winter inspiration

the new year beckons with possibilities...

if you're looking for winter home decor tutorials and projects

to inspire you to create a home you love to live in,

click here for all of my past winter posts.

new winter content posts begin in january!

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wishing you the happiest holidays

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!

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.

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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terra cotta Christmas: a simply natural table

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...

terra cotta Christmas: 2 nativity scenes

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 ...

terra cotta Christmas: faux painted tree ornaments

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...

terra cotta Christmas: clay pot wreaths

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...

terra cotta Christmas: clay pot trees

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.  

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!

woodsy brown Thanksgiving tablescape + 25 more!

a few years ago i created a lovely Thanksgiving table setting

and never shared it on the blog!

i just ran across the photos in a file, and decided they need the spotlight...

even though there's not a single touch of yellow in the photos ;) 

(i think i DID share it on Instagram that year)

the rustic woodsy warmth of this table decor exemplifies fall to me,

and i loved the way the elements reflect traditional style.

continue reading for the details...

diy tomato cage 'cornucopia' door + wall decor

are you one of the few people in the world

who is looking for some Thanksgiving decor?

who hasn't moved on to decorate for Christmas already?! 

i'm one of you - and my next few posts will center on this holiday that i really love!

last November i shared my tutorial for making a cornucopia

using a wire tomato cage and some burlap.

this year, it's been elevated from the tabletop

to hang on the door as a gorgeous 'wreath'
or as welcoming 'wall art' anywhere in your home.

continue reading for all the details (and a link to my previous tutorial)

painted 'chocolate' pumpkins on a sweet sweater cake

a fitting conclusion to my recent faux food project posts,

this one really takes the cake....

this project came about because i had some tiny styro pumpkins,
which made me start thinking about making a very REAL cake

like my Mom used to make every fall when i was a kid.

it was always a round two-layer chocolate cake with chocolate icing

and adorned with tiny orange candy pumpkins all along the top edge.

i loved that cake.

we took them to school fall celebrations and church harvest festivals.

we took mini versions - cupcakes - to friend's houses.

we never brought any of it home, either!!! everyone loved it.

instead, i decided to make a fall 'cake' in my own style...

because deb does NOT need more calories!

continue reading for the before and after...

easy 'dot' candy pumpkins

it seems this fall has affected me by making me crave candy and sweets!!

this happy project was born when i found THESE at the Dollar Tree:

'member those?!!!

'dot' candy on paper strips was one of my FAVE sweet treats as a kid

(confession: i would sometimes stop at the local Circle K market while walking to school

and spend my lunch money on candy instead. BAD little debby!!!)

when i saw these GIANT candy versions, i grabbed a package

and got right to work when i arrived home...

...continue reading to see how easy this pumpkin decor is for adults & kids alike!

faux food 'caramel apple' pumpkins

a recent rainstorm and cool temps (that have long since vanished!)
spurred my 'fall feels' - and my taste buds for all things caramel.
it's my favorite fall flavor, and i love indulging it...
from scarfing down Werther's Original caramel cremes
to sipping a caramel apple martini on a cool but sunny late afternoon.

with those thoughts already swirling in my head, 
seeing a photo of a green apple being dipped into melted caramel
inspired something else... this fun 'faux food' bit of sweet fall home decor!

how it started:

i knew that a method i had previously used to make faux honey
would work for the glossy dimensional caramel effect,
so i proceeded with this project as i had with that one.
(my faux honey jar is linked below this post)

... continue reading to see how it's going, and how you can make them, too!

have a ball with these pumpkins!

do you have a family full of sports fans?

oh, my friends, you're gonna' have a BALL with this idea! 😉

i was killing time before an appointment by walking thru a 'FIVE below' discount store,

and spied a bin filled with small basketballs in bright happy colors...

there was no yellow, but the minty green one caught my eye!

continue reading for tips on this SUPER fast & easy pumpkin decor project!

faux 'jadeite' pumpkin paint tutorial

i don't collect jadeite - real OR faux - but i love it!
the pretty seafoam - mint - jade greens of jadeite dishes and cookware
remind me of the color of our Shasta trailer (see my last post!)
and because of that, i've found these greens combine well with ANY color.

