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Showing posts with label holiday. Show all posts
Showing posts with label holiday. Show all posts

12.22.2023

wishing you the happiest holidays

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Christmas arrives in just a few days,
with a New Year on the horizon...

as we wrap up 2023,
i want to express my deep gratitude for your visits, likes, and comments
on my seasonal home decor content across social media platforms,
as well as to the generous bloggers and home publications
who have featured my projects over the past year.

i love the creative community we have all built together,
and truly appreciate your support & encouragement. it means the world to me.
and i really LOVE it when you tell me that i inspired you to make something new!

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i so enjoyed your happy responses to my 'terra cotta Christmas' themed posts,
and you can imagine my smile when i spied these items on the Terrain website:
apparently i wasn't the only one obsessed with terra cotta pots this holiday season!

i'd love to hear from you what your favorite homewardFOUND post was this year,
and what you hope to see from me in 2024...
some fun project images are already sent off for publication,
with ideas for new winter-into-spring decor projects percolating in my brain.

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i'm currently enjoying the end of this year and the dawning of the new one
while embracing some quiet time and 'artist dates'
to refresh and refuel my creativity as i plan for 2024 projects + content.

i hope you find time to do the same - 
disconnect, rest, renew, and revive yourself
in whatever ways you need to.

wishing you the merriest of Christmases
and happiness in the new year!

creatively, deb

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12.15.2023

terra cotta Christmas: a simply natural table

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i'm gonna' be honest, i got stuck on this one.
just how do you incorporate terra cotta pots into a tablescape?

keep it simple.

as always, i used what i had on hand,
combined some varied colors and textures and elements,
and didn't try to do anything that YOU can't do in your home, too.

continue reading for a few easy ideas...

12.08.2023

terra cotta Christmas: 2 nativity scenes

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when i was thinking about ideas for a terra cotta pot nativity,
i looked online - and every rendition i saw was 'cute'. and painted.
not what i wanted, which is good -
it means what i've created is different than what other people have done!
(always my goal)

i wanted the same kind of simple, modern/contemporary style i've done before
that would coordinate with the other terra cotta decor elements i've made this year.

then i grabbed a traditional nativity scene
and shzooshed it up a bit with paint ;) 

continue reading to see how easy it is to transform something
into something ELSE ...

12.01.2023

terra cotta Christmas: faux painted tree ornaments

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while i'm having fun finding all kinds of ways
to use terra cotta flower pots in my theme this holiday season,
i needed to expand the scope... enter my favorite tool: PAINT!

i rounded up some unused ornaments from my stash
and transformed them using my faux terra cotta paint technique.
it's easy, cheap, and a great way to revive unused items!

continue reading for the details and some of my top tree decorating tips...

11.24.2023

terra cotta Christmas: clay pot wreaths

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we've all seen beautiful wreaths made from terra cotta pots,
filled with herbs or succulents or flowers - in springtime.
i wanted to create a wreath made of pots
that fit this year's terra cotta Christmas theme...
simple, subtle, natural. and 'wintery' in feel.

the result is two wreaths that include terra cotta pots - 
one is a wreath of greens embellished with 'bells' made from pots,
the other a wreath made entirely of pots.
(and when i did a Google search, i didn't see any that looked like mine!)

they represent two different styles that can be made in varied sizes
for a variety of uses in your holiday decor!

continue reading to see tutorials for two variations of holiday wreaths...

11.17.2023

terra cotta Christmas: clay pot trees

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it's tiiiiiime! (channeling Mariah Carey there...)
there's no waiting any longer to start sharing holiday decor content!

my muses love to yank my chain....
i HAD a plan for holiday content this year on the blog. yes i did.
and then... 

surfing through IG one night when i couldn't sleep,
a photo shared by one of my former employers and clients
came across my screen - and wouldn't you know it,
that one photo inspired a whole NEW idea and theme.  
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this is the photo posted by Molbak's Garden Center near Seattle
to promote one of the themes of their holiday products this year.
(i used to be on the visual merchandising design team there,
and love keeping up with what they are doing now - it's amazing!)

those are turned wood trees on the mantel.
but that's not how i interpreted it... 
instead, i saw a forest of terra cotta trees made from pots!

that one photo inspired me to create decor
that was subdued, simple, natural, and elegant -
along the lines of something from Pottery Barn, Terrain, West Elm.
in the process, i've come up with different ways to use terra cotta pots
to embody a new theme for the holidays this year...

