AUTUMN: Make Peat Pot Pumpkin Stems

 

I was cleaning out my gardening tools storage area, and came across a stack of small peat pots / seed starter pots in a bucket. The bottom pot was a bit damp, and when I picked it up, I accidentally squished it - and an idea hit me!

With a little bit more water and some experimentation, I turned those peat pots into stems for various pumpkins - it's a little bit like working with paper clay or papier mache'.

Continue reading for my easy tutorial... 

Spring Inspiration for May 🌼

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May arrives like a favorite guest, bringing gifts of sunshine, warmth, and blooming flowers... evidence of Mother Nature rising from her winter slumber, rested and refreshed, and ready for a garden party. 

Flowers seem to me to be the leitmotif of this month, so today I'm sharing inspired ideas using blooms in your tablescapes, home decor, Mothers' Day gifts, and even in your beverages! 


...and just in case you're looking for 'May Day' floral ideas to create right now, see two versions I've made here and here.

Follow along with me as we see what ideas are blooming this month... 

SPRING terra cotta pot garden 'totems'

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This isn't a secret: Deb becomes obsessed with POTS in springtime! I've waxed poetic about my collections here, they are the very first thing I look for at thrift stores and yard sales, and you'll find projects using terra cotta pots for every season of the year here on the blog.

I recently saw an idea on Pinterest and thought I'd give it a try... using plain old terra cotta plant pots to create 'garden totems'. It's a simple project that works as art AND a way to store unused pots in style:

This style is made with all the same size pots. Mine use varied sizes because that's what I have on hand - and that's my favorite way to decorate.

Follow along as I show you just how easy this one is...

Spring Inspiration for April 🍃

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'April showers bring May flowers'... after we've done a LOT of work in the garden!

Working in the yard or garden is an activity that we garden lovers can really 'dig in' to in April. Whether you've got pots of herbs on your kitchen windowsill or a full herb, veggie, and flower garden in the back yard - or anything in between - enjoying the relaxing pastime of growing plants is inextricably linked to springtime. 

Even if you aren't a gardener or plant lover who loves having dirt under your fingernails, you can still bring the beauty of a garden into your home as Spring decor - with art, books, fabric printed with flowers, and faux foliage and florals.

I'm sharing some garden-inspired ideas for this month, along with something to help with your spring cleaning enthusiasm, and a few new publications to inspire you. I hope that you'll incorporate the garden aesthetic into your spring decorating and activities... enjoy!

Spring Inspiration for March 🌱

D is for Daffodil. And Delight. And Deb!
This month, in honor of my birthday, I'm sharing some of my favorite things about Spring with you...

I've included a lot of references to flowers to get you into a springtime mood. I'll be picking up some bunches of daffodils and a basil plant at Trader Joe's, as well as wandering through some plant nurseries and garden centers, selecting annual herbs for our garden. 

There's also some beautiful music, a few inspiring quotes, a candle that I can smell even when it's not burning, a sip of something delicious, places I love visiting in springtime, and of course a few decorating ideas and tutorials to help you bring spring inside your home right now... 

SUMMER: a tiki birdbath fountain

Nine years ago when we moved into this new house, I created a fun fountain for our backyard using galvanized buckets. You've seen that fountain here on the blog, as well as shared online and published in Country Sampler Farmhouse Style Magazine (past post links are below this post).

Well, after nine years, this spring I was ready for a NEW look - as well as something that fit our tropical decor a bit more than galvie buckets. I had an idea and began collecting the materials I would need, but the main element eluded me. Until one day, I saw something in a facebook Marketplace listing that was the missing piece!

As soon as I had that, I was able to get this project underway. I completed it in April and have been waiting to share this project! I re-purposed a concrete birdbath into part of a fountain in our backyard... along with the relaxing sounds of a fountain, it still functions as a birdbath & watering spot for all of our wild birds. Which makes Deb one happy girl!

Continue reading for my tutorial...

SUMMER: NEW Sweet Sweater Tomatoes!

A departure from tropical decor this week...
Summertime isn't complete without ripe, juicy tomatoes - and I've come up with a fun new Sweet Sweater Original creation that captures their appeal!

Whether you love fresh-grown summer tomatoes in a Caprese salad, on a grilled burger, or just on a plate with a sprinkle of salt, they seem to be the design accent of the season... everyone from Target to World Market to Pottery Barn has tomato products right now.

My idea was inspired by a fuzzy red 'tomato' pillow (more like a giant pincushion) that I saw in the Bullseye's Playground bins at Target - made from red microfleece and felt, it was... cute.

Yet I knew I could make it BETTER. With a SWEATER! ;)
Yes, sweater decor in summertime. I am obsessed!

Continue reading for an easy tutorial...

SPRING: Mother's Day Party Decor - 4 Themes

Mother's Day is coming up this weekend... are you ready?!
If you're in need of some last-minute table decor ideas, I've got them for you...

Today's post features a lovely garden-inspired table + accessories in multiple shades of green with natural elements incorporated. (If you're new here, you know that Deb is in her 'green era' - but if you've been around since I started this blog in 2012, you might recall me sharing this info in a previous post. Proving that my preferred color palette has ALWAYS included greens!)

Continue reading for some easy last-minute ideas to make Mom's Day special, including links to more Mother's Day decorating inspiration...

SPRING: Revisiting the Garden Bar!

 

Since this is the time of year when most locales have favorable weather for gardening, I'm re-visiting an old project - the one where Deb turns a folding patio bar into a potting bench! It was a fun project to create for my Mom one Mothers' Day, and I thought it might inspire you to try something similar this spring.

