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Showing posts with label Debi Ward Kennedy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Debi Ward Kennedy. Show all posts

10.01.2018

creatively speaking...

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for the past few months, i have posted a quote on social media every Sunday.
the quotes are always about creativity, 
these words of wisdom have been helpful to me while wrestling with some facets of my own creativity...

you see, a while back, i lost my joy in creating. 

oh there was still the undertaking of projects and posting about them online, 
but really it was pretty much just a lot of going through the motions 
and hoping that my mojo would return.
nothing about my creative process was easy or flowing or remotely satisfying.
add in the pressure of keeping up with what's happening on social media,
and the result was complete overwhelm and a shutdown of the creative cycle.

something had to change.
i began to journal and read and spend time in nature, getting away from screens 
that were filled with the results of other people's imagination and creativity, 
taking time to consider what my aching heart was trying to teach me.

and then... an epiphany....
(continue reading)

12.12.2017

homewardFOUND decor is on Insta!

I'd like to invite you to follow my NEW homewardFOUND decor account on IG! 

I'll be sharing all of the hwF shop news over there
new handmade and vintage products that are headed to Room #1, 
changing displays, upcoming events, *special offers* ðŸ˜‰ and more! 

Don't miss a thing at https://www.instagram.com/homewardfounddecor/

(you can still follow me as @debiwardkennedy, too -
I'll continue to share all kinds of inspiring things there)

11.22.2017

Happy Thanksgiving!

wishing you and yours a Happy Thanksgiving, a wonderful holiday weekend,
and a meaningful gathering of hearts and memories.
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I am so grateful for each one of you who visit my blog and social media pages,
and for your encouraging and supportive comments & likes.
Thank you for giving me the opportunity to share my love of 'do-able decorating' with you!


if you're looking for some last-minute table decorating inspiration, click here!

if you'd like some ideas for which wine to serve with your turkey, click here!

if you'd like some sage words for a toast at the table, try these:

“Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgivings, turn routine jobs into joy, 
and change ordinary opportunities into blessings.” – William Arthur Ward
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“Remember God’s bounty in the year. String the pearls of His favor. 
Hide the dark parts, except so far as they are breaking out in light! 
Give this one day to thanks, to joy, to gratitude!” – Henry Ward Beecher 
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“Gratitude is the sign of noble souls.” – Aesop

“Thanksgiving Day comes, by statute, once a year; to the honest man it comes 
as frequently as the heart of gratitude will allow.” – Edward Sandford Martin
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“Small cheer and great welcome makes a merry feast.” – William Shakespeare
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“For each new morning with its light. For rest and shelter of the night. 
For health and food, for love and friends. For everything Thy goodness sends.” 
– Ralph Waldo Emerson

10.22.2017

True Confessions:

 The reality of creative life: it's not what you see in IG photos ;) 
this is what my studio looks like when I am in a creating frenzy - 
like getting ready to fill a room in a store with product for sale!

I spent three weeks messing it up while working into the wee hours.... 
and Sunday, I spent a few hours cleaning it allllll up:
 I'll enjoy the sparkling clean space for... oh, a day or two,
until I get busy making HOLIDAY goods for next month, and I mess it all up again!

scroll down to check out my recent posts about the NEW homewardFOUND shop

10.17.2017

bewitched, bothered, & bejewelled!

I'm so crazy busy this week getting ready to open the homewardFOUND shop,
that I've decided to just share my Instagram posts here instead of writing a whole post!
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Working on creative display ideas for the vintage costume jewelry that I'll have 
in Room #1 at Needful Things Addiction in Lake Elsinore, CA very soon... 
If you want a stylish new pair of earrings or chunky necklace 
to wear to Thanksgiving dinner, I've got them!
,
stay tuned for my Opening Date announcement 
follow on Instagram . Pinterest . Facebook

10.07.2017

Today's Fall Finds....

this morning... LATE this morning...
I headed out to the 'community garage sales' in my neighborhood.
since it was late, I didn't know if I'd find anything I could use.

oh, but I DID!!!
 I spied several wonderful things...

okay, wait, I need to backtrack for a minute and make a confession. 

I'm the kind of garage / yard sale shopper that you probably hate.
I'm a DRIVE-BY SHOPPER.
yup.
I  roll past your driveway and scope out the offerings on your tarps and tables
without stopping my car. or getting OUT of my car. 
If there's enough there to intrigue me, I'll park and actually walk over to take a closer look.

I did it alllll morning long. 
my Mom sat in the car and helped me watch for signs ,
and then quickly evaluate each one as we drove past.

I can actually hear your eyes rolling as you read that... but it's ok. I get it!

