How to Decorate With Your Collections

I have to say, I do love collections.  They can turn something that would be very hard to decorate with singularly, into something that looks spectacular and demands attention.

Just look how Pottery Barn decorated this bedroom with a collection of vintage hand held mirrors!  It really adds character to the room.

I've had my share of collections, probably my favorite is tea cups.  I have a lot of unique ones and come tea party time, it's always fun to pull out the sets!  

As you guy know, I've also collected old plates at thrift stores and have set up this plate collection in my powder room.  That post comes with a great tutorial how to hang your plates for free!

And who doesn't come home with tons of sea shells after vacationing on the beach?  

I love this idea by Cheryl.  She used an old printer tray and filled it with her shells.  She made such a great vignette by pairing it with other beach themed prints.

Beachcomber Simply Living

Another easy collection is FRAMES.  They can be SO CHEAP at the thrift store.  It doens't matter what color they come in originally because you can just spray paint them any color you want.  

Lastly, I want to show you what my friend Laura did with her collection of old vintage items.

Finding Home

Of course, this post could go on and on!  Other collections are 

MAPS

GLOBES

 INSTRUMENTS

Etc...

Don't give up on your collections!  The more you can collect, the easier it is to make a statement.  

Till the next inspiration hits!

Old Windows Used as Frames

Every once in a while you hit a yard sale that has all these old windows. Years ago I used to collect them and do faux stain glass on them but I hadn’t done that in years.  (you can buy the gel for the faux stain glass (called Gallery Glass) at Michaels, it’s as easy as coloring a color book!)

But when I ran across a big set of windows at a sale during the end of summer and they were only $2.00 a piece I just had to get one.  I wasn’t exactly sure what I would do with it but I knew it would come to me.
One pane was broken so I decided to break the other pane on the opposite corner and do something fun with pictures and fabric.

My first thought was to fill the voided window panes with fabric and the rest with photos.  After I put in the fabric pieces (wrapped them over cardboard) I didn’t like the fabric I picked out so instead of heading out in the car to get another piece I just took some old scrapbook paper and covered them with that instead.  Of course, if I found the perfect piece of fabric it probably would have been best if I used the fabric but now a days with paper looking so cool I think it was just fine.

Next I printed out 4 of my favorite pictures from Costco in the size of the window opening and taped them in. 

And here is what I ended up with!

Isn’t it sweet?

I just used D ring hooks on the back and drywall screws to hang it – took a little time but overall, a pretty easy project!


Overall Cost:

Window – 2.00
Fabric (that I didn’t use) – 1.00
Four 11x14 Costco prints – 12.60

Grand Total: $15.60!

Linking this up to Centsational Girl's Spring Craft Linky party!  Another idea I had was hanging Easter eggs in the spots where the fabric or scrapbook paper is??  I don't know, just thinking out loud!  Let me know if you try it :-)

Hope this project gets your own Creative Juices stirred!