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Showing posts with label colorful home. Show all posts
Showing posts with label colorful home. Show all posts

12.13.2021

sweater-wrapped + painted ornaments

Christmas tree,Christmas Decor,Christmas,Christmas Decor Themes,holiday,winter,painting,ornaments,sweaters,Sweet Sweater Originals,thrifted,colorful home,DIY,diy decorating,handpainted ornaments,diy painted ornaments,painted tree ornaments,diy holiday decor,diy Christmas decor, sweater ornaments.
handpainted ornaments are trending this year,
so i wanted to somehow incorporate that into my sweet sweater season theme...
by using a soft yellow cable knit sweater as my inspiration,
i was able to replicate the tones and pattern onto plain white ornaments
and create decor that is unique to my own style.

along with those, i wrapped a few ornaments with sweater fabrics,
finding a way to put actual sweater pieces into the mix.

continue reading for the easy how-to's!

12.10.2021

sweater-wrapped vases

Christmas,Christmas Decor,Christmas Decor Themes,holiday,winter,DIY,diy decorating,sweaters,thrifted,re-purposed,up-cycling,colorful home,ornaments,sweater vases,holiday home decor.
on a cold rainy fall day waaaaaay back in 2007,
i visited designer Danny Seo's blog...
and when i saw a photograph of something Danny had created, i was smitten.
the guy took old sweater sleeves and put them on clear glass vases!

i jumped up and grabbed an ivory cashmere sweater of mine
that had recently become to small for me to wear.
(i did not become too big to wear the sweater - that's my story and i'm stickin' to it!)
i cut the sleeves off of the sweater, popped them into some clear vases
then added candles and bare branches to them...
the result was a cozy grouping that warmed up my dining table.

(when i added some small pumpkins to the grouping and looked at them side by side,
 i thought up the very first Original Sweet Sweater Pumpkins!)

i've made a few different versions of sweater-wrapped vases over the years,
and this year i had fun combining a few ideas.

continue reading to see how vases and ornaments and sweaters are a perfect match...

11.19.2021

it's a 'Sweet Sweater Season' holiday!

Christmas,Christmas Decor,Christmas Decor Themes,holiday,winter,decorating,diy decorating,DIY,seasonal,colorful home,color palettes,Pantone color of the year,color,sweaters,sweet sweater season,sweater weather,thrifted sweaters,sweater crafts
well, here we are, friends.... the holiday season is upon us!
i've been giving this year's theme a great deal of thought over the past months,
and have come up with something that isn't what you might expect to see.

i've decided to COMBINE holiday decor with winter decor!

combining two seasons into one ('holinter'??!)
means simplifying and focusing on creating decor that isn't specifically 'holiday'...
the goal is to S T R E T C H the decor impact from December all the way into February
so that i don't have to spend two weeks at the start of a new year
dealing with taking down the holiday stuff and putting out all-new winter stuff.

i really don't need more stuff.
i want less not more work after the holiday season!
i want more time for fun days on my brand new calendar,
and more time for reading and long winters' naps by the fire. or pool. whatever!
and this season, i'm making it happen.

are you in?! 

...continue reading for some sweet sneak peeks!

11.15.2021

Thanksgiving tablescape

Thanksgiving,tablescapes,entertaining,fall,holiday,seasonal,diy decorating,paper crafts,pumpkins,painting,colorful home,Thanksgiving table decor,Thanksgiving table, paper leaves,painted pumpkins.
for my Thanksgiving table decor this year,
i've rounded up most of the newest pumpkins i created
along with my new Sweet Sweater 'Shrooms and scrap paper leaves.

together, they created a table with a warm golden glow that is perfect for fall
and i didn't have to buy a thing. LOVE that.

ps: at the end of this post, i've linked ALL of my Thanksgiving tablescape ideas
that you've seen here on the blog since i began in 2012!

continue reading to see the easy details...

11.12.2021

fall paper leaf arrangement

seasonal,colorful home,Thanksgiving,diy decorating,up-cycling,trash to treasure,paper,fall,paper crafts,DIY, junk makeover,crafting,wall art,tutorial,re-purposed,fall florals,fall home decor,fall centerpieces.
i've had to get creative to bring a fall feel into my home
(there's not a fall leaf in sight outside and it's still in the 90's... sigh)
but i've managed to find a way! it's PAPER!

some of the leaves from the wreath in my last post joined with new ones
along with faux florals + leaves and a branch from my backyard tree
to create this lovely fall arrangement.
it's easy-peasy AND it won't fall apart! (hah. pun not intended)

continue reading for more details...

