BONUS POST! Thanksgiving tablescapes in green

 
i'm pulling one out of the archives today,
sharing a look back at this lovely Thanksgiving tablescape from 2014
(plus links to a few others!)

continue reading for some Thanksgiving table looks inspired by nature...

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...

woodsy brown Thanksgiving tablescape + 25 more!

a few years ago i created a lovely Thanksgiving table setting

and never shared it on the blog!

i just ran across the photos in a file, and decided they need the spotlight...

even though there's not a single touch of yellow in the photos ;) 

(i think i DID share it on Instagram that year)

the rustic woodsy warmth of this table decor exemplifies fall to me,

and i loved the way the elements reflect traditional style.

continue reading for the details...

glass pumpkin gumball machine

my mom has owned this glass pumpkin since the 1980's... she bought me one then, too!

she says they were filled with Dunkin' or Winchell's Doughnut holes - 

but i don't recall getting any doughnut holes with mine! LOL

(Target has them for $10.00! not an ad)

i've always loved filling them with candy in the fall

(faves include Kraft caramels, Werther's caramels, and chocolate pumpkins!)

but things took a TURN this year...

i was shifting things around in my studio to photograph new creations

and when i emptied out the seashells from my gumball machine,

i sat the glass globe from it next to this glass pumpkin...

and my brain started asking questions like

 'wait... would the pumpkin fit on.... could it work.... ???'

so i played around and found out!

follow along as i show you how easy this one is...

'flower power' coasters

a perfect way to add a spring touch to your entertaining,

these easy to make 'flower power' coasters can be created in any color -

and are really simple to assemble. after you disassemble, that is.

oh, wait, i'm getting ahead of myself...

continue reading for my easy tutorial...

Miss Dot goes to the county fair!

the past four posts have shared some of the decor i created
for a recent 'county fair' themed camping/glamping event.

and though most of the photos i took of trailers DIDN'T turn out :(
i have a few of ours and a few shots from the event
to share as inspiration for you when you host events or go 'glamping'!

continue reading so Miss Dot can show herself (and her COUSINS!) off...

county fair centerpiece

when planning for our recent campout with our Lemon Drop Divas group,
i knew i would incorporate the 'county fair' theme in our trailer decor
along with lemons and yellow - it's a thing with us ;) 

so i did what i always do - looked around my studio
and house and garage and backyard
to see what i already had that i could incorporate into the decor.

it wasn't hard to find useful items,
especially considering that i have an entire studio filled with yellow stuff i've made!

continue reading to see how it all came together...

easy-peasy county fair bunting

it's not a party without some fun decor,

and this easy-peasy bunting project is perfect for summer fun!

whether you're hosting a backyard bbq, a block party, or a birthday party,

making cute pennant bunting banners doesn't have to be hard.

i hate hard. i love easy.

so i'm always trying to find the easy way to decorate!

i recently made these bunting banners and they came together really quickly -

without sewing!

continue reading, and i'll show you how...

county fair award ribbons

these fancy 'county fair'-style ribbons appeared in my last post,

as accents on the 'Dime Toss' game sign and the end of the game table.

they were pretty easy to create  - and are MUCH larger than anything i could find

in stores or online. plus, they had to be yellow!

so in typical Deb fashion, i made my own

using the fabric, ribbons, and other detritus stashed in my creative studio.

do you have plans for games at a Fourth of July or summer birthday party?

these could be the perfect decor accents -

or use them as actual prize ribbons!

continue reading to see my easy tutorial...

county fair dime toss game!

it's SUMMER and time to party!
and quite by accident, i just created a HIT of a party game...

when our fabulous girl camping group the Lemon Drop Divas plan an event,

we go ALL OUT. WAY over the limit. everything is themed, with coordinated decor.

a campout in May was themed 'Lemon Drop Divas County Fair'

and it was packed with references to old time fairs. 

including a midway. yep!

we were all given the opportunity to create a 'carnival games' booth

as part of our own fair midway, to enjoy with our friends.

i was stumped... until i was sorting through a bunch of stuff we had here at home

and realized 'we have a LOT of wine glasses that we don't use!'

and when that thought combined with the carnival game concept,

i had a light bulb moment.

continue reading to see how easy it is to set something like this up!

my sweet sweater birthday cake!

hello, friends!
i've been enjoying my sabbatical over the past month and a half,
and have made a MAJOR dent in my very long and very overlooked 'To Do' list!
(such as: get my truck running again✔  get some appliance repairs done✔   
get some yard work done✔  buy a new mattress to help my back pain✔ )

since it's March 1st, the beginning of my birthday month,
it seems a perfect time to return to the blog and share a recent project with you!

