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Showing posts with label paper crafts. Show all posts
Showing posts with label paper crafts. Show all posts

12.06.2024

holiday 2024: mini Christmas tree farm!

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a contributing factor to this year's theme,
O CHRISTMAS TREE 
was finding three gorgeous flocked trees at Target.
then i found two white ceramic trees for a buck each at a thrift shop.

all i had to do was add in a few trees i already had -
and give a few of them a makeover -
as well as make a few new trees,
and my mantel turned into a mini Christmas tree farm! 

continue reading for a few really fast tree tutorials...

11.15.2024

holiday 2024: repurposed Christmas card wreath

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it's TIME! welcome to homeward found holiday 2024:
O CHRISTMAS TREE

this year, i'm using 'artful' elements from my studio and my stash
to bring this holiday decor theme to life in my studio...
yes, green fits my current 'green era' color obsession,
AND it allows for a re-visit / re-style of some of the
elements that i have used for holiday decor in the past.

follow along for the next few weeks as i share
easy tutorials using stuff you already have on hand
to create a whimsical, magical holiday mood in your home...
and you can choose any color YOU love!

first up, an easy-peasy paper project that even the kids can get in on!

continue reading for tutorial and links to other similar projects...

3.29.2024

simple paper strip nest

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how did we get to the end of MARCH already?!!

this last post for the month - though certainly not my last spring project - 
was a thought that occurred to me as i was working on my
new 'Sweet Sweater Nest' creations late last month (post linked below)...

this nest is made using the same basic method as the sweater nest,
but with a different material: paper strips.
i've chosen to use some of my 'painted paint chip paper' strips to make mine - 
remember back in 2020 when my theme was paint chip crafts ALLL year long??!

to fit your own style, this project could easily be done using vintage sheet music,
elegant gift wrapping paper, or even colorful comic pages.
it's a fun way to up-cycle any paper you have on hand!

continue reading for a great last-minute spring project
PLUS a tip for filling your Easter baskets easily! 

8.22.2023

TROPI-fall woven palm leaf pumpkins

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this project is a bit different than my usual...
i'm not making something from scratch or giving a total makeover. 
this time, i'm simply adding one new detail to an existing item
and making it MUCH better than i found it!

i was at my local Habitat for Humanity ReStore looking for something else
when i came across a pile of fake fruit on a shelf...

...continue reading to see what these looked like when i found them
and what i did to them!

5.24.2023

crepe paper dandelions

spring, summer, flowers, garden art, garden style, DIY, diy decorating, paper crafts, paper, just for fun, wreaths, tablescapes, crepe paper dandelions, crepe paper flowers, tutorial.
summer's on the horizon!
with Memorial Day coming up this weekend, many parties are being planned...
from backyard bashes to pool parties to picnics in the park.
that last one gave me an idea for a tablescape/party theme
and i'm revisiting a past project as part of it.

last spring, i participated in an art challenge on Instagram,
and making a paper dandelion was one of my entries.
today i'm sharing the easy process with you, 
along with inspiration for a fun summery table decor idea!

continue reading for my easy tutorial...

5.10.2023

giant paper flowers

spring, Mother's Day, flowers, DIY, crafting, decorating, dollar store crafts, tutorial, garden style, diy decorating, paper crafts, paper, vintage paper, paper flowers, diy paper flowers.
sometimes it's just best to go BIG, you know?
i've been a retail visual merchandiser + display designer / stylist for over 45 years,
and have made a LOT of props in my lifetime...
and i learned that whether you're creating a window display
or an event display or a photo backdrop, large scale has the most impact.

making big things can get costly, tho - unless you use inexpensive materials
like paper, tissue, and repurposed/upcycled elements.

the flowers you see up above were created for use in an event entry display,
and are made from new cardstock paper -
but i've made similar ones from vintage book pages, too.
can't you just imagine flowers made out of repurposed MAPS?
old newspapers? magazine pages? gift wrapping paper?
yep, so can i!

i can also see them decorating a lovely Mother's Day brunch setting,
or as decor in a nursery or girls' room.

continue reading for a quick tutorial and loads of inspo...

