Recycling Christmas!

I LOVE changing up my color schemes each year, 

combining ornaments in new ways

and mixing what I have to get a whole new look...
(see more of this year's 'Ombre' tree - on the left - here)

How about you?
Do you experiment each year, or do you stick with the 'tried and true' favorites?!
What are your favorite colors for your Christmas Decor?

the mission statement of HOMEWARDfound decor

is basically 'work with what we already have' (or can get CHEAP)
and is born out of my love for making things over -
so I rethink, reimagine, redesign, recycle, and reuse everything I have all.year.long.

continue reading to see some of them!

Happy HAULidays!

 Jingle & Jangle are getting excited!

These darling vintage elves will be in my shop soon - along with a lot more!

I've been pricing and making and prepping my huge HAULiday stash

to go into my homewardFOUND shop in Room #1 at Needful Things Addiction.
(there is SO MUCH MORE than I can even photograph right now)

and then.... Plan B happened.
The store owner asked for my help with a project - and OH am I glad I said yes!!!

Today I spent a few hours down at the store, prowling through some storage rooms

that are FILLED with amazing furniture and accessories, 

selecting some for fixtures and then getting to work turning an empty room

into a setting for a holiday happening!

That room is Room #3, and it's right next to my regular spot, Room #1...

I'll be filling it with my haul of handmade originals and vintage finds in bright happy colors
for the BIG EVENT this coming Saturday:

 .

Some new holiday things in soft neutrals will be headed into my 'regular' shop in Room #1, too!

I'll share some 'sneak peeks' here and on my social media pages

as soon as it's all set up and ready... and I hope you can make it out on Saturday -
I'll be at the store in the afternoon and evening to help out, 

and I'd love to meet you!

.

Tidings of Comfort and JOY

Tomorrow is Christmas Eve, 
so this is the last post in my holiday 2016 series...

Finding this vintage book at the thrift store last summer
inspired our theme for our Christmas decorating:

  I've enjoyed sharing how we have embraced it in our home this year.

( Click to see all Holiday 2016 Posts )

JOY has been my Word of the Year for 2016,

and in so many ways I have found it again, lived it, and shared it...

for that gift, I am profoundly Thankful.

I owe a debt of gratitude to so many people in my life,

including each of you who visit my blog and social media pages...
your visits, comments, likes, shares, re-posts, pins

and enthusiastic support and encouragement mean so much to me.
Thank you all, from my heart, for finding value in what I share with you.

It's not rocket science, and it's not as BIG and as WOW as many other bloggers post,

but you've let me know that it's helpful, useful, and inspiring to you - 

and that just makes my heart sing!

I wish each and every one of you a very Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays 

- no matter what holiday you celebrate this time of year! - 

and a New Year filled with hope, faith, love, laughter, and yes.... JOY

With Gratitude, 

Deb

A Christmas Tablescape

Okay, I'll be honest... we really don't use this dining table much.
Even after I gave it a snazzy makeover! 
It serves as a big crafting surface a lot of the time, 
but is currently set & ready for Christmas Day dinner with some very special guests.

Everything here is coordinated with our daily decor palette
and the deeper tones that we brought in for the holidays...
And it has a few ideas that are simple to replicate:

Continue Reading for more...

Orange You Glad You're Here?!

While much of our home decor this Christmas is in neutral tones
(ivory, cream, tan, rusty brown, bronze, copper, and gold),
we decided to leave the bright orange decor already in the entryway.
(click to see more about the Joyful sign)
This happy hue brightens that small, dark space right up!

The addition of a tall, skinny tree in the corner added some light,
and a chance to create a fun, lighthearted feeling...
yet very different than the fun tropical tree decor that we created at the old house!

Continue Reading to see what we did... 

Vintage Paper Ornaments

When I was in my frenzied flurry of paper crafting last month, 

(see my vintage paper poinsettia wall decor post)
I also created some ornaments for the tree...

Using a trusty old paper slicer that I kept from my Dad's warehouse,

I cut dozens and dozens and dozens of strips of paper from old books and hymnals.

