Where did you find that?

When it comes to home decor, the question I receive most often is "where did you find that (fill in the blank)?!". More often than not, we likely made it ourselves or I found it on the side of the road. Yep, I'm one of those people. One man's junk is another man's treasure, right? Now don't get me wrong, I DO NOT LIKE CLUTTER. I don't want STUFF. I just like unique items that make our house feel more like home - especially if it it's old and rusty or makes me laugh. :)

Let's take a look at this photo for instance:

I didn't purchase a single thing to decorate the top of our entryway shelf. Instead, I just sifted and sorted through some decor that was lying in other rooms. Let's look from left to right.

1. The first item is actually a cheese dome (similar). Tyler and I got this as a wedding gift and it has served all kinds of purposes. If we're not entertaining, I frequently have it sitting on our kitchen table displaying any number of "seasonal" items. Right now, I have some dried deer moss (similar) and spray painted pine cones from our yard.
2. Wire basket (similar, similar). I bet you will never guess where I found this guy. A deep freezer! We were cleaning out my Grandma's house this summer and for some reason, she had this extra basket that is supposed to hang inside. Oddly enough, this particular one didn't fit her current freezer, so it was just laying around. I scooped it up and have been using it in varying places around the house ever since.
3. Green wool blanket. This was another find at my Grandma's house. She had an entire linen closet full of blankets, but this one really caught my eye. I love the moody green color and it would be perfect on a super cold winter's night.
4. Black and white print. Tyler and I found this cool print last spring while we were visiting Nashville for the first time. It's actually a map of East Nashville which turned out to be our favorite area, so this is a nice reminder of that trip. The frame is one I had on hand from IKEA - RIBBA ($7.99)
5. Photo frame. I found this frame at Target last summer on the clearance rack. If I remember correctly, it cost me a whopping $3.00! The photo was from our trip to Charleston, SC. I simply printed it in black and white ink on our printer at home.
6. Glass vases (similar). I inherited these from my sister when she moved to California, so these always remind me of her.

You don't have to go out and buy a ton of stuff or spend a whole lot of money to make things feel like home. Actually, I have found it's best to just take the decorating process slowly and acquire pieces over time. Heck, I change up my decor on a weekly basis. Let's take a look at another space:

This is kind of an outdated photo of this space, but let's go from left to right again.

1. Glass lamp. Purchased this from West Elm during a sale with intentions of using it in our bedroom. It's actually pretty short, so it worked out here much better.
2. White vase and air plant. Tyler and I bought this little white vase from Health Ceramics during our trip to San Francisco last May. Their stuff is definitely pricey, but this little guy just had to come home with us. The air plant is from our wedding in October 2013. It's all dried out now, but I still like him.
3. Glass bottle. I found this guy while we were hiking in Utah on our family vacation a few years ago. It very well may be an old Snapple bottle for all I know, but I just liked it. The cap is all rusted - which makes me like it even more.
4. Canteen. This was my Grandpa's canteen. It's says "US LF&C 1918" on the back, and I just think it's the coolest thing. He passed before I was born, but I feel like he would want me to have it.
5. Wood Platter. We received this as a wedding gift and I have used it for all sorts of things. I love the way it looks propped up against the wall - great dimension!
6. Books. I simply took off the sleeves and turned the book binds to the back. This added some nice height and dimension to the space.
7. Candle. Another IKEA find from many years ago.
8. Air plant. This was another air plant from our wedding. It, too, has dried out, but I love how wispy it looks.
9. Lantern. I found this guy at my Grandma's house. It's all rusty and old and perfect.
10. White vase. Once again, another IKEA find. These are great for holding flowers from the garden each summer.
11. Jade. My parents have jades EVERYWHERE around their house. I don't think my Dad could kill these things even if he tried. My parents gave this one to us when we moved into our house, and I'm doing my best to keep it alive. :) I think the pot came with an old hibiscus plant or something, but I just drew on some gold dots with a Sharpie to give it a new look.
12. Metal Baskets (similar). I snagged the baskets on the ground from my brothers garage when he moved to Yellowstone a few years ago. They are nice and heavy and great at caroling our assortment of blankets for cuddling up on the couch.

Once again, nothing expensive or over the top going on. Heck, none of these pieces would mean a thing to anyone else that visits our house, but I don't decorate for anyone but myself anyway. If you're looking to switch things up as we approach spring, think about rummaging through your own collection first. I usually do my best shopping in my own house - or maybe my Mom's. :) Happy Wednesday!