(and there's not a BIT of yellow in it! ;)

...continue reading to see three styles of terra cotta trees!

7.26.2023

'Christmas in July': SanTIKI mug

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the summer heat must be getting to me,
because i'm jumping on the 'Christmas in July' theme. 
👀 WHAT???!!!! 

truth is i've been dealing with some.... stuff... and my creativity is ebbing.
i've run out of time and frankly the energy to complete the diy projects i started.

but as i was perusing photos of past projects,
i found one that i created + photographed back in late fall 2019, but never shared it.
since it just happens to fit the 'Christmas in July' theme that we're seeing everywhere,
i've decided that NOW is the time!

(granted, it's got a summer vibe,
 but it's made out of something decidedly Christmassy... so it works!)
 
...continue reading to see how Santa became a tiki!

12.26.2022

NEW! sweet sweater 'gingerbread' cakes!

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deb used to bake. uh huh. but now if deb bakes, deb eats.
getting older with a slowing metabolism sucks!
so now my approach to 'holiday treats' takes a different form...

i just make sweet things out of other things... like SWEATERS!

for the finishing touch on my Gingerbread Holiday theme this year,
i've created two all-new Sweet SweaterTM originals to inspire you:


an oh-so-trendy 'tall cake' and a lil' mini 'cake buddy'
all trimmed out with gingerbread houses, men, candy canes, snowflakes,
and some 'frosting' that couldn't be easier!

continue reading to see how these sweet treats came together - 
without a calorie in sight ;) 

12.20.2022

a sweet 'gingerbread' creche & nativity

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for me, Christmas is not just about decorating or food or gifts...
it's about the birth of Jesus.
so each year, i either bring out my childhood nativity set
or create a new rendition of a creche scene that coordinates with my theme.

this year, i reworked the simple nativity scene that i created last year,
and added a new element that reflects my 'gingerbread' theme.
while the nativity figures would certainly work without the creche,
i like the way it focuses attention onto the holy family.

continue reading for the details of how i made it...

12.13.2022

gingerbread theme Christmas tree

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i have always enjoyed using what i have and mixing it up differently
to create new themes & looks each holiday season.
and while i don't have nearly as many bins of ornaments & elements as i once did
(over fifty JUST for Christmas! now it's about 10)
i still pull from my stash each year and then make / makeover some elements.

continuing the 'Gingerbread Holiday' theme this year,
 the tree in my studio is decorated with elements and materials on hand
to tell the story of a snowy gingerbread village.

keep reading to see how it all came together
and a few of my tree decorating tips...

12.06.2022

diy gingerbread men + village wreath

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true to form, i've re-used one project in the creation of another!
you'll recognize these ceramic village houses and trees from my last post,
where i shared my 'gingerbread' makeover - with paint!
i love seeing how many ways i can use something,
and how i can expand a seasonal theme to encompass many different projects.

continue reading to learn some secrets about this one!

11.29.2022

it takes a (gingerbread) village

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how many of you have dreamed of making REAL gingerbread houses...
and then tried it? UGH! it's an exercise in futility, in my opinion!
(i'm a pretty good baker...
it's just getting them to stay together and upright that stumps me!)

i've found a totally 'deb' solution to that dilemma: 
just PAINT some ceramic houses to LOOK like gingerbread!

i took some little ceramic houses that i've had for a few years now
and gave them a simple makeover with brown and white paint
and now i have a darling 'gingerbread' village on my mantel
that matches the big 'gingerbread' dollhouse shared in my last post.

continue reading for details (and a peek BACK at how i used them before!)

