Tag: cottage

My Rae Dunn Collection

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I may have over Dunn it…

My name is Krista and I’m a recovering Rae Dunn collector.

While for many, it can become an addiction, thankfully I never got “that” obsessed with this sought after pottery. Unfortunately, I’ve heard stories of people grabbing mugs out of other peoples’ hands and other craziness and drama that is absolutely crazy! For me, I just like the look of it and it can be a fun thing to look for on occasion. When you find a piece you’ve been hoping to find to use to decorate, it can be so exciting! But be warned, collecting could become an addiction if you let it and that is just not what God wants for your life. Material things should be just that, things.

I first started eyeing this simplistic, cream-colored pottery in 2018, right after we moved into our first home and I had repurposed a $35 goodwill hutch. I wanted to find a few pieces of cute pottery to display on the shelves, so I started looking for my first piece of Rae Dunn clay.

After finding a few basic mugs and scoring an awesome deal on a bundle of secondhand pieces from a lady that lived nearby, I found that it was hard to find the sought after items that I hoped to find.

I was so happy to finally have the basic canister set!

For me, I love the thought of having a coffee bar and a hutch of simple, white dishes. The simplistic look of Rae Dunn fits goes so well with the farmhouse-style.

I met a few other women in my town that also collected it and we were able to keep an eye out for pieces that each other wanted. With the help of others, I found some of the pieces I was looking for and also began finding pieces to trade with others.

A Rae Dunn birdhouse found for me by a sweet friend.

I eventually found the seasonal/holiday pieces, which are usually the hardest pieces to come across. I use them to decorate my coffee bar through the seasons.

There are a few different styles of Rae Dunn clay, but I only collected pieces that are the large-letter style. I am now done collecting because I have most of the basics, and mugs for each season and holiday.

Rae Dunn comes out with new pieces every so often, so if there’s a mug with a new saying that I like I may buy it if I come across it. While I still have too many pieces and I am trying to downsize my collection, sometimes I’m gifted a piece or two that I keep, which adds to my collection.

While it most likely won’t be worth anything in the future, I still love to use Rae Dunn to decorate with and I’m thankful to have met a few new people in the process. Some women choose to get their nails done, or love new shoes, etc. I like big mugs and I cannot lie. 😉

For more decorating inspiration, be sure to follow me on Instagram @faith.and.farmhouse!

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4 Ways to Give Your Home Cozy Spring Style

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Spring has arrived!

With many of us spending all/most of our time at home during this COVID-19 quarantine, it is essential to make home feel cozy and cheerful to help cope with the isolation and anxiety that this pandemic can bring.

I have been taking it one day at a time. Some days I feel anxious and miss my loved ones that I can’t see. Other days, I am thankful that I can slow down and fill my time with baking, crafting, sunny days spent outside, spring cleaning/organizing, and all of the other positives that staying at home brings. I choose daily to thank God for all that he has blessed me with, especially when I know things could be so much harder for me right now. I view this time as an opportunity to slow down and focus our minds and hearts on things above and to enjoy the simple pleasure of being home with family that we so often take for granted.

With stores being closed, you can’t go out and buy new decor to decorate for spring this year. However, I love to decorate on a budget and with thrifted and clearance items anyway. I shopped my house and rearranged decor to refresh spaces around my home and I encourage you to do the same. Getting creative and finding new ways to decorate for spring with things you already have is not only fun, it doesn’t cost a thing!

Here are a few easy ways to create a cozy, spring home!

1. Bring in Greenery

Spring=Green! I added more faux greenery around the house to bring in the cozy look of spring. Things outside are returning to their beautiful green, so adding greenery, either real or fake, brings the feeling of new life to each room.

2. Fresh Cut Flowers

This year, I cut fresh floral stems from our weeping cherry tree when they were in full bloom to use as a free table centerpiece. Bringing in flowers or greenery you find around the yard or in a store-bought bouquet can give a bright, cheerful look to any room!

