I have had a lot of fun (and a few mishaps!) creating these trees to share.
The tiered trees are made of wood, and are a recurring element in my holiday decor - showing up with new paint colors, new coverings, and new trim for the past FIVE years! (I've linked them all below the post)
You all know I love to re-use elements, as well as to find ways to use things differently than intended... like vinyl placemats, for example!
As soon as I began cutting shapes out of the vinyl placemats, I thought of making these. Three of the trees have circles of vinyl covering them, and the fourth tree is a skinny styrofoam tree that I gave a makeover to in 2020. This year, it has a new 'coat' of leaves cut from the placemats... and it's my favorite of all four!
Let's get busy creating!
find my BEST Christmas tree lighting tip HERE!
12.03.2025
HOLIDAY: Mid-Mod 'Tiered' Trees
12.01.2025
HOLIDAY: Mid-Mod 'Cone' Trees with Ceramic 'Trunks'
now it's time to deck the halls and all of those other places you want some holiday cheer! Sideboards, shelves, mantels, windowsills, and niches in the wall are all great places to use the decorating elements you'll see in this post.
These are simple 'cone trees', which isn't a new idea - but I think making them with vinyl placemats might be! I've also chosen to add the element of white ceramic vases as 'tree trunks' beneath them... and though this really is an unintended pun, that one step really elevates this decor.😉
Are you ready to create some of your own?
Grab a vinyl placemat and let's go!
11.26.2025
HOLIDAY: Mid-Mod Ornaments, Part 2
My last post showed you four of the ornaments I've been busy creating, and this post will share the last three mid-century modern inspired ornaments that I dreamed up.
Ready for THREE tutorials? Let's dive in!...
11.24.2025
HOLIDAY: Mid-Mod Ornaments, Part 1

My last post showed you a sneak peek of the ornaments I've been busy creating...
this post will share three of the seven I've created, plus a look back at one created and used on the first wreath of this year. My next post will cover the last three ornaments.
One of the ornaments I am sharing today utilizes some existing ornaments already in my stash - I'm zhushing them up with additions cut from the vinyl placemats that I have chosen as my primary material in this year's holiday decor. One of those cut shapes forms the second ornament, and an expanded version is used for the third ornament.
Ready for some easy tutorials? Let's go!...
11.19.2025
HOLIDAY: Mid-Mod Ornament Wreath
Since we all know that Deb doesn't just use ornaments on trees, I grabbed a few and re-decorated my fabric-covered foam wreath that you saw in my last post!
Continue reading to see how easy it is...
11.17.2025
HOLIDAY: Mid-Mod Holiday Wreath

I've been cutting and bending and gluing them into various decorating elements, and I hope this series inspires you to give a new material a try!
Continue reading for details and full tutorial...
11.10.2025
HOLIDAY: 'Mid-Century Modern' Inspo
Way back in 2007, I found the book shown above at the glorious Goodwill outlet in Seattle, which means I paid about forty five cents for it! I just love old books - the illustrations and covers are true art.
I began flipping through the book right there in the store, and was captivated by the holiday decorating ideas that were popular back in 1953 when this book was published. Since I never know WHERE inspiration is going to take me, looking back at the past often jump-starts new interpretations of those ideas for my own creations.
Sadly, this book and many, many others left my possession back in 2011 when everything about my life changed in an instant. I sure wish I had a copy now!
Edited to add: OK... I am WEAK, people. Immediately after typing that paragraph, I got online to search for a used / secondhand copy of this book. I searched Half Price Books - no luck. A seller on Etsy HAD one, but Deb is cheap and is NOT paying $35! So I checked ThriftBooks, and they had it for just $15! I immediately ordered - and it arrived *just* before I left for Palm Springs!
11.05.2025
Published! Country Sampler Farmhouse Style Winter Issue
I just received the new Holiday/Winter issue of Country Sampler's Farmhouse Style Magazine in the mail, and one of my past projects is included!
Back in January of 2023, I shared my yarn-wrapped glass vases here on the blog, as part of a series of winter-y home decor elements created with loopy white yarn.
Last fall, Susan Wagner at Annie's Publishing asked me if they could include my vases in this year's Winter issue... since it's always fun to have my projects available to people who haven't discovered my blog yet, of course I said yes!
If you are visiting homeward found decor for the first time because you saw this project in the magazine, Welcome! And thank you!
Continue reading for more photos, as well as links to my original project tutorials...
10.29.2025
AUTUMN: Cathrine Holm-Inspired Painted Pumpkins
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It's a bit hard to believe that this is the LAST pumpkin design for this year!
I've had fun coming up with new ideas for you.... including this one.
The inspiration for them came from the green placemats seen in the photo.
When I found those in the dollar store last month,
I fell in love with the leafy elements in the print -
Then I looked again, and realized why I like it!
Continue reading to see my inspiration for this project + tutorial...
10.22.2025
AUTUMN: Faux Tree Bark Pumpkin
10.15.2025
AUTUMN: Make 'Bumpy' Pumpkins With Loopy Yarn!
but when I found a hank of loopy green yarn in my stash, I had an idea,
and in a matter of minutes two elements became pumpkins -
so here ya' go, friends!
make a fun version of 'warty pumpkins' using loopy yarn...
10.01.2025
AUTUMN: 130 Pumpkin Ideas from Deb!

