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

3.29.2024

simple paper strip nest

spring,Easter,nests,paper,paper crafts,vintage paper,crafting,crafting with kids,DIY,diy decorating,re-purposing,up-cycling,trash to treasure,create a paper nest for Easter,tutorial.
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

fall,pumpkins,tropical style,boho style,farmhouse style,DIY,diy decorating,home decor,paper crafts,paper,thrifted,simple solutions,palm leaf pumpkins,paper bag pumpkin stems,tropi-fall decor,coastal style,tutorial.
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

holiday,Christmas,Christmas Decor,Christmas Decor Themes,Christmas tree,ornaments,DIY,diy decorating,home decor,paper,paper crafts,crafting,gingerbread village,gingerbread ornaments,gingerbread houses,gingerbread tree decor
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...

11.01.2022

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...

1.20.2022

show 'em some love!

art, color, color palettes, colorful home, DIY, diy decorating, dollar store crafts, February 2021, Pantone color of the year, Valentine's Day, winter, paper, paper crafts, love notes, love letters, valentines, valentines mailbox, vintage mailbox, hearts, paper hearts.
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!

12.20.2021

sweater-wrapped gifts

holiday,winter,sweaters,gift wrapping,paper,DIY,diy decorating,Christmas,Christmas Decor,Christmas tree,boho style,color,color palettes,colorful home,Pantone color of the year,re-purposed,thrifted,gift wrap inspo,gift wrap with sweaters,sweater print gift wrap paper,gifts,Christmas gift wrap.
when i choose a theme, my mind runs rampant with ideas
to incorporate that theme in every possible part of my decor.
case in point: the presents shown above.

it's not enough for me to deck the halls and mantels and doors and tree
in my preferred colors and materials...
i have to make the gift wrap match, too! LOL

this year i found three different ways to incorporate sweaters into my gift wrapping,
to coordinate with my Sweet Sweater Season theme...

continue reading for more inspo & info!

11.12.2021

fall paper leaf arrangement

seasonal,colorful home,Thanksgiving,diy decorating,up-cycling,trash to treasure,paper,fall,paper crafts,DIY, junk makeover,crafting,wall art,tutorial,re-purposed,fall florals,fall home decor,fall centerpieces.
i've had to get creative to bring a fall feel into my home
(there's not a fall leaf in sight outside and it's still in the 90's... sigh)
but i've managed to find a way! it's PAPER!

some of the leaves from the wreath in my last post joined with new ones
along with faux florals + leaves and a branch from my backyard tree
to create this lovely fall arrangement.
it's easy-peasy AND it won't fall apart! (hah. pun not intended)

continue reading for more details...

11.08.2021

honeycomb paper mushrooms!

fall,Thanksgiving,paper,paper crafts,DIY,diy decorating,crafting,dollar store crafts,re-purposed,party,colorful home,Pantone color of the year,up-cycling,mushrooms,paper mushrooms,mushroom party decor,mushroom crafts,paper mushrooms.
surprise!
this project and post wasn't planned -
 i was recently inspired by a cute creation on Insta, and had to try it for myself.
it worked so well that i wanted to share it here...
so i'm popping it into my late fall content before i switch to holiday!

continue reading to see what inspired me and how EASY this project is!

11.05.2021

fall wreath with scrap paper leaves

wreaths,wall art,up-cycling,trash to treasure,Thanksgiving,seasonal,re-purposed,paper crafts,paper,junk makeover,fall,DIY,diy decorating,crafting,colorful home,fall leaves,fall leaf crafts,fall home decor,fall wreaths,fall mantel decor, paper leaves
here in Southern California, we don't get 'fall leaves'. 
not at my elevation, anyway. up in the mountains it's a bit different.
the leaves down here in the flat desert turn from green to brown in July when the heat hits.
if they aren't blown off of the trees by the Santa Ana winds in September,
they hang on until January when the new leaf buds push them off.

it's harder yet when you've lived somewhere else that actually has a fall season.
i really miss being able to forage the forest for glowing red, orange, and yellow leaves.
since that possibility no longer exists for me,
i had to find another way to express a fall feeling in my home this time of year...
and i found the solution in my recycling bin!

continue reading for a quick tutorial on turning scrap paper into fall leaves - and more!

