Frugal Friday - Frugal Painting

SO, we just moved a couple months ago.

My husband was offered a job transfer. We had a month or so to get ready to move. I picked out the place online. We packed up all our stuff in a big truck, drove for a day straight with 2 babies a cat and a friend, and showed here up one day ready to unload all our junk stuff and move into this little apartment. (Pretty much sight unseen by the way ,except a few pictures online, which, in fact were not the layout of the place we were moving into... 'nother story.)

So, all in all, not a bad place, thank the Lord! But there was some UGLY wall paper in the bathroom, light fixtures in the hall that looked like they belonged in a hotel 15 years ago, and a beautiful fireplace painted white (bummer).

I know, white really isn't that bad, but I was kind of prepared for brick.

Anyway, while out a couple weeks ago, I passed a pile of free stuff. I scored a very cool star shaped metal pancake thing with a handle (I guess that's what it's for) and a quart of paint. Just what I needed. I had been thinking about painting that brick.

I had heard a friend talk about painting with a plastic grocery bag for a cool sponge-y effect. I had those, and I just poured the paint in an old bowl, so my fun little project didn't cost anything, but a little time! Here are the results:Pretty nice, huh? It was easy, too. Just crinkle up the bag and dab on the paint. I wasn't uniform about it at all. My husband suggested we leave the middle part white, but I think we've decided we're gonna do it all. What do you think?

So, it's not really a tip, except accept free stuff, and think outside the box. I didn't have to go buy paint brushes or sponges or anything. There's usually a way to do stuff without gadgets (If you can call a sponge a gadget...)

I'll have to add a little update when it's all done and a little more decorated.

And, thanks to Crystal at Biblical Womanhood for hosting Frugal Friday!