Years of having to make do have turned me into a?"There must be someway I can do this cheaper type person."

My old new house needs total make over. We are thinking about moving into my MIL's house. So I am walking around looking and thinking, my goodness, this will be way too much to do and then the old, "There must be someway I can do this cheaper type person" kicks in and I think, yah, there must.

First curtains need to be put up on the windows. I will check all of Grandma's fabric?and she has tons, and see if some of it can be salvaged for window treatments. Gee, today all you really need is a nice wooden Venetian blind and a swag or scarf.

I am thinking about sticking with the umbers I see outside this time of year (November). I already bought my border for the kitchen at a B&B we went to a couple of weeks ago, and it kind of has a sultry tone to it. You can do the same thing with fabric. Just take a quick trip to Wal-mart's fabric Dept. They are always getting rid of material at bargain prices. If you are doing a dining room for Thanksgiving, do swags/scarf for the windows and a table cloth, placemats and napkins.

It really wouldn't take as long as you think. Put up some lace curtains and make a scarf from the fabric you use for your table cloth..or maybe you have a plain white table cloth already available. Just make a runner that matches your window scarves,napkins and placemats.

Now what about the centerpiece? I like this idea on about.com Just has some greens and Fall leaves, candles?well, take a look: The Centerpiece, It's one where you can just remove the fall leaves and replace with berries for Christmas. Saving time is what it's all about. Put up some wreaths on the doors and over the mantle. A simple grape vine with dried flowers in fall tones is nice. Use some wire ribbon to make a bow.

Put up plain candlesticks with fall colored candles and don't forget the whole theme of Thanksgiving is giving thanks for our bounty. Use displays of fruit and gourds, pumpkins and mums. Get out an old watering can and fill it with leaves to place on the porch, any old galvanized buckets? Put wheat or tall dried grass display in your bucket. Don't forget the grapes. Take a nice glass pedestal compote and cascade different varieties.

If you have a garden, pile the day's garden harvest into a wheel barrow at the back door.

Just remember ?you don't have to use all these ideas. You don't want to have to take all this down to prepare for Christmas that's just around the corner.

Complete Thanksgiving Menu and Recipes by Lorrie Ann Danner Copyright 2004 Caroline Shaw

Caroline Shaw holds a B.S. degree from Duquesne University, Pittsburgh, PA in Secondary Education, English. She is a mom to six children. She is Editor and Publisher of the Online Magazine,"A Mom's Love." Each issue contains informative articles for WAHMs, their children, single moms, working moms, and more. She lives with her husband, three "still at home" children, a collie, an australian shepherd and two kitties in Western Pennsylvania. Her hobbies are writing, cooking, gardening, decorating and crafts. Visit AMomsLove.com