painted toile floral pumpkins

i continue to be inspired by the current trend of painting pumpkins
to resemble blue and white Chinoiserie ceramics.
those colors aren't in our home decor palette, however,
so i painted a few more pumpkins
to match the brown toile pattern on some vintage dishes that i have.

my small collection of toile or 'Staffordshire' English china
 includes dishes from Royal Staffordshire, Alfred Meakin, and AJ Wilkinson.
the 'Brown Tonquin' pattern on almost all of them was designed by Clarice Cliff,
including the beautiful floral on the tiny saucer that inspired my artwork.

it's a beautiful look for fall that fits into classic, boho, farmhouse, and even coastal decor.

continue reading for more details...

diy wood slat shade / privacy screen

living here in the semi-desert of Southern California means we get a lot of sun.

for four years, i've been struggling with - and have tried - many ways to block that sun

so that we can enjoy our patio and backyard in the late afternoon.

but along with the sun is wind. Santa Ana winds and strong daily afternoon winds.

those winds have torn down every umbrella and shade cloth and curtain i've hung.

finally a bright idea dawned on me - make it wood!

the simple solution was to repeat another element of our landscaping

and create a wood screen to withstand wind and block the afternoon sun.

the best part of this project? it makes use of a pre-made element available at Lowes.

paired with an item i already had, it became the perfect shade screen for us - 

and would work as a privacy screen, as well!

continue reading to see how simple this outdoor diy project is...

painted 'autumn leaf' pattern pumpkins

inspired by the blue and white 'chinoiserie' pumpkins i've seen online recently,
i came up with a similar idea that reflects both an autumn palette AND our family history.

a few small ceramic pumpkins from my collection were refreshed with paint,
replicating the pattern of some china that has been in my family for generations...

made by Hall China in Ohio for the Jewel Tea Company from 1920 to 1980,
this lovely 'Autumn Leaf' pattern is perfect for fall decorating and entertaining - 
my Mom's Mom, my Grandma Ward, used these pieces even before my Mom was born.
Mom has used them every fall for as long as i can remember.
and i've used the pieces that she passed down to me!
they make an appearance every autumn, especially for Thanksgiving.

continue reading to see more of our collection with my new matching pumpkins...

salvaged fan becomes a backyard table!

this big old orange thing might just look a bit familiar to you...
it's the industrial fan housing that i grabbed right outta' my neighbors' trash can
and turned into a pumpkin in a previous post.

honestly? the pumpkin project was an afterthought.
THIS was the reason i grabbed it before the trash truck arrived...
to make an accent table for our backyard fire pit area!
it was a simple assembly, using things i had on hand already
and it makes a world of difference in this area of our yard.

continue reading to see how just three simple elements created this table...

faux terra cotta pumpkins + tutorial

the decor is simple on our porch this year...

just a few select elements combine to give our entryway a fall mood.
(no, that's not a photo of our porch! i'll probably share that on Insta) 

however, real pumpkins are not an option when it's still over 100 degrees.

my solution to that dilemma was to gather up the pumpkins we have on hand

(plus the new-to-me 'Funkin' faux pumpkin that i found at a thrift store

and used in my recent fall harvest scarecrow project)

and give them a cohesive look... 

and i did that with paint, of course!

continue reading for my easy 'faux terra cotta' paint' tutorial...

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...

fall harvest scarecrow

an unexpected find of a two dollar faux 'Funkin' pumpkin at a local thrift shop

was the impetus for this quick, easy fall decor project... perfect indoors or out!

(and no, i wasn't shopping. or, rather, i didn't PLAN to be shopping! i went to the thrift store to drop off three bags of used books.

but the door was open... and i was weak... and so.... i came home with a pumpkin. and three MORE bags of books. but i digress...)

that lightweight foam pumpkin became the head of this cute fall scarecrow.

made with items already on hand - including grass trimmings from our yard -

he came together really fast.

continue reading to see what's holding him up!

make a tiered tray the easy way!

the decorating trend of the moment seems to be tiered trays!

they make arranging a selection of small items a breeze, 

pulling them all together in one display to make a big impact.

i've seen loads of great styling ideas shared all over social media,

but i came up with an approach for the tray itself that i thought might inspire you...

that tiered tray in the image above? not a tray. i didn't buy it.

i made it - using some things that i pulled out of cabinets & cupboards,

and a few drops of hot glue.

not only was it an easy project, it will come apart when i am ready for it to.

continue reading to see my easy way to MAKE a tiered tray...

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!

why 'seasonal' decorating?

i get that question a lot: "why do you change your home decor with the season?"

it's not such a foreign concept, really. most people do this at certain points in the year -
Halloween, Christmas, Fourth of July, Easter.

they bring out decor elements that are specific to those holidays to enhance their enjoyment.

i grew up with a Mom who did that, making holidays special.

decorating for winter, spring, summer, and autumn is a similar approach...

simple, subtle changes in color and accessories can make a dramatic difference

in how a room feels, and how i live in it.

for example, the room shown above... it's filled with warm neutral hues and soft textures,

the perfect place to cozy up on a rainy fall day.

but i wouldn't want to live in it like that during a hot summer!

with a few simple changes, the mood shifts and the room feels appropriate to the season.

