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Showing posts with label re-purposed. Show all posts
Showing posts with label re-purposed. Show all posts

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!

11.01.2021

NEW! Sweet Sweater 'Shrooms!

fall,Thanksgiving,entertaining,seasonal,Sweet Sweater Originals,Sweet Sweater 'Shrooms,thrifted,re-purposed,up-cycling,DIY,diy decorating,crafting,tutorial,fall home decor,mushrooms,diy mushrooms,sweater crafts, sweater mushrooms.
happy November, friends!
no, i am not done with fall yet!
there are so many beautiful things in nature in fall that inspire me...
and when i saw mushrooms of all types and materials going crazy online,
 i came up with my newest Sweet Sweater creation:

 Sweet Sweater 'Shrooms!

these are a fast, fun, easy craft / diy decor project perfect for fall and Thanksgiving
that i had a lot of fun making - i hope you will, too!

continue reading for my newest no-sew sweater decor tutorial...

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...

10.15.2021

repurposed planter pumpkins

pumpkins,outdoors,seasonal,fall,DIY,diy decorating,home decor,neutrals,farmhouse style,Halloween,junk makeover,trash to treasure,re-purposed,thrifted,up-cycling,garden art,salvaged,painting,fall home decor,Halloween decor,Halloween home decor,Halloween decorating, pumpkin decor,decorating with pumpkins,plant pot pumpkins.
i can't even say this is a 'craft' project...
it's more like an 'arrangement' project.
it's just stacking things together to make pumpkins!
SO easy - and flexible.

it will work in any color, any size, any style:
i'm into a black and white (with accents of yellow!) palette this fall,
but these would be elegant in gold & white, mod in chrome silver and white,
boho chic in terra cotta, and traditional in varied orange tones.

continue reading for the details - and more ideas!

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...

10.04.2021

NEW! Sweet Sweater Spookies!

fall,Halloween,Sweet Sweater Originals,sweet sweater spookies,re-purposed,up-cycling,trash to treasure,salvaged,junk makeover,tablescapes,entertaining,just for fun,home decor,DIY,diy decorating,crafting with sweaters,Halloween decor,cute ghosties for Halloween,cute Halloween decor,use what you have decorating,sweater weather.
this is quite possibly the EASIEST project i've ever undertaken...
and it was an idea that popped into my head as i was washing dishes!

i re-use plastic storage bags, washing them after use (unless they are greasy)
then placing them upside-down over a glass to dry.
as i did that one morning, i absentmindedly thought 'hah ha! he looks like a ghost!'
and then i stopped, looked again, and this crazy idea hatched in my brain.

so bear with me, and come along for the craziness!

continue reading for the details...

9.24.2021

salvaged silver pumpkin coach

fall,DIY,diy decorating,re-purposed,up-cycling,salvaged,thrifted,home decor,pumpkins,Thanksgiving,Halloween,junk makeover,trash to treasure,vintage,vintage style,farmhouse style,fall decorating,fall home decor,decorating with pumpkins,salvaged pumpkins,junk pumpkins,upcycled pumpkins,repurposed pumpkins.
if you've been around for awhile, you know that i've got a thing for pumpkins...
it all began with my sweet Grandpa Ward, who had a nickname for me:
his little pumpkin eater. 
i have always thought he called me that because of my rusty, pumpkin-y auburn hair
and i sure wish i would have asked him about that before he died when i was 15.

because of that nickname, i've collected pumpkins for most of my life.
and every year when fall rolls around, as i decorate with some of them,
i can hear the echoes of his voice calling me that pet name.

this project brings together two special things about my Grandpa:
his nickname for me, and his time building many of the attractions at Disneyland.
and though i bet you can name the film and the Disney Princess connected to it,
there's another inspiration that helped to bring this idea to life...

continue reading for more!

9.21.2021

salvaged silver tray pumpkins

fall,DIY,diy decorating,re-purposed,up-cycling,salvaged,thrifted,home decor,pumpkins,Thanksgiving,Halloween,junk makeover,trash to treasure,vintage,vintage style,farmhouse style,wall art,wreaths,fall decorating,fall home decor,decorating with pumpkins,salvaged pumpkins,junk pumpkins,upcycled pumpkins,repurposed pumpkins.
salvaged silver trays paired with simple kitchen serving tools
become elegant pumpkins in this project,
and can be adorned with just about anything you choose...
the fall leaves here include yellow tones to fit my 2021 obsession!


continue reading to see how easy assembly is!

9.10.2021

make a 'harvest time' sign from a clock!

fall,wall art,painting,re-purposed,salvaged,up-cycling,art class,DIY,diy decorating,farmhouse style,industrial,rustic style,seasonal,thrifted,trash to treasure,wreaths,fall home decor, fall door decor,fall door wreath, fall wreath,handpainted signs,harvest time sign,wall art signs
here's a timely project for you: turn a wall clock into a sign!

with a 'harvest time' message, it's perfect for fall decorating
inside your home or on your front door...
and a great way to re-purpose a pretty but broken clock.

continue reading for the easy-peasy details...

9.03.2021

time for Sweet Sweater Pumpkins!

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it's september! fall is on the way... and fall means pumpkins.
so it's time for me to share my Original Sweet Sweater Pumpkins!

the most famous - infamous??? - thing i've ever created,
since 2009, these cute lil' upcycled gourds have appeared in
home decor magazines, on home decor websites, in a 'designer gift crate' selection,
and have been sold in dozens of shops & shows, as well as here on the blog.

i only stopped making them for sale because my carpal tunnel was outta' control
(i was single-handedly creating hundreds of them each year),
so then i taught classes and made my tutorial available here on the blog
to help others make their own versions using my ridiculously easy method.

continue reading for more info on making your own!

1.29.2014

Fabric Hearts Tutorial

 Many years ago, I used up some small scraps of fabrics left in my 'stash',
making little stuffed fabric hearts for my winter / Valentine's Day decor.

Created from remnants of a chenille bedspread, a matlasse' bedspread, and burlap,
I've displayed them in many ways over the years...
As my seasonal decor contribution to two lovely publications,
Creating Vintage Charm Magazine and JOYful Home & Life online,
 I'm sharing a simple tutorial for making stuffed fabric hearts for the month of February
Because the tutorial is so photo-heavy,
I am hosting it here on my blog instead of at the other locations...
Enjoy this 'fast, cheap & easy'TM craft project!

continue reading for tutorial...