It's a Farmhouse Christmas!

I cannot believe it’s already December, and here we are just a few short weeks from Christmas. Maybe it was the wonky weather, or the fact Thanksgiving was so late this year, but either way I found myself quite unprepared for December’s arrival! I did (finally!) finish getting my house decorated and photographed, minus the front porch, and I am here today to share these with you!

If you are feeling behind in decorating and want some quick inspiration, this post is for you!

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Here’s a quick dining room tour!

I love all things budget friendly, and Christmas is no exception! While I do purchase a couple things each year, they are always marked down or on clearance. I mostly just use the decor from previous years in new ways or in new places, and that always makes it seem like a fresh new look. For example, this garland on the table is tucked into my re-purposed chicken feeder that I frequently have on display here, and I added a couple candles and pine cones that I had on hand. Ta-Da!

I made this ‘Merry Christmas’ printable last year and took it to a copy and print shop to have it enlarged and printed on cardstock (for $1). If you would like the file for a quick download, shoot me a message!

Linking our personalized book sets here.

This corner of the dining room is new this year, since I picked up this vintage sewing table super cheap on marketplace. I also grabbed these mint bells from the Target dollar section this year, can’t go wrong with over-sized bells!

On to the kitchen!

I did a whole post on the kitchen that I will link here, but if you just want a couple quick ideas here are some photos from that post!

Next up is the entryway table, and if you have been following along for a while you might remember that I have a terrible time decorating this long table. I strive to keep it uncluttered, but it seems to just collect things on its own!

I am really feeling the ‘woodsy’/tree farm/greens and whites vibe this year, and that is new for me from previous years. I am not entirely sure why I gravitated toward this style this year, but I embraced the challenge to incorporate what I had on hand and decorate this table.

And, the tree

let’s just ignore the un-decorated shelves on the flag wall in the background. This pencil tree was new to us last year (hello Michael’s clearance!) and this nook in the railing is about the only location we can put it at the moment, as we have to tether it with twine to secure it won’t fall over. Our 2 year old has never tried to pull the tree over, but i am sure the moment I didn’t have it secured she would give it a try. Kids just know when you are taking a shortcut!

As you can see, I have a bit of a Starbucks ornament collection going, and soon I will need my own tree just for them. For now, I will just hang them out of reach of little hands.

Also, our tree skirt is just a burlap sack from our local farm store, Theisen’s. They sell them for roughly $1, and while they do shed a bit I like the rustic look they bring to the tree.

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Well, that’s all I have for inside decor this year. I have yet to finish my front porch, as I am waiting on something to be delivered that I bought the day after Thanksgiving. Hopefully I will have that post ready sometime before Christmas!

In the mean time, I hope I was able to bring you some decorating inspiration and as always, thank you for stopping by the blog today! All of your support really means a lot to us! I’m going to sign off for now and get back to the farmhouse remodel, big changes happening this week so stay tuned for that!

Cheers!

Rachael

Fall Front Porch Decor Guide

Ok, we made it to September, which means Fall decor is in full swing!

I have the pumpkin bread in the oven, harvest candles burning, and a huge bale of straw on the front porch. It’s just not officially Fall until a bale of straw is on the front porch!

Our porch is west-facing, and has quite a bit of afternoon sun & heat throughout September. For this reason, I have initially decorated with only faux items as any live flowers or pumpkins would be scorched by the elements. I imagine around the beginning of October I will be able to add some Fall mums and pumpkins to the mix. For now, I will share what I have done so far so you can hopefully find some inspiration for your own porch!

As I mentioned above, a bale of straw is a must! I picked up one at a local farm and fleet store for $5. If you wanted a super simple front porch setup, and didn’t have time to round up other decor, a simple stack of three bales of straw would work perfectly!

Here I have my bale of straw sitting on end, matched up with some other items I shopped from my garage!

Next up, I grabbed some trimmed dead grasses and stuck them in a rusted metal milk jug that usually resides on my porch year round. I also had a few faux pumpkins and put them in a crock along with a fold out sign. The vertical barn beam is the front pillar to our house (neat, right?!).

If you have been following along for a bit, you might remember the thrift-ed set of white shutter-style closet doors that I picked up this spring, and how I used them on the porch to hang buckets of succulents. Well, that set of closet doors remains in place, only this time with a few Fall items….as pictured below!

We are still in the process of getting a black door, but for now I have to work with what I have! I found the door hanger in the holiday section of a local craft store, and I am extra excited about the fact that it doesn’t make any noise when it blows in the wind!

My last important piece of porch decor is this metal sunflower, which is one of my all time favorite outdoor items. Around November I will have to retire this guy until next Summer, but for now he stay’s put!

Well friends, that’s all I have going on for the front porch this time around! As I mentioned above, I will be adding some live flowers and pumpkins as the days get cooler, and I will be sure to post an update. Until then, happy decorating for Fall and thank you for stopping by the blog today!

-Rachael

Spring Farmhouse Decor Items on Amazon (Budget Friendly!)

Hi there!

