NEW! Sweet Sweater Sips!

oh, did you think i was DONE??? LOL. never!
i'll never run out of ideas for turning sweaters into decor...
and this one, well, it's just the perfect whimsical accent for winter!

this one actually isn't made from sweaters... it's something else.

but you certainly COULD use sweaters to create something similar.
(and don't miss the 'links to previous related content' below this post for even MORE ideas!)

so, grab a cuppa' something sippable, and
continue reading to see my newest original Sweet Sweater creations!

sweater-wrapped gifts

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!

sweater-wrapped vases

on a cold rainy fall day waaaaaay back in 2007,

i visited designer Danny Seo's blog...

and when i saw a photograph of something Danny had created, i was smitten.

the guy took old sweater sleeves and put them on clear glass vases!

i jumped up and grabbed an ivory cashmere sweater of mine

that had recently become to small for me to wear.

(i did not become too big to wear the sweater - that's my story and i'm stickin' to it!)

i cut the sleeves off of the sweater, popped them into some clear vases

then added candles and bare branches to them...

the result was a cozy grouping that warmed up my dining table.

(when i added some small pumpkins to the grouping and looked at them side by side,

 i thought up the very first Original Sweet Sweater Pumpkins!)

i've made a few different versions of sweater-wrapped vases over the years,

and this year i had fun combining a few ideas.

continue reading to see how vases and ornaments and sweaters are a perfect match...

a forest of Sweet Sweater Trees

grab a cuppa' something, friends, because this post is LONG!
i'm sharing three different types of sweater trees with you today...

each one easy as pie to make from simple everyday materials.
(hmmmmnnn... pie's not a bad idea, come to think of it...)

you'll see previous versions of the items i used
along with their fresh new look for this year's cozy theme.

got your tea? coffee? cocoa? wine? LOL...
continue reading to see all the details of this project!

Sweet Sweater & Scarf wreath

let's start off with a warm, welcoming touch for winter at the front door...
today, i'm re-visiting a past project: the scarf-wrapped wreath!
for this version, i've turned the scarf into the bow and covered the wreath with a sweater.

it's a easy and inexpensive way to create a wreath
that will work well wherever you place it - 
on the door, a wall, a mantel, or even lying flat with a glass-encased candle in the middle!

the bonus is that there are no needles falling off of this wreath!

continue reading for the easy details...

Scarf Christmas Card Holder - 3 ways!

confession: i'm really awful at sending out Christmas cards. sigh.

in 'the old days', our annual family card was a huge production:
from selecting matching outfits (and then wrangling everyone INTO them),
arranging and decorating the perfect 'set', posing four rambunctious kids
(did i say four? let's be honest... the husband was as uncooperative as the kids),
snapping the photos, and then taking the film to be developed
and praying that at least ONE shot would work.

there usually was at least one.
except the year that my pre-teen son crossed his eyes in EVERY SINGLE PHOTO.
i chose one anyway and had it made into cards - with 'Bah Humbug' as the sentiment.
and now that my kids are grown and have their own families, they don't do photo cards...
apparently they are smarter than i was!

anyway, i still love GETTING cards. and finding fun ways to display them...
this year i've come up with three ways to do that using scarves.

continue reading to see my easy solutions!
(to displaying cards - not creating the photos for them. you're on your own, friends.)

Sweet Sweater Santa hat tutorial

along with our homes, i think WE deserve some 'decorative' touches for the holiday season!

my original Sweet Sweater Santa hats have been my go-to December accessory for a decade now,

and wherever i wear them they garner smiles.

so i thought i'd share my SUPER easy method for making them!

continue reading for my easy NO SEW tutorial - 

PLUS some ideas for using them in other ways!

Sweet Sweater Nativity

i've made a lot of things this year,
and this project ended up being my very favorite one.

i've selected it as my very first 'official' holiday decor post
because for me, this is the 'reason for the season' -
observing and celebrating the birth of Jesus.
it is at the foundation of my faith, and fills my soul with joy.

this project began with the beautiful blown glass art of artist Helle Mardahl...
i was so inspired by the luminous colors and soft forms of her art in photos on Instagram
and they immediately made me think of human forms.
i turned a few small ceramic vessels and some tiny tree ornaments
into a charmingly sweet and simple nativity scene that reflects her art.

after i added sweater scraps to the mix, i HAD to call this a 'Sweet Sweater Nativity'!

continue reading for the very easy details...

fall paper leaf arrangement

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...

honeycomb 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!

fall wreath with scrap 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!

NEW! Sweet Sweater 'Shrooms!

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...

harvest moon shadow box

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...

repurposed planter 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!

paint + paper picture frame pumpkins

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...

NEW! Sweet Sweater Spookies!

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...

salvaged silver pumpkin coach

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!

salvaged silver tray 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!

make a 'harvest time' sign from a clock!

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...

time for Sweet Sweater Pumpkins!

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!