Hi Megan! If you are looking for inexpensive paint, check your local hardware store for "oops" paint. This is custom paint created for another customer, but for some reason, just didn't work out. Normally these are only about $5 per gallon. To add to the jungle scene, purchase potted plants or ask family members if they have plants (and/or pots) that they want to get rid of. You may even be able to find various items in the crafts section of Wal-Mart that you can implement in your jungle theme. You can give old things a new twist with the many new options available with spray paint (with your theme, try the stone finish). You might be able to find small furniture items at local garage sales. Good luck with your project! It sounds like fun!

Megan, It sounds like you are going to be creating something so wonderful! When you're done, please send us a picture so we can show everyone what you did!

Hi Megan, One step farther with the idea of plants. Go to your new neighbors, any relatives and talk to any hardware stores in your area that sell plants. Ask the neighbors for clippings from their plants, you can also ask them for containers, although you can use a large variety of recyclable containers that work just as well. Tin cans spray painted work very well. Punch a hold in the bottom with an ice pick for drainage, you can use margarine tubs for dishes to set the tin can in. You can use milk cartons cut in half and you can go to a wallpaper store and ask them for their old wallpaper books that they don't want anymore. You can use the wallpaper samples to cover the outside of the milk cartons, using your vine theme or animal print theme, just pick those prints out of the wallpaper book. Plastic milk jugs work well as planters also, but don't need to be covered. You can also use the wallpaper samples by cutting out leaves or anything you like and using that. I once cut out flowers from a wallpaper book and created my own stationary, by putting the flowers on already made envelopes and putting them on sheets of white paper, creating stationary. You could do this and use this for invites to your family and friends, when you are done with your building. If you ask the hardware stores for their discarded old plants, sometimes they will give them to you. If you fertilize them, they may come back. It never hurts to try. Clay pots are relative inexpensive from Walmart and you can paint the outside with paints. You can paint with a paint brush flowers on stems, they look really nice and last for years and years. Good luck. Lynn