. -->
Showing posts with label spring. Show all posts
Showing posts with label spring. Show all posts

3.08.2024

faux spring leaves made from ribbon

spring,re-purposing,trash to treasure,natural elements,DIY,decorating,inspired by nature,tutorial,diy decorating,up-cycling,crafting,DIY leafy spring branches,faux leaves,fabric leaves.
my last post included these leafy branches
that aren't leafy branches at all!

the trees in my yard haven't yet put on spring buds or leaves,
so i had to find a way to turn some bare branches into props for photos...
i've done that before with paper flowers and paper leaves,
but this time i used a different material to make the leaves:
thick satin ribbon saved from gift baskets.

they turned out SO much more realistic than i had anticipated,
and i'm thrilled to share this idea with you!

continue reading for the easy tutorial...

3.01.2024

NEW! 'Sweet Sweater Nest' for Spring

spring,nests,sweaters,Sweet Sweater Nests,DIY,diy decorating,decorating,inspired by nature,Sweet Sweater Originals,original designs,re-purposed,up-cycling,garden style,sweater crafts,sweater nest,spring nest decor,spring home decor,tutorial.
springtime is time for a NEW 'Sweet Sweater' Original creation!

 i've created various versions of nests over the years
from all different kinds of material (posts linked below) - 
this year, i hatched an idea for one made from sweater scraps!
(does that surprise anyone at all? i bet not!)

i love the more natural, rustic look that resulted from my new method,
and have created a tutorial to help you get the same results...

...continue reading for my 'Sweet Sweater Nest' tutorial

2.23.2024

ease into spring with a faux moss wreath

spring,winter,wreaths,decorating,diy decorating,DIY,wall art,seasonal,transitional,winter to spring decor,home decor,tutorial,white,crafting,dollar store crafts,re-purposing,up-cycling,.

spring's arrival is just around the corner!
here's an easy way to ease into it...

i'm pairing my white fabric wreath that i created this winter
with a new element for spring - along with a few other items -
and i love how it bridges this 'winter into spring' time of year. 

even the smallest changes can reflect nature
and refresh your home decor in just minutes.
big changes are good - but they don't ALL have to be big.

continue reading for an easy wreath + decor tutorial!

2.16.2024

moss-filled bookend | wall art

spring,inspired by nature,re-purposed,up-cycling,DIY,diy decorating,decorating,seasonal,wreaths,wall art,faux moss,moss wall art,bookend,spring moss,tutorial
how many times can Deb re-use something?!
it's okay if you ask that... i ask myself that question a lot!

i love re-using elements in my decor, making them look
as different as i can from season to season.
or, in this case, from color obsession to color obsession...

while i do still love yellow, i wanted a change of course this year
and am embracing all of the shades of green i can find in my projects.
while i was taking one project apart, another presented itself 
and it's so easy i just had to share it with you.

continue reading for an easy way to personalize your decor! 

1.26.2024

plant a faux 'moss' heart

winter,wreaths,wall art,garden art,garden style,tutorial,Valentine's Day,spring,DIY,diy decorating,home decor,inspired by nature,re-purposed,up-cycling,thrifted,moss,moss wreath,moss wall art,yarn crafts,crafting with yarn,painting.
this wood heart-shaped planting box is the perfect way
for me to incorporate nature-inspired elements in my winter decor. 

even though i'm not focused on creating for a specific 'holiday' now,
you've seen this element on the blog previously
as three different versions of wreaths perfect for February.
(previous posts linked below)

moss is a hot home decor trend this winter
and is showing up in many spring decor collections online...
from sculptures and floral designs to very large framed art pieces made of moss.
while i initially thought of using real moss for this project,
i found that one of my favorite 'faux' materials worked much easier
and with a lot less mess!

continue reading to see more details and my big 'secret' for moss...