With scissors, a stapler, a glue stick, and a pencil to create rolled edges as tools,

I played around with shapes until I came up with these: 

why, yes, that IS a hidden Mickey!
I put those on the tree in my studio because.... well, because!

Continue Reading to find out where I put them all!

Vintage Paper Poinsettias

My love for old book pages and vintage paper shows itself in many ways,

and I love finding new ways to use this material all year long...

so this Holiday season, I used paper as a major theme for our Christmas decor.

I created tree ornaments, garland embellishments, and other elements

that are in use all over the house.

While I created the flowers you see here to go on the tree,

they worked out much better forming a wreath on the wall in our entryway!

Tucked into a simple garland of greens and a strand of mini lights that surround a round mirror,

the paper poinsettias add the perfect touch of texture and style:

The centers of the flowers are made from vintage jewelry -  

old earrings, shoe clips, and lapel pins.

They add more texture and some sparkle, along with a touch of nostalgia.

Continue Reading to see more details...

Fall Into the Holidays...

Thanksgiving before Christmas, right?

well...... for some people, that only applies to the calendar!
There are some pretty strong opinions about whether or not to decorate for Christmas BEFORE Thanksgiving... 

almost as strong as opinions about the upcoming election!

As for me, I don't 'do' my house for Christmas until after Thanksgiving.
[ I also don't shop on Black Friday. I decorate! ]
I know, it's so subversive.... 

continue reading to see how I incorporate BOTH holidays in my decor!

Holiday & Christmas Decor Inspiration

Over the past 40 years,
I have had the great blessing of creating beautiful Christmas decor

for many residences and businesses...

for Four Seasons Hotel & Microsoft executive homes,

for many small businesses like Molbak's Home+Garden store 

for big huge famous businesses like Chateau Ste. Michelle and Columbia wineries,

and the Disneyland Resort. 

Now I share my tips, tricks, and ideas here on homewardFOUND decor!
You'll find loads of Holiday inspiration here...

continue reading...

I'm Not ELF-conscious....

Friends, I'm gonna' brag. Sorry, but I have to!
I just scored THE ultimate in Christmas decor - at least, in my little world.

My kids are grown, so I have no reason to get into the 'Elf on the Shelf' craze sweeping the world...
and I had absolutely no intention of doing so.

Until late one recent day, when a box of donations came into the resale store
where I work as a display stylist. (Job #2, along with Disney)
Buried in the depths of that box was a vintage treasure that I simply could not ignore
even if it WAS an elf
(or in this case, elfs. elves?.... 'elves on shelves'??):

Aren't they CUTE?!!
These little guys are circa 1960's, made in Japan (stickers still attached), and in brand-new condition.
I can't even FIND any that look as good as they do on etsy!

Just like the newly-popular Elfie in a red onesie, they bend and pose and sit up,
all while casting sidelong glances in the direction of the trouble that is brewing...

and let me tell you, they've already invaded my office with their shenanigans.
See photos below for proof.

So now, I am completely enamoured of these two.
I am trying to figure out what to name them...
Stick with the Holiday theme and try
No and El?  Happy and Holly?  Dancer and Prancer?

Maybe I should go with an obvious direction, 

and call them Dis and Ney ;) ?  Miki and Mini?

There is one set of names that keeps dancing in my head:
Dubble and Trubble.

Because clearly, one is a goody two shoes - and one is just hell on wheels.

This is definitely one of my BEST Christmas decor scores ever.
What marvelous finds do you have to brag about?  Share in a comment!

shared online:

Practically Functional | Creativity Unleashed

Bubbling with Joy

First, may I offer a HUGE 'Thank You' to all of you

for your kind comments here and on facebook, 

and for the prayers and thoughts you have been sending for my Dad.
This challenge is not over, however it IS being seen in a much more positive light

after his doctor came up with a solution that will help him have a few years left with us,

instead of a few months. 

For that, we are extremely grateful!

