Last weekend called for some decorating therapy! After I sold an old desk on Craigslist and the empty spot it left behind begged to be filled. It might be awhile before I can find just the right buffet that I want for this spot, so in the meantime, I covered a folding table with a linen tablecloth and began. All I needed was a foundation to begin.

I hate storing my pretty serving pieces away. I love to put them on display! Otherwise, they'd only get used for holidays. When I'm not using them for a buffet, at least I can decorate them. The boutiques do!

So, can I tell you a little about a couple of my favorite pieces here? I am a tight wad. I hardly ever pay full price for anything. That's why I love estate sales. One person's discards is now my delight! I'll start with my new cake stand, front and center. I've wanted a silver vintage cake pedestal with a glass dome forever. Not wanting to fork over $200+ for the one I wanted, (my taste has never matched my pocketbook) I finally came up with a way to create one. The pedestal is actually made out of 2 garage sale finds: a silver serving platter and a silver bowl turned upside down. I glued them together and now I have the silver vintage pedestal I've wanted for a fraction of the cost! I got the glass dome at Pottery Barn where they sell the pedestal and cover seperately so I didn't have to buy both!

In case you hadn't noticed, burlap is all the decorating rage this season and it is sooo cheap. Just a little scrap over another vintage tray created a shabby layer to spotlight my mother-in-law's scale I asked for after she passed. It's one of the few treasures I was able to fit in my suitcase and salvage after her death. After years of sitting on the shelf, the crystals were yellow, but I took them off and ran them through the dishwasher and now they are a spotless reminder of someone I loved. A couple of succulent tealight candles found at The Rink are complimented by a dragonfly matchbook and add just the right touch of green to an otherwise too brown palette. Can you tell I'm into the small little details?

Ok, one more burlap treasure. I've seen these pillows at boutiques for $50. Girls...they're burlap! I can make 3 pillow covers for $5 and slip them over pillows I'm tired of! Here's a pic of my inspiration pillow I found online. I made a stencil with an exacto blade and painted it on a piece of burlap. If you mess up, that's okay. Just use that one for practice and once you get it down, cut another piece. I used a 20" square for mine but you can make any size. There's such a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction I get from making things and from sharing my ideas with you!

I found my next treasure at Dillard's. Like I told you earlier I rarely pay full price for anything, but I thought this piece was so versatile and inexpensive. Each tier swivels in and out, so each plate can either be stacked neatly underneath the top for easy storage or spiraled out for more display. For 40 bucks, I get a lot of decorating options!