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...

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...

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...

'Shroomkins, Take 2!

how many times have you stared into a seasonal decor storage bin
and thought "This stuff just isn't ME anymore"?? it happens to all of us!
preferences and style change over time,
but that doesn't mean you have to spend a fortune on new decor.

this year, i'm giving some of my existing fall decor elements
a new look that fits my current style - without spending any money.
i'm calling this approach 'Take 2'!

i first made these fun " 'shroomkins" back in 2022
by cutting styro pumpkins in half and adding stems made from pool noodles.
and of course, i painted them yellow back then:

then i used my photo editing program to show them in other hues:

now, two years later and in my 'green era' (Deb's Version ;) ) 
i wanted to give them a new look. enter 'Take 2'!

continue reading for details of the new version...

vintage floral jewelry 'posie pots'

the old saying is 'April showers bring May flowers'...
but i'm ready for flowers NOW!

i call these 'posie pots', and the idea for them bloomed
when one of my memories met with a few images on Instagram - 
i'm sharing those sources in the post below, and a tutorial
so you can make your own spring decor or maybe a Mother's Day gift
 from vintage enamel floral pins!

continue reading for all of the details...

terra cotta pot wreath

yes, this project IS a 're-share'!
as i made this wreath for my 2023 'Terra Cotta Christmas' theme,
i did so planning to share it again this spring...

it just captures all the spring 'feels' SO well 
and has endless possibilities for embellishment each season - 
which is really what homeward found decor is all about.

friends, you don't need a whole new set of decor accents each season!
and you certainly don't need to shop for all new stuff...
and bins to store more and more and more stuff.
make your own decor and create a home you love to live in.

continue reading for my tutorial...

NEW: Sweet Sweater Sprouts!

i know. i said that i really wanted to create seasonal home decor that wasn't CUTE. 

but my muses keep giving me ideas for CUTE projects. 
at THREE in the morning. sigh.
the muses have no regard for our schedules -
 they want what they want WHEN they want it.
so when deb can't sleep, deb sketches. and the muses inspire.

and so, i proudly present
my NEWEST 'Sweet Sweater Original' creation: 'Sprouts'!

perfect for springtime and cute as can be,
these lil' guys make me smile. and they couldn't be easier to create...
continue reading for my tutorial!

it's time to talk about my pot addiction.

no, that post title ISN'T an April Fools Day joke -
and it doesn't mean what you THINK It means!
in case you haven't noticed, i just love terra cotta pots!

they are such a versatile decorative element...

i can ALWAYS find a way to use them, in every season:

gather them on a platter or in a crate, sit them on a miniature chair,

add a little moss, tuck in a blooming primrose or tulip (fake is okay!),

dome them under glass, set the table with them,

make mushrooms out of them, turn them into Christmas decor,

and generally use them in ways they were never intended to be used!

i don't think i'll ever run out of ideas...

there was this ONE incident, however, that launched me into

the terra cotta pot stratosphere...

create a living nest

i thought this project up months ago and am so happy to finally share it!

this 'living nest' idea was spurred by a photo i saw online:

my thought was, why not take the 'living wreath' topiary

and turn it on its side?! would it resemble a nest?

so then i had to experiment a bit to see if that idea would work out in reality. 

continue reading to see how it did!

easy-peasy twine 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! 

faux spring leaves made from ribbon

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...

NEW! 'Sweet Sweater Nest' for Spring

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

moss-filled bookend | wall art

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! 

faux terra cotta painted hearts

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!

'moss' heart topiary

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...

plant a faux 'moss' heart

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...

a serene winter wreath

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...

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

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!)

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...