I know it’s wishful thinking for most of us that spring will be here soon, but that doesn’t stop me from wanting to de-clutter, disinfect, and decorate with bright colors. If you have been following for a while now, you know I love all things budget friendly and that includes decor. I frequently make my own decorations, but there are some times when a minor purchase can really make a difference to a space, and today I have brought you my top picks for budget friendly spring farmhouse decor items from Amazon.

*Note: This post contains affiliate links, for my full disclosure please click here.

Quick and Easy Updates

If you are like me, you might not have a ton of time to refresh your home for the next season, which is why I love simple pillow decor. Just bust these out of storage and pop them on the couch! Done!

4 Pack Farmhouse Green Buffalo Plaids Throw Pillow Cover St.Patrick's Day Decor Cushion Covers Soft Cotton 18x18 Inch Spring Home Sofa Couch Decor (Green White)

Farmhouse Pillow Covers with Farmers Market Quotes 18 x 18 Inch for Farmhouse Decor

Incorporate the Outdoors

Spring is a great time to start bringing your indoor and outdoor spaces together. This can easily be accomplished by decorating your front flower beds or starting your garden early indoors. Depending on your weather patterns, this time of year can be busy with planting. For us in the upper Midwest, we have a while to go yet before we can get our hands dirty outside so until then we bring the outdoors in!

Weierken Mini 6PCS Owl Pot Ceramic Flowing Glaze Base Serial Set Succulent Plant Pot Cactus Plant Pot Flower Pot Container Planter Bonsai Pots with A Hole

Contemporary Metal Planter With Rustic Style In Green - Set Of 3

Sullivans Ceramic Vase Set, Various Sizes, Distressed White, Set of 3 (CM2583)

Prep the Kitchen

With all the fresh food that will be coming in from the garden, I like to take time to reorganize the pantry. These hanging baskets will be perfect for fresh produce (we are going to try and do a ton of onions this year)!

Taylor Stainless Steel Analog Kitchen Scale, 11 Lb. Capacity

DII Z01657 Rustic Farmhouse Vintage Hanging Wall Mounted Wire Metal Basket, Set of 2 Assorted, Bronze

Everyday Essentials

These last few items can be versatile for many seasons, making them worth the time and effort of installation!

Spruce & Pine 17-Inch Distressed Wood Hanging Swing Rope Floating Shelves, Rustic Home Wood Suspended Shelf, Farmhouse Modern Wall Decor, with Mounting Hooks, Set of 2, Brown

Felt Letter Board Set with 10x10 Inch, Shabby Chic Farmhouse Rustic Wood Frame, Gray Felt, Changeable Message Board with 374 Precut White Letters, Emojis, Wall Hook, Canvas Bag, Stand

SkyNature Home Decor Clock, 14 Inch Large Wall Clock, French Lavender & Roman Numerals Wooden Dial, Silent Non-Ticking Quartz Round Clock

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Don’t forget to Pin this post for the future! Simply hover over the image below, and the Pinterest icon will show up, easy!

I hope this post brought you some inspiration for your own home. As always, I love your feedback and feel free to leave a comment on this post or shoot me an email if you have something specific you would like me to look for. Make sure you are following us on Instagram for all of our updates!

Spring Faux Greenery Guide

Hi all! I know you might read the title of this post and think to yourself it’s January and too early to decorate for spring, and while I certainly agree, I do like to add a pop of greenery to my winter decor to keep things fresh. Iowa has a habit of being brown, with the exception of snow, for months on end and I personally prefer a hint of green to keep me plugging away until spring!

First, let’s discuss where I like to shop for faux greenery.

I get a lot of questions about where I find my stems and it varies by season. For example, I like to shop at Hobby Lobby for fall and winter stems due to their extensive selection and great prices on seasonal items. For spring or year round items I prefer Target or Amazon, due to their rock bottom clearance prices. Target usually has more of the style of faux greenery I prefer, and there is the satisfaction of seeing it before you purchase, however Amazon reviews can often times answer any questions you might have prior to buying and it helps they have a hassle free return policy on most items.

Next, lets take a look at the types of faux greenery available.

Below you can see a couple different examples of greenery currently in my home. The left photo shows more of a softer look with muted tones and a ‘fuzzy’ texture. I prefer this type of greenery for any stand alone plant that I decorate with, as it matches the softer tones throughout the rest of my home.

The photo on the right shows a mixture of large matte eucalyptus leaves with a smaller, more ‘shiny’ plant. When creating a display with multiple plants, I prefer to use different textures so the individuals stand out.

Softer, ‘fuzzier’ look

Matte vs Shiny

Here is another example of how the matte, softer looking plants work well with the decor already in my home.

This greenery is from Target. Book sets available here

Here are examples of mixed textures with multiple plants in flower boxes that I have in my dining room. I did add a hint of color to these displays, and I plan to continue to add to them later on in the season. I like how each type of plant stands out from the bunch.

If you are looking for a few greens to get started with, I rounded up a couple options below from Amazon. You just can’t beat the bulk pricing and quantities!

Note: These are affiliate links, and you can read my full disclosure here.

