’s tablecloth and the runner on top was a thrift find… as are the crystal candlesticks.
I used hydrangeas from the garden and pink flower petals that had already fallen to the ground (I didn’t want them to go to waste). All together, this was a very inexpensive tablescape.
My last Easter-thrifting idea to share with you all is to be on the lookout for baskets. You can usually pick them up for just a few dollars.
This basket was only one dollar…BARGAIN! I have been looking for a “flower picking basket” and I thought this would fit the bill. I added some beautiful, fresh, pink tulips that I bought at Aldi for just $4.99! The white hydrangeas came from our backyard-and shhh… don’t tell-but the daffodils are artificial, and I got those for around $2.97 at Walmart.
I think this makes for a pretty display for the center of a table-or just to add a pop of beauty to an entryway credenza or a countertop.
Now, when I go out to forage for flowers in my backyard, I have a place to put my freshly clipped foliage. And, I have a basket to use all year long!
Keep your eyes open for treasures and you are sure to reap a reward.
I would like to add, in my conclusion, that while I do love my thrifted finds- I love even more that my treasures were found alongside my precious children. They helped me look for each considered find-making them even more special.
I hope this post gives you ideas on how to use classic, good quality, vintage items to help give your Easter decorations a sophisticated, charming, and considered feel.
I say, “Less of the plastic, more of the classic!”
May these ideas and photographs inspire you all to decorate your home first with love, and then with what you have, and then with what you find.
Happy Easter!