Design on 200 Dimes

Joe and I were watching something the other day on Tru TV and their slogan came up "Not reality, actuality." I've sat there,time and time again, buying into these catchy phrases like the genius behind the marketing plan expects me to, when it donned on me, what is the difference between reality and actuality? Don't they mean the same thing? I turned to Joe and said,"Not reality, actuality? They are the same thing." To prove my point, I looked up the definitions on http://www.dicitonary.com/.

Reality - The state of being real; the resemblance to what is real; a real thing.

Actuality - Actual existence; reality !

Those darn marketing specialists couldn't trick me.

Anyway...I really didn't intend on that whole spill for this blog. Instead, I started it off with the title that resembles another phenomenon going on in the boob tube world and that is DIY programs. DIY is the fun abbreviation for Do It Yourself, just in case you didn't know. I like DIY. If it wasn't for DIY, I wouldn't GAD (Get Anything Done)!Spending money on paying someone else to do what could be a DIY is something this frugal mind cannot even imagine. Plus, there is NFII (No Fun In It) if you can't be creative and DIY.

There is an actual network called the DIYnetwork where they have tons of shows showing you how to DIY. But the title of this blog was nabbed and changed a bit from the popular show on HGTV known as Design on a Dime. I've always thought, back to my reality tv soapbox, that I should have had that show. Designing on a dime is my reality. Or actuality if you'd rather. I've just never had another choice. It was either a dime or nothing of which I have done both.

So when it came to re-doing my bedroom last Saturday, prompted out of complete boredom and the fact that it was about the ugliest room in the house, I told myself that I could do whatever I could as long as I did not spend more than $20. Yes...I did say $20..... or 200 dimes. With some ideas in mind and a little inspiration from some curtains I had purchased the day before at Salvation Army, I was off and designing.

Between cans of spray paint I had in the basement, curtains I had purchased from Salvation Army, a little re-arranging and cleaning, and a few creative projects created from whatever I could find in my basement, I managed to design on 200 dimes this bedroom:

Here is what I did:

Hung the pretty sheers I bought from Salvation Army, which by the way were an exact fit and the exact amount I needed.  Three sheers, three windows. They cost $1.99 for all three.

Spray painted this old record player holder that used to be white and used as my nightstand (which is now Joe's since it looked better on his side of the bed)....

and this smaller, old record holder that I had in my basement to somewhat match the other one and use as another night stand.

Covered two lamps that did have red shades and were used in different rooms of my house, with some toile fabric that I had in my tub of fabric stored in my basement. This project was the most fun and so easy. Can I just say, I now think spray adhesive is the coolest thing ever. $4 at Walmart.

 

Painted this metal dresser that I bought at a rummage sale 12 years ago for $6. This is an old YMCA metal dresser that was pretty ugly before I painted it. Some might think it is still ugly but that is the fun in designing on a dime. You just have to make do sometimes. The paint for this dresser was $7.

 

Dyed two pillow cases black that went with my sheets. Yes, now my pillow cases and sheets are not the same color but no one will ever know except Joe and I. Cost of dye: $3

Framed this picture. This was so much fun. I have always loved this picture of Joe and I. It was taken when we were dating in college at a 50's fun night. They had a cool old telephone booth set up and in those days, we easily fit in it to make it a kissing booth. I scanned the photo into my computer and printed it in an 8 x 10, black and white. The frame, which was recently painted gold for Christiana's graduation, was spray painted black. The mat was created from another frame that had an ugly picture in it that was actually printed on cardboard. I took the picture out, cut a mat to fit my picture, and spray painted the "new" mat black. We have several fun frames in our basement that we have picked up here and there so that helped a lot with this project. This is what the picture looks like up close and in it's original color:

Then I did one last decorating project that I absolutely loved. It was completely free, made from everything I had in my house.

I had a large empty wall to the right of my bed so I hung this old, empty frame there. I decided it may look cute to hang something in the frame. So,I cut two pieces of cardstock in half, covered them with some scrapbook paper I had, glued on the punch out letters to spell LOVE which were in my scrapbook stuff, then found some other punch outs that said cool things like "You and Me," "Forever" and "Happiness". Then I hung all of them using fish line so you couldn't see it and Waa-Laa! I love it.

I did end up buying a couple of candles which put me over the $20 mark so all in all, I designed on about 240 dimes. I can't believe how a little DIY creative energy can make something look and feel so much better. Makes me wonder why I have waited so long. In time, I am sure, I will find some other things to add to my bedroom but for now, it suits me fine. This is my reality. And my actuality.