Looking for DIY pumpkin decor inspiration and tutorials?
You've come to the right place - it's Pumpkin Season at hwF!
to see every single one of the 130 different pumpkin posts
You'll see my most recent designs inspired by Taylor Swift:
(which I just can't get to pull up together... sorry)
yellows, tropi-FALL, and neutral pumpkins
and of course made using thrifted sweaters...
9.24.2025
AUTUMN: 'The Life of a Showgirl' Confetti Pumpkin
Let's create the last of my four 'Showgirl Pumpkins'!
'4' has been completely re-done - AGAIN!
She has been bright warm yellow,
white with painted gold kintsugi 'cracks',
white with brown-tone painted florals, also plain white,
and originally she was a weird orange at the thrift store.
In ALL of her 'former costumes', 4 has been lovely...
but now, she's really ready for the spotlight!
Read More for my easy tutorial....
9.17.2025
AUTUMN: 'The Life of a Showgirl' Sequin Pumpkin

"Hi! I'm Deb... are you ready to SPARKLE?!"
Let's create the third of my four 'Showgirl Pumpkins'!
This sparkling glittering specimen was inspired by one of Taylor's outfits,
and I've combined several elements to transform a styro pumpkin
into one worthy of the spotlight!
Read More for my easy tutorial...
9.10.2025
AUTUMN: 'The Life of a Showgirl' Graffiti Pumpkin

"Hi! I'm Deb... are you ready to SPARKLE?!"
Let's create the second of my four 'Showgirl Pumpkins'!
Using my favorite decorating tool - paint -
I glammed up an item I already had in my stash,
which made it a pretty cheap makeover!
The only thing I bought for this was a small bottle of gold glitter glue.
Read More for my easy tutorial...
9.03.2025
Autumn: 'The Life of a Showgirl' Sweet SPARKLE Sweater Pumpkin

"Hi! I'm Deb... are you ready to SPARKLE?!"
Let's create the first of my four 'Showgirl Pumpkins'!
And honestly, what OTHER kind of pumpkin
would you expect ME to start with - than a Sweet Sweater Pumpkin?!
Since creating the Originals way back in 2007,
I've come up with many versions of them over the years.
This one is what I'd term an 'embellished' pumpkin,
because we're gonna' add an obscene amount of glitter to it
(along with a final detail that is SO perfect!) to make it spotlight-worthy!
Read More for my easy tutorial....
8.27.2025
AUTUMN: 'The Life of a Showgirl' Pumpkins!

"...so, I wanted to show you something..."
THIS is my brand new theme for this Autumn's seasonal decor:
With Taylor's new album releasing in just over a month,
I was inspired by her FUN theme + her wardrobe on the Eras Tour
to create some sparkly orange 'costumes' for my pumpkin 'showgirls'...


I've got FOUR fabulous pumpkin tutorials to share with you -
two are painted ceramic pumpkins and two are fabric pumpkins.
(and yes, of course one of them is a Sweet Sweater Pumpkin!)
Here's a quick Sneak Peek:

They're all glittery and sparkly and shimmery
(one of them even has friendship bracelets!)
and the perfect addition to your autumn decor.
I'll be sharing four posts with four detailed tutorials,
one each Wednesday in September.
What a fun way to lead up to Taylor's album release on October 3rd!
(AND to celebrate her recent engagement to Travis Kelce!)