5.24.2023

crepe paper dandelions

spring, summer, flowers, garden art, garden style, DIY, diy decorating, paper crafts, paper, just for fun, wreaths, tablescapes, crepe paper dandelions, crepe paper flowers, tutorial.
summer's on the horizon!
with Memorial Day coming up this weekend, many parties are being planned...
from backyard bashes to pool parties to picnics in the park.
that last one gave me an idea for a tablescape/party theme
and i'm revisiting a past project as part of it.

last spring, i participated in an art challenge on Instagram,
and making a paper dandelion was one of my entries.
today i'm sharing the easy process with you, 
along with inspiration for a fun summery table decor idea!

continue reading for my easy tutorial...

5.20.2023

upcycled garden 'bee cups'

garden,spring,re-purposed,up-cycling,trash to treasure,DIY,diy decorating,use what you have, repurposed bee cups,gardening tips,gardening projects,tutorial
this project may not fall within my usual 'seasonal home decor' category,
but it certainly fits my 'use what you have' philosophy!

have you heard of 'bee cups'?
created to provide a safe fresh water source for garden pollinators,
they're a hot item among naturalists and gardeners here in the West...
with our drought conditions, access to water is important to every living thing.

i've seen several versions of 'bee cups' for sale,
and one day as i was taking care of a task at home, a very simple item
(that was about to be trash) caught my eye - and this project is the result!

continue reading to see what i used (if you haven't figured it out yet!)...

5.17.2023

deb flips the bird... ?!

spring,painting,diy decorating,DIY,flowers,wreaths,just for fun,dollar store crafts,colorful home,farmhouse style,wall art,bluebird of happiness,bird decor,painted birds.
that post title doesn't mean what you might think!
some people 'flip' furniture. (actually, i've done that, too).
now i 'flip' home decor elements each season...
sometimes more than once IN a season!

and my favorite tool for changing how things look is paint.

i never let the color of an item found at a thrift store or yard sale
or even in my own storage bins limit me - 
because it's SO EASY to repaint things to make them fit my current decor style.
so when i discovered this little ceramic bird on a bottom shelf at Dollar Tree,
the very last one they had in the store,
i didn't hesitate a moment before dropping her into my shopping basket:

spring,painting,diy decorating,DIY,flowers,wreaths,just for fun,dollar store crafts,colorful home,farmhouse style,wall art,bluebird of happiness,bird decor,painted birds.
the pink color isn't BAD, it just doesn't fit my decor.
but with a few ideas and some paint, i gave her FOUR NEW LOOKS
and i created spring wreaths / wall decor for three of those!

continue reading to see how all four turned out...

5.10.2023

giant paper flowers

spring, Mother's Day, flowers, DIY, crafting, decorating, dollar store crafts, tutorial, garden style, diy decorating, paper crafts, paper, vintage paper, paper flowers, diy paper flowers.
sometimes it's just best to go BIG, you know?
i've been a retail visual merchandiser + display designer / stylist for over 45 years,
and have made a LOT of props in my lifetime...
and i learned that whether you're creating a window display
or an event display or a photo backdrop, large scale has the most impact.

making big things can get costly, tho - unless you use inexpensive materials
like paper, tissue, and repurposed/upcycled elements.

the flowers you see up above were created for use in an event entry display,
and are made from new cardstock paper -
but i've made similar ones from vintage book pages, too.
can't you just imagine flowers made out of repurposed MAPS?
old newspapers? magazine pages? gift wrapping paper?
yep, so can i!

i can also see them decorating a lovely Mother's Day brunch setting,
or as decor in a nursery or girls' room.

continue reading for a quick tutorial and loads of inspo...

