Hi all. I went to a wonderful dinner at a friend of mine who is an artist. She has completely transformed her home herself with her wonderful ideas.

Dinner was 5 courses, with wine and champagne. We had soup topped with cheese, then an endive salad with raspberries and nastursiams, next twice baked potatoes, then baked chicken, fruit, and chocolate truffels.

She made the tablecloth out of some flimsy shimmering material. She set up about 20 Ikea candles in crystal cubes. They were skinny as a pencil. The four of us each had 3 crystal glasses, for water, wine, and champagne. Dinner took almost 2 hours.

Now here is the kicker - the whole thing only cost her $20.00 for 4 people. She bought the soup in the grocery deli section. The twice baked potatoes were instant, but she added garlic and cheese and baked in oven. I HATE fake potatoes, but these were delicious.

The endive salad was out of a bag, with the flowers from her garden, and she tossed in some raspberries. The chicken was bought already cooked.

The fruit - kiwis, raspberries, and pear slices.

The wine was 2 buck chuck from Trader Joes.

Anyway, does anyone have other tips to do things nicely without spending lots of money? I am thinking of things to make the house a home, Christmas, food, and party things.

Hi Believer,

That sounds REALLY nice, and VERY classy....but mostly, SMART! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Smile]" src="images/icons/smile.gif" />

I like to decorate but hate spending a lot on stuff I only get out once a year. I'm a crafty sort of person, and I made some paper snowflakes several years ago and hung them from the ceiling with invisible string. I also make German (Moravian) folded paper stars which look really cool. If you were to buy them, you'd probably pay almost a buck a piece for a paper star that is an inch across. You can find directions for making these out of strips of paper that you cut on HGTV.com/ Just search for Moravian paper stars. They are a little confusing to make for the first time, but once you get the hang of it they aren't too bad. Or I'll send you some myself!

I also bought some cheap red velvet package bows and hung them on the handles of my kitchen cupboard. One year I made little angels out of Hershey kisses...you need mini marshmallows (cut in half widthwise) for the head....just draw a little face on them with a marker; then you need those little bow-shaped noodles....paint them with glittery stuff if you want. Glue those to the back of a kiss, glue the marshmallow head on top and if you want it to have a halo, just use some florist wire or some thin wire to insert in the marshmallow, and make a curly thingat the end.

Have fun!

NOW

Gosh...now I'm hungry! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Smile]" src="images/icons/smile.gif" /> That sounds so nice. I hope people post more ideas like this. I could use them too.

Gosh...now I'm hungry! <img border="0" title="" alt="[Smile]" src="images/icons/smile.gif" /> That sounds so nice. I hope people post more ideas like this. I could use them too.

Hi Believer. I couldn't resist the thread, because your friend sounds so much like me!

I am also an artist (in my own right) and I also transformed my home into something really, really special. I did it the trading spaces way and the cheapest ways possible. It is amazing what you can do with little cash in hand! I've done friends' apartments/rooms also. This is my passion!!

On christmas ideas-- talk about SAVING $$$ at the dollars stores! I LOVE them for picking up little stuff and making things!

This year I took out some of my glass/chrystal bowls (large and small) and threw in a heap of the ugly beads that I never use from my Christmas stash into the bowls.. and then... simply secure a candle or two in the middle of the bead heap.. and THEN I put 2 real pretty sparkle bulbs in there also. INSTANT centerpiece or end table piece. Very cute and "free".

Another idea is to buy some tiny picture frames and put pictures of your loved ones in- and THEN secure them onto a wreath with some craft wire, some string- anything you can find! Buy some little red ones or festive gold/silver and plop a cute bow on and WOW a personalized christmas wreath.

Another idea for your home is simply PAINT PAINT PAINT!!! I have each room in my home painted a different color- NO WHITE ! It takes a weekend of labor and loud music and maybe some wine-- to tape off, throw down some plastic and paint your world a vivrant shade of RED, ORANGE, PURPLE.. whatever floats your boat. Adding color to your favorite rooms-- well- it does the spirit good. Don't be afraid!

