rainbow colorized wreath

switching up my holiday decor themes each year is a lot of fun,
and it doesn't cost a lot to make a change...

this white wreath was just $6 at a local thrift shop four years ago,
and i've reworked it with colorful ornaments to match my colorful tree.

most of those ornaments i already had,
a few i grabbed at thrift shops and Dollar Tree to fill out my color palette.
( all told, i spent less than ten dollars on this)
attaching them to the wreath was a quick undertaking,
and the impact is uplifting - indoors or out!

continue reading for a few wreath decorating tips...

diy paint chip ornaments

nestled in with the brightly colored ornaments in my rainbow garlanded tree
are these ornaments that i made using paint chips.

a note about using paint chips, if i may....

i sauntered in to my local paint store and asked for old paint chips - 

and they handed me an armload of fan decks! FREE!

(i nearly skipped out the door...)

i highly recommend making this effort to procure paint chips responsibly.
i emphatically discourage raiding paint chip displays in home improvement stores.
just to be clear.

making these ornaments is pretty simple - it's a scissors & paste kinda' craft project!

continue reading for the easy tutorial for all three styles of ornaments... 

rainbow colorized Christmas tree

i really think Joanna and Cleo of The Home Edit would LOVE this Christmas tree!
a brilliant white tree with bright color ornaments, arranged in rainbow ROYGBIVP order 
("it's a SYSTEM!" - if you know, you know)

a place for everything and everything in its place, right?!

okay, so, yesssss, i've been watching The Home Edit on Netflix. a LOT.
and yessssss, it has indeed had an influence on my Christmas decor this year.
i was also inspired by an Insta photo of a huge garland made of balloons...
that spurred the idea to create a 'garland' of colorful ornaments
that were arranged in color order.

continue reading to hear more about where those ornaments CAME from
and see how easy this approach to tree decorating is!

creative Christmas tree skirts

i'm going to confess that i have never used a store-bought tree skirt

on any of my own Christmas trees. NEVER.

it's not that my trees go bare-legged, it's just that i use different things under them than most people:
vintage petticoats, silky satin formal skirts, my wedding dress!, rugs,
old wood crates, and more tablecloths than i can count. Oh, and a fuzzy blanket!.
i've even used.... wait for it... pine branches. simple, right?

this year's happy colorful theme called for some FUN under the tree,

and i've come up with two different ways to do that by repurposing other items.
one involves some crafting, and will work on any size tree.
the other is for a small tree,
and was so easy i could hardly believe i hadn't thought of it before.

i hope they both make you take a look at whatever tree skirt you've been using
and think twice... about maybe trying something different this year.
now, let's get creative!

continue reading for the easy diy tutorials...

merry and bright

anyone else agree with me that we really need a MERRY Christmas?!

2020 has been hard. we all know that.

as the holiday season approaches, we all seem to be

looking forward to decorating our homes and trees and front doors

to welcome the joy of the season - even if we can't welcome guests.

while the holidays might look different than usual this year,

we can all certainly make the best of them - and of us.

let's look to our childhood memories to fuel our imaginations,

and create a mood that brings a smile to the faces of those we love.

let's make it merry and bright!

continue reading to see what inspired me...

fall flip: guest room update

back in August, i shared the no-cost makeover i created in our guest room - 
a cool, refreshing boho mod style in tones of greens and accented with succulents.

no one has come to stay with us since then, but i've just updated the decor...

and even though there isn't a pumpkin or a leaf in sight,
adding the color orange really works to to bring in a 'fall' mood.
(it's still hot here. but it's October now, so i have to accept the inevitable!)

continue reading to see how a few small changes made a BIG difference

 in the way this room feels...

early fall floral tablescape

ah, September... a fickle month that can't decide if it's summer or fall!

even between seasons,
nature never fails to delight me with new color combinations and moods,

providing endless inspiration for decorating...

inspired by a piece of fabric that evokes a late summer garden,
this tablescape includes some fall elements along with summer flowers and herbs.
it's easy to pull together a pretty table - just look outside for inspiration!

continue reading for some easy table decor tips...