* this post was created in mid-February and scheduled for March 1.
given the world events that transpired in the last week of February,
 i actually thought very seriously about not publishing it, 
 seeming too frivolous a subject to focus on in light of reality.

 i have decided to publish it, in the hope that anyone who sees it
will be reminded that there are still things to celebrate in this world
even in the midst of darkness and conflict. *

as much as i love to bake (and eat) sweet things,
i decided that my birthday cake this year needed to be a bit different...

you know it wouldn't be a birthday cake for ME unless it was made of sweaters, right?!

(my waistline and thighs appreciate the total lack of calories in this one ;) ) 

continue reading to find out the unusual way this fun decor came to be...

sweet sparkling new year!

we arrive at the end of the year, and the start of a new one...

we've made it, and that's cause to celebrate!

whether you gather with family, friends, neighbors, or a special person tomorrow night,
or spend a blissfully cozy evening alone in a bubble bath or watching The Ball drop,

i have a few last-minute ideas to share for making your New Year's Eve sparkle!

speaking of lifting spirits, continue reading for more...

Thanksgiving tablescape

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...

NEW! Sweet Sweater 'Shrooms!

happy November, friends!
no, i am not done with fall yet!
there are so many beautiful things in nature in fall that inspire me...
and when i saw mushrooms of all types and materials going crazy online,

 i came up with my newest Sweet Sweater creation:

 Sweet Sweater 'Shrooms!

these are a fast, fun, easy craft / diy decor project perfect for fall and Thanksgiving
that i had a lot of fun making - i hope you will, too!

continue reading for my newest no-sew sweater decor tutorial...

NEW! Sweet Sweater Spookies!

this is quite possibly the EASIEST project i've ever undertaken...

and it was an idea that popped into my head as i was washing dishes!

i re-use plastic storage bags, washing them after use (unless they are greasy)

then placing them upside-down over a glass to dry.

as i did that one morning, i absentmindedly thought 'hah ha! he looks like a ghost!'

and then i stopped, looked again, and this crazy idea hatched in my brain.

so bear with me, and come along for the craziness!

continue reading for the details...

boho chic: floral wreath

boho style is everywhere, and as pretty as it is, it can be PRICEY!
i much prefer to create something using what i have on hand already - 
which isn't just budget-friendly. it's earth-conscious, too.

this easy wreath project is a perfect accent for August... the 'golden hour' of summer.

continue reading for details on the construction + the re-purposed materials i used!

boho chic: lace vases

it's easy to take inexpensive materials and turn them into a luxe look.
this pretty bohemian vase and floral arrangement are a great example...

made from two thrifted vintage cotton lace doilies and tassels,
a glass vase and two bunches of fake flowers from Dollar Tree,
arranged with wood beads and rattan wreaths that i had on hand here at home,
it gives a relaxed late-summer vibe to my office
 and also subtly fits my current yellow obsession ;) 

continue reading to see how easy it is to transform a cheap glass vase...

boho chic: crochet lace umbrellas

you know i love using things in ways they were never intended to be used,
so is it any surprise that i use lacy cotton crochet tablecloths on canopies & umbrellas?
probably not!

 ten years ago at a vintage show, i created a fancy 'valance' on a simple IKEA net bed canopy
by draping a cotton crochet lace tablecloth over the hanging hoop at the top.

this look fits right in with the 70's aesthetic so popular right now,

and a perfect addition to any backyard or event decor this summer & early fall.
i'm sharing the ways i've used lace to update decor elements overhead
 as part of my august 'look back' at past projects... 

continue reading to see more ways to use crochet & lace for a boho vibe!

boho chic: backyard cabana

august always feels to me to be the most relaxed part of summer...

as the light changes to a richer hue with autumn's approach,

i see this month as 'Summer's Golden Hour' and want to lean into the slower pace.

so for the next few weeks, i'll be re-visiting some of my past blog content

featuring some 'boho chic style' that fits current design + decor trends.
(and i've tucked in some NEW versions of those projects, too!)

 i hope you are inspired to try some of them!

continue reading for the biggest, baddest, 'boho-est' project i've ever undertaken...
and learn my tips on how YOU can do it, too!

summer sand pail centerpiece

summer's here, and it's time to relax and kick back.

that includes taking it easy with decor for home & parties...

so i'm sharing one of my fave summertime decorating tips.

this easy idea is a perfect happy everyday accent -

perhaps on a hallway console or dining table, 

or even at your front door.
it's also fun for a party - and no, not just for kids!

pssst.... continue reading to find out two secrets about that sand!