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7.12.2023

tropical front porch decor

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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...
Q
there are several projects pictured here,
so i'll begin at the top and work my way down...
let's begin with the wreath on our security screen door:
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the wreath form is two rusty metal rings from a broken whiskey barrel...
mom had that at her old house, filled with geraniums, and when we went to move it,
it literally disintegrated in my hands! i saved the geraniums and the metal rings.

to hang them, i simply used baling wire to hold them on the door - 
the perforations in the metal screening allowed me to loop the wire through for support.
btw, i wouldn't do this with a regular screen door! this is thick metal.

the 'greenery' on the wreath is made up of several components:
large 'silk'/fake fern leaves from an old fake plant, a few branches of fake blooming orchids,
some small plastic succulents (@Dollar Tree) and a branch of a fake ivy plant,
and heavy paper/cardstock leaves from a party decorating kit
(@Target, but now discontinued).

by simply shoving these elements into the tiny space between the rings,
they stay in place quite well. nothing moves when the door is in motion! 
i did hot glue a stem of green chenille (pipe cleaner) to each paper leaf,
giving me the ability to shove THAT into the wreath form
allowing the leaves to droop and fall in varying lengths.

one caveat to note:
our door is located within a long enclosed 'vestibule' (sadly NOT a porch)
so everything you see here is completely protected from the weather - 
no sun, rain, or wind reaches the door.
that means i can use elements here (paper, for instance)
that couldn't be used in a location that is exposed to weather conditions. 
that also means i can't have REAL plants here :( - so i use fakes.

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to the left of the door, a large ceramic pot holds a floral arrangement
with 'tiki' accessories...

the fern leaves make another appearance in the pot
(this is the plant i took the other ones from for the wreath)
along with ivy branches, more fake orchid blooms,
and a couple of large paper leaves to coordinate with those on the wreath.

the happy smiling tiki face is painted on a piece of palm frond - 
i created him last fall as a mask for a pumpkin! 
(i've linked that post below this one)

the welcome sign was picked up at @Target about five years ago
and i didn't do a single thing to it - just hung it using a paper clip! 

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that sign is hung from one of two bamboo tiki torches - from @Dollar Tree -
they just poke into the dirt in the pot beneath the big fake fern.
i painted the metal insert on them dark brown (they were lime green).

and in a stroke of madness, i took off the torch caps with wicks
then inserted two orange Christmas light bulbs as stand-ins for flames!
(i really wish i could find a cheap way to make those light up...
but they look good enough ;) ) 
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hanging on the security screen door is a sign
that i painted onto a wood oval that used to be a Thanksgiving sign (@Target)
and was previously painted with a similar message in black and white...
to make it fit our tropical theme and color scheme,
i painted a faux wood grain on it then added the lettering with paint pens.
the twine hanging loop is secured to the screen door with a tiny piece of floral wire.

the sign shown above on the right is similar,
tho i didn't add the wood grain paint treatment to it. 
the metal element has been garden decor in a previous life - 
you've seen it with two more as yellow suns with faces.
funny enough, i found those three metal elements at @Habitat for Humanity Re-Store
and have never been able to find out what they were originally MEANT to be!

(i've linked that post below this one, as well)

now if i could just get the MANY people who come to our door
to READ those two signs and stop trying to sell us things we don't want,
i would be a much more relaxed gal. 
(i've had other signs posted. they didn't read those, either.)

i have more 'tropical' projects underway... stay tuned!

btw, yes, i know there isn't much yellow in this post ;) 
truth is, our home isn't decorated with yellow. it's all green, brown, and orange!
i haven't changed my fave color - i just keep the yellow obsession under control
by confining it to my studio and my social media content. 
 

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