I also have another cheap decorating tip that I rave about and teach to all my friends who envy my home. Go to Walmart and buy some acrylic paints (little squeeze paints) they have brands that are only .50 or .75 per tube. Go to (my fav) the dollar store and buy some plain old wood frames - or any kind- and THEN take your little brush and paint over it with some really NEAT color that matches your home. Put up 3 matching colored frames above your couch, etc.. and it will look maaarvelous. I also paint everything I can get my hands on like handles on cabinets in your home, etc.

in my bathroom I simply taped off a chest high line cutting the wall in half.. and then I freehanded misc. swirley patterns right above the tape. You can go buy a card w/stencils on it and paint like 50 little flowers or shapes with your little brush and desired stencil(s) making a border mid-wall... and it is so neat.

And one more quick one ... anytime you see something beautiful in a magazine- bouquet of flowers- or a greeting card- christmas or otherwise.. cut it out.. and go to Kinko's or any copy place and have it blown up.. and THEN place into a frame.. talk about CHEAP artwork!!!!!

And don't ever throw away your old canldes... I have a huge wicker basket FULL of 100 zillion pieces parts of candles of every color under the sun... the collective smell is great.. and its very pretty to look at even though it may seem like they were "garbage" items. Everyone loves that basket of remnants !

A few weeks ago I had a football party for girls only... I did just what your friend did w/the food-- I had no time for "real" cooking so I did stuff like buying clam chowder soup and putting extra garlic, salt, pepper, chives and lots of sharp cheddar on top... instantly tasted restaurant quality. I also made dip made of simply creme cheese and cocktail sauce mixed.. and then you just sprinkle baby shrimp over the top of the dip, and garnish w/lemon.

How about taking some of the quick bake biscuits from the cold section at the grocery store... brushing them w/olive oil and garlic and filling them with pepperoni and a mixture of ricotta cheese, garlic, salt, pepper and a couple eggs. You can also fill them with ANYTHING- how about corned beef, swiss and sour kraut?! Ham, provoline or mozz cheese and red peppers or pepper-chinis?

I have so many martha tips.. but I don't want to bore you! LOL!!! If we move onto food it may take too long and I am at work...

NOW - I'll check out the moravian stars. Sounds good.

Giovanna - Those are the kind of things I'm looking for! My artist friend has raised her daughters alone, and put them through college. She has a decorating business where she rearranges the things already in her clients home, for $250. an hour. Well worth the money.

She takes things out of the dumpster, and fixes them up. All of her furniture is from the garbage, and she has spray painted it to match, with Burgandy paint from wallmart. But it doesn't look like the TV shows where they fix up old things - it looks wonderful.

Oh I'd LOVE to know how she got started... I've done this for friends and relatives and they cannot believe the results for little or next to nothing....

I'd think I died and had gone to heaven doing this for a living.

I'll tell you what-- when my H and I seperated I DUG THE HECK into any and every home project i could think of-- that saved my sanity and had H scratching his head -- cause I had "no" time for him - just my projects.... !!!!!!! Time passes so fast when you are doing that stuff, too!

Giovanna -

I was like you. After D-day, I threw myself into home projects. It really saved me. I organized, reaaranged, decluttered, painted, fixed up, and concentrated completely on my home. Wow, did that surprise WH. He told me it looked like I was moving on without him.

My friend has always had this talent. Years ago I used to tell her she should do it for a real job. She put ads in the paper, and did it in the evening at first. Now she does it fulltime. We live just north of San Diego, which I think is a good market.

But her services are so worth it. Sometimes it only takes her 2 hours. So that would be $500. for a whole new look. It is so amazing what the artistic eye can do.

Wow, love this thread.....might have to print some of those ideas out!

My oldest daughter saves tissue boxes....the smaller, square ones. last night she had them all over the living room floor and said she was going to make a "quilt" out of them and hang on her door! Some of those tissue boxes are really pretty and colorful. Then she didn't know what to do with the tops, you know, with the hole where the tissue comes out, and my 9-year-old says "They would be good picture frames!" Wow! If you could get some magnetc sheets at a craft store and stick them to the back of the tissue box lid, you can hang them on your fridge with pictures of your family and friends...alot less expensive than those fridge frames you buy!