And so as the Light of Hope reigns in my heart, 

I see a little bit of Holiday joy returning to my soul...
and I thought a post about 'light' was perfect.
 
Now, about that picture up there:
You all know that I love using things in unexpected ways... well, a few years back,

  I put white bubble light bulbs into my chandelier!

.

My grandma Ward had bubble lights on a tree when I was a little Debby, 

and they always bring back sweet memories for me.
Having the whimsical sparkly bubbling lights on my chandelier 

reminded me of her every time I passed through the dining room. 
My grandson loved them, too!

The clear/white ones shown here (found at Restoration Hardware) were just too perfect to pass up,
as my style is more neutral than my Grandma's brightly-colored preferences.

Lights like this will work on a chandy with small bulb sockets, not full size ones.

The other thing you might notice about that chandelier is that it has some pretty-fied candle STICKS.
I wrapped pieces of vintage sheet music around each 'candle stick'!

A quick swipe from a glue stick secured them, but made it easy to remove in the future.

This is an easy project, using scrapbook papers, gift wrap, any kind of paper product...
back in 2010, I used shiny red and polka-dot gift wrap paper on some chandeliers for sale:

I also used happy round bulbs on those,
just because I thought they looked more like tree ornaments than light bulbs.

Another way to embellish your chandeliers is to dangle ornaments from them, as shown above.
Simple glass balls, or crocheted or faceted crystal snowflakes will really 'foof' it up!

Here's the chandy from the photo at the top of this post
with loads of glass ornaments suspended from it
(before the bubble lights were found!)

Along with the very expensive glass figural ornaments,
I used resin crystals found at the thrift store, and cheap plastic snowflakes from the dollar store.
Those don't detract from the elegant look!!!
.

See more of my past 'Vintage White Christmas' decor theme HERE

shared online:

.Practically Functional | Creativity Unleashed

Yesterday on Tuesday | Project Inspire{d}

The Holiday Tree: for Every Season

Let me tell you a story...

Monday, I was trying to come up with an idea for a post for today.
I had NUTHIN' - no how, no where. The well was DRY, my friends.
I was, frankly, 'too tired to be inspired'!!!
I posted on my facebook page and asked my HOMEees there to chime in, 

sharing their best tips for getting their creative MoJo back... and I got some great replies!

Carol took a very practical and restful tact:

'Take a day off from being creative... 

I find house cleaning to be very therapeutic and lets my brain rest.'
 

I joke that I only clean so I can decorate, 

but the truth is that cleaning is for me a bit like 'priming the canvas' is for a painter. 

It starts the creative engine running so ideas can flow!

Emily offered a virtual hug and a wide perspective:
'Awww... we've all been there! I usually just take a break and/or head outside.'
 

Great advice - because, really, is it ever possible to head outside into the beauty of nature
(where ever you are) and NOT be inspired?! I don't think so. 

Lilliam spoke words of a sage:
'Take a moment to just sit still, in silence and the inspiration for the right Idea will come to you. 

.Still.'

Oh, Lil, I try. I really DO. I'm just not a 'still' girl. 

I can walk on the beach for hours/miles. I can sit and read for hours.
But just sitting.... doing nothing.... waiting..... I just can't do it.
I hear the Jeopardy theme song every time I try!! (I CAN lie still for a massage, though!!)

So, after I read these words of wisdom, I decided to take a break.
I headed downstairs to the kitchen, to grab a fresh glass of ice water and then head outdoors...

and on the way into the kitchen, I walked past something.
I see it every day - in my peripheral vision.
I KNOW it's there, but it never really 'registers', if you know what I mean. It's just.... there.

But at THAT moment, I stopped.
I backed up a few steps and looked at it. For a good long while.
And while I did, I remembered something important.
That's when I KNEW that I had the content for this blog post!
So I ran upstairs, grabbed the camera, and went back down lickety-split

to snap a few images.

Aaaaaaand here we are.... today.

Do you want to know what I remembered?

That this small, inexpensive, simple decor element is something that I grew up with.

