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Showing posts with label found objects. Show all posts
Showing posts with label found objects. Show all posts

1.05.2024

welcome, winter...

found objects,natural elements,DIY,seasonal,home decor,decorating,winter,original designs,tutorial,diy decorating,new year,color palettes,neutrals,
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...

3.05.2021

yes, you can make a bird nest!

nests,garden,trash to treasure,DIY,diy decorating,tutorial,re-purposing,salvaged,junk makeover,crafting,winter,spring,garden art,wreaths,boho style,rustic style,farmhouse style,coastal style,inspired by nature,birdnests,diy bird nests,birdnest tutorial,found objects,yellow and gray home decor,Illuminating Yellow,Ultimate Gray, Pantone 2021,Pantone colors of the year
bird nests seem to me to be a sign of springtime...

over the years, i've been lucky enough to have found a few real ones, 
incorporating them into my home decor in spring. and fall. and on my Christmas trees!

i've also made quite a few - 
from elaborate to simple, from small seasonal versions sold via an enchanting online boutique
to an enormous one made for a client to hold a precious gold-embellished ostrich egg,

making them always connects me to nature.

this year i've made one with the slightest hits of gray and yellow elements
unearthed in my bins and boxes of saved materials,
and i thought i'd share the easy process of making them with you.

if you're sitting there thinking 'whaaaaa? MAKE a bird nest?!', continue reading!

7.06.2020

repurposed wire lampshade mobile

art, boho style, boho, color, crafting, creative spaces, DIY, diy decorating, found objects, just for fun, junk makeover, re-purposing, tomato cage crafts, trash to treasure, up-cycling, birdcage crafts, lampshades, wire crafts, colorful ribbon crafts
wire has made an appearance in my projects on this blog many times,
from the various ways i have used wire tomato cages and wire lampshade frames,
to the simple crowns, cages, and domes i have fashioned from this inexpensive material.

earlier this summer, i grabbed some wire items that i've created in the past,
and combined them with wire lampshade frames and a few new finds
to create a whimsical wire mobile in my studio.

i love how it adds movement and color to the room
and because it's overhead, it takes up no space at all!

continue reading for the incredibly simple way it is suspended...

4.14.2020

seed packet-inspired decor

art, boho, crafting, decorating, DIY, diy decorating, farmhouse, flowers, found objects, garden art, junk makeover, junking, original designs, paper crafts, Posie Pails, re-purposing, rustic, salvaged, spring, trash to treasure, up-cycling, seed packets, garden seeds
spring is here, and things are starting to bloom!
looking for a fresh addition to our spring decor after removing the Easter eggs,
i found inspiration in one of my own past projects...

about seven years ago, i shared a project here on the blog that i called 'Posie Pails'.
basically, i combined a colorful floral seed packet, some twine, and a recycled tin can
and the result was garden-theme decor accents on the cheap:

art, boho, crafting, decorating, DIY, diy decorating, farmhouse, flowers, found objects, garden art, junk makeover, junking, original designs, paper crafts, Posie Pails, re-purposing, rustic, salvaged, spring, trash to treasure, up-cycling, seed packets, garden seeds
well, i just figured out how to make an even cheaper 'quarantine crafts' version of them:

because it isn't essential to leave the house for craft supplies,

 i found a way to use floral images clipped from magazines to create my OWN 'seed packets'!
.
continue reading to see how i turned actual trash into a springtime treasure....

1.06.2020

making a happy home

wood, rustic, farmhouse, home decor, diy, diy home decor, repurposed, thrifted, upcycled, winter decor, red accent color, whitewashed, barnwood, plaid
a brand new year is a fresh new start, in so many ways...
every year, i choose a single word to be my intention and focus (rather than resolution).
i like this approach, as it is more about 'be' than 'do'.
THIS year, my word is 'happy' - for many reasons.

