The holidays are upon us, so take a deep breath. The rushing, the baking, the decorating, the spending ... but, we look forward to it every year, don't we? Holiday decorating doesn't have to be expensive or time consuming. Since my profession and passion is recycling existing furnishings and accessories, I am always on the lookout for fun, novel and inexpensive holiday decorating ideas. As with doing an interior room makeover, it's not what you have that's important -- it's how it's placed -- it's the wow factor that counts. Whether you're on a budget, or just want some new low-cost or no-cost ideas, let me share some with you, which will transform your home in less than a day.

* Outside decorating: Make your own luminaries from empty paint or soup cans painted white and then punch a design of your choice using an awl or large nail and hammer. Place a small pillar candle inside and line your walkway with them -- it's a lovely way to greet your guests.

* Go for a walk in the woods and cut some small branches to string with lights and put in your window boxes and flower pots.

* To coordinate your windows with your table linens, take some pretty holiday placemats and napkins and hang on a tension rod using cafe clips. Fold the napkins over the rod in a "V" shape, then fan fold the placemats (or runners) and hang on each side to give length to the treatment.

* Greet your guests in the foyer with a tree decorated with small scrolls rolled up and tied with ribbon. Each one will have a personal sentiment inside or maybe a gift of your time, i.e., a night of babysitting, dinner out, etc.

* Place potpourri envelope sachets in your forced hot air registers to keep your home smelling wonderful. Every time the furnace kicks on, it will push the fragrance through your home.

* For a holiday centerpiece, fill a large clear glass vase with water about 2/3 of the way. Put in a few oranges or limes (which will drop to the bottom), add some pine boughs and then pour in cranberries (which will float at the top), add floating candles, and you have an attractive but inexpensive centerpiece for your table. Add a drop of bleach and change the water every few days to keep from getting cloudy.

To learn many more holiday and post-holiday decorating ideas, attend Ruthanne's workshop, "More Splash Than Cash Holiday Decorating" Dec. 3, from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Napa Valley College, Upper Valley Campus. She suggests bringing three random (non-holiday) accessories for a creative accessorizing demonstration, and a sack lunch. Pre-registration is required. Call 967-2903 to register. There is a $60 fee for this class, which includes a decorating tips hand-out.

Ruthanne Hatfield, IDS, IRIS, owner of Art of Interior Placement, specializes in one-daydecorating and home staging using existing furnishings. Her work is featured on Home & Garden TV's Decorating Cents. She can be reached through www.interiorplacement.com or 1 (877)441-2844.