Keep it going!

NOW

Don't tempt me, NotOnly.... ha!!!!

How about chocolate covered Oreo cookies or pretzels?? All you do is go to a chocolate store -or order a bag of bulk chocolate disks online. Put them into a plastic bowl in the microwave for about a minute.. stir.. put in another minute.. stir.... then simply dip w/your fingers and place onto wax paper! You can sit them out at room temp and they harded quicky or put in fridge for merely 3-5 minutes and BINGO a gourmet treat! Strawberries- YUM! I get bags of colored chocolate disks and dip a fork into the melted chocolate and whisk back and forth to stripe them - each one is a little work of art! Talk about impressing friends with your little EASY pieces of choco art!!

And here's a couple more instant holiday treats-- mix apple butter or pumpkin butter w/creme cheese for eating w/wheat thins. Or creme cheese mixed with carmel apple dip- cut apples and sprinkle w/7-UP to preserve color after you cut. Both take 2 seconds and are delishhhhh.

And lets not forget the old spray painted pine-cone trick- then add some broken branches and tree trimmings in a festive bowl ! You can scent the bowl with some cinnaman carpet sprinkle or car freshener spray.

I love ideas-- yes keep it comin! It gets so darn depressing reading around here some days-- nice to talk of something festive and productive!!!!
<img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="images/icons/grin.gif" />

Also for holiday gatherings I always make sure that I have some door prizes for my guests. ALWAYS some dollar store item- but you can get such cute vases or frames and whatnot that people do like. I pick the winner by playing some silly game like "I'm thinking of something red... its in my house.. what is it?" Just some silly guessing game and its fun.

Believer - I make sand dollar suncatchers. Since you are at the shore, too, it's so easy. Just buy pretty beads at the $100 store (aka: WalMart) and string them with sun dollars. I also collect shells that the borers have already drilled the hole in the right spot and put those at the end of the suncatcher (the borers are some little sea animal that eats shelled critters). How many sea shells have you picked up, but haven't done anything with? I had boxes of them, but all have been used and given away (which is why I picked them up).

You don't walk on the beach without keeping an eye out for shells...it's just not done.

<img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="images/icons/grin.gif" />

- Kimmy

Kimmy - I have tons of shells, and also rocks. In fact, I have a whole river running through my front yard with beach rocks - no water though.

Hi B,

I tend to have very expensive taste but because of that,I have in the past,bought some really nice things for decorating and I put them out each year so I don't have to buy anything new,usually.Sort of like an investment.The only new things I buy are poinsettia plants and ornaments.

I also like to make gingerbread houses with my girls.That is inexpensive but looks festive.I also like to make homemade ornaments.Iusually did this when the kids were little.Now the tradition is to buy a new ornament each year.

I like to make chocolate Yuletide logs for Chrsitmas dessert.Easy and inexpensive.I also like to gather pinecones from the yard and put them in a bowl for decoration.

Another thing that is inexpensive but festive is I bought these little candle rings made of fake red berries and some wood twigs/greenery that I put around the bases of the lights on my dining room chandelier.It looks really pretty.

And if I have guests over,I usually give them wrapped mini cranberry/orange nut breads tied with a red ribbon as a thank you for coming "gift".

O <img border="0" title="" alt="[Smile]" src="images/icons/smile.gif" />

Ogirl - How do you make the yuletide logs?

Hi B,

This is a dessert out of an old chocolate recipe book.It's full of only chocolate recipes which I love since I am a chocolate fiend.It serves 12-14 people.

Ingredients:

Start with the chocolate chestnut roulade

-6 oz bittersweet chocolate,chopped to small pieces
-2 tbsp cocoa powder,sifted
-1/4 c hot strong coffee or espresso
-6 eggs,separated
-6 tbsp sugar
-pinch of cream of tartar
-1 tsp pure vanilla extract
-cocoa powder for dusting

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees.Lightly grease the base and sides of a jelly roll pan measuring 15.5x10.5x1 inch.Line with parchment paper,allowing 1 inch overhang.
Melt the chocolate.Dissolve the cocoa in the hot coffee to make a paste.Set aside.