in late August i picked up a ceramic pumpkin mug at Dollar Tree,
and decided to try my hand at re-creating the luminous look of jadeite -
with paint.

and it worked! 
continue reading for my color-matching process and paint tutorial...

fall glamping with Miss Dot!

i'm at a vintage trailer rally at the beach this week,

so i thought i'd share photos of the 'glamping' decor that i created

for Miss Dot at a past rally (2021)...

you've seen a tropical decor theme (from 2022) in a recent post,

now here's a look at how switching out decor elements and a new color addition

creates a whole new vibe - this one's beachy!

(the rally is held in Newport Beach, CA and always has a 'surf' theme)

planning the decor theme for each glamping excursion

reminds me so much of how i played in my grandpa's Shasta trailer as a kid,

spending hours in their backyard decorating and dreaming...

continue reading to see how my yellow obsession extended to our Shasta trailer...

glass pumpkin gumball machine

my mom has owned this glass pumpkin since the 1980's... she bought me one then, too!

she says they were filled with Dunkin' or Winchell's Doughnut holes - 

but i don't recall getting any doughnut holes with mine! LOL

(Target has them for $10.00! not an ad)

i've always loved filling them with candy in the fall

(faves include Kraft caramels, Werther's caramels, and chocolate pumpkins!)

but things took a TURN this year...

i was shifting things around in my studio to photograph new creations

and when i emptied out the seashells from my gumball machine,

i sat the glass globe from it next to this glass pumpkin...

and my brain started asking questions like

 'wait... would the pumpkin fit on.... could it work.... ???'

so i played around and found out!

follow along as i show you how easy this one is...

repurposed crochet hat pumpkin

i'm a hat girl. always have been. i love wearing them
and have a pretty big collection of hats for every season.
i have thick straight hair and on the many days when it won't cooperate,
i just pop a ballcap or sunhat or cloche on my head and fuhgeddaboutit.

the only hats i don't like on my head are beanies. my forehead's too big.
but when i found THIS beanie, i fell in love with it and had to buy it...

because the moment i saw it, i KNEW it had to become a pumpkin!
here i am using things in ways they weren't intended to be used again LOL

continue reading for my tutorial (which is much like my sweet sweater pumpkin tute)...

a NEW LOOK for my Original Sweet Sweater Pumpkins!

september is here, and you know what THAT means...
it's time for sweater weather AND sweater pumpkins!!!

i've been making + selling my Original Sweet Sweater Pumpkins TM since 2007,

and while i haven't sold any since i had my little hwf shop in 2017,

i occasionally still make new versions!

in 2021 i made a batch of new yellow 'sweeties' for myself, 

and this year after creating a huge new multicolor batch for my daughter Bethany,

i've made a revision to the way i finish them...

continue reading for a quick addition to my original tutorial...

NEW: beach towel pumpkins!

as August comes to a close in the weirdest way possible

(a hurricane in Southern California? AND an earthquake? okay....)

i am still stretching 'summer' to the very last moment

with this new original pumpkin design...

dare i say 'it's time for beach blanket bingo'??!!

i've noodled the idea of creating pumpkins using colorful beach towels for awhile... 

first i tried to make them the same way i do my famous sweater pumpkins

but towels just don't *squish* like sweaters do - even thin ones.

 i tried a kind of 'gathered' approach - nope. still too bulky.

then one day i was scrolling Instagram,

and right there in front of me was a fantastical, incredible, creative,

 ORIGINAL and colorful new form of art that just blew my mind -

AND solved my pumpkin problem!

continue reading to see what i saw, and how i translated that into pumpkins!

TROPI-fall woven palm leaf pumpkins

this project is a bit different than my usual...
i'm not making something from scratch or giving a total makeover. 
this time, i'm simply adding one new detail to an existing item
and making it MUCH better than i found it!

i was at my local Habitat for Humanity ReStore looking for something else
when i came across a pile of fake fruit on a shelf...

