Another idea using canning jars. Insert pieces of pines-usually about3-4 inches long-, 3 or 4 pieces-, fill with water about 2/3 full, put in a hand full of fresh cranberries. I take an inexpensive tea candle, remove the metal holder, make certain the wick doesn't have the tendency to fall out(I usually remove the wick, use a match to melt the bottom of the candle slightly and quickly push the wick thur the candle again). Push the candle down into the cranberries about half way-it will float. light the candle and enjoy. I use different sizes and shades of jars. When done, I drain the water, put cover on jar-aluminun foil works fine- and store in refrig. If you give as gift, I try and find lids for the jars at garage sales. They last for a very long time if kept in refrig.

LOL Tracey! I actually have done that. Had some old pillows that matched a couch and loveseat that we no longer have, and that's how it started. Was just going to do one pair. I have since bought inexpensive feather pillows from IKEA and used those as the stuffers, as I like the softer feel and squish. I have a pair of solid olive, a pair of a rust jacquard (not shiny, tho) and a pair that have large orange poppies on them. All the napkins came from Target, but are solid cotton and very nice. The poppy ones are fun for summer, the rust are for the fall, and the green ones go on after the holidays for spring. I also have a set of CHEAP lumbar pillows that I bought at the grocery store, (covered in some horrible fabric where they sew the seams with a serger) and each one of those is going to get a napkin cover in a cool muted paisley. The pillows were $3 each and the napkins were $1 each.

When we moved into our current home, the kitchen was much worse that what you have shown. Although the floor space seemed like it should be a decent size kitchen, hot water baseboard heating took up much of the space where cabinets could have been placed. The fridge and stove were opposite each other and so close that you couldn't walk between them if one or the other was open and that was right in the entrance of the kitchen from the dining room. We had 2 upper cabinets (approximately 15" wide each) and 2 lower cabinets. It was horrible, just horrible. Oh, and all that wall space that was not covered by the few cabinets was covered in the most horrendous wallpaper I had ever seen! Anyway, I painted the few cabinets we had. We stripped the wallpaper and painted the walls. We purchased a pre-form laminate counter top from Home Depot, put down a new but very cheap vinyl floor and DH built open shelving from pallets we got for free for all that wall space and we lived with it for 13 YEARS!!! I had big plans for this kitchen but my DH and I are very debt averse so we wanted to pay the house off before we did any major reno. Anyway, 10 years later we paid off the house and then I started saving money for the reno. We are currently almost finished with it and I am absolutely loving my new kitchen. Countertops are scheduled to be installed tomorrow morning...can we say WOOHOO!!!! I said all that to say that I think you should spend as little money as you can to be able to tolerate it for a couple years. We spent just a touch over $500 all those years ago and while it was never an ideal kitchen or even a functional kitchen, we made do for as long as we had to. When it comes time to do the big re-do, you'll be so glad for whatever money you don't spend now!

Horrible Sofa.. I bought the Sven Leather sofa and the back cusions got flat in 8 months, we put it in front of the TV qnd use it daily. ARTICLE sent me the back cusions replacements, but they leather color is lighter, faded and it seems very stiff (maybe storred incorrectly). I instered couple od dawn pillows in the back cusions which bought me around a year. Now it looks horrible and deformed. Now installing the replacements which would probaby last 8 motnhs as well, then will add the dawn pillows to buy another year. will end up getting 4 years out of this thing!! The side round pillows sagged after a year, they sell them for $180! My 12 years old Ikea leather sofa which I moved to the basement has 0 sag what sp ever! Very comfortable, no sag what so ever, the leather peeled off little at some placese, corners but thats about it (after 12 years). Do yourself a favor and buy from Ikea, they have some high end leather sofas, prices are close to Article and quality is much better!