10.22.2021

harvest moon shadow box

art,wall art,paper,paper crafts,pumpkins,Halloween,fall,DIY,diy decorating,home decor,thrifted,re-purposed,up-cycling,trash to treasure,dollar store crafts,fall home decor,Halloween home decor,Halloween decorating,haunted village mantel display,shadowbox art,Halloween shadowbox, miniatures.
miniatures are all the rage right now...
from dollhouses and tiny 'rooms' that sit on bookshelves
to tiny spaces behind walls and accessed by little 'fairy doors', 
it's a trend that engages our childlike imagination.

i was inspired by that to create a sort of miniature setting,
and chose to use a shadowbox frame as the structure for it.
a simple project that took very little time to assemble,
it makes use of items i have used in past projects...
and i hope it will inspire you to try something similar!

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

10.12.2021

paint + paper picture frame pumpkins

art,wall art,Halloween,fall,home decor,DIY,diy decorating,painting,re-purposed,thrifted,up-cycling,paper,paper crafts,pumpkins,Sweet Sweater Pumpkins,neutrals,white,farmhouse style,trash to treasure,Halloween home decor, Halloween decorating,pumpkin decor, decorating with pumpkins,trash to treasure pumpins,junk pumpkins,painted pumpkins,black and white Halloween decor.
creating seasonal decor accents with paint and paper is my jam.
i love taking something i already have, combining it with scraps of this and that,
adding some paint, and turning it into something new
without spending a cent.

it's 'green'/eco-friendly, no-cost, easy to do,
keeps stuff from being 'stuffed' into storage boxes until it's that season again,
and it's a great way to ensure that my decor is unique and one of a kind.
i'm able to embrace current trending looks - with my own twist.
like..... yellow. yup. still doin' my yellow thing. alllll year long!

while these photos do indeed have yellow in them,
the project is graphic black and white - which is not just perfect for Halloween,
but easily incorporated into nearly any color scheme.
or, you know, altered to fit any color scheme...
you want orange? great! swap out the black for orange!
maybe you embrace all neutrals? okay! use soft sand instead of black with white.

and if 'cute' isn't your vibe, picture these made from elegant gold frames
filled with vintage book pages or wallpaper, with gold-painted wire 'stems'.
i want to inspire you to make it yours!

continue reading for details...

6.28.2021

sunny paint palette wall art

summer,art class,wall art,color,colorful home,Pantone color of the year,crafting,crafting with kids,DIY,diy decorating,gift wrapping,paper,paper crafts,trash to treasure,tutorial,up-cycling,re-purposing,salvaged,sunshine theme,sunny day crafts,sunny day decor,summer home decor,kids crafts,yellow,Pantone Illuminating yellow,Pantone 2021, summer crafts,summer paper crafts
bored yet?
no, not you - your KIDS!
i know, we're barely into summer vacay. but i know kids!
if you're looking for simple, cheap, 'trash to treasure' craft projects to keep 'em busy,
this post will show kids how to make their OWN sunshine!

last fall, i played around with some of my disposable paper & plastic plate paint palettes
and made paint palette pumpkins (link at end of post)
today i grabbed a few palettes that i've used as i paint all.the.things yellow,
and found ways to turn them into happy sunshine art!

continue reading for a few easy scrap paper crafts to brighten up your days...

3.29.2021

be a good (repurposed) egg

art,paper crafts,paper,wall art,spring,Easter,painting,DIY,diy decorating,decorating,wreaths,colorful home,Pantone color of the year,yellow,Illuminating Yellow,Pantone 2021 color of the year,Easter eggs,Easter decor,spring home decor,spring decorating,use what you have decorating,re-purposing,upcycling,trash to treasure,paint chips,paint chip inspired.
last spring, i created several decor elements inspired by paint chips. 
okay, okay... i basically spent most of 2020 finding creative ways to use paint chips! LOL

this year, i've pulled those out of storage and found fresh new ways to use them...
because the yellow just serendipitously fits my current color obsession perfectly
AND
because it's not necessary to have/buy/make ALL NEW things EVERY year.
(i felt a great disturbance in the force as retailers across the globe shuddered at that...)

it's fun finding new ways to use what you have!
continue reading to see the new ideas that i came up with...