Mom and i also select a word that is our shared 'Word of the Year',
something that reflects a purpose or mission or quality that we intend to pursue together.
and this year, that word is 'HOME'.

homewardFOUND decor blog, diy home decor, homeward FOUND, Debi Ward Kennedy
we chose it for a few different reasons...
but the really amazing thing is that as soon as we decided on it,
all KINDS of things started showing up to 'confirm' that it was the right choice:
things like songs, and sentiments in cards from friends, a book that a friend of mine was selling, 
and us noticing little objects we had around here already
that would bring the word 'home' resonance in our home and our daily life.
and when i combined my word with our word, it really came to life...

continue reading to see how our winter decor evokes a 'happy home'!

8.08.2018

summer's not over yet!

antiques, beach style, coastal style, color palettes, entertaining, fall, farmhouse style, found objects, neutrals, rustic style, seashells, summer, tablescapes, vintage, white dishes
it's the last month of summer - no, it aint' over yet!!!

while it's still warm and sunny, why not invite friends, family, and neighbors over
to enjoy good food and hospitality... and easy summertime style.

simply combine vintage and new dishes & glassware,
along with some vacation souvenirs, found objects, and stuff you have around the house.
in no time at all, you'll be back on the beach! 

continue reading to see my easy tips for creating a stunning summer tablescape...

6.27.2018

a found & foraged flag

fourth of July, flag, patriotic, flag wall art, flag art, beach style, farmhouse, neutrals, repurposing, junk, salvaged wood
you know, i love decorating with red white and blue
just as much as the next patriotic American... but... 
what if i don't want to use red and blue in my home, 
and want to stick with white + warm neutrals?

well... i found a way to do exactly that, and still have a focus on the flag for the Fourth of July!
i was cleaning out the garage (which may just be a summer-long project, i tell you...)
and found a bunch of materials left over
from when i closed the homewardFOUND shop last March.
when i looked at the weathered white fence pickets,
and the blue-ish zinc metal scraps, i saw a flag.

 so i got busy assembling it on the workbench...
and that metal in the top photo isn't what you think it is!

...continue reading to see how i made my own faux zinc!

4.19.2018

a Tale of Two Tables...

tables, furniture, salvaged, junking, junk, reclaimed, wood, paint, signs, wall art, found objects, nature art, handpainted, handlettered, wood signs
 what do you do with a broken table?  i hang the tabletops on walls!

i came across a pair of oval end tables at a garage sale - and both had broken legs.
thing was, i loved the scalloped shape of them and the ogee edges, so i bought them -
and then took 'em home and removed all of the legs and the aprons.
now simply a flat surface, they were perfect for transforming into wall art...

one of them, shown above, got a few coats of eggshell white paint, a quick sanding, 
and a large picture hanger attached to the back to hang vertically - 
ready for whatever came next.

continue reading to find out what came next!

3.31.2018

Salvaged Cross Wall Art

easter, easter art, easter home decor, religious home decor, christian home decor, wood cross
 as fun as the bunny ear napkins were in my last post, 
i couldn't let Easter go by without sharing much more meaningful content...

the cross in the photo above is a wood planting box, 
handmade by an artisan* who gifted it to me in a parking lot. yes, a parking lot. 
his truck was parked next to me at a local nursery, and he walked out as i was getting out of the car.

i complimented him on the two planters that he had in his hands - the cross and this heart
and he told me his good news, that he had just landed an account for them to sell his planters.
he smiled a mile wide - then he handed the planters to me. 
i was shocked and tried to refuse them, saying he didn't need to 'pay' me for the compliment.

and that young man said something profound to me that will be forever linked to this cross planter:

'hey, good news needs to be shared, and celebrated!'

 yes, yes it does. 
and on Easter weekend, i can think of no Good News better than that of the Cross.

that particular cross is now something i see every day in my home.
when i was creating a gallery wall arrangement, i grabbed the cross planter from the potting bench,
intending to include it in my decor. but it needed something more... and it became a project!

continue reading to see what i did with it!

