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Showing posts with label diy decorating. Show all posts
Showing posts with label diy decorating. Show all posts

3.15.2024

easy-peasy twine nest

spring,nests,DIY,diy decorating,tutorial,home decor,seasonal,re-purposed,up-cycling,dollar store crafts,inspired by nature,garden style,twine nest,diy nest,diy spring nest.
i dropped a ball of twine on the floor in my studio, it unraveled...
and this nest was the result!

i love it when something happens that makes me look at a material
in a new way, with a new use in a new seasonal accent.
and this one couldn't have been easier!

wanna' turn a ball of dollar store twine into a nest in less than five minutes?
continue reading! 

3.08.2024

faux spring leaves made from ribbon

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my last post included these leafy branches
that aren't leafy branches at all!

the trees in my yard haven't yet put on spring buds or leaves,
so i had to find a way to turn some bare branches into props for photos...
i've done that before with paper flowers and paper leaves,
but this time i used a different material to make the leaves:
thick satin ribbon saved from gift baskets.

they turned out SO much more realistic than i had anticipated,
and i'm thrilled to share this idea with you!

continue reading for the easy tutorial...

3.01.2024

NEW! 'Sweet Sweater Nest' for Spring

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springtime is time for a NEW 'Sweet Sweater' Original creation!

 i've created various versions of nests over the years
from all different kinds of material (posts linked below) - 
this year, i hatched an idea for one made from sweater scraps!
(does that surprise anyone at all? i bet not!)

i love the more natural, rustic look that resulted from my new method,
and have created a tutorial to help you get the same results...

...continue reading for my 'Sweet Sweater Nest' tutorial

2.23.2024

ease into spring with a faux moss wreath

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spring's arrival is just around the corner!
here's an easy way to ease into it...

i'm pairing my white fabric wreath that i created this winter
with a new element for spring - along with a few other items -
and i love how it bridges this 'winter into spring' time of year. 

even the smallest changes can reflect nature
and refresh your home decor in just minutes.
big changes are good - but they don't ALL have to be big.

continue reading for an easy wreath + decor tutorial!

2.16.2024

moss-filled bookend | wall art

spring,inspired by nature,re-purposed,up-cycling,DIY,diy decorating,decorating,seasonal,wreaths,wall art,faux moss,moss wall art,bookend,spring moss,tutorial
how many times can Deb re-use something?!
it's okay if you ask that... i ask myself that question a lot!

i love re-using elements in my decor, making them look
as different as i can from season to season.
or, in this case, from color obsession to color obsession...

while i do still love yellow, i wanted a change of course this year
and am embracing all of the shades of green i can find in my projects.
while i was taking one project apart, another presented itself 
and it's so easy i just had to share it with you.

continue reading for an easy way to personalize your decor! 

2.09.2024

faux terra cotta painted hearts

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one last 'heart'-themed project for the month!
when i found four plastic hearts in my stash, i turned two of them
into faux moss covered topiary hearts (see my last post, linked below).

i held two back for this project - 
an easy faux paint treatment that turned two cheap plastic hearts
into something much more elegant and 'natural'.

using paint to change things is one of my favorite approaches
to seasonal decorating (and to not BUYING more stuff that i have to store)...

continue reading for my easy tutorial and a few more ideas!

2.02.2024

'moss' heart topiary

winter,Valentine's Day,inspired by nature,home decor,diy decorating,up-cycling,DIY,tutorial,re-purposed,garden style,garden art,decorating,faux moss hearts,faux moss heart topiaries,yarn crafts,.
as i was creating the large faux 'moss' heart in my last post,
i unearthed some small plastic hearts that i had previously painted.
(those posts are linked below this one)
i decided to recreate them to coordinate with the larger 'moss' heart.

covering these lil' hearts with moss-like green yarn and fuzzy fabric was easy,
then i turned one of them into a tiny topiary.

continue reading for an easy tutorial...