...continue reading to see what these looked like when i found them
and what i did to them!

easy raffia-wrapped TROPI-fall pumpkins

 

yes, i'm creating a few new 'tropical' style pumpkins this month!

these work together with my previous creations -

and since the summer heat is still in full force right now,

it's the ONLY way i can succumb to the siren call of autumn.

the pumpkins up above are SO easy to make,

(i think they'd look just as cute nestled into galvanized buckets

for some fall farmhouse style vibes!)

and just wait until you see what they're made of!

continue reading to find out my secret... 

TROPI-fall decor in our Shasta trailer!

before i start sharing NEW pumpkin & fall decor ideas,
i wanted to time-travel back to last September and show you
my 'TROPI-fall' pumpkins in a different kind of setting!

though i don't share many photos of our home here on the blog,
all of our rooms and decor have a tropical vibe.
since we are unable to travel to Hawai'i now, we 'live Aloha' here at home.

as summer wanes and autumn approaches, 
i bridge the seasons with pumpkins that i create in beachy, tropical styles...
faux painted bamboo and sand, coconut tiki mugs with stems, and more.

so would it surprise you to learn that i ALSO use tropical decor
in our Shasta camping trailer, Miss Dot?!!!

i 'shop the house' for decor elements that fit the season or theme
of the campout we're going to
(we are members of three different trailer groups),
put them into a storage bin, load it up, and then
have as much fun decorating Miss Dot as i do decorating our home...

continue reading to see how Miss Dot looks with TROPI-fall decor!

fall favorites: ALL of the pumpkins!

well, here we are in August already...
a month that i always think of as 'summer's golden hour'.
and fall is just around the corner. 
i LOVE summertime and am always sad to see the season go,
and usually i keep creating + sharing 'summer' content this month...

but i know everyone out there is ready for fall and all that comes with it.
and that means PUMPKINS!!!!

have you heard the voice clip on Instagram that goes 
"Do *I* like pumpkins??? Yeah. Yeah, I like pumpkins!!!!"
not only does it describe me, but the voice actually SOUNDS like me!
(it isn't me, but it's a bit eerie hearing it all over social media every fall!)
so yeah, i like pumpkins. i've collected them all of my life,
and i REALLY i like making pumpkins
out of just about any element + material i can find...

from painted tin cans to silvery trays, rusty metal junk, and copper kitchen scrubbies
to sweaters and yarn and lace and macrame' and even balloons,
from faux painted concrete, terra cotta, kintsugi, and Pyrex + china patterns,
to ping pong paddles, plant pots, wire waste baskets, picture frames, books, and paper,
i've made DOZENS of pumpkins over the past three decades...
and i'm sharing a link to ALLLLL of them!

click to see every pumpkin i've ever created!

i hope these projects inspire you to try a few new DIY pumpkin projects this fall!

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'Christmas in July': SanTIKI mug

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!

tropical tiki transformation

our backyard in Southern California underwent a transformation back in 2020....

when the pandemic shutdown happened and we had to cancel our trip to Kauai, Hawaii,

we decided to bring Hawaii to us!

i shared some of those backyard diy projects here on the blog back then

(the bamboo tiki bar, the tiki totem pole, and others - all linked below this post).

the project i'm sharing today wasn't a planned one - 

i saw something in a store and thought 'hmnn. that COULD look really good if i....'

and so i bought the item, brought it home, and worked some magic on it with paint.

it couldn't have been easier to transform a really cheap looking tiki mask

into something with much more of our own tropical style.

continue reading to see how it started... and how it's going now!

tropical front porch decor

i always tell people 'i see things differently'... 
that means i use elements & materials in ways they weren't intended to be used.
and i RE-use things i've created before in new ways.

this tropical look on our front porch is a perfect example!

in past posts, i've shared how i raided the garden shed for fall porch decor,
using items meant for the garden to decorate with. 
here i've used paper & bamboo party decorations...

continue reading to see what i used 'differently' to get this summer vibe...