3.01.2018

forward, march...

the grass isn't always greener on the other side of the fence.... forward, march!
it's my favorite month of the year and i am ready to embrace spring!
to me, spring is all about fresh flowers and green grass, sunshine and rainstorms,
bringing nature's fresh green hue indoors and getting outside to enjoy it.

continue reading for a few of my easy DIY ideas for going green in march...

1.29.2018

Beauty in Simplicity

a quick announcement before the main part of my post today:
the homewardFOUND shop makeover is FINALLY happening!

i am so excited to finally get in there to make the changes i've envisioned...

 now... on with todays' post:
this time of year, it seems we all do a bit of cleaning and clearing, 
ready to embrace the simplicity of a blank calendar and clean rooms.

i'd like to share some inspiring 'simple' decor with you, along with a story...
(you're starting to notice that this is a regular thing now, right? ;) ) 


once upon a time, 
there were two incredibly talented men named Joe and Jermonne
who created a look that was all their own...
Barn House style.

when they came on the scene, back in the early 2000's, 
there was no shiplap craze, no galvanized metal repros in every store.
there was no JoJo on HGTV,  no Restoration Hardware as we know it today...
because their designs influenced the market and all who followed.

they hosted a beautiful vintage show on their farm in the Pacific Northwest,
a gathering of great ideas, original style, and a group of fun & talented people
that drove design trends and appeared in magazines everywhere.
i have been inspired by their spirit and their aesthetic for years now, 
and i'm sure you will be as well.

continue reading to see more of their inspiring creativity...

1.12.2018

Ready to ReDecorate!

rustic industrial farmhouse salvaged home decor
it's a new year, and new things are soon to be 'in store'!

this new year has me filled with new energy... how about you?!
i've had a bit of recalculation in my head about what i want / need hwF to be,
and much of that is coming from the responses that the shop and merchandise in it
have been getting from you - my readers and customers (my HOMEees!)

* i watch what you click 'like' or 
♥ and comment on, both here and on social media.
* i take into account what posts are getting views, and from where.
*i notice what you've been pinning and re-pinning from the blog and my boards.
* i keep an eye on what is selling in the shop - and what isn't -
and i have been asking myself one very simple question:
 "if this thing doesn't sell, would i put it in MY home?"
sometimes, the answer is a resounding 'nope'. and i'm not okay with that.

i loved my initial concept for the homewardFOUND blog AND shop - 
but it doesn't fit anymore. it's not where i am going personally, or as a designer.
so, i'm gonna' change it all up!

<< click 'continue reading' to see what's coming!

1.02.2018

Welcome 2018 with a Junk Wreath!

2018: project one!
i took down the holiday decor in our entryway and needed to replace it...
admittedly, i've been too busy to even PLAN anything for that area.
but a quick look at what wreaths were on hand turned up two bare reed circles,
and that was all the inspiration that i needed!

tied together with a length of twine, the two reed wreaths are more substantial
(because in art and design, repetition adds strength).
i rummaged through a box of 'odds and ends' and found a slew of things to use
to add personality and interest to the wreath...
what's on there?
there are two tarnished silver cups, some galvanized construction tape, spring, and gift tag. 
an old outdoor faucet, a wire light bulb cage, a tiny shovel, a coffee measuring spoon,
a rusty letter O, a bling-y shower curtain ring, and a champagne cork with cage.
an odd assortment, they hail from miscellaneous sources 
(my old home, my Dad's workbench, gifts from friends, flea markets)
but they all have a connection to my story - and to each other,
which shows up when they are mounted together on the wreath using more twine.

i think they look a lot like a floral arrangement, 
but that might be just my weird sense of design talking ;)
 in any case, they reflect what I think of as a 'winter palette' - 
greys, blacks, charcoals, and varying shades of brown mixed with sparkling glass.
it may not be cold here where i live, but this combination evokes a 'winter-y' mood for me!

continue reading to see where it ended up!