So anyway, I found some lovely things that perfectly fit my palette and style,
things that will be headed to my homewardFOUND shop in Room 1
at Needful Things Addiction in Lake Elsinore, California
in just a few weeks!

oh.... and the BEST thing I found?

these vintage player piano rolls!
if you've known me for any length of time at all, 
you know that I let out a happy scream when I came across these!
I've used them for YEARS in my vintage art & decor creations,
and have been looking for them here in SoCal for a long time.
who knew they were right here in my own neighborhood?!!!

 and you can bet I have big plans for them ;)

stay tuned for my opening date announcement!

10.03.2017

Something Old is New!

I'm in full-blown creative mode over here at hwF headquarters,
surrounded by a mess of materials and plans and pretties...
I am so excited about this new-old thing that's on the horizon!

...stay tuned for an announcement later this week!
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10.01.2017

Welcome, October...

October breaks open, like a golden sunrise... 

Fall has always been my favorite season. 
Maybe I should blame my rusty red hair and my golden hazel eyes, 
but I just love the way autumn light warms up the landscape 
and nature's color palette changes with the season... 
this time of year, the earth sings a song of fresh new beginnings to me. 

Fall is the time my creativity runs rampant, and my eye finds artistic inspiration everywhere! 

 How fitting that this year, Fall brings me to a place where I am starting something again. 
It wasn't planned, and it's unfolding rapidly, and I am really REALLY excited about it!

Stay tuned for more news - coming very SOON! ;)


1.05.2017

Into the Pale : A Neutral Palette

vintage antique repurposed neutral decor
I've heard a lot of people saying the same thing lately...
"Once the tree and the holiday decor comes down, it looks so EMPTY!"
Well, maybe I'm weird, but I kinda' LIKE the cleared-out spaces!

To me, this is the perfect time of year to do a nice, thorough cleaning
and a refresh of our rooms so that we start the new year with a 'clean palette'.

I took that idea to the nth degree this year

and pulled all of the orange accent color OUT of the house.
I packed it up and put it away, leaving only the neutral background - 
and the result is a soft, cozy, warm, 'cashmere' feeling in the house!
It's perfect for winter, and a nice visual rest from all of the holiday excess.

and the best part? it wasn't even hard to do...

click 'continue reading' for the before and after!

12.29.2016

Pop! Fizz! Clink!

It's almost here - are you ready for the toasts?!

With the help of my friend Scott Carlson, wine specialist for BevMo
I'd like to share some helpful info to make your night the BUBBLIEST!

Continue Reading for some sparkling tips...

12.23.2016

Tidings of Comfort and JOY

Tomorrow is Christmas Eve, 
so this is the last post in my holiday 2016 series...

Finding this vintage book at the thrift store last summer
inspired our theme for our Christmas decorating:
  I've enjoyed sharing how we have embraced it in our home this year.
Click to see all Holiday 2016 Posts )

JOY has been my Word of the Year for 2016,
and in so many ways I have found it again, lived it, and shared it...
for that gift, I am profoundly Thankful.

I owe a debt of gratitude to so many people in my life,
including each of you who visit my blog and social media pages...
your visits, comments, likes, shares, re-posts, pins
and enthusiastic support and encouragement mean so much to me.
Thank you all, from my heart, for finding value in what I share with you.


It's not rocket science, and it's not as BIG and as WOW as many other bloggers post,
but you've let me know that it's helpful, useful, and inspiring to you - 
and that just makes my heart sing!

I wish each and every one of you a very Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays 
- no matter what holiday you celebrate this time of year!
and a New Year filled with hope, faith, love, laughter, and yes.... JOY

With Gratitude, 
Deb

A Christmas Tablescape

Okay, I'll be honest... we really don't use this dining table much.
Even after I gave it a snazzy makeover

It serves as a big crafting surface a lot of the time, 
but is currently set & ready for Christmas Day dinner with some very special guests.

Everything here is coordinated with our daily decor palette

and the deeper tones that we brought in for the holidays...
And it has a few ideas that are simple to replicate:

Continue Reading for more...

12.22.2016

Folded Book Christmas Angels & Trees

My Mom and I have been crafting and making things all of my life...
long ago, she and I created angels, choir boys, Santas, and snowmen
out of Readers Digest books with folded pages.
Back then, we painted ours gold and white and red, 

and the heads were round styrofoam balls.

Well, this year, Mom got the idea to make some of those again!

Continue Reading for more about our creations... 

12.21.2016

Orange You Glad You're Here?!