easy tropical-style light cover

the summer heat arrived here on June 30th,
so i've been busy completing some fun new EASY projects around our home

(which has a tropical, tiki vibe going on all year long!)

since these projects work perfectly well as 'summer' season decor content,

 i thought i'd share them here on the blog this month!

so... let's get tropical!

first up, a ridiculously EASY way to make a builder-grade light fixture

look a lot more fun for summer... in just two steps!

continue reading to see what i did!

fourth of july decor roundup!

 i'm being lazy right now and NOT creating any new summer decor content
for the Fourth of July.

but that doesn't mean i don't have loads of previous projects

to inspire your celebrations!

click HERE to see ALL of my past fourth of july blog posts & projects
(the first four are yellow - but they'd be perfect in red, white and blue!)

see more inspo on my July Pinterest board

continue viewing post...

display seashells in a gumball machine!

if you're a beach lover like me,
collecting & displaying seashells is a top summertime activity!

i've share many ideas before (linked below this post)
and now i have a different way to show off your shells
by using an unconventional container...

...continue reading for this easy paint & display project!

NEW! sweet sweater 'sandy' cake

a question i am often asked is 'where do you get your ideas from?'
i'm honestly inspired by everything! 
from the color combinations i see in nature to memories of my childhood
to objects i see that make me ask "can i make that out of a sweater?!"
i am never without ideas to investigate (which is why deb doesn't sleep....)

one of my long-time online friends from the 'way back' blogging days (early 90's)
is the most incredible cake decorator and baker i have ever seen.
Sasha (@saucybakes on IG) has a wild imagination and wicked talent,
and her creations never fail to make me
 A. hungry and B. intrigued about replicating them in my own style.

back in 2022 i was inspired by Sasha to create a cake
using sweaters, as my own 'birthday cake',
which then led to creating a faux holiday cake and a faux frosty wintery cake.

a recent post on her IG account showed a 'Little Mermaid' themed cake
with shells and sprinkle 'sand'...
so i started thinking about making a summery 'sand cake'
with a sweater and seashells and a few other elements. 

continue reading to see how i interpreted a beachy theme faux cake!

sandy castles

long gone are the days when i hauled four kids and a carload of toys to the beach...

the chaos was worth it to spend long summer days

on the shores of Lake Tahoe or Puget Sound,

walking the waterline searching for beautiful seashells

and building sand castles (IF there was sand and not broken seashell grapple!).

those memories live on, especially in summertime,

and i've come up with an easy way to add a fun beachy touch to summer decor.

you can create these 'sandy castles' , too -

and it might just be as relaxing as making the real thing!

continue reading to see my sneaky trick...

inflatable ring summer wreath

it's finally time for some summer fun,
and i have a fun way to set the mood right at your front door - 
display a welcoming wreath made from an inflatable pool ring!

i've added one of my own Original Sweet Sweater Sandbabies TM and a sign,
but this idea lends itself to so many interpretations
i know you can round up some beach toys, pool toys, flip flops, 
and other accessories to make a one-of-a-kind wreath for your home!

continue reading for my easy tutorial...

fave past summer decor projects

summertime is finally here, 

so let's start the new season with some easy decorating ideas!

i've enjoyed refreshing my homes every season over the years...

 some of those projects have been successful in more than one home

as i re-create them in new versions + colorways...

from bright primary hues when my kids were young,

to a restorative neutral palette with beachy style in an 'empty nest',

to my current enjoyment of bright happy yellow & white

(and the tropical / tiki decor in greens & oranges that you don't see on the blog),

my decor choices always reflect how i want to feel at home.

over the past ten years of blogging here at homeward found decor,

i've shared hundreds of my original diy home decor projects

in 765 published posts since i launched this blog in August 2012.

if you've been reading my blog for the past decade, THANK YOU FRIENDS!

if you're a newer visitor, i hope you enjoy discovering some of my past creations

as i share a look back... 

continue reading for some of my FAVE past summer decor projects!

crepe paper dandelions

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...

upcycled garden 'bee cups'

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!)...

deb flips the bird... ?!

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:

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...