Design "on a dime"

This morning at moms group one of the moms presented on the topic "Design on a Dime."  I must admit that I was a little bit reluctant to be excited about this one...  I'm all for pretty things but not so great at putting them into my house (I mean really...you've probably been here and seen that nearly every single room is still painted white).

Much credit to the presenter-mom.  She was great.  I don't know how she did it, but she made me want to come home, pull out all of my vases & candle holders, sew all new curtains, paint the kitchen cabinets, and make cranberry-filled ice luminaries (yes, I realize it's not quite cold enough for that yet).

How do I make my house look "pretty"?

At this point I'm not sure, but I do know that it's sure going to be a real chore to go into Michaels tonight. ;)