'paint chip' painted pumpkins

a recent post shared the paper paint chip pumpkins i made, 

and this project was hatched at the same time!

three styrofoam pumpkins were easily painted in the same style as paint chips,

and the multi-hued stripes just make me smile.

continue reading for tips on how to make these easy painted pumpkins...

fall decorating in gradient tones

September rolls around and it's supposed to be 'everything Pumpkin Spice'.
but honestly, that's a stretch when it's still triple-digit summer heat outside - 
sometimes our geographic location just doesn't vibe with popular seasonal decor
and it's time to get outta' that box!

rather than go full-on with leaves and pumpkins everywhere, 

i came up with a way to use what i had on hand with a fresh look:

arranging my stash of pumpkins in a color gradient.

while the color spectrum runs from clear to brown,

arranging things this way gives a 'fall feel' with a bit of whimsy.

continue reading to see how easy this approach is!

painterly pumpkins

it's been over 110 degrees where i live this past week. WAY over. ugh. 

this does NOT feel like fall, my friends. not. one. bit.

so, i've been hiding in my air conditioned studio to escape the heat.

i was tidying my studio and went to toss something away, 

when suddenly a flash of inspo hit... and these colorful pumpkins are the result. 

cute? yes! painterly? yes! made of trash? yes!!

[also: completely unplanned!!!] 

continue reading to see what i repurposed to make them!

no-cost diy boho guest room decor

my home is basically a laboratory. a design 'test kitchen' of sorts.
every space is fair game for me to try out ideas, 
without worrying whether or not they'll work. if not, i try a new approach!

recently i had some ideas for some new decor that would bridge summer into fall,
with a bit of a 'modern boho' vibe. 
i just wasn't ready to remove all of the fun tiki style details
that we are enjoying in our main living spaces this summer.
so i took a peek into the guest room... and found a willing volunteer.
this room has been the same for four years, and it's long past time for a refresh!

i got to work and created a buncha' new projects, then restyled the room in a day.
i used what i have on hand here at home, so a whole new look didn't cost me a cent.
(all of those projects will be getting the spotlight in upcoming posts)

continue reading to see the before, during, after - and all of the details!

summer patio decor refresh

this patio decor project is a perfect example 
of my homewardFOUND decorating philosophy:
re-think what you already have to make your home look terrific!

we've reached the middle of the strangest summer on record,
and if you're like me, you've been home A LOT  - 
maybe the spaces you've spent a lot of time in might need a refresh right about now.
since we're all enjoying the nice weather outdoors these days,
why not give your patio, porch, or deck a quick makeover? FREE?!

continue reading to see two examples of VERY 'fast, cheap, & easy' makeovers
on two different outdoor living spaces...

up-cycled magazine page floral art

you know how people always say 'let me sleep on it'?
that creative solutions come to them in their dreams?
yeah.... not me. my muses come at night and KEEP me from sleeping.

at the end of the day, i climb into bed, 

nestled up with a cup of tea and a good book to read - or my phone to scroll thru.

my goal is to slow my brain down, stop the flow of thoughts and ideas, so i can fall asleep.

and every once in a while, it actually works.

most of the time, though, i see something online or read a description in a book,

and my brain starts imagining wild creations and designs.

so i haul myself out of my comfy nest of a bed, run across the hall,

go into my studio, and scribble a quick sketch or jot a note to capture the idea

before it vanishes into the ether. 

i was today years old when i finally got SMART!

i decided that i need to have a small notepad and pen on my bedside table instead.

  a quick bit of mixed media art fun resulted - and now i've got a solution i can sleep with.

continue reading to see what inspired the design!

scrap paper posies

some days, we just need a break. right? 
a chance to rest, an opportunity to cut loose, a moment to relax.
not every project has to be a ground-breaking new invention. or a massive undertaking.
sometimes - especially during a worldwide shutdown -
we just need some mindless activity to distract ourselves from anxious thoughts.

so while i've completed some big projects over the past few months,
and the muses have been kind enough to lead me in the direction of new creations,
i've also given myself the gift of time to PLAY. as in: projects just for FUN.
not necessarily to blog about, because they aren't always AMAZING,
but to sit back for a time and play around - and see where it goes.
i'll look at something in my studio and think 'what if i.....' 
and then i'm off, trying something new.

no matter what i am making, i always have fun playing with paper, scissors, and glue.

