easy 'dot' candy pumpkins

it seems this fall has affected me by making me crave candy and sweets!!

this happy project was born when i found THESE at the Dollar Tree:

'member those?!!!

'dot' candy on paper strips was one of my FAVE sweet treats as a kid

(confession: i would sometimes stop at the local Circle K market while walking to school

and spend my lunch money on candy instead. BAD little debby!!!)

when i saw these GIANT candy versions, i grabbed a package

and got right to work when i arrived home...

...continue reading to see how easy this pumpkin decor is for adults & kids alike!

have a ball with these pumpkins!

do you have a family full of sports fans?

oh, my friends, you're gonna' have a BALL with this idea! 😉

i was killing time before an appointment by walking thru a 'FIVE below' discount store,

and spied a bin filled with small basketballs in bright happy colors...

there was no yellow, but the minty green one caught my eye!

continue reading for tips on this SUPER fast & easy pumpkin decor project!

paint palette eggs!

this one came to me one day while i was going through my bins of spring decor.

back in 2020 i made some simple Easter eggs with varied finishes on them,
and as i saw those in the bin, i realized that their shape was very much like
the paint palettes that artists use... and a new creative idea was born!

...continue reading for this easy project

(and to see what those 'paint palettes' are REALLY made of!)

last-minute 'pumpkin 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...

give 'em pumpkin to talk about!

for my final 'Halloween' post, i'm sharing some costumes!
they're a bit different that what that word might cause you to expect...
because they are all for pumpkins!

i dressed up my white pumpkins in hats, glasses, bow ties, lacy ruffs, masks, crowns,
and one spectacular wig.
they're ready for the costume parade - and they serve as great inspiration
if you're still looking for last-minute decor ideas!

continue reading to see how i raided the costume box and dressed up my punkies!

decorate pumpkins with stickers!

Halloween is comin' up quick... 

and if you're still looking for easy ways to decorate, i've got 'em!

this pumpkin decorating method ticks all the boxes:

fast✔     cheap✔     easy✔    no-carve✔     no clean-up✔   kids can do it ✔

and the results are loads of fun, too!

continue reading for a really sneaky way to get fabulous 'last minute' pumpkins!

yarn + twine pineapples

as i was making my new Sweet Sweater Pineapples
(shared in my last post - link below)
i came up with a few more ideas for easy-peasy pineapple crafts...

like, SO easy. kids can do this easy. no adhesive easy.

continue reading for the two-step tutorial -
PLUS another way to make a 'sweater' pineapple!

Sweet Sweater Scoops!

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!

sunny paint palette wall art

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...

pop art paper posies!

a recent creative challenge i am part of called for participants to share
how we've invoked the spirit of spring in our art.

well, my 'art' is craft - using re-purposed, upcycled, re-imagined materials.

and my first response was to think of my paper paint chip daffodils,

so i submitted a photo of those.

then i thought of another idea, and wanted to play with it...
since i love making somethin' outta' nuthin', i chose to use plain cardstock paper!

the result of my afternoon 'playtime with paper, paste and scissors' is something
that reminds me for all the world of pop art, like Andy Warhol's famous pixilated works.
it also makes me think of the art of Sina Trixx, an inventive design firm
(view their astounding pop art architectural creations on Instagram)

can black + white evoke springtime? yes! 
continue reading to see how...

paint chip advent calendar

it's time to start the official Christmas countdown!
here's a simple way to create an advent calendar that you can personalize for your family.

i've used paint chip squares, since they coordinate with my theme this year,
but other easy ways to create something similar include manila tags and post-it notes!
the process is very easy - everyone can get in on the fun!

continue reading for the how-to and suggestions for personalizing an advent calendar...

'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...

paper 'paint chip' pumpkins

these happy pumpkins sprang into my head one night,

and i couldn't wait to get into my studio the next day to try them out!

last spring, i shared a few projects that are based on paint chips.

although the first project - hearts - was made from real paint chips (from a client's decor project)
i then came up with a way to make my OWN paint 'chips': paint them on paper!

not only is it a perfect way to get the right colors for a specific use,

it also assures that i always have as many as i need if a project expands
(frequently!) or needs a do-over (sometimes!).
.
continue reading for details on making your own painted paint chip paper

AND the things i've made with them this year!