2)Using a hand held mixer,beat the egg yolks with half the sugar in a mxixing bowl until thick and foamy.Slowly beat in the melted chocolate and cocoa-coffee paste until just blended.In a separate bowl,beat the egg whites and cream of tartar until stiff peaks form.Sprinkle the remaining sugar over the whites in two batches and beat until the whites are stiff and glossy,then beat in the vanilla extract.

3) Stir a spoonful of the whites into the chocolate mixture to lighten it,then fold in the rest.Spoon onto the pan.Bake for 10-25 minutes(*keep checking for doneness,my oven cooks fast!),until cake springs back when touched with a fingertip.

4) Dust a dish towel with cocoa.Turn the cake out onto the towel immediatley and remove the paper.Trim off any crisp edges.Starting at a narrow end,roll the cake and towle togehter jelly roll fashion.Cool completely.

Filling ingredients:

7 oz fine quality white chocolate,chopped into small pieces
-2 c heavy cream
-2 tbsp brandy or chocolate liquor(optional)


5) To make the filling:in a small pan,heat the chocolate with 1/2 cup of the cream until melted,stirring.Strain into a bowl and cool to room temperature.In a separate bowl,beat the remaining cream with the brandy until soft peaks form;fold into the chocolate mixture.

6) Unroll the chocolate roll,spread with the misture and roll up again from a long end.Cut off a quarter of the roll at an angle and arrange both pieces on a cake board to resemble a log(v shape).

7) If using a ganache(chocolate) for the topping,let it soften to room temperature,then beat to a soft,spreading consistency.Cover the log with ganache or buttercream and mark it with a fork along the length to resemble tree bark.Dust lightly with confectioners sugar and top with a sprig of holly of similar Christmas decoration.May serve with cranberry/raspeberry and decorate with mushroom meringues(home made).

B,

You can look up a recipe for meringue mushrooms and chocolate ganache but I would be happy to list it here if you need it.

Whew.Ok Hope this helps.This is a fun and festive dessert.

O <img border="0" title="" alt="[Smile]" src="images/icons/smile.gif" />

Octobergirl - Yikes! Thanks for the recipe. I will try it out. And I forgot about the gingerbread houses. Those are sooooooo fun, and festive. Do you make yours from scratch, or from a kit?

B,

I have made Gingerbread houses both from scratch( along time ago) and sets(nowadays).Of course doing it by scratch is time consuming but either way it is fun for the kids and I like the look of them.They are also fun to eat!

O

P.S I think I forgot that if you want to add a little chestnut flavoring to the roulade,you can buy some chestnuts(jarred) and mince them and add them into the icing/cream that you spread onto the cake before rolling.

I totally forgot this till this morning, believer...I totally tiled my dining table with a Mexican tile mosiac. I went to Lowes and bought ALL of their close out tiles in burgandy, yellow, navy, dark green and white. I also bought yellow, royal blue and patterened tiles to keep whole in the center of the table. I layed them out, then smashed the close out tiles into various shaped bits. The table is FAB! Only cost a total of $100. Of course it's heavier that prom date petting, but it's wonderful.

And I was thinking this morning that I'm going to have the kids make paving stones for my parent's garden. I'll make one that says, "Grandma and Grandpa's garden" with mosiac tile, then have each kid make one and decorate it with stones, shells, glass beads, and marbles.

All I'll need to buy are disposable cake tins, concrete (sm. bag), and the marbles. My parents will love them!

- Kimmy

The paving stones sound great! Have you done them before?

My friend did the mosaic tile on her coffee table, and it came out really nice. I have a little end table that I was going to get rid of, but I might practice with that.

No, but The Mommies have, and said it was easy.

(The Mommies is a group I belong to. We all work, and had kids born in Nov. 99. A lot of us met on the TTC - trying to concieve - boards on babycenter, so we've known each other for a long time)