12.13.2022

gingerbread theme Christmas tree

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i have always enjoyed using what i have and mixing it up differently
to create new themes & looks each holiday season.
and while i don't have nearly as many bins of ornaments & elements as i once did
(over fifty JUST for Christmas! now it's about 10)
i still pull from my stash each year and then make / makeover some elements.

continuing the 'Gingerbread Holiday' theme this year,
 the tree in my studio is decorated with elements and materials on hand
to tell the story of a snowy gingerbread village.

keep reading to see how it all came together
and a few of my tree decorating tips...

11.15.2022

salvaged wire fan fall wreath

fall,wreaths,pumpkins,wall art,paper crafts,dollar store crafts,re-purposing,up-cycling,tutorial,DIY,diy decorating,decorating,Thanksgiving,Thanksgiving wreath,Thanksgiving wall art,DIY pumpkin and leaf wreath.
i don't just make things from repurposed materials - 
i re-use the things i MAKE, too!

this wreath includes two of my recent fall decor projects
PLUS an element that i used several years ago (posts linked below)
to create a new look for this November.
perfect for a front door or hanging on a wall in your home,
it's an easy project perfect for these fall days.

continue reading for the easy details...

11.01.2022

realistic paper leaf tutorial

fall,paper crafts,paper,DIY,diy decorating,re-purposed,up-cycling,home decor,decorating,fall leaves, paper leaves,autumn leaf craft,paper crafting,tutorial.
dearest readers, i'm not ready for the holidays yet.
i get to this point every year, and struggle with it. why??
i feel like i need to keep up with the popular bloggers and influencers
and start posting holiday / Christmas content earlier every year.
but... i can't do it. i honestly can't. my brain revolts against it.

after spending 45 years as a retail visual merchandiser / designer / stylist
and pushing every season months beforehand,
i want to just enjoy the season i'm IN. that inspires my creativity!
and it's one of the reasons i started this blog a decade ago.

so here we are on November 1st and Deb is not even dipping a toe into Christmas decor.
instead, i'm gonna' share some simple ways to decorate your home this month,
for Thanksgiving, for Friendsgiving, for the fall season. 
because if you're looking at this the way i am, we can just enjoy this month
and the chance to embrace the lovely autumn atmosphere
before the holiday hullaballoo kicks in!

so - grab some scissors, some scrap paper in a color you love, and a branch from your yard,
and let me show you how to craft some pretty paper leaves in a jiffy...

5.31.2022

what i did with all of my May flowers!

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after creating all of my flowers for the Instagram #flowermonth2022 challenge,
i decided that i wanted to enjoy them a bit longer...
so i combined almost all of them into one big flower arrangement!
but that's not all i included.

continue reading to see some interesting things tucked in with those flowers...

5.30.2022

May flowers: art challenge recap

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over the past month, i've been participating in a creative art challenge...
the #flowermonth2022 challenge on Instagram
was sponsored by three artists,
with thousands of creative people around the globe participating.
each interpreted the prompts - an alphabetical listing of flowers - 
in their own style and method.
it has proved to be not just a fun exercise for me,
but also an educational experience,
as i've seen many variations on the themes in many different art mediums.

my own creations for this challenge
were all made from materials & elements that i have here at home - 
all reused, repurposed, recycled, and turned into flowers & foliage:

scrap paper, paint, paint pens, colored pencils, felt pens, fabric, gift wrap, 
wood blocks, vintage crepe paper, tissue paper, wire, sweaters, yarn, 
vintage jewelry, sewing pins, even plastic parts from dollar store flowers.

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though my original plan was to make 12 different flowers, as shown here,
it quickly expanded to a plan for 14 blooms - 
and then i added one more at the last minute!

continue reading to see all 15 floral creations from my studio...

