Finally a Use for Junk Mail

I get such pleasure having guests into my home! Over the years I've learned that you can have almost any decorating look you want, with little or no extra money! I use items like basement/attic stashes, yard-sale finds, auction bargains (usually $1 for a box full of stuff!), or roadside shopping (better known as trash picking, my personal favorite).

There's a real sense of accomplishment when people say things like, "Oh I just love your home - who does your decorating? Where on earth did you get this? This antique must be very valuable! Where did you find such a lovely piece?" It's at moments like these, that I know my home can look just as beautiful as the ones who spend thousands of dollars on decorating!

I'd have to say one of my most loved pieces is the oil painting hanging in my front parlor. It's a large picture of a beautiful home in the forest, with the most picturesque landscaping you could imagine! There are streams that follow the moss-covered stone paths, Victorian statues, rose-covered arbors, water lilies, goldfish swimming, ornate garden benches, piles of blooming flowers, ferns everywhere, and the most lovely little bird cages! This paradise almost looks like a secret garden belonging to a princess! The thick ornate Victorian frame really adds the finishing touch!

When I tell my visitors that I'm the artist of that particular piece, they almost always respond with an unbelieving mouth open! You see I've always wanted to paint, and be able to put my dreams on canvas. I believe there's an artist inside of all of us, all we have to do is find a way to release it. Because my talent does not yet reach that of an artist who can really paint, I "paint" with the materials at hand! This is what I want to teach you today. You will be able to achieve almost any look you desire, for no extra money!

I'd like for you to think for a moment on what you'd like to express. Is it a beautiful home, a garden to stroll through, a landscape by the sea, a secret pathway leading to a romantic cottage? Anything your mind can dream, you can have as beautiful art for your home!

How is this possible? By using junk mail, magazines, catalogues, postcards, seed catalogues, or anything you have around the house. You start by going through your pile of material with a pair or scissors. You simply cut out everything that you love! If it's only a plant, tree, flower pot, shrub, house, whatever - cut it out.

Check out this site for 100's of free catalogues! You can find any type of pictures you want to add to your painting!

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Pearl Sanborn is the publisher of "Frugal by Choice - Heart and Home Newsletter".

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"The Dollar Stretcher, Inc." does not assume responsibility for advice given. All advice should be weighed against your own abilities and circumstances and applied accordingly. It is up to the reader to determine if advice is safe and suitable for their own situation.

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