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Showing posts with label on the porch. Show all posts
Showing posts with label on the porch. Show all posts

7.19.2023

tropical tiki transformation

beach style,coastal style,colorful home,DIY,diy decorating,home decor,on the porch,outdoors,summer,tiki style,tropical style,wreaths,painting,re-purposing,up-cycling, painted plastic tiki mask,outdoor tiki decor,outdoor decor.
our backyard in Southern California underwent a transformation back in 2020....
when the pandemic shutdown happened and we had to cancel our trip to Kauai, Hawaii,
we decided to bring Hawaii to us!
i shared some of those backyard diy projects here on the blog back then
(the bamboo tiki bar, the tiki totem pole, and others - all linked below this post).

the project i'm sharing today wasn't a planned one - 
i saw something in a store and thought 'hmnn. that COULD look really good if i....'
and so i bought the item, brought it home, and worked some magic on it with paint.

it couldn't have been easier to transform a really cheap looking tiki mask
into something with much more of our own tropical style.

continue reading to see how it started... and how it's going now!

7.12.2023

tropical front porch decor

summer,tropical style,coastal style,beach style,DIY,diy decorating,home decor,colorful home,wreaths,tiki style,outdoors,outdoor decor,summer front porch decor,tropical decor,tropical wreath,tiki culture,tiki mask,tiki decor.
i always tell people 'i see things differently'... 
that means i use elements & materials in ways they weren't intended to be used.
and i RE-use things i've created before in new ways.

this tropical look on our front porch is a perfect example!

in past posts, i've shared how i raided the garden shed for fall porch decor,
using items meant for the garden to decorate with. 
here i've used paper & bamboo party decorations...
continue reading to see what i used 'differently' to get this summer vibe...

4.28.2022

happy May Day flowers

spring,May Day,flowers,garden,garden art,garden style,paper crafts,re-purposed,up-cycling,DIY,diy decorating,decorating,tutorial,trash to treasure,dollar store crafts,on the porch,outdoors,crafting,crafting with kids,flower baskets,MayDay flower baskets,gift wrapping paper, flower gifts.
May Day is just a few days away,
and i'm ready to add some happy spring vibes with some small flower baskets.

first created back in 2013, i'm sharing them again this spring,
and i think you'll LOVE how easy my tutorial is.
and you might just laugh when you see what they are made of!

continue reading for my easy tutorial...

6.01.2021

hello, sunshine!

wreaths,re-purposing,up-cycling,summer,diy decorating,DIY,art,art class,wall art,decorating,dollar store crafts,on the porch,outdoors,painting,thrifted,door hangers,door decor,straw hat crafts,straw hat wreath,boho hat,sunhat,summer home decor, summer decorating,diy summer decor.
summertime is here!
now that it's time to focus on sun, sand, and shenanigans,
let's bring some sunny summer vibes to your home decor!

i came up with a way to decorate a front door (or back door, or interior door!)
in just minutes with this 'fast, cheap, and easy' paint project...

continue reading to see several ways to have fun in the sun with this one!

5.03.2021

farmhouse may-keover: front porch & entry

boho style,,farmhouse style,coastal style,decorating,diy decorating,DIY,color,color palettes,colorful home,FREE,furniture,room makeovers,makeover,on the porch,outdoors,spring,spring home decor,spring decorating,use what you have decor,farmhouse makeover,MAY-keovers.
spring is here, it's MAY - 
and that means it's time for another budget-friendly DIY MAY-keover series!

this time, i helped a friend redecorate the farmhouse she inherited from her parents.
her Dad built it, her Mom loved it, and now it's hers...
and i wanted to help her express her own style, to make it her HOME.

she's given me permission to share the changes we made with you,
and i know you'll find inspiring and usable ideas!

continue reading to see some of the simple, affordable ways we added style
to this beautiful farmhouse...

11.27.2020

re-purposed 'ornament' doorhanger

Dollar Tree,Dollar Tree crafts,Dollar Tree hacks,wall art,wreaths,ornaments,Christmas Decor,Christmas,color,colorful home,dollar store crafts,crafting,on the porch,DIY,diy decorating,painting,ornament door hanger,door hanger,re-purposing,plastic charger upcycle.
another of my previous diy decor projects got a quick makeover with paint,
turning it into a cute door hanger that resembles an ornament for the holidays!

i love re-using what i already have on hand,
giving it a fresh look for each season when i can.
it saves money, and storage space, and time spent shopping -
honestly, i'd rather be painting and crafting!!!

continue reading for an easy how-to...

10.25.2020

diy wood slat shade / privacy screen

fall, fall decor, fall home decor, outdoor decor, outdoor furnishings, fall patio decor, porch swing, wood slat privacy screen, wood slat shade screen, neutral fall decor, pumpkins, pumpkin decor, diy, diy projects, diy home decor, repurposed, woodcrafts, boho style, boho decor, farmhouse style, farmhouse decor, rustic decor, rustic style,
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...