3. Incorporate Easter

I used two Rae Dunn Easter mugs and a small ceramic bunny to bring spring to my coffee bar. I wrote the wonderful news, “He is Risen”, nearby on a chalkboard. Simple Easter decor is perfect for the spring season!

4. Decorate with DIY Spring Crafts

To keep busy one afternoon, I made a spring banner using old hymnal pages, a sharpie marker, and some twine. I added it to the shelf in our living room along with some more stems from our cherry tree in ball jars for a completely free spring update.

Another afternoon, I used some craft paint and a scrap piece of wood to create a DIY fresh cut flowers sign. While it isn’t perfect, it was a free and fun DIY!

Decorating for the seasons doesn’t have to be hard, or even cost anything!

I encourage you to find things around your home that you can use to bring in the look of spring. I would love to hear if you try any of these ideas!

I would love for you to follow me on Instagram @faith.and.farmhouse for more ideas and encouragement!

Thrift Store Decor

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I am a big believer that something doesn’t have to be expensive to be beautiful. And sometimes the things that are most beautiful don’t cost anything at all. Most of my decor and furniture in my home is secondhand. I love giving old decor pieces a new life and purpose in my home. Today, I will share with you some of my best secondhand finds. I hope to encourage you to do the same!

As a current stay-at-home mom and former teacher, when it comes to decorating I don’t have a big budget. I’ve always been frugal, and buying new home decor can really add up. I’ve learned how to find secondhand decor and furniture at a fraction of the cost of what it would have been to buy something new. I rarely ever buy something full price. My favorite places to shop secondhand are Goodwill, thrift stores, and Facebook Marketplace. You really have to look for good deals, which can take more time and patience, but in the end it is worth it and it saves so much money!

Secondhand Furniture

Both of my dining tables, my sofa, two armchairs, three ottomans, an antique church pew, a hutch, and a few small tables and shelves are all secondhand finds.

My antique church pew in my entryway was found on Facebook Marketplace for only $75!

This hutch I found at Goodwill for only $35. I painted it with chalk paint and replaced the drawer pulls. Now it looks amazing!

This dining table is solid wood and was only $100 from Facebook Marketplace.

This table was a hand-me-down from my parents that I refinished. You can check out my blog post on refinishing this table here.

This IKEA Ektorp slipcover sofa, armchair, and ottoman were $130 on Facebook Marketplace. We bought new beige covers from IKEA and cleaned up the cushions a bit, but they were sturdy and still in great shape! This set would have cost at least $750 if bought new.

We found another IKEA Ektorp armchair and ottoman set for $30. This one already had beige slipcovers and was in near new condition. I simply washed the slipcovers!

We found the matching ottoman to our sectional sofa on a random trip to Goodwill. It was only $10 compared to $150 online!

This adorable scalloped shelf was only $10 at Goodwill. It went perfectly in my daughter’s nursery!

Thrift Store Decor Finds

This photo is from one trip to Goodwill. These buffalo check pillows were $3 each. I brought them home and washed them in hot water and color safe bleach. They look perfect on my church pew!

These antique books are from Goodwill, as well as the candlestick. The books are old Bibles and hymnals and cost a total of $10. This antique brass candlestick only cost $3! I’ve also found other brass candlesticks at Goodwill and thrift shops for under $5.

This super cute wreath was only $2 at my local Goodwill and looks great in my daughter’s nursery! Check out the rest of her nursery here.

I also found these shelf brackets for $1 each at Goodwill that I used to build this wall shelf!

This tobacco basket was $2 and the white vase was only $3 at Goodwill.

These lanterns were both found at Goodwill. The big one was $4 and the small one was only $3.

These signs were $6 each from my local Goodwill. They all had Walmart tags still on them!

Shop Secondhand!

I hope that after seeing all of the great deals I’ve found shopping secondhand that you are inspired to do the same! It saves so much money and is actually a lot of fun! Be sure to follow me on Instagram @faith.and.farmhouse for more decorating inspiration! God Bless!

With Love,

Krista