My "backyard" is not so much a yard as a big porch, but it needed some attention and this is what I came up with from several months of garage sales and thrift store shopping since we absolutely do not have a "redecorating" section in our budget...
Here are some closer pictures and explanations:
This "relax" sign was made from taking apart free wooden pallets I got from Ace and nailing them back together. I was pretty proud of myself using power tools! I made the stencil of letters out of my cricut. Does it look "boardwalk-ish"?
All three for a dollar at a garage sale. I plan on putting woven balls inside sometime...
This "tablecloth" is actually a shower curtain! It fit my colors perfectly and fits over my ugly storage box in a (lame) attempt to create a little wet bar. The candle holders were 99 cents at Crate and Barrel...oh how I love thee, store- someday I promise to buy everything in you! Austin was nice enough to indulge me in getting them.
Our cement is the type where it's all rocky- why does anyone do this?- so Macy doesn't like to walk on it. I needed something waterproof, durable, and cute of course... I got the idea to use Yoga mats and had to look forever to find three of them- a dollar each, baby!! I actually had to spray paint a pink one to get the green- I was tired of searching after a month- I used outdoor paint. My friend Jane has this adorable rug in her boys' room that is made from carpet woven together- I love it! It gave me the thought (thanks Jane!) of how to use the mats to customize the length and width I needed for my "rug".
Serving plate: $2 at thrift store! I used glass etching cream (thanks Mandy!) to put the "L" on it. I used super glue to make a "hook" to hang it.
I used 6 place mats (all 6 for 1 buck!) sewed them together for this "rug".
Cricut for stencils and board was a kitchen picture, $1, from thrift store again
Free wood from Ace- I found out they just let you take wood from the "scraps" pile- so awesome! Rope and hemp I already had and used my trusty friendship-bracelet-making skills to make the edges. Paint from another project. Idea from American Eagle store display =)
This was a cutting board that a used the drill to engrave the pattern on and then lightly painted, sanded, sealed, and drilled holes to finish. The rack is for over the door hooks that I just bent into place.
And that's it! Was this post long enough for you? Anyways, I'm pretty happy with the cuteness and Austin's pretty happy with the almost freeness.