I remember it well from throughout my childhood.
And when I had my own children, I replicated it for them.

Now that THEY have children, they have replicated it, as well!

It's what we call 'The HOLIDAY Tree'.
(And it's not a Christmas tree by another name!)

It's a little tree that is decorated every season, for every holiday.

The idea is SO simple: It's a branch.
 As in, a branch off the tree in the yard or the nearby forest

or even purchased at the local craft store.
Not a BIG branch, just a lil' branch. Two feet tall or so.

It sits in a pot or planter or tin or box...

held in place by rocks or plaster of paris.

And there's pretty 'stuff' on the branches... 

little stuff, not heavy stuff:

We've used silly things like happy meal toys and action figures for Halloween,

vintage ornaments and mini candy canes at Christmas, 

bright plastic eggs for Easter, woven paper hearts for Valentine's Day, miniature flags in Summer,

everyone's favorite personal treasures for their birthday week, 

and some multi-colored plastic mini lights that look like the M&M characters.
 
Small things all, but the important thing was that every month there was a day 
when we all worked together to create & find fun things to decorate the Holiday Tree with.

I still have those colored plastic M&M light covers, BTW ;)

Mom uses Dollar Tree garlands and tiny ornaments 

and in this photo, she even used a felt coaster owl!
Anything goes.

The tree always sat somewhere we'd pass by it every day, 

so that the enjoyment was constant...

When I was a kid, the Holiday Tree sat on the HiFi (yes, I am OLD!) in the living room.
When my kids were young, our Holiday Tree sat on top of a cabinet on the stair landing or in the family room.

Right now, my Mom's Holiday tree is sitting on her buffet,  next to the kitchen door - which is where I saw it on Monday.

It's been in the room all along, decorated differently each season... but until Monday, 

I had completely forgotten about how much this tradition is a part of me. A part of my family.
A huge part of why decorating for every season is what I do. 

Now that I remember, I am so thankful for the simple ways that my Mom taught me about creativity. 

They've stayed with me... and my kids and grandkids. It's 'Generational Creativity'!

shared online:

Practically Functional | Creativity Unleashed

Not Just a Cookie Cutter!

"Can't see the forest for the trees".
Ever heard that?

Something has happened to me REPEATEDLY over the past three weeks.
At first, I thought 'huh?'. Then I laughed. Finally, I got creative.
And that's when I realized my brain was trying to tell me something....

So, here's the situation:
In my new position in retail at the Happiest Place on Earth, 

I see a LOT of certain products. The ears, for example. They are EVERYWHERE.
And there's this ONE item that is right by the registers, 

where people routinely pick it up. They look at it. Some buy it.
But many - and I mean MANY  - many more than you would expect -
pick it up and look at cashiers and ask 

'What IS this? What's it FOR?'
every.single.day.

May I present said item?:

words FAIL me.

I just don't get how people do NOT know what this is.

I am not talking about people from far-flung foreign lands here, friends...
These are people from first-world countries with stores and books and web shopping.

It's a cookie cutter. 

In the shape of Mickey Mouse ears.

Pretty standard item. At least, I THOUGHT it was!

Anyway, after wiping the astonished look off of my face and replacing it with a suitable Disney smile,

I began to share different ideas for using this apparatus with those who asked about it.
I solve the mystery for guests and expound the versatility of said item,

sharing 'value added' uses with them.

The guests and my co-cast members have repeatedly told me that 

I have a very unique way of seeing things.
Is that a compliment???!

... and that's when I realized that the reason I HAVE this blog

is because I do not think like other people do,

and I need to take the things that smack me across the face on a daily basis 

and turn them into blog fodder!

continue reading to find out the ideas I had for the Mickey Ear Cookie Cutter

[ which are borne out of things that I've done for YEARS in my own home ]
because they are applicable to ANY cookie cutter at ANY time of year...

Even MORE Easter Eggs on Parade!

OK, this really is the last of it!
I just keep finding more and more great ideas to share with you...