5.26.2022

May flowers: yarrow & zinnia

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it's a two-fer!
i don't have enough time left in the month to add more posts,
so this one is doing double duty.

the two last letters of the floral alphabet challenge - Y and Z -
just finished up on Instagram,
and i made a Yarrow blossom and some Zinnia blooms...

continue reading to see the easy ways i created these flowers
using everyday materials here in my studio...

5.12.2022

what's your inspiration board style?

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in the past few weeks,
i've shared some flowers that i've created with paper.
well, there's something else i've done with paper for many MANY years -
i make pinboards / bulletin boards / inspiration boards
and fill them with all kinds of paper detritus that i've collected
over several decades.

they serve as not only inspiration and a way to corral my 'vision',
but also as a decor element in my studio.

i recently re-read an
old Houzz.com article about inspiration boards - 
and how the way you create yours reveals
if you are a
left-brain creative or a right-brain creative!

Artists and Creatives know that we are right-brain people, for the most part.
but apparently, our left-brain compulsion for order can often over-ride
 the instincts that we associate with creativity (um... that it's messy!).
that was new info for me.
the houzz article has a LOT of visual inspo, too!

more on that in a bit...
first, see what reading that article inspired me to RE-do in my studio,
and learn how I make inspiration / bulletin boards using simple materials. 

continue reading for more...

5.07.2022

May flowers: gerbera

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May 7 Day 7: Gerberas

this is another 'trash to treasure' assemblage / collage project
for the May Month of Flowers art challenge on Instagram.
this sunny bloom grew right outta' my recycle bin!

continue reading to see how i turned garbage into art...

5.04.2022

May flowers: daffodil, daisy & dandelion

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D is for daffodil, daisy, and dandelion!
(and a bunch more, like delphinium and dahlia and daphne)

continuing with the May Month of Flowers art challenge,
i've shared those three on Instagram on May 4 / day 4 / letter D -
and thought i'd share them here, as well!
several are older projects, and a few are brand new - created just for this challenge.

continue reading to see them all and learn how i made them...

5.02.2022

May flowers: buttercup

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'chin up, buttercup!'
ever heard that one?

in my last post, i shared info about a May art challenge on Instagram.
i'm not posting a new project there every day,
but i did share my first one on May 2,
and i chose 'buttercup' for the letter 'B' prompt.

this was a new project for me, using materials in my existing stash,
and i had to work out the details as i went -
and now i'm sharing it as a tutorial here on the blog.

when i was finished making my buttercup, i added it to a larger art piece
that i had in mind when i chose this specific flower!

continue reading for my easy tutorial...

5.01.2022

'month of flowers' May art challenge

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flowers are always on my mind in springtime...
and they are one of my favorite things to create.
this month, i'm excited to revisit some of the flowers i've made in the past
(and whooooo have there been a lot of them - some shown above)
and create different flowers for something NEW:

the 'May Month of Flowers Instagram Challenge'!

continue reading to find out the details!

4.28.2022

happy May Day flowers

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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...

3.24.2022

paint palette eggs!

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this one came to me one day while i was going through my bins of spring decor.

back in 2020 i made some simple Easter eggs with varied finishes on them,
and as i saw those in the bin, i realized that their shape was very much like
the paint palettes that artists use... and a new creative idea was born!

...continue reading for this easy project
(and to see what those 'paint palettes' are REALLY made of!)

1.20.2022

show 'em some love!

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just poppin' in with a recent discovery in my files...
this project didn't make the blog last winter
and since I'm not currently making new things,
 I thought I'd share it for your Valentine's Day inspiration!

we've all become familiar with offering a little 'thank you' to the many service people
who deliver food and goods to our homes - especially during a pandemic.
our isolation is made more comfortable by them bringing us what we order online.

last year, I created one with a Valentine theme
from an old wall mailbox, all 'shooszhed' up with hearts
to express my gratitude to our USPS, UPS, FedEx, and Instacart delivery people...

continue reading to see how!