Front Porch Perk Up

One of my favorite things is decorating on a budget.  Well I shouldn't say it's my favorite... cause if I had an unlimited budget I could decorate the heck out of this place and it would be awesome!  But I guess the fun part is the challenge.... to create a truly unique space without spending a fortune, or using what you already have.

I came across a really good motto this morning on another blog.... It said, "Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without".  I think those are some great words to live by right now!  So while I was trying to figure out how to finish up my front porch makeover, I took those words into consideration.

I've been jonsing to go shopping for quite some time now.  But with the hubs out of work (and I still haven't found a job yet), the budget just doesn't allow for it right now.  So I decided to just use what I have (even though I don't LOVE everything) and make do with it.

Here are the beginning stages of my porch.

This picture was from my Rustic Star makeover, at which time I decided that something needed to be done to the whiskey barrel. 

I also have this OLD bench that I stained a few years back... but its looking sad and outdated again.  I kind of got ahead of myself with the stain... you can see the very corner where I already started.  :)



And this very lonely corner... it needs a little perking up.

So I pulled out a bunch of stuff I had in my storage area.  Storage area meaning my little patio room crammed full of crap! 

Anyway, I stained the whiskey barrel and bench a dark brown, and then put up a few things from "storage".... and this is what I came up with.

I decided that the star just didn't really belong here after all... I think I'll use it out back somewhere.



 

So here's a confession... all of the plants are fake except for the ones in the whiskey barrel.  I know, I know.... it's definitely not like the real thing.... but the weather is still cold here (with the dreaded 4 letter S word in the forecast) and this way I don't have to remember to water them :)

I think the only thing missing is a little side table to set my cocktail on!  So I'll start rummaging through all my other crap and see what I come up with. 

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