While much of our home decor this Christmas is in neutral tones
(ivory, cream, tan, rusty brown, bronze, copper, and gold),
we decided to leave the bright orange decor already in the entryway.
(click to see more about the Joyful sign)

This happy hue brightens that small, dark space right up!

The addition of a tall, skinny tree in the corner added some light,

and a chance to create a fun, lighthearted feeling...
yet very different than the fun tropical tree decor that we created at the old house!

Continue Reading to see what we did... 


12.15.2016

Vintage Paper Poinsettias

My love for old book pages and vintage paper shows itself in many ways,
and I love finding new ways to use this material all year long...
so this Holiday season, I used paper as a major theme for our Christmas decor.
I created tree ornaments, garland embellishments, and other elements
that are in use all over the house.

While I created the flowers you see here to go on the tree,
they worked out much better forming a wreath on the wall in our entryway!
Tucked into a simple garland of greens and a strand of mini lights that surround a round mirror,
the paper poinsettias add the perfect touch of texture and style:
The centers of the flowers are made from vintage jewelry -  
old earrings, shoe clips, and lapel pins.
They add more texture and some sparkle, along with a touch of nostalgia.

Continue Reading to see more details...


12.13.2016

Vintage Lace Christmas Tree

 Sometimes, projects just come up out of nowhere... that was the story with THIS one.
Not in the plan. Not on the schedule.
But the Muse called, as I was rifling through a bin of linens
and tossing them on the chair next to me.
When I reached over to pick them up and put them back in the bin,
lo and behold: the pile of linens looked like a Christmas tree!

I stared at it, thinking about how I could present it here on the blog.
I can get away with some pretty crazy ideas, 
but presenting a pile of linens - basically, a pile of laundry - as home decor
might cause you to run screaming from my pages!

After a few minutes, it dawned on me that I have the PERFECT armature for a tree.
I use them all the time, and there was one in the garage not being used:
A wire tomato cage!
In about ten minutes, I had the thing done...

continue reading for my 'Fast, Cheap, & Easy'TM tutorial!

12.08.2016

A JOYFUL Welcome

I've had the sign from my old business, 'RETREAT', 
which I made from old cabinet door back, since 2010.
I finally decided to take it out of the garage and give it a makeover, 
so that it could be a part of our home for the holidays - and beyond.

It was so 'Fast, Cheap & Easy'
TM , I thought I'd share the process...
continue reading to see!

12.05.2016

Winter Wonderland at The Vintage Marketplace Show

 
The Vintage Marketplace show in Temecula, CA this past weekend
was an inspiring gathering of vendors selling vintage, antique, and handcrafted goods.
The show is owned and produced by my friend, Rita Reade,
who founded it over 6 years ago with her sister in law, artist Christie Repasy.

When I'm lucky, I get to shop.
When I am REALLY lucky, I get to work with Rita to create visuals for the show!
At past shows, I've designed & styled her Mammabellarte booth displays
(and a few other vendors, too!)
but THIS time, along with styling her booth displays, 
Rita asked me to style a display at the entry of the show
to welcome guests, share the show theme, and provide a photo op.
 
We came up with a plan for a cozy scene that sparkles - 
and speaks more of the winter season than of holiday decor,
which is actually a pretty smart way to decorate - even in your home!

continue reading for more details...

12.01.2016

Elegant Holiday Inspiration

elegant holiday decor
I have the extreme good fortune to have some really remarkably talented friends
who inspire me on a regular basis...
one of them, Miss Sylvia, is a stylist and decorator extraordinaire.
She owns Madam Palooza Emporium
a vintage prop rental house and styling company in Southern California.

The weddings and event settings that she creates are so intricate and detailed, 
so personalized and delightful, that they appear in magazines every month!
(she's currently featured in the newly-revived Flea Market Style Magazine
which is run by two MORE of my incredible friends!!!)

Sylvia called me up last week and asked me to help her 
to create some simple but inspiring holiday decor in her studio/showroom,
as it was to be the setting for an event industry holiday party.
Of course I said yes! We've worked together before, and it's always fun!

continue reading to see the beautiful results...

11.28.2016

Easy Christmas Wreath Makeover

christmas decor
Welcoming people to our homes is important every day - especially during the Holiday season.
A wreath for the door or front porch is something that we almost all include in our decor... 

Like you, I gaze longingly at the beautiful wreaths and garlands 
displayed at elegant home decor shops and garden centers
And THEN I look at the price tags... not happenin', folks!!

Fortunately, those inspiring creations can lead the way to making what we already have BETTER!
I'm always up for taking something old and making it look new
(okay, well, not always - sometimes I take new things and make them look old!)
...and the wreath that my Mom has been using for about 20 years now was due for an update.

continue reading for my secrets...