1.26.2024

plant a faux 'moss' heart

winter,wreaths,wall art,garden art,garden style,tutorial,Valentine's Day,spring,DIY,diy decorating,home decor,inspired by nature,re-purposed,up-cycling,thrifted,moss,moss wreath,moss wall art,yarn crafts,crafting with yarn,painting.
this wood heart-shaped planting box is the perfect way
for me to incorporate nature-inspired elements in my winter decor. 

even though i'm not focused on creating for a specific 'holiday' now,
you've seen this element on the blog previously
as three different versions of wreaths perfect for February.
(previous posts linked below)

moss is a hot home decor trend this winter
and is showing up in many spring decor collections online...
from sculptures and floral designs to very large framed art pieces made of moss.
while i initially thought of using real moss for this project,
i found that one of my favorite 'faux' materials worked much easier
and with a lot less mess!

continue reading to see more details and my big 'secret' for moss...

1.19.2024

a serene winter wreath

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i love a seasonal wreath, don't you?!

this simple winter season wreath
is created from remnants of an old white matlasse' bedspread
and adorned with natural elements from my yard,
reflecting the way winter looks and feels where i live.

a fabric-wrapped wreath can be made with YOUR preferences,
and i hope this one inspires you to create something you love!

continue reading for an easy tutorial...

1.12.2024

time for a change... a new 'mantel'!

home decor,decorating,winter,diy decorating,up-cycling,white,DIY,inspired by nature,foraged,neutrals,tutorial,re-purposed,painting,wall art,faux mantel,winter home decor,winter decorating,vintage-look signs.
in November 2020, i created something i had wanted for a long while:
a faux fireplace and mantel, as a photo backdrop.

using some spare lumber and white paint
i cobbled together a simple 'fireplace' and attached it to
the old wood gate that hangs on my studio wall
(my dad built it in the 80's and i swiped it when he built a new one in 2013!)

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this backdrop has been in constant use since then, and has worked pretty well.
there have been a few times when it has not worked well -
usually when photographing a wreath or wall art
that was too big in scale to fit in the space above the mantel.
(and those sharp dark shadows from the 'firebox' drove me mad!)

in mid-December of '23, i decided it was time for a change
and tore that faux mantel and firebox enclosure apart!
the result is very satisfying.

continue reading for more details...

1.05.2024

welcome, winter...

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my personal word for this next year is light 
along with the many meanings that word encompasses.

 i often hear people talk about how dark winters are -
yet after we remove the holiday decor, our homes feel lighter. cleaner.
(and yes, some say emptier.) 
but do we really want to fill them up again with a lot of stuff? 
why not welcome the new year with the lightness of a refreshed home?

i'm embracing the aesthetic of lightness and simplicity this year,
as well as a renewed focus on the beauty of nature in every season.
that's going to affect the way i approach my own home decor
and by extension the content i share here to inspire you.

as i plan and create new projects for the upcoming season,
i'm asking myself questions about how i want my home to feel,
how i want to feel IN my home, and how i can inspire you
to create a home you love to live in.

continue reading to see where i'm heading...

12.29.2023

winter inspiration

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the new year beckons with possibilities...
if you're looking for winter home decor tutorials and projects
to inspire you to create a home you love to live in,

new winter content posts begin in january!


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12.22.2023

wishing you the happiest holidays

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Christmas arrives in just a few days,
with a New Year on the horizon...

as we wrap up 2023,
i want to express my deep gratitude for your visits, likes, and comments
on my seasonal home decor content across social media platforms,
as well as to the generous bloggers and home publications
who have featured my projects over the past year.

i love the creative community we have all built together,
and truly appreciate your support & encouragement. it means the world to me.
and i really LOVE it when you tell me that i inspired you to make something new!

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i so enjoyed your happy responses to my 'terra cotta Christmas' themed posts,
and you can imagine my smile when i spied these items on the Terrain website:
apparently i wasn't the only one obsessed with terra cotta pots this holiday season!

i'd love to hear from you what your favorite homewardFOUND post was this year,
and what you hope to see from me in 2024...
some fun project images are already sent off for publication,
with ideas for new winter-into-spring decor projects percolating in my brain.