3 upcycled paint palette ideas

paint.
it's a magical substance that can easily and inexpensively change everything it touches.

want a dark room to seem more light and spacious? paint it a light hue.
want a damaged piece of stained wood furniture to look fresh and new? paint it.
want to create stunning decor in a room without spending a lot? paint a mural or wallpaper effect.

i've been painting things all of my life, and along the way, i've learned a few things...
like supplies for painting & crafting don't have to be new and from the art supply store.
just like in diy home decor, it's easy to upcycle / repurpose household items!

continue reading for my top three ideas for paint palettes...

NEW! Sweet Sweater Bunny Tails!

just when you thought i had made everything possible with upcycled sweaters...
introducing the springtime creation that has evaded me for years:
Sweet Sweater Bunny Tails! 

this happy spring project made use of some sweater remnants found in a bin in the garage -
including a pink sweater Santa hat!
using the same method as my famous Sweet Sweater Pumpkins, it all came together fast.
i actually spent more time snapping photos and editing them than making the bunny tails!

continue reading to see just how quickly you can make these for Easter...

easter eggs on parade

it's April first - and rather than share a joke or a prank, 
i hope you'll enjoy this slideshow of Easter egg decorating ideas

pulled from my past homewardFOUND blog posts!

for more inspiration, 

see all past Easter egg posts here

paint chip easter eggs - over easy!

if you've been around here any length of time, 

you know that i like my decorating projects 'fast, cheap, & easy'TM. my trademark phrase.

in this case, the project is 'over easy'! 

yeah, it's a pun, but it's also true - because this is a super-fast craft idea for spring & Easter.

.

continue reading for the easy how-to and how i've used them...

painting the daffies yellow!

spring 2020 sure is coming in like a... not lion. more like a T-Rex!

as we all adjust to this 'new normal' (and no, it's not normal),

we're all looking for activities that calm us, entertain the kids, make home a bit more... home-y.

.

using my recent 'paint your own paint chips' technique,

i've been happily painting away and then making new decor elements with the results...

this time 'round, i came up with flowers.

i'm not painting the roses red... i'm painting the daffodils yellow!

continue reading for my easy tutorial for this sweet spring project...

the art of nesting

'nesting' is kind of the mood of the moment, isn't it?
as part of our newly-required 'social distancing' practices, 
we're all spending more time at home right now.
the organizing & purging that we began with gusto in January 
has become a flurry of cleaning & disinfecting in March.

confession: i am not a person who loves cleaning. i DO it, of course, 
but my main motivation has always been that i clean the house so i can decorate the house.
 restyling. refreshing. we sometimes call this 'nesting'.
mama's about to have babies do this. newlyweds do this. 
and sometimes, angry/frustrated people do this. 
(deb raises her hand).
yeah, i'm one o' THOSE people. i clean like a banshee when i am mad or feel out of control. 
the physical activity - and the loud music i play as i engage in it - really can help re-set my mood.
plus it accomplishes something good (a clean house), so it isn't wasted energy.

i think this applies when we are a bit scared and uncertain, too...
cleaning, conquering clutter, completing a project, expressing some creativity
are positive things we can do with the pent-up energy that threatens to overwhelm us.
in times of stress (like we're all experiencing right now), it can be helpful
to set ourselves to the task of gaining some control over a part of our lives, like our homes.

and yes, that includes crafting and creating and decorating -
all facets of 'the art of nesting'.
these pursuits can re-set our mindset and give us a respite in the midst of chaos.
it can help us engage our brains in a positive thought pattern -
and if you have littles at home, you can teach them how to focus on what is possible
rather than on limitations.

in light of that, i've been puttering around the house as i clean,
and decided to update & refresh a few projects from the past.

since my whole 'thing' here at homewardFOUND is 'use what you already have'
i looked around at my stash and found a way to freshen up an original project
that i created over a decade ago. it needed a facelift. and so did i!
the creative process made me smile (the best kind of facelift) as i was working on this,
and now the finished product makes our home smile with its presence...
a good reminder that old can be made new, new approaches can be taken,
new things can be accomplished. at any time.

i think NOW is a good time to put those principles into practice, don't you?

 continue reading for a colorful re-furb and a link to my nest-making tutorial...

paint chip shamrocks!

it's finally MARCH!
so now i can divulge the second decor project that i came up with
after creating my 'painted paint chip' paper <<< click for tutorial
(this project was actually the REASON i came up with that alternative to using actual paint chips)

inspired by my own pink 'paint chip hearts' shared back in February, 
i tweaked that process to make shamrocks to decorate with, in honor of St. Patricks' Day - 
and it's SO easy, even your kids can do this!

continue reading for an easy-peasy spring decor craft that your little leprechauns will love...