10.15.2020

faux terra cotta pumpkins + tutorial

art class, color, color palettes, crafting, crafting with kids, decorating, DIY, diy decorating, fall, painting, pumpkins, re-purposing, up-cycling, tutorial, painting tutorial, faux paint treatment, faux terra cotta paint tutorial, painted pumpkins, fall decor, front porch decor, october decorating, farmhouse style, boho style, rustic style, cottage style, faux terra cotta pumpkins, use what you have decorating, autumn decor, Halloween decor
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!
art class, color, color palettes, crafting, crafting with kids, decorating, DIY, diy decorating, fall, painting, pumpkins, re-purposing, up-cycling, tutorial, painting tutorial, faux paint treatment, faux terra cotta paint tutorial, painted pumpkins, fall decor, front porch decor, october decorating, farmhouse style, boho style, rustic style, cottage style, faux terra cotta pumpkins, use what you have decorating, autumn decor, Halloween decor
continue reading for my easy 'faux terra cotta' paint' tutorial...

10.04.2020

fall harvest scarecrow

fall, fall decorating, fall home decor, scarecrows, pumpkins, pumpkin decor, Halloween decor, decorating with pumpkins, farmhouse decor, rustic decor, garden scarecrow, diy, diy home decor, diy projects, thrifted, faux pumpkins, Funkins, repurposing, upcycling, wire tomato cage crafts, in the garden. on the front porch, front porch fall decor, rusty metal, pumpkin head 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!

7.30.2020

repurposed wood crate entry decor

decorating, DIY, diy decorating, farmhouse style, garden, garden art, inspiration, junk makeover, neutrals, on the porch, re-purposing, rustic, rustic style, salvaged, summer, trash to treasure, wood crate decor, front porch decor, succulents
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

7.27.2020

summer patio decor refresh

beach style, boho style, coastal style, color, decorating basics, diy decorating, entertaining, fast cheap and easy, furniture, makeover, on the porch, outdoors, room makeovers, summer, weekend makeover, patio decor, patio decor makeover
this patio decor project is a perfect example 
of my homewardFOUND decorating philosophy:
re-think what you already have to make your home look terrific!

we've reached the middle of the strangest summer on record,
and if you're like me, you've been home A LOT  - 
maybe the spaces you've spent a lot of time in might need a refresh right about now.
since we're all enjoying the nice weather outdoors these days,
why not give your patio, porch, or deck a quick makeover? FREE?!

continue reading to see two examples of VERY 'fast, cheap, & easy' makeovers
on two different outdoor living spaces...

7.16.2020

scrap wood tikis

art class, beach style, DIY, diy decorating, junk makeover, just for fun, neutrals, on the porch, outdoors, painting, re-purposing, salvaged, summer, tiki style, trash to treasure, wall art, tropical style, woodcrafts
last winter, i created a lot of tropical & tiki decor
as part of our fun 'Happy HULA-days' Christmas theme.

you've seen posts sharing most of it appearing in our current summertime decor,
bringing a tropical vibe to our home and yard for us to enjoy
during this 'staycation' that is lasting a whole lot longer than anyone anticipated.

one of my projects during quarantine has been the front entry of our home...
which isn't a porch but a 'vestibule' - and is really hard to decorate.
i came up with a simple solution using last December's holiday entry decor:

continue reading to see how i re-used my own tikis made from scrap wood!

3.24.2020

paint chip easter eggs - over easy!

art class, color, color palettes, crafting, crafting with kids, painting, decorating, DIY, diy decorating, Easter, fast cheap and easy, on the porch, original designs, paper crafts, paper, re-purposing, spring, tutorial, Easter decorating, Easter eggs, Easter egg decor
if you've been around here any length of time, 
you know that i like my decorating projects 'fast, cheap, & easy'TM. my trademark phrase.
in this case, the project is 'over easy'! 
yeah, it's a pun, but it's also true - because this is a super-fast craft idea for spring & Easter.
.
continue reading for the easy how-to and how i've used them...

3.12.2020

fois gras? no - faux grass!

decorating, DIY, diy decorating, flowers, garden, industrial, outdoors, on the porch, re-purposing, salvaged, seasonal, spring, summer, up-cycling, artificial turf, fake grass, candles, spring decor, spring decorating, spring fresh, grass
as a decorator / designer, my BIG thing is using things differently.
differently than everyone else, for sure - but also differently than they were ever intended to be used.
i love to let my imagination run wild and come up with 'alternative uses' for just about everything!

when Mom and i designed our backyard landscaping in 2016, we chose faux grass / artificial turf
because of the easy maintenance, long lifespan, and no need for watering.
after the expert installation, we had a lot of scraps left, so i kept them.
i knew that i would come up with ways to use those scraps - and i did!

you've seen our faux grass in some photos of our backyard here on the blog...
 decorating, DIY, diy decorating, flowers, garden, industrial, outdoors, on the porch, re-purposing, salvaged, seasonal, spring, summer, up-cycling, artificial turf, fake grass, candles, spring decor, spring decorating, spring fresh, backyard decordecorating, DIY, diy decorating, flowers, garden, industrial, outdoors, on the porch, re-purposing, salvaged, seasonal, spring, summer, up-cycling, artificial turf, fake grass, candles, spring decor, spring decorating, spring fresh, backyard decor
under the salvaged bucket fountain    .     as a heat shield for roses AND to hide the A/C unit

recently, i used some of the smallest scraps to enhance our spring decor INSIDE the house...
continue reading to see the details!