(sometimes my creative life feels like kindergarten....)

my challenge to myself these past four months has been to ONLY use what i have here at home.
(yes, the vintage roll of crepe paper from a recent post broke that rule...
but i hadn't gone out specifically shopping for craft supplies.)
i've got a lot of stuff around here, so there are ample 'art supplies' at hand.
and rarely do i use things the way they were intended to be used.
i just see things.... differently.

take gift wrap paper, for instance.... sure, i wrap gifts with it. 

but it's basically an art supply, right? paper of any kind is an art supply. 

oh, how i love art supplies. always have. even when they aren't from an 'art store'.
even when it's technically trash...

these scrap paper posies turn trash into treasure,
and are a quick project, perfect for de-stressing on a hot summer day!

continue reading to see where the inspiration for these colorful blooms came from...

repurposed wire lampshade mobile

wire has made an appearance in my projects on this blog many times,

from the various ways i have used wire tomato cages and wire lampshade frames,

to the simple crowns, cages, and domes i have fashioned from this inexpensive material.

earlier this summer, i grabbed some wire items that i've created in the past,

and combined them with wire lampshade frames and a few new finds

to create a whimsical wire mobile in my studio.

i love how it adds movement and color to the room

and because it's overhead, it takes up no space at all!

continue reading for the incredibly simple way it is suspended...

festive 'foo foo faux food' for the fourth!

a miracle happened yesterday... a thrift store near us was OPEN!

so, masked up with sanitizing wipes in hand, Mom and i tiptoed through the door

and were welcomed by a cheerful young lady who was wiping down the register counter.

only one other person was in the store, so we felt quite safe.

and on the way to the back of the shop, 

where there are many many bookshelves filled with many many books 

- for just ten cents each, which is why we LOVE this thrift shop! - 

i spied a brand new roll of vintage crepe paper (probably from the 70's)

and my weakness for vintage paper ephemera began nagging at me. 

(spurred on by the fact that i haven't been out thrifting since February!)

yes, i bought it. i spent a whole TWENTY FIVE CENTS on it!

nope, i had NO IDEA what i was going to use it for. i just couldn't resist.

but then i came home, sat it on the sideboard in my studio,

 next to a few small bottles holding old paper flags.

and an idea for a 'fast, cheap, & easy' accent for the Fourth of July was born!

click through to see the details...

diy fourth of july

Fourth of July weekend is coming up in just DAYS,
and no matter where or how you are celebrating
during this crazy quarantine you probably need some easy 'use what you have' ideas!

so i've pulled together all of the previous red, white & blue projects, ideas, & decor
that i've shared here at homewardFOUND since 2012

to inspire your patriotic celebrations!

continue reading to see them all...

NEW! Sweet Sweater Sandbabies!

in my last post, i shared my new 'sweet sweater kakamora'

along with a 'flashback' to a previously unseen 'sweet sweater sandbaby':

and he was cute.... but he needed some color to fit into my studio/office decor!

so i grabbed some bright beach buckets, white beach hats,

one last tan sweater from my stash, and one tan chenille 'sweet sweater pumpkin'
and started playing around....

the happy result was these three adorable beach babies in colorful buckets!

oh, but wait... i didn't stop there! keep reading to see what happened NEXT!

metal chair = magnet board!

a spur-of-the-moment solution to a project i'd been considering took over my weekend!
making a change to the black metal chair in this photo has been on my mind,
but i wasn't sure about the method. or the outcome. mostly, the permanence of it.
so it's been 'on the back burner' for awhile. um... years.
then a solution presented itself - and in less than ten minutes, i had done it!

continue reading to see the final colorful outcome of this crazy-easy undertaking,
and hear a tale about the chair in this photo. it's been on a journey to get to me...

tropical gift bag wall art

along with the plethora of tikis i've been creating,
i've added some other tropical decor elements to our home for summer...
elements like this leafy wall art, made from a plastic gift / tote bag!

continue reading for the easiest art project ever...