...even if you're not a fan of Ms. Swift, OR orange,
you can use my creations as a starting point to make your own
uniquely sparkly pumpkins. Maybe in BLACK! Or Green ;)
(I'm stepping out of my 'Green Era' this month... but not forever!)
We'll get started on Wednesday, September 3rd...
Get ready to SPARKLE here on the blog!
8.20.2025
Tropi-FALL: Square Tiki Pumpkins
Back in August of 2020, I was BORED and came up with this fun idea for making unique tiki-style fall decor. I figured if you can paint on a pumpkin, you can paint something else to LOOK like a pumpkin.
After all, who needs plain ol' pumpkins when you can have TIKI pumpkins?!
(or - and hear me out - Disney character pumpkins or Harry Potter character pumpkins, whatever your vibe is!)
I recently realized that I've never shared them on the blog and since they fit right into my current Tropi-FALL vibe, now is a perfect time to remedy that.
Read More for an easy tutorial plus detail shots....
8.01.2025
Ready for Tropi-FALL?!
But I can get on board with a different kind of 'summer into fall' decor...
So in this post, I'm going to re-share a roundup of my past creations that bridge the seasons of summer and fall with a beachy, coastal, tropical, tiki style vibe. I call it 'Tropi-FALL'! (And if you ARE ready for fall, you can jump right in!)
Putting them all in one post gives me a break from having to promote new blog posts each week this month, giving me space to enjoy time with friends at some fun events... because although the hot weather will last into October here, summer isn't sticking around forever. I want to enjoy it! (And yes, I'm testing out this 'one project/one post per month' method to see if it helps me with some things I have been struggling with.)
Continue reading for a look back at four of my faves...
7.30.2025
SUMMER: Tiki Punch!
Like my last post, this is a paint project - because nothing can change the look of something faster then paint! It's also a pretty inexpensive way to add a fun touch to your decorating.
Continue reading for an easy 'how-to'!
7.23.2025
SUMMER: repainted thrifted signs
Giving something a fresh look so it fits my decor colors and theme is part of that.
My favorite thing to give a 'makeover' to is signs - wood, metal, ceramic, paper, plastic - because I can indulge my love of painting and in just minutes have a whole new item to add to our home.
All of the signs in the photo up above have been given a makeover - simple applications of acrylic paint that completely changed the look of what I found!
I promise that it isn't hard to do - continue reading and I'll show you the before, during, and after of every one of those signs. It's LONG, but you'll learn a lot!
7.16.2025
SUMMER: Vintage Sheet Music Wall Art
Sometimes, it's just finding an item that appeals to you, and hanging it on the wall!
Case in point: Vintage sheet music. In my case, vintage Hawai'ian sheet music.
While at our library bookstore one day, I decided to thumb through the STACKS of vintage sheet music they had ('Vintage' because NOW people use music on iPads!). Lo and behold, I flipped a few books of Mozart and Liszt and found a beautiful green cover with darling Annette Funicello's photo and the song title 'Pineapple Princess' on it!
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If you know anything about the 'Mickey Mouse-keteers' or any of the Frankie & Annette teen movies from the 50's, you know who Annette IS. I think she's adorable, and I also think that the Hawai'ian music + Disney history combo is absolutely perfect for our home!
And though I didn't actually know WHAT I would do with this, I handed over the FIFTY CENTS owed and brought her home with me. Just one day later, I decided what to use the sheet music for, and within ten minutes I had new wall art!
Continue reading for a truly simple tutorial...
7.09.2025
SUMMER: a tiki birdbath fountain
Nine years ago when we moved into this new house, I created a fun fountain for our backyard using galvanized buckets. You've seen that fountain here on the blog, as well as shared online and published in Country Sampler Farmhouse Style Magazine (past post links are below this post).
Well, after nine years, this spring I was ready for a NEW look - as well as something that fit our tropical decor a bit more than galvie buckets. I had an idea and began collecting the materials I would need, but the main element eluded me. Until one day, I saw something in a facebook Marketplace listing that was the missing piece!
As soon as I had that, I was able to get this project underway. I completed it in April and have been waiting to share this project! I re-purposed a concrete birdbath into part of a fountain in our backyard... along with the relaxing sounds of a fountain, it still functions as a birdbath & watering spot for all of our wild birds. Which makes Deb one happy girl!
Continue reading for my tutorial...
7.01.2025
SUMMER: NEW Sweet Sweater Tomatoes!
Summertime isn't complete without ripe, juicy tomatoes - and I've come up with a fun new Sweet Sweater Original creation that captures their appeal!
Whether you love fresh-grown summer tomatoes in a Caprese salad, on a grilled burger, or just on a plate with a sprinkle of salt, they seem to be the design accent of the season... everyone from Target to World Market to Pottery Barn has tomato products right now.
My idea was inspired by a fuzzy red 'tomato' pillow (more like a giant pincushion) that I saw in the Bullseye's Playground bins at Target - made from red microfleece and felt, it was... cute.

Yet I knew I could make it BETTER. With a SWEATER! ;)
Yes, sweater decor in summertime. I am obsessed!
Continue reading for an easy tutorial...
6.26.2025
SUMMER: grass skirt lampshade cover
Continue reading for an easy DIY tutorial that will work on any lampshade...
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