Mama Vera Makes a Comback-with Decor on a Budget!

Happy Thanksgiving Dear Friends!

It fills my heart to see all kinds of school and work holiday parties return after too long of a hiatus! To get into the festivities, I have a fun segment for you today, featuring my “Mama Vera.” For those of you that have followed our show for a while, you would know that my mom is a meticulous and fantastic cook. But along with that, she is a talented and creative artist. She has channeled her creativity for many years through cooking, oil painting, fashion, and interior decorating.

One annual passion of my mother’s is to decorate the home for Thanksgiving and Christmas as if it was a department store. She will spend hours on all of the little details that have made her home super cozy and special, a veritable fantasy land for the grandchildren as well. So when NBC asked her for some design tips in under 5 minutes, she was able to give a handful of really useful and cost effective tips that she applied to this year’s Thanksgiving table.

In a nutshell, here are some of her favorite hacks for design on a budget:

  • Make use of nature around your home. Autumn leaves can be painted with acrylic to match your decor, wild flowers make lovely mini bouquets, and any pine cones or pumpkins can be spraypainted with gold or silver
  • The dollar store has a treasure trove of inexpensive add ons, from rhinestone adhesive tape you can use to bling out candles and napkin rings, or chargers ( large dishes) that you can place under your dishware for a pop of color. They also have lovely little tealights you can add to your table for a warm glow
  • You can repurpose wreaths, or swags, as a table centerpiece for that special day. Once the party is over, just hang the wreath back up again!
  • Linens can be expensive, so hit up places like Marshall’s or Ross for cute tableclothes and napkins at a fraction of the price

Want to see how she puts it all together? Click on the video below for some inspiration and have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

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