12.29.2019

rustic junky new year wreath

rusty, metal, junk, junking, diy decor, home decor, thrifted, repurposed, upcycled, salvaged, junk wreath, 2020, new year decor
i love creating a fresh look on our front porch for each season. 
okay, it's not a porch. more like a 'vestibule' - long, narrow, and dark. 
(totally impossible to photograph well, especially with dark terra cotta colored stucco walls. but i try!)

that's why it's important to me to come up with a display here that will welcome guests.
i always bring in light colors, textures, and seasonal elements.
i have a plan for this area and am searching for a large lighter element to add this spring...

for winter this year, i chose rusty metal as the starting point.
some whitewashed wood elements, rope & twine, and rustic wood crates
(ALL things that i have used here before!) combined in a 'winter' scene.

continue reading to see more of our front porch decor...

12.25.2019

totally tiki-tastic holiday!

tiki bar, tikis, tiki culture, tiki hut, tropical decor, happy HULAdays, home decor, diy decor, holiday home decor, holiday, nativity
our Happy HULAdays theme begins at the front door, 
with a totally terrific tiki welcome...
i made these guys by simply painting faces on planks of pine wood from our garage.
if you look closely, you can see that i used the grain of the wood as part of each face design.

the 'Happy HULA days' sign is a piece of plywood washed with brown paint, then hand-lettered.
the HULA letters were painted onto a few of my giant letter tiles, and glued onto the plywood.
tiki bar, tikis, tiki culture, tiki hut, tropical decor, happy HULAdays, home decor, diy decor, holiday home decor, holiday, nativity
you might recognize a few of those tiki faces... 
on the left: Olaf from Frozen (complete with twig arms and hair), a stylized Small World clock face, and a completely doe-like face that just came outta' my paintbrush that way!
on the right: a sun-like face inspired by Small World, a tiki face discovered online, 
Santiki - also discovered online - and finally, Baymax from Big Hero 6. that's for my Dad <3

the 'enter with the spirit of Aloha' sign is one my Mom bought in Hawaii and has had for years
(it was in the tropical backyard weekend makeover i did for my Mom)

... and the fun is just beginning!
continue reading to see MORE of the tikis that i gathered and created for our decor this year!

10.18.2019

junkie punkies!

some junk from my garage - hanging planter baskets and an old industrial fan - 
became 'Junkie Punkies' pumpkins for our front yard wheelbarrow display,
 with a quick spray of paint and a bit of imagination...

<<< click 'continue reading' for more details!

9.05.2018

a fall wreath-hanging secret!

decorating, DIY, diy decorating, decorating basics, farmhouse style, fall, garden, junk makeover, junking, on the porch, nests, neutrals, outdoors, re-purposing, rustic style, seasonal, wall art, wreaths, fall decor
 September has arrived, along with a refreshing cool front ('only' 91 degrees here this weekend!)
suddenly i found myself in a fall mood, ready to change up the front porch decor...
in true 'homewardFOUND' fashion, i started rooting around the garage to see what was on hand.
and in the process, i found something we bought back in JANUARY - and promptly forgot about.

we had a purpose in mind back then, but when i pulled it out of a box on Friday, 
i immediately came up with a completely different way to use it. 
(which is really no surprise to any of you, i am sure!)

there's a hint in the photo above, and when you continue reading, you'll see it!

5.14.2018

the grass is greener...

artificial turf, fake grass, backyard, landscaping, water conservation, water-smart, grass, yard, low-maintenance yard, easy landscape solutions
...when it's faux!

because we live in a dry desert climate here in SoCal, we work hard to conserve water.
(which cracks me up, having lived north of Seattle for 18 years with more water than i knew what to DO with!)
one of the things we've done to keep our consumption down
is the choice to install artificial turf when designing our backyard.
the color is perfect all year long, there is NO maintenance - just picking up a few tree leaves and rose petals,
and because all of our landscape plants are on a drip system, no one else needs to come back here.
it's our own private oasis!

continue reading to see how i used faux turf to solve a few challenges...

5.07.2018

Mother, May I?

ok, friends, Mother's Day is this coming Sunday!
here are some easy and creative last-minute ideas for your celebrations...

continue reading to see all of my Mother's Day posts!