11.08.2021

honeycomb paper mushrooms!

fall,Thanksgiving,paper,paper crafts,DIY,diy decorating,crafting,dollar store crafts,re-purposed,party,colorful home,Pantone color of the year,up-cycling,mushrooms,paper mushrooms,mushroom party decor,mushroom crafts,paper mushrooms.
surprise!
this project and post wasn't planned -
 i was recently inspired by a cute creation on Insta, and had to try it for myself.
it worked so well that i wanted to share it here...
so i'm popping it into my late fall content before i switch to holiday!

continue reading to see what inspired me and how EASY this project is!

11.05.2021

fall wreath with scrap paper leaves

wreaths,wall art,up-cycling,trash to treasure,Thanksgiving,seasonal,re-purposed,paper crafts,paper,junk makeover,fall,DIY,diy decorating,crafting,colorful home,fall leaves,fall leaf crafts,fall home decor,fall wreaths,fall mantel decor, paper leaves
here in Southern California, we don't get 'fall leaves'. 
not at my elevation, anyway. up in the mountains it's a bit different.
the leaves down here in the flat desert turn from green to brown in July when the heat hits.
if they aren't blown off of the trees by the Santa Ana winds in September,
they hang on until January when the new leaf buds push them off.

it's harder yet when you've lived somewhere else that actually has a fall season.
i really miss being able to forage the forest for glowing red, orange, and yellow leaves.
since that possibility no longer exists for me,
i had to find another way to express a fall feeling in my home this time of year...
and i found the solution in my recycling bin!

continue reading for a quick tutorial on turning scrap paper into fall leaves - and more!

10.29.2021

last-minute 'pumpkin party' decor

art,art class,color,color palettes,colorful home,crafting with kids,DIY,diy decorating,dollar store crafts, painting,fall,pumpkins,crafting,Pantone color of the year,embellished pumpkins,pumpkin decorating,decorating with pumpkins,painted pumpkins,ribbon crafts, paper party decor
ever wondered how deb's muses work?
here's an example of the crazy ways things connect in my brain:

while in the process of cleaning up my studio
(an Herculean task, let me tell you....)
i found a plastic bag filled with some yellow paper party supplies
that i had picked up while out thrifting - and promptly forgot about!
the paper goods were immediately removed from the bag,
and tucked into a drawer where i keep all of the scrap paper & magazine tearsheets
so i wouldn't forget about them again - i'm in that drawer at least once a day.

just hours later, i scrolled through social media and saw a photo of a big fat bow,
thought 'that's cute', and kept scrolling. then i stopped.
in my mind, the big fat cute bow merged with the paper party supplies,
and became 'a pumpkin party' in my imagination...
pumpkins bedecked with ribbons and bows in a 'party' setting.

the combination of the two - plus some stickers and more party decor - 
turned out cheerful, happy, and so easy to create
and it took me just minutes to assemble the vignette shown above...
which makes it a PERFECT last minute decor idea,
and a great 'no carve' pumpkin decorating project for kids.


continue reading for the details...

10.01.2021

'dipped' faux concrete pumpkins

faux finish,farmhouse style,home decor,thrifted,colorful home,diy decorating,Thanksgiving,,fall,DIY,painting,boho style,Halloween,fall home decor,decorating with pumpkins,pumpkin decorating,painted pumpkins,faux concrete painting tutorial
one of my most popular fall tutorials since i published it seven years ago
has been my faux concrete painting tutorial.
i've used this treatment on just about every kind of pumpkin,
as well as on styrofoam wig heads, lamps, urns, and even a swan planter
to achieve an elegant 'statuary' effect.

this year, i'm combining that faux concrete look
with a current trend: the 'paint dipped' accent color.
it's been applied on the legs of furniture, the bottoms of picture frames, and more
in many popular shelter mags, websites, and products...
but i haven't seen it done on pumpkins yet!
both paint applications are quite easy - with endless variations possible.

continue reading for more details, a link to my faux concrete tutorial,
and a secret hiding in the photo above!

9.28.2021

gradient pumpkins

faux finish,farmhouse style,home decor,thrifted,colorful home,diy decorating,Thanksgiving,Sweet Sweater Pumpkins,fall,DIY,painting,boho style,Halloween,fall home decor,decorating with pumpkins,pumpkin decorating,painted pumpkins,color spectrum decor.
want a really easy way to decorate for fall?
one that makes use of things you already have?
choose one color, and gather up everything you have in that hue.
then arrange items from light to dark - or mix 'em all up.

and if what you have is a mish-mash of colors,
you can always paint things a new color! that's what i did.

continue reading for some simple transformation ideas...

