Well, I hit just about every store I wanted except Penzey's I am going to pick up some vietamese cinnamon tomorrow. I also hit Asian, Mediteranian, and an Indian grocery store. I couldn't believe how cheep the prices were on spices and seeds for sprouting and planting. I stocked up on corriander and Shiso to plant in the garden. I picked up DH's favorite wasabi products at whole foods, the 365 olive oil, I also like their shampoo, conditioner, body wash and lotion, all of them are 3.99 for a liter which lasts a while at our house. I went with the Lavender scent this time. At world market I picked up lots of lavender buds at reasonable price to make sachets and the thin pretzels that are in a huge bag and are like the old Mister Salty pretzels. I also spent quite a bit on 10 different herb plants that were good sized with multiple plants so am looking foreward to reorganizeing my herb garden. Tomorrow I am meeting with the purchasing manager about possibly carrying a popcorn that is grown in Nebraska. The company that they use now has been sold to ConAgra and they are looking for a new source. So will go and meet with them and the information. It is in the town that my in laws live and I am friends with the owner. I will also spend my required time ahem taste testing the olives on the olive bar. I also hit a couple thrift stores and 3 fabric craft stores, so I got a lot done in a little time. This time I made a list of all the places that I wanted to hit and the items that I needed. So will spend tomorrow finishing up and wishing I lived closer but definately love my home town of 555 people. Stacie

Instead of knotting the curtains you might tie them with wide ribbon or make ties from fabric. Suggestion for window treatment - have a look on Craigslist for a wooden dowel curtain rod and hang it higher and wider using mollies or screws directly into the studs. We bought an unfinished thick wooden dowel at a yard sale and DH stained it, as well as end finials and brackets from the local building supply, to match wooden Ikea rings (which are a bargain). It's one of my fav inexpensive curtain rods. I still like bamboo/wood shades as they are quite inexpensive, are practical, and less fussy than curtains and can be hung above the window to hide the window edge. Use side panels with them. Definitely a larger rug but do keep the trunk coffee table, it's great! Don't paint anything else black, there's just the right amount and the wood on the sofa and chair looks good. You might paint the trim around the front door and the closet door and trim tho. Of course that leads to painting all the baseboards, doors, and trim in the entire house so would be quite a project you can probably live without! ;-D Also, I can't remember whether you said whether you rent or own so this may not be possible. Seagrass rugs supposedly don't water spot the same as jute or sisal - something I've read but don't have personal experience with. An end of the roll printed commercial carpet would be ideal if you can find one and have it edged or bound. You are doing sooo well with your frugal decor - it's one of my fav "styles"! "Why pay more if one can pay less" is one of my mottos. I used to describe my style as "Early Sally Ann" but it's now "Early Yard Sale/Thrift Store" as that's where I've shopped the most! There are great bargains to be found in the 2nd hand venues and even tho I can now afford to shop elsewhere they are still my fav places to shop.

I have no experience with thrift stores or used furniture (except from family) but I do have info concerning other comments here First is the bedbugs. I travel quite a bit for work and have to stay in hotels. My business partner and I both did a ton of research on bedbugs and they are actually very small. That is how they get transfered. You cant easily see them. Next, mattresses. When I was younger I worked at a big name mattress store. The new mattresses were made in a factory and then sat sealed in their bags for months before they even were sent to a customer. Most popular mattresses are made in the USA and should it be in a bedbug area there is no way the bugs would make it to your home. When someone returned a mattress it would get picked up and taken to a special facility that "treated" I dont know what they did, but they get put back into plastic that is clearly marked as having been used. We never had a complaint from any customers about any critters. Lastly, lice. Lice are not attracted to dirty people. Again if you do the research you will find that lice will only live on clean hair. They cannot attach and lay eggs to oily hair therefore dont choose live there.

Hey Luvs! Belle and I posted on the end of the January post. Thank you for starting the new thread. I tried and tried, but the site wouldn't let me. Seems like it won't let me post more than it does anymore. I really should be able to get here more often, but everything takes me so much longer to do with my back giving me so much pain that I rest for a minute, go do something, rest for a minute, go do something. This is my day and it is very frustrating. My dad had me go to the TS with him the other day. I found another packet of those little stocking cutouts like I painted to show y'all last year. I only ever got the one done! lol Feel very pathetic that I haven't painted anything in so long. I find it is easier on my back to lay on the couch and watch a little tv when I'm resting in between jobs and I'm not stopping long enough to paint anything. I did start a little wooden bunny hinged thing that my mom brought me. I got it based and that was a far as I got. ha Oh well, hopefully I'll get to something sooner than later. I really miss it. I've been working on family history groups, taking pics for a slideshow for a little church social, helping the kids and hubby with school and work stuff, taxes, taking care of a sick hamster and other things that come up. I did get my office cleared out and everything recent filed so I do have some room to work. Can't begin to tell you how frustrating this back issue is for me. Luvs, is the weather good enough for you to be working in your yard yet? Our winter has been very mild and has only snowed a little here and there. I'm hoping I will be in better condition when summer gets here to be able to get a few more little things done in our yard. It's a work in progress. ha I have some bushes I want to move this year. Well, guess I'd better go work on supper. Just thought I'd stop in for a second to see how you are doing! ~Anj