5.03.2023

grandma's button flowers

spring, mothers day, just for fun, flowers, DIY, crafting, decorating, dollar store crafts, tutorial, garden style, diy decorating, grandmas buttons, button flowers
did your grandma have a button box?
mine did, and i spent many hours playing with the colorful contents as a child.
 when my Grandma Ward passed, i was given her button box.
to this day just looking at it makes me smile...

 i decided to start collecting buttons of my own to add to her tin,
so i grabbed them at garage sales and thrift stores
and sometimes even bought some from craft stores.

when i began using the buttons in home decor projects.
one of the projects i undertook was to make button flowers:
spring, mothers day, just for fun, flowers, DIY, crafting, decorating, dollar store crafts, tutorial, garden style, diy decorating, grandmas buttons, button flowers
those were made back in the early 2000's!
it's such an easy project that kids can do it, too.

continue reading for my easy tutorial... 

4.29.2023

faux food flower 'cupcakes'

spring, flowers, garden style, foofoo Faux Food, DIY, diy decorating, decorating, just for fun, dollar store crafts, crafting, styling a spring tiered tray, tiered tray decor, faux cupcakes, faux cupcake decor .
continuing with my floral theme for this month,
i whipped up these fanciful floral 'faux food' cupcakes...
which i did not make with butter, eggs, sugar, and flour.

my friend Sasha ('Saucy') decorates very real cakes and cupcakes
with the most fantastical elements - like frosting flowers.
her delightful creations inspired these flower-decorated cupcakes,
and also inspired my faux gingerbread cake last December.

some projects have a lot of prep, a lot of elements, a lot of steps.
this isn't one of those. this is a one-and-done decor project. easy-peasy. 
i can't even call this a 'tutorial' because it's SO easy.

don't believe me? continue reading!

4.26.2023

'flower power' coasters

spring ,just for fun, flowers, DIY, crafting, decorating, dollar store crafts, garden style, diy decorating, entertaining, outdoors, coasters, floral wine glass coasters, spring table decor.
a perfect way to add a spring touch to your entertaining,
these easy to make 'flower power' coasters can be created in any color -
and are really simple to assemble. after you disassemble, that is.

oh, wait, i'm getting ahead of myself...

continue reading for my easy tutorial...

4.19.2023

junky bloomz!

spring, flowers, garden, garden art, garden style, diy decorating, DIY, decorating, trash to treasure, re-purposed, up-cycling, crafting, junking, junk flowers, junk blooms, plastic plate flowers, tutorial
'reduce reuse recycle' is the leitmotif of my design & decor approach...
i'd much rather use what i already have on hand here at home
than 'buy more, store more, discard more'.
by using what i have, i'm challenging my own creativity
and making my life easier by not having to wrangle more storage bins! 

as i was cleaning out a cabinet in my studio recently,
i stacked miscellaneous items on my worktable and floor.
as i turned to grab something to put it back in the cabinet,
i saw that some of the elements stacked together created a 'flower' of sorts...

and deb was off on a creative adventure!
(yes, i KNOW it's actually procrastination but just go with me here, ok?!!!)

continue reading to see how many different flowers i created with 'junk'!

4.12.2023

NEW! Sweet Sweater Potz!

spring, garden style, flowers, DIY, diy decorating, Sweet Sweater Originals, Sweet Sweater Potz, sweaters, crafting, decorating, re-purposing, up-cycling, trash to treasure, flower pots, plant pots, tutorial
spring has sprung! 
one of my favorite passages in the Bible speaks of spring the way i think of it:

"For now the winter is past; the rain is over and gone.
The flowers appear on the earth, the time of singing birds has come,
and the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land.
The fig tree forms its early fruit; the blossoming vines spread their fragrance."
Song of Solomon 2:11-13

watching nature come back to life after a long cold winter revives me.
especially in a weird weather year like this one
(endless rain. snowing at DISNEYLAND! tornado near Los Angeles!),
i am always happy when spring finally arrives...
and if it doesn't arrive soon enough for me, i just create my own kind of spring vibe!

my newest Sweet Sweater Original TM creation is a nod to springtime
that i'll be enjoying for the next few months...

continue reading to see how simply you can create my Sweet Sweater Potz!