 

every season brings a new design scheme, refreshing the space and me with new energy. 

and when i say 'new design scheme', i'm not talking totally redecorating a room.

i'm not advocating spending a bundle - of money OR time - several times a year.

easy changes - swapping out colorful accessories and bringing in touches of nature - 

are my main methods for bringing the beauty of a new season indoors.

it doesn't take a lot of money or effort to get results like this - just imagination!

continue reading to see the room above change through the seasons of a year...

a succulent tablescape

this final post for august wraps up my recent succulent / cacti obsession,
which i think is a great way to bridge the hot 'summer into fall' seasonal change.

today, i'll share how i took some of the elements that i created for the

no-cost, use-what-you-have guest room makeover

and found a whole new way to use them... on the dining table.

this clean, crisp, contemporary nature-based composition
fits so many decor styles: boho, rustic, industrial, modern,

and will work indoors and outdoors to make entertaining really easy!

 you'll also find a quick tutorial for making one last version of faux succulents to decorate with.

continue reading...

garden junk in the bathroom?!

you can't give a guest room a new look without foofing up the guest bath, too...

i completed that task using things i had on hand in a new way, and it didn't cost a cent!

one of the projects i completed for this quick makeover 

was a variation of something i've done before with a certain piece of junk.

the other was painting some fun and funky faux cacti - using a pretty unusual material. 

continue reading to see more!

faux succulent wreath & wall decor

 when it came to wall art in our newly 'refreshed' guest room, 
i re-thought the currently hot trend of 'basket groupings' on walls

and went with a grouping of repurposed rusty metal items instead.

resembling woven baskets, they give the room a 'boho' feel - in a unique way.

my take on 'modern boho style' is less earth-child hippie and a bit more mid-century in feel.

and there's a reason for that:

during my sophomore summer, one of my jobs was selling imported baskets at the swap meet -

it was a hot, sweaty, physical job that a friend and i did every weekend all summer long.

we had to drive a junky old 'three on the tree' van to the drive in, unload it,

set up displays of the baskets, and then sit there all day convincing people to buy them.

then we had to load up anything that didn't sell. it was exhausting.

the only redeeming quality of it was the paycheck and spending time with my friend.

so now i have an aversion to baskets being used as they were back then! (the late 70's)

i like this solution... and just wait until you get a closer look at those succulents!

continue reading to see all of the details and 'how-to's'...

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!

repurposed wood crate entry decor

decorating with succulents and cacti is a hot design trend right now...
these easy-care, high-impact plants are making appearances 
in mod boho bedrooms and rustic farmhouse dining rooms,
as well as on back decks & front porches everywhere.

last summer, i was inspired by a very creative display idea at a store, 
so i re-created a budget version of it in our front entry, using succulents.
i never shared this project in a blog post, so it's time to make up for that.
(plus, it ties in beautifully to a whole new series of posts i'm prepping for August!)

continue reading for the details

diy galvanized birdbath

while songbirds love to come and splash in our backyard salvaged galvanized bucket fountain,

i noticed that the tiny wrens and hummingbirds who visit us don't go near it.

perhaps the bubbling water frightens them, or the buckets are too deep for their use...

it seemed to me that a birdbath was called for.

i went looking around the yard and garage to see what we had that i could use to build one,

and found two items that combined perfectly for this project.

continue reading to see how to make a simple and easy birdbath for your garden!

salvaged junk potting bench

spring and summer bring out my green thumb,

and having a potting bench to plant, replant, and putter around on is a necessity.

me being me, though, i'm not about to spend money on one!

i'd rather create something that is 'one of a kind' that no one else has,

re-using the junk and salvaged stuff that's already around the house...

so when i spied an unused plywood table extension in the garage, 

my mind saw it as a component of a potting bench for our backyard.

so last year, i got to work on it - and because i wasn't blogging then, i never shared it here.

with gardens on everyone's mind right now, i thought it was time to remedy that!

continue reading to see what ELSE i dragged out there to build this useful diy piece...

happy Easter

wishing a happy Easter and a blessed Resurrection Day to all of you, my friends... 

and if you don't mind, i'm going to 'wax poetic' for a moment 

to share something important with you...

i've realized that one of the reasons i am so drawn to using 

old, scarred, damaged, discarded elements 

to create beautiful decor for my homes and to share with you here on the blog 

is that i myself have felt much the same at times... old, scarred, damaged, discarded. 

i long to not let the experiences and misfortunes that have made me feel 'less than' 

stop me from seeing beauty in life... and beauty and usefulness in the detritus.

when i salvage a bit of wood or an old rusted dented piece of metal, 

or pick up an errant bit of fabric or paper, and turn them into lovely home decor, 

i am finding a way to redeem those forgotten and discarded items. 

it soothes my soul to not let them stay there on the ground in a broken, dirty state, 

but to lift them up and clean them off 

and give them the chance to reveal the beauty that remains - deep within. 

it's not perfection, but it is beauty nonetheless.

do you see where i'm going with this, my friends?

this is what i know that God has done with me, and with many others i know: 

He has not left us to rot away in our broken, damaged state. 

He has not discarded us, but has lifted us up, 

given us the opportunity to be cleaned up and made useful and shiny once again. 

to reveal the beauty that He created within us to be seen once more. 

i have certainly seen that principle at work in my own life... 

that beauty can come from ashes, growth from destruction, and life from death. 

most especially, i see the way that my faith has given me a new start many times over, 

and a glorious hope for the future.

because of that faith in Him and hope for my eternal future, 

this day means a great deal to me. 

and i hope to live every day with the promise of Easter, of resurrection, 

in my heart and on my mind, guiding me through life.

i hope that you, too, will find your hope in Him. 

by the way, there's a really great story behind this wood cross planter that i made into wall art... 

check it out here

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

spring decor accents made from 1 tablecloth

i love  a good decorating challenge...
for example, how much decorating punch can you get from a single piece of fabric?

i picked up a pretty green gingham tablecloth at Home Goods
and transformed it into some fresh new accents for our home this spring
to prove to myself that it doesn't take much to make a big impact.

continue reading to see how far a $15 purchase got me!