3.19.2021

pop art paper posies!

art,art class,paper,paper crafts,flowers,crafting,crafting with kids,dollar store crafts,diy decorating,DIY,decorating,spring,trash to treasure,spring flowers,spring decorating,pop art,pop art crafts,black and white art,black and white flowers,pop art decor,line art,crafting with paper,spring flower crafts .
a recent creative challenge i am part of called for participants to share
how we've invoked the spirit of spring in our art.
well, my 'art' is craft - using re-purposed, upcycled, re-imagined materials.
and my first response was to think of my paper paint chip daffodils,
so i submitted a photo of those.

then i thought of another idea, and wanted to play with it...
since i love making somethin' outta' nuthin', i chose to use plain cardstock paper!

the result of my afternoon 'playtime with paper, paste and scissors' is something
that reminds me for all the world of pop art, like Andy Warhol's famous pixilated works.
it also makes me think of the art of Sina Trixx, an inventive design firm
(view their astounding pop art architectural creations on Instagram)

can black + white evoke springtime? yes! 
continue reading to see how...

1.25.2021

diy paper hearts wall art + garland

art,wall art,paper,paper crafts,vintage paper,re-purposing,up-cycling,DIY,diy decorating,color,colorful home,Pantone color of the year,color palettes,Valentine's Day,wreaths,winter,trash to treasure,hearts,valentine hearts,valentine decor,valentines wreath,heart decor,paper hearts,Pantone color of the year 2021,Illuminating Yellow,Ultimate Gray,yellow and gray decorating,yellow and gray palette, vintage Disneyland tickets
the wreath in my last post isn't the only way i am using paper hearts!
the freebie hearts cut from magazine pages and other scrap paper in my studio
have also become wall art and a mantel garland.

this is a really easy way to add a fun seasonal touch to your home
using what you have on hand already
(that's really been my Modus Operandi through this whole pandemic)


continue reading to see how easy it is to make home decor from scrap paper...

1.22.2021

scrap paper heart wreath

art,wall art,DIY,diy decorating,paper crafts,paper,vintage paper,Valentine's Day,re-purposing,up-cycling,trash to treasure,wreaths,winter,color,color palettes,colorful home,Pantone color of the year,Illuminating Yellow,Ultimate Gray,Pantone 2021,yellow and gray,hearts, heart decor,decorating with hearts,Valentine's Day decor,Valentine hearts,heart wreath,paper hearts, Disney decor, Disneyland tickets
my penchant for paper often pays off... which is good, because i keep EVERYTHING. 
  old magazines. brochures. cards. shopping bags. even business cards if they're cute!
this past year, i've been a bit better about tearing pages out of mags instead of keeping them.
(i almost broke a drawer in my studio because it was overloaded with heavy magazines.) 

so when my brain comes up with an idea for using said scrap paper
(usually at 3 in the morning)
i have a stash on hand that i can dig into, and it costs me nuthin'.
and you all know how i love making art & decor with everyday stuff!

in December, i shared a wreath like this made from old Christmas cards cut into circles.
this time, i cut paper into heart shapes - you could certainly make a heart-shaped wreath, too!
i even brought out a piece of paper that is one of the most valuable i have:

vintage. Disney. and i CUT IT UP. yeah, call me crazy.
but it's my fave part of this wreath!

continue reading to see how scrap paper becomes art...

1.15.2021

winter tablescape + diy candle wrap

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since my focus for this new year is 'create . decorate . celebrate',
i'm making a concerted effort to do little things for myself more often
in 'celebration' of life and home.
case in point: making an effort to make mealtime more intentional,
 and setting a pretty spot to enjoy it!


cultivating this one habit is an opportunity to step away from the computer
and enjoy some nutritional food, nice music or the sounds of birds outdoors,
and moments of gratitude a few times each day.
it's important to me to make space for that,
and i think often we need a reminder that we don't have to save the nice china for visitors...
we should make the effort even if it's 'just' for ourselves. we're worth it!

continue reading for simple ways to set a pretty table... plus an easy DIY candle wrap!

12.07.2020

diy paint chip trees

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my most popular idea shared here last Christmas was
my faux wood trees, made from wood-print scrapbook paper. 
i could never have anticipated the response to them (thank you!!!!)

since this year my theme is all about color and creativity and paint chips,
i created this new version as a fun and easy addition to the decor...

continue reading for details plus another version!