4.05.2023

Pyrex pattern Easter eggs

spring, Easter, seasonal, painting, tutorial, re-purposed, garden style, up-cycling, diy decorating, vintage style, vintage, DIY,decorating, Easter eggs, painted Easter eggs, Pyrex, Pyrex Easter eggs, vintage Pyrex, spring home decor
these happy Easter eggs were inspired by vintage Pyrex bowls
AND by two previous projects i've created inspired by them.

'inspiration comes from everywhere' is a phrase many creatives use.
it's certainly true for me, as well as 'inspiration comes from nature'.
another source of inspiration for me is my own previous projects.
i love using similar concepts and elements from my stash
to create new 'home decor that's not from a store' in different seasons!


i hope you enjoy my last Easter decor project this year!
be a good egg and continue reading for a really easy tutorial...

4.01.2023

flower bunnies

spring,flowers,garden style,Easter,DIY,diy decorating,seasonal,just for fun,re-purposed,up-cycling,boho style,Easter bunny florals,Easter bunny flower arrangement,flower arrangements,bunnies,contemporary Easter decor,modern Easter decor.
spring has arrived, April is here, and Easter is on the horizon...
this truly easy floral project will add some fun to your spring decor!

whether you make it with faux or fresh flowers,
it's sure to make everyBUNNY smile ;) 

continue reading to see how you can replicate my look!

3.29.2023

garden light mushrooms

spring,DIY,diy decorating,home decor,colorful home,garden,garden art,garden style,crafting,dollar store crafts,up-cycling,re-purposing,spring home decor,spring garden decor,tutorial,garden lights,mushrooms,garden light mushrooms.
this month i have shared a bunch of ideas for creating and decorating with mushrooms.
this last one is kinda' sneaked into the blog lineup...
perfect for your yard OR indoors, these mushrooms lamps
are whimsical ways to repurpose household items
while you light up your summer evenings.

continue reading to see what inspired them and my easy tutorial...

3.25.2023

Easter egg mushrooms!

spring, Easter, just for fun, diy decorating, seasonal, boho style, re-purposed, garden style, up-cycling, painting, nests, mushrooms, mushroom decor, diy mushrooms, Easter egg mushrooms, Easter decor, Easter decorating, faux chocolate bunnies, egg mushrooms,
my last post for  March Mushroom Madness  
wraps up with this creation... just in time for Easter!
why not decorate for spring with mushrooms, along with the bunnies and eggs?
ah, but these are no ordinary mushrooms - these are made from eggs!
you can use REAL eggshells, as i did, or simple plastic eggs to get this whimsical result.

(i know, eggs are really pricy right now! i always save the shells to use in my garden,
but i'm always happy to turn 'trash' into 'treasure' via crafting!)

 continue reading to see how easy they are to create...

3.18.2023

she made mushrooms from WHAT??!!!

spring,DIY,diy decorating,home decor,colorful home,crafting,up-cycling,re-purposing,garden style,just for fun,tutorial,spring home decor,mushrooms,spring crafts.
it's my birthday month - and when you combine that with my crazy theme of 

March Mushroom Madness  

you come up with this festive creation!
since my bday is this week, i decided this is the right time to share them!

have you figured out what i used to make them yet?

continue reading to see the details...

3.11.2023

pom pom mushrooms

spring,crafting,home decor,colorful home,DIY,diy decorating,dollar store crafts,up-cycling,re-purposing,just for fun,spring home decor,spring mushrooms,mushrooms,pom pom crafts, pom pom mushrooms,pom pom projects,tutorial.
pom poms are having a MOMENT, my friends...
showing up in the fashion world, in huge art installations, and home decor.
while most of them are WILD expressions of texture and color,
i wanted to incorporate pom poms in a more limited palette
(yesssss, i DO mean yellow! - because why not?!)

and since my recent mushroom-creating kick has led to

March Mushroom Madness

i found a way to make pom pom 'shroomies!

...continue reading to see how EASY they are!