a found & foraged flag

you know, i love decorating with red white and blue
just as much as the next patriotic American... but... 

what if i don't want to use red and blue in my home, 

and want to stick with white + warm neutrals?

well... i found a way to do exactly that, and still have a focus on the flag for the Fourth of July!

i was cleaning out the garage (which may just be a summer-long project, i tell you...)

and found a bunch of materials left over
from when i closed the homewardFOUND shop last March.

when i looked at the weathered white fence pickets,
and the blue-ish zinc metal scraps, i saw a flag.

 so i got busy assembling it on the workbench...
and that metal in the top photo isn't what you think it is!

...continue reading to see how i made my own faux zinc!

turning the tables...

seems like every day, i see a photo on social media of tables made from wood cable spools.
it's kind of the 'orange crate' diy decor trend of the 70's reborn!

i've STILL not seen anyone do with them what *i* do with them:
pair the wood spool top with metal bases from other tables. 
because, you know, i always have to do things differently than other people!
we have quite a few variations on this theme at home - 
... continue reading to see what i've created!

diy headboard to a-door...

in my book, making do with what you already have simplifies life,

and certainly beats buying more stuff...

when we moved into the new house, i had two choices:

use the same old wood gate as a headboard,

or come up with something new.

i chose 'something new' - but of course i didn't go out and BUY a headboard!

keep reading to see what i did....

5 easy ways to summerize!

 

it's summertime... and the livin' should be easy!

it's time to simplify, lighten up, and create rooms that welcome a casual, fun, active lifestyle

to enjoy over the next few months.
i have a few simple ideas to make your home feel like a resort all summer long
without having to spend a lot of your vacation / stay-cation cash!

here are my top five tips for adding summer style to your rooms:

my hat trick!

decorating with collections is an easy way to bring your own personality into your home, 

and changing them up seasonally is a fun way to change the 'wardrobe' your house wears!

i love straw hats, and have a nice collection (tho it is smaller than it used to be).

displayed in spring and summer, i often hang them on a pegrack or pile them all on a chair.

sometimes, i even hang them on a wall. yes, RIGHT on the wall, as seen here...

it's as simple as putting a few clear pushpins in the wall and plopping a hat on it.

a grouping like this makes it pretty easy to grab one when needed - and hey, it's free wall decor!

then there's that OTHER hat trick... continue reading to see what i used under those chapeaus!

beach in a jar

it's JUNE! that puts me in a summery mood, how about you?

way back in 2013, i shared '5 ways to decorate with seashells' in a post...

while they were all good ideas, i can say that based on pins, re-pins, and blog post visits, 

THIS ONE has been the overwhelming fave every summer since then.

it's a perfect time to revisit this easy summer decor project!

continue reading to see how simple it is to create variations of your own...

create a garden scarecrow using what?!

we finally had nice sunny weather this past weekend,
and i enjoyed working out in the backyard garden on a project that i've had in mind for months.
i am excited to finally share this easy tutorial with you! 

continue reading to see what i was working on... and how you can make one of your own!

re-purpose a fire pit!

when we planned + designed our backyard landscape, a fire pit was on the 'must have' list.

Mom had always wanted one, and i missed the huge one on my farm.

so, we created a spot for it, and then bought a simple metal one - 

no propane gas tanks to lift & carry, just something to safely burn half a firelog for an hour or so.

and we've used it exactly TWICE in the past two years. 

[we live in a canyon - a DRY canyon. high temps and high winds mean high fire risk.

too high to chance it. so, we don't use the firepit.]

one day i moved a round glass tabletop being stored inside the house, and this idea sprang to mind:

take this glass tabletop and put it on the firepit!

i put an inch or so of pea gravel in the bottom of the firepit, to cover the blackened area

and make it look a bit more 'terrarium'-like as a table.

it's perfect for a planter and some lanterns (which look lovely at night!)

and as a place to rest a drink while sitting in the chairs visiting. and we do!

i love that we found a way to USE this piece regularly, instead of having it just sit there...

the domed screen top that normally sits on the firepit is hanging on the wall in the garage,

quickly reachable if we have conditions where a fire is possible. 

wanna' take this idea further? plant succulents INSIDE the fire pit / table base!

if you put them in a removable tray, you'd still have the option of removing them to build a fire.

and of course, you could find a rusty ol' firepit at a yard sale or thrift shop for this project!

see more easy DIY ideas from our backyard here here and here 

shared online:

funky junk interiors |  diy salvaged junk projects #428

summer kickoff: red, white & blue

 over the years i've shared so many 'fast, cheap & easy'TM tips for decorating...

and my faves are always the party themes!

the 'official' start of summer is on the horizon! 

don't you agree that summer parties should be EASY to pull together? 

uncomplicated? fun? whimsical? and inexpensive? i thought you would! 

so let's use stuff we already have - nothing precious or expensive, just simple.

continue reading for one of my easiest centerpieces EVER - plus a few helpful tips...