Good deals are out there....

So like I mentioned before, you've looked in the stores, or even online and everything seems so expensive, how can you do this when you're on a budget. Well the good news is that there are budget ways to decorate your home with a country feel. There are PLENTY of online catalog's that, if you look through carefully, you can find lots of good basic things that will get you started.

For instance, at ABC Distributing you can get some good stuff at really good prices. Even if you don't buy from the, I would recommend looking at their website or catalog's carefully so that you know what they sell. I've fallen victim a few times to buying something from a vendor and then then end up seeing it in the ABC catalog for 1/2 (or sometimes even 3/4) of the price.

Other great sites to look at are:

• The Lakeside Collections : they have lots of great stuff that's similar to ABC, but sometimes you can find different things in there, and at really good prices too.


• Terry's Village : has lots of great ideas. Browse Terry's Village very carefully so that you don't get taken for a ride by a vendor at a craft fair. I've seen LOTS of stuff from their catalog show up on someones table.


• Christmas Tree Shops : you can't purchase anything off of their site, but you can find out where they are and go browse. You can find some good basic stuff there!

The thing to remember before making any purchase is think before you buy. Save yourself a lot of time and money and only invest in things that will work in your home. Don't buy pieces of furniture that are just so cute if you have nowhere to put them. The trick is to start small. Get a few things here, a few things there, and eventually you'll learn what you really like and things will start to come of them.

A great place to start...

So, you like country decorating... you've seen the cute signs, been in the stores, and you're completely overwhelmed by it all. Relax!!! Its possible to decorate exactly like you see in stores and magazines, and sometimes for a fraction of the costs. The key is knowing where to look and how to find pieces that you can put together to pull together the look you want.

Since country decorating has become so popular in recent years, its now easier than ever to find "crafty" things for your home at some very basic stores. Craft stores, like Rag Shop, Michaels, and AC Moore having lots of things, if you take the time to look for them.

Another good place to start is at craft fairs. When you find vendors who create their own crafts, you get two things, something very original and usually something less expensive than something that's mass produced. I'm not knocking mass production - but those who sell mass produced products need to make money off of it, and some times they can be quite overpriced. The key for craft fairs is to try to keep yourself from buying right away. It may be hard, but look around and get ideas before you start shelling out money.

One of my favorite craft shows to go to a few times a year is Country Folk Art Craft Shows. You can find a lot of great vendors and get great ideas for you home. Their website is: http://www.countryfolkart.com/ They have shows all over the country, and chances are they are somewhere in your area. If you find a vendor you like, aske them if they have a list of other shows they go to. One good craft fair could easily lead you to another!

More soon......