9.07.2021

floral painted pumpkins

faux finish, farmhouse style, thrifted, diy decorating, Thanksgiving, pumpkins, fall, DIY, painting, boho style,neutrals, painting, colorful home,  garden art, fall, fall decorating, fall decor, pumpkins, pumpkin decor, pumpkin decorating, painted pumpkins, home decor, decorating, autumn decor, thanksgiving decor, thanksgiving, october decor, november decor, chinoiserie painted pumpkins, toile painted pumpkins, blue and white painted pumpkins, brown toile, neutral home decor, fall leaves, fall florals, fall trends 2021.
i recently went thrifting in Palm Springs
 and found some beautiful vintage china with yellow roses and gray & brown leaves.
the moment i saw them, i pictured a new version of a project that i created last fall:

 last November, i painted some of my ceramic pumpkins
with floral motifs that matched my brown English Staffordshire china collection:
faux finish, farmhouse style, thrifted, diy decorating, Thanksgiving, pumpkins, fall, DIY, painting, boho style,neutrals, painting, colorful home,  garden art, fall, fall decorating, fall decor, pumpkins, pumpkin decor, pumpkin decorating, painted pumpkins, home decor, decorating, autumn decor, thanksgiving decor, thanksgiving, october decor, november decor, chinoiserie painted pumpkins, toile painted pumpkins, blue and white painted pumpkins, brown toile, neutral home decor, fall leaves, fall florals, fall trends 2021.
they were a HUGE hit on social media (thank you all!)
and even won a creative 'pumpkin decor' challenge!
last year i also painted some mini pumpkins with the Jewel Tea 'Autumn Leaf' pattern
to match my grandma's ceramic collection.
i envisioned a similar paint treatment that would match the 'new' vintage yellow rose china,
creating the perfect additions to a beautiful fall mantel or table this year.

many people get a similar effect gluing pretty paper napkins onto pumpkins. that's ok.
but i love to paint, and i'm able to replicate the design from the plate, so i do it that way.
honestly? it's not hard. and it doesn't have to be perfect.
the end result is a very elegant fall decor accent that i made myself - and that no one else has.
  i LOVE that part!

continue reading for more details...

7.30.2021

painted pineapple planters

beach style,coastal style,tropical style,painting,summer,DIY,diy decorating,colorful home,decorating,dollar store crafts,tiki style,, summer home decor, tropical home decor, beach home decor, summer home decor, summer decorating, planters, succulents, pineapple crafts, 99 cents only stores.
i'm in a tropical state of mind, if you can't tell...
since i can't visit the island this year, i'm creating a tropical vibe here at home!

when i ran across an item at the 99 Cents Only store recently,
i immediately saw how i could easily transform it into a tropical decor accent...

continue reading for the easy how-to!

7.23.2021

new! Sweet Sweater Pineapples!

Sweet Sweater Originals, Sweet Sweater Pineapples,sweaters,thrifted,summer,re-purposing,up-cycling,crafting,tropical style,colorful home,coastal style,beach style,summer home decor,coastal home decor,beach home decor,tiki culture,tiki style home decor,tropical home decor,sweater crafts, sweater pumpkin tutorial,tutorial
sweaters? in SUMMER?
over the past 14 years, i've come up with all kinds of ideas using sweaters as crafting material,
and created nearly a dozen different 'Sweet Sweater' Originals...
a few of those are food:  pumpkins, popcorn, ice cream - and now, pineapples!

the tropical vibes are so strong with this one,
i can almost hear the ukelele music playing...
pour yourself a mai tai or some pineapple juice
and 
continue reading to for my sweet n' easy tutorial!

7.06.2021

Sweet Sweater Scoops!

colorful home,crafting,crafting with kids,summer,DIY,diy decorating,foofoo Faux Food,just for fun,re-purposing,Sweet Sweater Originals,Sweet Sweater Scoops,thrifted,trash to treasure,up-cycling,diy home decor,home decor,faux ice crea crafts,crafting with yarn,crafting with knit caps,Sweet Sweater Originals by Deb Kennedy.
the heat of summer is upon us...
and lucky for us, this 'tasty treat' won't melt as the temperature rises!

as soon as i saw a very simple item at a thrift shop,
i knew i would make it into some of my original Sweet Sweater Scoops TM
(part of my 'foofoo faux food' obsession)
reminiscent of icy lemon sherbet, just looking at these cools me down...

continue reading to see how to make them -
and you won't BELIEVE what they started out as!