11.22.2022

a 'gingerbread holiday' dollhouse

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because i squeezed in my last Thanksgiving post on Friday of last week,
it's finally time to share holiday decor!

 this first project was inspired by some halloween decor that i saw online
and you probably saw it, too...
dollhouses painted as decrepit old haunted houses.

i saw so many amazingly creative 'takes' on that idea on social media,
and decided then to create a gingerbread dollhouse for Christmas.
and that idea launched an entire theme:

welcome to my 'Gingerbread Holiday'!

once again, i'm making use of elements i have on hand already
along with a few CHEAP additions from thrift & discount stores
to create a whole new holiday decor theme to enjoy.

continue reading to see the before shot and all the details...

12.30.2021

sweet sparkling new year!

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we arrive at the end of the year, and the start of a new one...
we've made it, and that's cause to celebrate!

whether you gather with family, friends, neighbors, or a special person tomorrow night,
or spend a blissfully cozy evening alone in a bubble bath or watching The Ball drop,
i have a few last-minute ideas to share for making your New Year's Eve sparkle!

speaking of lifting spirits, continue reading for more...

12.23.2021

NEW! Sweet Sweater Candles

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Merry Christmas Eve!
today i'm sharing a craft project that came to mind LAST year -
i just didn't make them until this year!
this decor element is a fun way to use scraps of sweaters - and even some TRASH! -
but is also meaningful to me.

for me, Christmas is about Jesus' birth,
and celebrating the light that He brought into a world mired in darkness.


i love adding extra twinkle lights to my home in the dark days of winter,
lighting candles, and having a fire in the fireplace (it's faux, but that's ok!).
adding extra warm light sources feels cozy, and also enhances my mood.

continue reading to see just how easy making these faux candles is...

12.20.2021

sweater-wrapped gifts

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when i choose a theme, my mind runs rampant with ideas
to incorporate that theme in every possible part of my decor.
case in point: the presents shown above.

it's not enough for me to deck the halls and mantels and doors and tree
in my preferred colors and materials...
i have to make the gift wrap match, too! LOL

this year i found three different ways to incorporate sweaters into my gift wrapping,
to coordinate with my Sweet Sweater Season theme...

continue reading for more inspo & info!

12.17.2021

a sneaky stocking makeover

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when i can find a short-cut, i take it. no shame in that.
so when i saw some knit stockings at Target for a mere $3 each, i grabbed one!

by adding a one-step simple embellishment (NO SEW!),
i was able to change the look of the stocking so it fit my decor theme this year.

so if you see something out there that just isn't quite what you need,
get it anyway - and then MAKE it what you need!

continue reading for my EASY makeover!

12.13.2021

sweater-wrapped + painted ornaments

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handpainted ornaments are trending this year,
so i wanted to somehow incorporate that into my sweet sweater season theme...
by using a soft yellow cable knit sweater as my inspiration,
i was able to replicate the tones and pattern onto plain white ornaments
and create decor that is unique to my own style.

along with those, i wrapped a few ornaments with sweater fabrics,
finding a way to put actual sweater pieces into the mix.

continue reading for the easy how-to's!

12.10.2021

sweater-wrapped vases

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on a cold rainy fall day waaaaaay back in 2007,
i visited designer Danny Seo's blog...
and when i saw a photograph of something Danny had created, i was smitten.
the guy took old sweater sleeves and put them on clear glass vases!

i jumped up and grabbed an ivory cashmere sweater of mine
that had recently become to small for me to wear.
(i did not become too big to wear the sweater - that's my story and i'm stickin' to it!)
i cut the sleeves off of the sweater, popped them into some clear vases
then added candles and bare branches to them...
the result was a cozy grouping that warmed up my dining table.

(when i added some small pumpkins to the grouping and looked at them side by side,
 i thought up the very first Original Sweet Sweater Pumpkins!)

i've made a few different versions of sweater-wrapped vases over the years,
and this year i had fun combining a few ideas.

continue reading to see how vases and ornaments and sweaters are a perfect match...

12.06.2021

a forest of Sweet Sweater Trees

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grab a cuppa' something, friends, because this post is LONG!
i'm sharing three different types of sweater trees with you today...
each one easy as pie to make from simple everyday materials.
(hmmmmnnn... pie's not a bad idea, come to think of it...)

you'll see previous versions of the items i used
along with their fresh new look for this year's cozy theme.

got your tea? coffee? cocoa? wine? LOL...
continue reading to see all the details of this project!