The Bloom Times Artificial Boxwood (Pack of 6),Fake Greenery Foliage Plants with Total 42 Stems for Wedding, Garden, Farmhouse Outdoor Decor in Bulk Wholesale

Artificial Greenery Stems 6 Pcs Straight Silver Dollar Eucalyptus Leaf Silk Greenery Bushes Plastic Plants Floral Greenery Stems for Home Party Wedding Decoration

Supla 6 Pcs Faux Seeded Eucalyptus Leaves Spray Fake Artificial Eucalyptus Stems Bulk in Green 25" Tall for Eucalyptus Wreaths Garland Bouquet Floral Arrangements Holiday Greens Christmas Greenery

GTIDEA 4pcs Artificial Plastic Flowers Plants Fake Shrubs Faux Morning Glory Bushes House Office Garden Patio Yard Indoor Outdoor Decor

Well, that’s all for today! I hope this post was able to provide some inspiration for your own decorating!

My Entryway Sawhorse Table

Hi Friends! I’m slowly getting my home ready to go for Christmas, and I love decorating this fun sawhorse table in my entryway each and every season. My husband made it several years ago, and it continues to be a focal point in our home. I thought I would share what I did with it this year so you can get some ideas or inspiration for your own home!

I had these random steel buckets from a thrift store, a DIY Christmas garland that I made, and some jingle bells and other random items that I wanted to incorporate.

I love this old spool and jingle bells!

DIY Fabric Garland, click for instructions!

Here is how it all turned out, I love all of the different textures (metal, fabric, etc) along with the black and white and plaid holiday colors. Can you tell I am loving buffalo check this year??

My Saw Horse Entryway Table

Repurposing old items is one of my favorite decorating hacks! These hooks that hold up the lanterns on either side of the table are from an old carriage house/barn that had to be torn down due to storm damage. Just think of all of the horse and carriage equipment that hung on these hooks for decades, now they are continuing their work in my home! (I’m a history nerd, I know!)

Well that is all I have for you for now, stay tuned for the rest of my décor in my personal home as I get it completed!

XO,

Rachael

PS. I put together a simple (budget friendly!) guide to adding buffalo check to your home’s décor, and if you are stumped or need ideas feel free to check it out by clicking here!

(Note: The above link contains affiliate links and you can read my full disclosure here)

1st Annual Budget Friendly Holiday Farmhouse Decor Guide

*Note: This post uses affiliate links, click here to see my full disclosure.

It’s the most wonderful time of the year, and that means all things plaid, burlap, and little red truck inspired!

It’s November, and at this house the Christmas décor has started to creep out of the basement. I haven’t dug deep into it yet, I have just been going through things and seeing which lighted items no longer work or need new batteries and so on. However, I did bust out the red paint, and if you missed my DIY Christmas Lantern craft you can find it HERE.

If you are an overachiever and have everything decorated and the cookies out for Santa, (can you believe I already received a Christmas card?) then this post is probably not for you!

HOWEVER, if you are like me and want to get started decorating but also want to keep things easy and budget friendly, then you will want to grab some coffee and a notepad (or pin this post for later)!

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I love amazon for many reasons, but most of all for their vast assortment of affordable farmhouse and vintage décor! Here are my top picks under $25 for this year (and these make great gifts too!)

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Pillows are so easy to decorate with, and these covers are not only affordable, but they are super easy to store since they lay flat and don’t have the bulk of whole pillows. Added bonus, the black and white buffalo check can be used for fall too!*

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I love using ornaments as a package topper, or just giving them as gifts themselves! Here are a few cute examples.*

PS. If you are stressing about gift wrapping already, have no worries I will be posting a simple and cute how-to guide soon!

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Next, lets talk table décor!

Arguably the focal point of your holiday decorating, aside from your tree of course, your table décor should flow with the rest of your house but on a more subtle scale. I have always been a fan of the ‘less is more’ phrase for the table, as there is nothing more annoying then having to move decorations so that guests can see each other when seated.

Personally, I just have a simple runner with a short tray (its actually an old metal chicken feeder) that I put down the center of the table and I fill it with different items for each holiday/season. For the holiday season (fall and winter) I use a simple black and white buffalo check runner.

Ok, enough chatter, let’s get to the good stuff.*

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Finally, the finishing touches. These are items that don't necessarily go with a particular collection in your home, but pop up now and then on a bathroom counter or laundry room floor or anywhere you like to add a little touch of Christmas. Personally, I like to purchase a couple of these ‘random’ items a year, that way I can build my Christmas décor and also stay on budget!

I have put together several of my favorite items below, and remember everything in this post is under $25!*

Note: If you are looking for an easy guide to chalk painting these unfinished candlesticks, check out my tutorial here

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Ok, you might be thinking where are the Christmas trees? Garland? Wreaths?

Well it turns out I have expensive taste in those items, but I will link a few of my favorites below for those of you looking to splurge on an item or two.

*Remember, these are affiliate links, and you can read my full disclosure here.

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I hope this post was able to inspire you to start thinking about your holiday decorating, and dont forget to sign up for our mailing list so you are notified when my budget friendly gift wrapping (like a pro!) tutorial is posted!

See you soon!

xo,

Rachael