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i'm currently enjoying the end of this year and the dawning of the new one
while embracing some quiet time and 'artist dates'
to refresh and refuel my creativity as i plan for 2024 projects + content.

i hope you find time to do the same - 
disconnect, rest, renew, and revive yourself
in whatever ways you need to.

wishing you the merriest of Christmases
and happiness in the new year!

creatively, deb

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12.08.2023

terra cotta Christmas: 2 nativity scenes

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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 ...

11.04.2023

diy tomato cage 'cornucopia' door + wall decor

Thanksgiving,fall,home decor,DIY,diy decorating,wreaths,tomato cage crafts,Sweet Sweater Pumpkins,dollar store crafts,wall art,rustic style,farmhouse style,tutorial, DIY cornucopia,Thanksgiving cornucopia.

are you one of the few people in the world
who is looking for some Thanksgiving decor?
who hasn't moved on to decorate for Christmas already?! 
i'm one of you - and my next few posts will center on this holiday that i really love!

last November i shared my tutorial for making a cornucopia
using a wire tomato cage and some burlap.
this year, it's been elevated from the tabletop
to hang on the door as a gorgeous 'wreath'
or as welcoming 'wall art' anywhere in your home.

continue reading for all the details (and a link to my previous tutorial)

10.31.2023

painted 'chocolate' pumpkins on a sweet sweater cake

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a fitting conclusion to my recent faux food project posts,
this one really takes the cake....

this project came about because i had some tiny styro pumpkins,
which made me start thinking about making a very REAL cake
like my Mom used to make every fall when i was a kid.
it was always a round two-layer chocolate cake with chocolate icing
and adorned with tiny orange candy pumpkins all along the top edge.
i loved that cake.
we took them to school fall celebrations and church harvest festivals.
we took mini versions - cupcakes - to friend's houses.
we never brought any of it home, either!!! everyone loved it.

instead, i decided to make a fall 'cake' in my own style...
because deb does NOT need more calories!

continue reading for the before and after...

10.24.2023

easy 'dot' candy pumpkins

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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:
fall,pumpkins,DIY,diy decorating,decorating,just for fun,crafting with kids,dollar store crafts,home decor,colorful home,dot candy pumpkins,diy pumpkins,diy pumpkin decorating, tutorial
'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!

10.17.2023

faux food 'caramel apple' pumpkins

fall,pumpkins,foofoo Faux Food,painting,tutorial,dollar store crafts,just for fun,DIY,diy decorating,decorating,seasonal,home decor,faux caramel apple pumpkins,fake food.
a recent rainstorm and cool temps (that have long since vanished!)
spurred my 'fall feels' - and my taste buds for all things caramel.
it's my favorite fall flavor, and i love indulging it...
from scarfing down Werther's Original caramel cremes
to sipping a caramel apple martini on a cool but sunny late afternoon.

with those thoughts already swirling in my head, 
seeing a photo of a green apple being dipped into melted caramel
inspired something else... this fun 'faux food' bit of sweet fall home decor!

how it started:
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i knew that a method i had previously used to make faux honey
would work for the glossy dimensional caramel effect,
so i proceeded with this project as i had with that one.
(my faux honey jar is linked below this post)

... continue reading to see how it's going, and how you can make them, too!

10.10.2023

have a ball with these pumpkins!

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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!

9.26.2023

fall glamping with Miss Dot!

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i'm at a vintage trailer rally at the beach this week,
so i thought i'd share photos of the 'glamping' decor that i created
for Miss Dot at a past rally (2021)...

you've seen a tropical decor theme (from 2022) in a recent post,
now here's a look at how switching out decor elements and a new color addition
creates a whole new vibe - this one's beachy!
(the rally is held in Newport Beach, CA and always has a 'surf' theme)

planning the decor theme for each glamping excursion
reminds me so much of how i played in my grandpa's Shasta trailer as a kid,
spending hours in their backyard decorating and dreaming...

continue reading to see how my yellow obsession extended to our Shasta trailer...