This particular project came about because my Mom was struggling to pot up some plants for her backyard on her glass patio table. Not the optimum surface for messy work. Not five feet away from her, against the house, stood a folding metal outdoor bar - sitting there, unused, except for large parties once or twice a year. Me? I didn't see a bar... I saw a potting bench! 

I quickly dragged it over to the edge of the patio, against a shady vine wall,

set it up, gathered a few accessories and gardening staples, and the Garden Bar was born!

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

SPRING: repurpose a lampshade frame as a cloche

My sweet aunt Diane gifted me a terra cotta bunny figure in March for my birthday, along with a lovely lunch at one of our local wineries. After the celebrating was over, I came home and created a sweet little springtime vignette starring that bunny... and I thought I'd share this idea with you, since it is SO simple to replicate!

Continue reading to see how it all came together, plus some additional ideas...

SPRING: 'bunny ears' floral bouquet

 

With April's arrival, Easter draws closer... and while I like to focus on 'seasonal' decor rather than specific holidays, sometimes ideas pop up and I just have to run with them!

Back in 2023, I created a small floral project for Easter using tiny white ball flowers and some daffodil leaves. This year, I was looking at the green hydrangeas that I used in the 'floral bouquet in a purse' project shared a few weeks back, and decided to replicate that older project - in larger scale. 

Continue reading to see how easy it is to create this fun bouquet...

SPRING: 3-D dollar store seed packet art

Back in January, I picked up some garden seed packets at Dollar Tree...

three packs of green zinnia seeds, and one pack of white morning glory seeds.
And though I bought them with the express intent of crafting with them, I had NO idea what I was going to use them for. (Typical, actually). 

A wreath? It's been done over and over. Mounted on sticks as garden signs? Nah.
Then I saw a green wood picture frame sitting nearby, and an idea was born!

Continue reading to see how I created a 3-D version of a seed packet as wall art...

SPRING: repurpose tea tins as planters

 

In springtime, I focus a lot on decorating for the season with moss, plants and flowers. That includes coming up with fresh new ways to display them - and that's where this idea came from...

If you can buy food that tastes wonderful and is packaged in beautiful tin boxes that can be re-used, why wouldn't you? I not only love the intense flavors of the teas that Harney & Sons of Great Britain makes, I adore their packaging... and have found several ways to re-use the lovely tins. (This post is not an ad, or sponsored) 

Continue reading to see how I 'planted' the tins in just minutes...

SPRING: re-purpose light cages as flower frogs

Daffodils are my FAVORITE flower. Have been since I was a Little Debby and loved watching 'Daffy O'Dill' dance in Disney's 'Alice in Wonderland'.

Every spring, I grab bunches of them and fill up the house with sunny flowers... and while I miss being able to drive to the Skagit Valley in Washington state and get my fill of multiple varieties grown and sold in roadside 'honor stands', now I just drive to Trader Joe's Market and grab some bunches! (TJ's imports daffodils from both Skagit Valley, Washington and Fraser Valley, British Columbia, Canada).

The one thing I don't like about them is how the stems can end up bending and cutting off the water supply to the blooms. But now I've come up with a fun way to turn something else into a solution! 

Continue reading to see this EASY repurposed flower frog idea!

SPRING: flower-filled purse door hanger

March is here and spring is coming!
I'm always so glad to see the earth awaken after her winter nap, and love to use flowers and other garden references in my spring decor...

This project builds on one I've created before (linked below this post) and is an easy way to add some springtime charm to your front door or indoor walls!

Continue reading for tutorial...

WINTER: create faux 'wrapped' bulbs

A classic trend in winter decor is a nature-focused Nordic vibe, using natural elements that celebrate winter while hinting at spring. I've always love white flowers in winter, as they reflect the idea of snow-blanketed gardens.

This year, I've created some faux versions of wrapped bulbs and nestled them in snowy white ceramic containers. This simple project has brought a winter-y feel into my studio, and will transition perfectly into spring in the coming month.

Continue reading for an easy two-part tutorial...

Published: My 'Living Nest' in Farmhouse Style Magazine

 

Last Spring, I made a 'Living Nest', and shared it here on the blog. Shortly after that, I was contacted by Editor Lisa Sloan at Country Sampler Farmhouse Style Magazine to ask if they could include my project in their next Spring issue.

Of course I was thrilled, said yes, and sent in some images. The issue has just released, so let's hear a little commotion for a previous project!

continue reading for more details...

WINTER . make a simple rosemary wreath

the Christmas decor is all packed away! whew.
now i'm enjoying a slow, calm 'ease into the new year' approach: simple changes, adjustments, and routines that give my creative mind space to wander (and wonder!) without stressing out as i keep up with my responsibilities. 

the simple rosemary wreath project that i am sharing today is something that can made in just minutes and with very little effort. (i don't know about you, but i LOVE easy DIY projects!) let me show you how easy and simply charming this project is - and how you can make it even if you don't have an herb garden.

continue reading for tutorial...

DIY flocked acorns

i have a photo of a bunch of green acorns as my screensaver,

and the luscious tones moved me to try and replicate them - in paint.

then i saw a video showing how to make a faux 'flocked' paint finish,

and i just HAD to try it!

continue reading to see how easy this one is...

pumpkins made from garden clippings!?!

you've heard 'Necessity is the mother of invention' before...

it couldn't be more true of this week's pumpkin creation!

we've had a HOT summer and early fall here...

once the temps dipped *just* below triple digits,

i finally braved the heat outside and took care of some garden tasks,

including trimming the vining branches of our jasmine plants

that were reaching menacingly toward our windows!

that led to a whole new way to embrace my 'trash to treasure' ethos:

i turned my garden clippings into pumpkins!

continue reading for the details...