I don't know about you, but as a kid, I loved any chance I got to "camp out" in the backyard with my siblings and friends. Usually, this meant sleepovers on the trampoline. We had so much fun!

Wouldn't it be awesome to construct a backyard tent setup like the one pictured above? My kids would go crazy for something like that! Truthfully, I think I'd be the one sneaking away to read a good book (or maybe take a nap!) in there as often as I could. 

A backyard tent doesn't have to be elaborate. So in that spirit, I've gathered 4 more fun tent inspirations below.

Before I had kids, I loved using kitschy childhood favorites to decorate my home-space – Muppets, Hello Kitty, Raggedy Ann. It was good fun at the time, but since my extended adolescence finally ended with a “Push!” and then a “Waah!” three-odd years ago, it’s become a lot less appealing.
 
For one thing, SpongeBob appears on every available surface even if I don’t want him to. Hey, I love the little absorbent, yellow, porous fella as much as anyone, but enough is enough – I do like having décor that isn’t fuzzy, neon, or enhanced with googly eyes.
 
And yet: There’s something cheering about a home inspired by play. Emphasis on “inspired,” as in “I did more than just stick a Monopoly throw on the couch.” Here are some neat ideas that remind us, with a wink, that work is for work – and home is for fun.

It seems like every kid (and adult too!) craves a cozy little space to hide away. So why not create one that's especially designed to encourage curling up with a good book?

Creating a comfy reading nook for your bookworm doesn't necessarily have to involve a ton of extra work (or cash). Here are some fun and relatively easy ideas on how to pull together the perfect space for some good old-fashioned literary exploration!

Anyone can buy a gift during the holidays, but it's the ones that take time and effort to make that really stand out to me. They're inexpensive to give, but really special to recieve. I, for one, would be thrilled with any of these. (Hint, hint!!!)

I've always been kind of terrible at gift wrapping. I'd like to be one of those people who consistently folds perfect corners and doesn't resort to pre-printed bags every time a gift is oddly shaped and can wrap one medium-sized box without using, like, an entire roll of tape. But sometimes you just have to acknowledge your weaknesses along with your strengths, you know?

That said, I feel like I have been doing a somewhat better job during the last couple years, and that's because I stopped buying themed wrapping paper. It seems like wrapping paper mainly comes in two varieties: cheap and flimsy and tears whenever you look at it, or gorgeous and durable and just $57 per roll.

There are so many creative ways to make gifts pretty without using traditional holiday paper (not that I have a thing against wrapping paper -- that would be a really weird thing to have). Here's a quick rundown of some of the easiest, least expensive, most awesomest gift-wrapping ideas I've come across:

It's so hard for me to commit to one style of Christmas decor because I know the next year, there will be something new that catches my eye. That's probably why our ornament collection is a random mix, from traditional to eclectic. Instead of fully investing in one style, I like the idea of buying inexpensive clear glass bulbs and customizing them to your mood.

Feeling glam? Try these pretty gold ones made by Jennie by using washi tape and tinsel. See four more perfectly festive ideas below.

When it comes to Thanksgiving, you want to save your cash for gas, tolls, heirloom turkey, and Klonopin (or maybe that’s just my family). The so-simple Pilgrims wouldn’t approve of overspending on décor. Of course, they probably wouldn’t be too pleased with marshmallows in the sweet potatoes, either, but let’s not split hairs.
 
If you’ve done all you can with the stuff in your backyard and you’re hoping for a little autumn cheer (without endangering the Christmas budget), here are some not-too-spendy options for Thanksgiving decorations on the cheap.

All right, everyone, let’s do a self-esteem exercise: Wrap your arms around yourself and say, “I like me!” Did that make you feel better? Or just a bit ridiculous? I know. There’s a fine line between healthy self-esteem and, uh, being conceited.

I can’t decide which side of that line many popular décor items fall on. On the one hand, I love homemade things, I love original art, and I love when people creatively take charge of their own environments.
 
On the other hand… well, see what you think of these home-decorating elements that require just a bit too much owner input for my taste.