6.28.2021

sunny paint palette wall art

summer,art class,wall art,color,colorful home,Pantone color of the year,crafting,crafting with kids,DIY,diy decorating,gift wrapping,paper,paper crafts,trash to treasure,tutorial,up-cycling,re-purposing,salvaged,sunshine theme,sunny day crafts,sunny day decor,summer home decor,kids crafts,yellow,Pantone Illuminating yellow,Pantone 2021, summer crafts,summer paper crafts
bored yet?
no, not you - your KIDS!
i know, we're barely into summer vacay. but i know kids!
if you're looking for simple, cheap, 'trash to treasure' craft projects to keep 'em busy,
this post will show kids how to make their OWN sunshine!

last fall, i played around with some of my disposable paper & plastic plate paint palettes
and made paint palette pumpkins (link at end of post)
today i grabbed a few palettes that i've used as i paint all.the.things yellow,
and found ways to turn them into happy sunshine art!

continue reading for a few easy scrap paper crafts to brighten up your days...

6.21.2021

sunny garden plant markers

garden art,wall art,art class,DIY,diy decorating,salvaged,re-purposing,up-cycling,trash to treasure,painting,summer,garden,Pantone color of the year,colorful home,junk makeover,outdoors,wreaths,farmhouse decor, farmhouse style,summer home decor,home decor,summer door decor,door hanger,galvanized home decor.
this 'sunny' summer project is the third in a series...
designed to bring a fun, colorful vibe to my garden this season
and hopefully to inspire you to try something similar in your home!

every gardener loves to ID the plants they grow,
and this cute plant marker project is an easy way to use stuff around the house
to make an artful impact in the yard!

continue reading to see what i used and how easily these are made...

6.14.2021

sunny yard art

garden art,art class,DIY,diy decorating,salvaged,re-purposing,up-cycling,trash to treasure,painting,summer,garden,Pantone color of the year,colorful home,junk makeover,outdoors,diy garden art,summer home decor,summer decor,re-purposed garden art
welcome to part two of my 3-post sunny garden art series!

today i'm sharing the fun sunshine 'sculptures' that i created outta' old metal...
things.
i honestly don't know what they are. i found them at a junk shop.
they were galvie, so i bought 'em and brought 'em home.
then i never used them. 
until i imagined them alongside the sunshine 'wreath' from my last post! 

continue reading to see the start to finish details...
not to mention a COMPLETE RE-DO of these with a Disney theme!!!
garden art,art class,DIY,diy decorating,salvaged,re-purposing,up-cycling,trash to treasure,painting,summer,garden,Pantone color of the year,colorful home,junk makeover,outdoors,diy garden art,summer home decor,summer decor,re-purposed garden art, Disney

6.07.2021

sunshine door decor

garden art,wall art,art class,DIY,diy decorating,salvaged,re-purposing,up-cycling,trash to treasure,painting,summer,garden,Pantone color of the year,colorful home,junk makeover,outdoors,wreaths,farmhouse decor, farmhouse style,summer home decor,home decor,summer door decor,door hanger,galvanized home decor.

talk about sun salutations!
i was staring at some junk that was sitting in the garage the other day,
decided it looked a bit like something from a place i love,
and came up with another way to make a sunny project
that's perfect on your front door, wall, or even garden fence!

this is an easy one to make,
using only a few pieces of metal junk, paint, a wreath hanger, and some zip ties...

*** as a matter of fact, it's SO EASY that i just RE-DID this project
with a *bit* more of the original inspiration included! ***
continue reading for details on the original project AND the changes i just made...

5.28.2021

farmhouse may-keover: bedroom

coastal style,color,entertaining,farmhouse style,decorating,room makeovers,colorful home,diy decorating,FREE,spring,makeover,DIY,furniture,color palettes,boho style,grandmillenial style,bathroom decor,powder room decor,farmhouse bathroom,simplified decor,minimalist decor,gallery wall decor,create a gallery wall,wall art
i've spent all month sharing the farmhouse makeover with you,
with a tour from the front porch to the powder rooms
to share ideas for a quick decor touch up.

last but not least, let's visit the main bedroom...
and guess what? since my friend is smarter than me,
there are BEFORE pics!

continue reading to see how we added artful style to her new 'nest'...

5.24.2021

farmhouse may-keover: guest baths

coastal style,color,entertaining,farmhouse style,decorating,room makeovers,colorful home,diy decorating,FREE,spring,makeover,DIY,furniture,color palettes,boho style,grandmillenial style,bathroom decor,powder room decor,farmhouse bathroom,simplified decor,minimalist decor,gallery wall decor,create a gallery wall,wall art
we don't generally think of decorating a bathroom.
(a gut job, remodel, demolition - sure)
sometimes, though, a 'cosmetic' makeover 
completed with some simple decorative accessories is enough...

as part of the process of giving my friend's house a budget-friendly new look,
i spiffed up her two powder rooms with a few basic styling tricks.

continue reading to see a refreshing change...