 Surround a pillar candle in a glass vase or trifle dish with plastic eggs.

 Gather up your real or plastic eggs and display them by COLOR!

Use all one color containers - white or clear glass, for example - 

or use containers in colors that coordinate with the eggs, as shown above.

*** One of the BEST Easter Egg Hunt ideas I have seen recently is along these lines:

Assign each child one color - They can only collect eggs of that color.
This enables you to hide eggs by age/ accessibility, 

and make sure even the youngest children find eggs!
I think it's BRILLIANT! ***

 Coordinate your eggs with a vignette of special items...
this simple display focuses on warm colors that coordinate with a vintage container.

My Mom found this little manzanita branch mounted in a box at the craft store,

and she decorates it for every season using purchased mini-ornaments...

You can hang regular-size eggs from a branch gathered from your yard or roadside,

using thread or ribbon:

image from thedomesticcurator.com

One Last Idea for you:
When my daughters were young, they would clip plastic eggs into their long hair!
(no image, sorry - the girls would kill me!)

shared online:

Cupcakes & Crinoline | Project Inspire{d}

Common Ground | Be Inspired

Tutorial: Chenille Stem Daffodils

March ends this weekend... and before it's all over,
I wanted to share ONE LAST DAFFODIL PROJECT with you!

About six years ago, I unearthed a bag of vintage yellow chenille stems at a thrift store.

They were the 'wavy' kind - like these (available HERE):

You know that the first thing I thought of when I saw them was daffodils, right?!

As I was playing with them, making daffodils, I came up with an improvement...

the center section became A CROWN.
... and VOILA! 'DIVAdils' were born!

I still have those same Divadils that I made all those years ago
and thought I'd share a quick tutorial for making them...

Please note that these do use PINS, so they are NOT a kid craft project

and are definitely not for kids to play with.

Whatcha' NEED:

 Materials:
'wavy' chenille stems or rope in yellow or white 

regular chenille stem in green + length of baling wire for stem

yellow or white paper . scissors . glue stick to make the paper crown

yellow or white pompom . 2 regular pins . 3 floral pins with pearl ends

Whatcha' DO:

1. starting at one end of chenille stem or rope, fold two 'wavy' sections together - 

and pinch the skinny section in the middle to make one petal. 

then wrap the end to the next skinny section to secure the petal in place.

2. move down the chenille stem and repeat -

 then wrap the next skinny section once around the petal base to secure it.

3. repeat petal process until you have 3 petals (using a chenille stem) or 6 petals (if using chenille rope).
if you have 3 petals, repeat and create another set of three.

4. if you have two sets of three petals, wrap the two remaining end sections together to attach.

with either method, leave an end section to attach the green stem to...

 5. take the green straight chenille stem and wrap it around the baling wire piece to cover it.

create a small hook at the top of the wire, and slip the remaining end section of wavy chenille through it

on the back side of the flower.

6. wrap the wavy chenille around the top 1/2 inch of the green stem to secure it.

 7. place the pom pom in the center of the front of the flower.

hold it in place using the three flower pins with pearl heads - 

stick them through the pom pom and into the chenille flower petals.
you can use hot glue if you want.

 8. cut a strip of paper @ 1" wide and 4" long.
on one side, cut out a crown shaped edge - basically really long, pointy triangles!
then use a pen or pencil to curl the edges of the points outward.
roll the paper into a tube with the points curling outward.

use a glue stick to secure it into a tube.

 9. slip the paper crown over the floral pins and pom pom.

 10. push the two regular pins into the crown (one on each side),

running them through the pom pom to secure the crown to the flower.

11. bend the tips of the petals into various curved shapes - some forward, some back. 

or close them in on themselves for a daffodil 'bud', as shown below...

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I also used the same method to create 

these holiday poinsettias from green vintage chenille stems!
[ the centers of these are metallic plastic mini ornaments ]

shared online:

One Project Closer | Creativity Unleashed

Cupcakes & Crinoline | Project Inspire{d}