HOLIDAY: Mid-Mod Nativity

Because the 'Reason for the Season' is important to me, I've created and shared a lot of nativity scenes over the years...

From repainting ceramic figurines to look like terra cotta and placing ornaments on top of bud vases to turning wood scraps into figures for a 'NativiTIKI', I've put my creative brain to work every holiday season to match my themes. (I have linked my favorites at the end of this post)

This year my nativity is simple and modern in style, which fits the Mid Mod Holiday theme perfectly...

HOLIDAY: Mid-Mod Theme Review

Before the holidays are over, I thought a review of all of my projects + posts for this holiday season would be helpful if you've missed any. I'm linking them below, in the order they appeared on the blog.

Continue Reading...

HOLIDAY: Wrap It Up Mid Mod Style!

 

I'll be honest and say that my favorite 'gift giving' part of Christmas is wrapping the gifts and filling the stockings! I had so much fun over the years finding fun, interesting, maybe educational, and yummy goodies to load up my four kids' stockings each year...

... and yes, I wrapped EVERY item that went into their stockings!

(Truth be told, I did that to slow them down, so Mommy could enjoy a cup of coffee and a cinnamon roll on Christmas morning before the mayhem began!)

Stockings aren't *just* for hanging from the mantel, tho. 

Continue reading to see a few other ways I've used them during the holidays - plus a fun way to embellish them with Mid Mod style. (And in true 'Deb' style, when I can't find what I want, I MAKE it. So I've included a quick tutorial for making your own wrapping paper design!)

HOLIDAY: Vinyl & Chenille 'Paper' Chains

I'm not really a 'trend' girl, but when something grabs the collective attention, I notice it.

Like the release of Taylor Swift's 'Life of a Showgirl' album, which hatched four fun sparkly pumpkins for my fall blog series. The deep-hued color palette and classic elements included in the 'new' holiday look dubbed 'Ralph Lauren Christmas' is just a new name, not a new style. And the recent selection of a white hue for the color of the year 2026 and the responses to it are most certainly trending right now - and oh, I DO have thoughts, but I'll keep those over on Instagram to spare you from my disappointment.

There IS one current trend that I can get on board with...
As a creator of seasonal decor using primarily re-purposed, re-used, and sustainable materials, the fervor over paper chains this season is giving me LIFE!

I love seeing all of the ways that people everywhere are creating them and using them in their holiday decor - and many have expressed that they'll be keeping them up well after the new year, too. I'm all in on that idea! (And I may just make MORE to add to my studio!)

I whipped up two different 'chains' that fit my current Mid-Mod inspired theme, just for my own enjoyment... but once I hung them on my studio wall, I decided to include a blog post about them. It's not like you need a tutorial to tell you how to make them - most of us have been doing that since kindergarten. I just thought I'd remind you that you can use just about anything to create them - including vinyl placemats!

The inspiration from mid-century modern style comes from my memories, as well as documented trends and styles from that period. So incorporating a childhood (mine was in the mid-sixties through the 70's) craft in this holiday series just feels right... and I even included a special little touch that my Mom used to add to my paper chains way back when!

Continue reading for all the details...

HOLIDAY: Mid-Mod Inspired Parasol Trees

...and here I thought I was DONE making trees. NOPE!

Inspired by a gorgeous mid-century modern photo, I was planning to create THIS:

As Charles Phoenix says, "I KNOOOOOWWWWWW!!!" Isn't it cool?!!

I ordered some materials online and had a plan. Then I ran outta' time to build it. So I pivoted to create smaller similar versions instead... In any case, I adore these fun and truly EASY paper trees and I think you will, too!

Continue reading for details & tutorials...

HOLIDAY: Mid-Mod 'Tiered' Trees

 

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! 

HOLIDAY: Mid-Mod 'Cone' Trees with Ceramic 'Trunks'

The wreaths are made and hung, the ornaments are ready to go on the tree...
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!

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!... 

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!... 

HOLIDAY: Mid-Mod Ornament Wreath

I've been busily crafting unique ornaments using the vinyl placemats shared in my last post. They aren't quite ready for their debut on the blog yet, but I thought I'd share how I used ornaments to create another wreath that embraces Mid-Century Modern style (with a bit of Scandinavian vibes, too) using just ornaments and some ribbon. 

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...

HOLIDAY: Mid-Mod Holiday Wreath

Welcome to my 2025 holiday theme!

After spending a week out in Palm Springs soaking up the mid-century modern vibes, I was inspired to create Christmas decorating projects in a fun 'Mid Mod Holiday' theme!

Created with simple materials, clean lines, and a monochromatic color scheme, they're all easy to create, and all of them utilize an item that you can easily find... as a matter of fact, you've seen this material before! My last pumpkin creation of fall was painted with green leafy motifs, inspired by the shape of the leaves in this pattern:

It's a VINYL PLACEMAT! From Dollar Tree!

They cost just $1.50 each. I bought 18. (See them online on the Dollar Tree website - but they aren't sage green as described, they are a minty green) You can also see other patterns and colors that might work for you here! [Not an Ad]

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...

our 'CHOSEN' Christmas tree

Christmas Day is over...

and i hope you're kicking back in your pj's,
enjoying this delightful limbo between Christmas and New Year's Day.

(after all, who really knows what day it is?)

 as i indulge in as much laziness as i can muster,

i thought i'd share this year's Christmas tree decor - 

some elements i've had for years, others i made just for this theme.

it's.... different. not what most people would do.

(anyone out there surprised by this?!!)

the theme and elements fit into our tropically decorated home

and also speaks to our 'reason for the season'...

continue reading for more details...

holiday 2024: a tablescape trick

gathering at the table is a big part of holiday celebrations.

whether you are planning family sit-down dinners

or friends-filled buffets this holiday season,

being with people you love is a great time to set a pretty table.

and while i set up a tablescape for these photos,

including using all of my trees for a mini tree farm centerpiece,

this post is really about a fun, easy idea for your silverware!

continue reading for the details...

holiday 2024: repurposed Christmas card wreath

it's TIME! welcome to homeward found holiday 2024:
O CHRISTMAS TREE

this year, i'm using 'artful' elements from my studio and my stash
to bring this holiday decor theme to life in my studio...
yes, green fits my current 'green era' color obsession,
AND it allows for a re-visit / re-style of some of the
elements that i have used for holiday decor in the past.

follow along for the next few weeks as i share
easy tutorials using stuff you already have on hand
to create a whimsical, magical holiday mood in your home...
and you can choose any color YOU love!

first up, an easy-peasy paper project that even the kids can get in on!

continue reading for tutorial and links to other similar projects...

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

My creative 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 Home + Garden Center near Seattle

to promote one of the themes of their holiday products this year.
(Back in the 90's, I was on their visual merchandising design team,
and have loved keeping up with their store visuals ever since -
sadly, the store closed down in 2024.)

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, and 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...

...continue reading to see three styles of terra cotta trees!

a sweet 'gingerbread' creche & nativity

for me, Christmas is not just about decorating or food or gifts...

it's about the birth of Jesus.

so each year, i either bring out my childhood nativity set

or create a new rendition of a creche scene that coordinates with my theme.

this year, i reworked the simple nativity scene that i created last year,

and added a new element that reflects my 'gingerbread' theme.

while the nativity figures would certainly work without the creche,

i like the way it focuses attention onto the holy family.

continue reading for the details of how i made it...