salvaged galvanized bucket fountain

when we moved into our newly constructed house almost four years ago, 

the entire backyard was nuthin' but dirt.

together, Mom and i came up with ideas for our own personal oasis,

i created a plan and sketches, and after a harrowing journey with the WRONG contractor,

we got the RIGHT guy - and our vision finally began to unfold.

when it came to the center of the yard design, we knew we wanted a fountain -

but we couldn't find anything commercially that we liked.

so i started looking at what we had and what i could do with it...

and what we HAD were some galvanized buckets and watering cans!

continue reading to see how i created an easy fountain with them...

heart of glass

 if you're as old as me, you might know that this blog post's title is actually a song title.

(by the band Blondie, waaaaaaay back in the late 70's)

in the song, a heart of glass gets broken.
around here, there are some glass hearts that have been in our stash SINCE the late 70's -
and the fact that they haven't broken yet is kinda' amazing, if you ask me!

by incorporating those small-ish glass hearts into our existing winter decor,
they instantly bring a Valentine's Day vibe for the month of February.

continue reading to see how...

spice it up!

 if you've been following my posts over the past two weeks, 

you've seen the way that the color red has made a first-time appearance in our winter home decor.

like a pinch of cayenne, ginger, or cinnamon in a great recipe,

we're enjoying the way just a touch of this hue spices up our rooms - and our moods!

that sweet little red wood birdhouse shown above was made by my grandson...

and i love having it on the sideboard in the entry hall where i see it many times a day.

the other red accents in our home are similar - just a small pop of color, but with big impact.

the best part?
i've incorporated this hue into our decor without spending much money at all! 

i already had everything i used (except one red thrifted sweater and one tan & red plaid blanket),

either in the house (in cabinets & closets) or the garage (seasonal decor bins + camping gear!).

continue reading to see how i created some of the 'fast, cheap, & easy' details!

re-purposing new furniture

let's talk a bit about re-purposing furniture, shall we?
(and no, i'm not talking about using junk or chalk painting something...)
case in point: this bar in our home.

because the thing is, re-purposing furniture isn't JUST about repainting or rehabbing.
it's not always about making something old 'new'.
sometimes, it's about seeing the possibilities in a brand new piece - 
and using it in a brand new WAY.

this piece was never intended to be a bar. honestly? it wasn't even sold for use in a house.
it was sold at Costco as... you aren't gonna' believe this! keep reading!

making a happy home

a brand new year is a fresh new start, in so many ways...
every year, i choose a single word to be my intention and focus (rather than resolution).
i like this approach, as it is more about 'be' than 'do'.

THIS year, my word is 'happy' - for many reasons.

Mom and i also select a word that is our shared 'Word of the Year',

something that reflects a purpose or mission or quality that we intend to pursue together.

and this year, that word is 'HOME'.

we chose it for a few different reasons...

but the really amazing thing is that as soon as we decided on it,

all KINDS of things started showing up to 'confirm' that it was the right choice:

things like songs, and sentiments in cards from friends, a book that a friend of mine was selling, 

and us noticing little objects we had around here already

that would bring the word 'home' resonance in our home and our daily life.

and when i combined my word with our word, it really came to life...

continue reading to see how our winter decor evokes a 'happy home'!

rustic junky new year wreath

i love creating a fresh look on our front porch for each season. 
okay, it's not a porch. more like a 'vestibule' - long, narrow, and dark. 
(totally impossible to photograph well, especially with dark terra cotta colored stucco walls. but i try!)

that's why it's important to me to come up with a display here that will welcome guests.
i always bring in light colors, textures, and seasonal elements.
i have a plan for this area and am searching for a large lighter element to add this spring...

for winter this year, i chose rusty metal as the starting point.
some whitewashed wood elements, rope & twine, and rustic wood crates
(ALL things that i have used here before!) combined in a 'winter' scene.

continue reading to see more of our front porch decor...

rustic holiday tablescape

designed to coordinate with the contemporary rustic style of our 'tree' theme,
as seen in the faux wood junk trees in the background,
this tablescape is a study in simplicity...

wood tones & textures, clear glass, and mixed hues stand out amongst minimal foliage/greenery.

the bonus? this style is REALLY easy and fast to create!

'continue reading' to see the details up close...

scrap paper tree wall art

i never throw away paper scraps. ever.
(because the moment i DO, i find a use for them! LOL)
when i had some thin strips of wood-patterned paper left over
from my faux wood tree project in my last post, they went into a drawer in my studio.
and just about about a day and a half later, i had a project to use them in:
a piece of contemporary rustic wall art for our gallery wall!

'continue reading' for the really easy details...

faux wood 'junk' trees

 this is not a collection of trees made from wood. nope.
it's a collection of trees made from wood-printed PAPER! 

'continue reading' to see more details of this easy and kid-friendly craft
that can be made with new or reclaimed materials -
a simple, inexpensive way to get a 'junk project' look for your holiday & winter decor!

frosted fall leaves tutorial

"autumn is a second spring, when every leaf is a flower..." ~ Albert Camus

that's one of my favorite quotes about autumn.
i saw something the other day that caused that poetic line to spring to my mind:

isn't it pretty? i love the 'fall-into-winter' feel of the leaves shown here.
this image on writer Ann Voskamp's website inspired me to create
my own 'frosted fall leaves' for a simple Thanksgiving tablescape...
it's a really easy project, and it turned out perfectly.

continue reading for the easy tutorial if you need a last-minute Thanksgiving idea
that won't take much time at all...

friendsgiving fun

i just found these photos from a fall event that i attended several years ago, 

where i spotted some pretty & easy ideas for a simple and rustic dessert table - 

perfect for a gathering of friends on Thanksgiving!

the setup was simple: wood crates provide levels,
and food is presented in bushel baskets and arranged on wood slabs.
a few large branches with fall leaves add scale in the background (without requiring any work at all),
and a handful of small pumpkins scattered along the table add color.

<<< click 'continue reading' to see more tasty details!

junkie punkies!

some junk from my garage - hanging planter baskets and an old industrial fan - 

became 'Junkie Punkies' pumpkins for our front yard wheelbarrow display,

 with a quick spray of paint and a bit of imagination...

<<< click 'continue reading' for more details!

more glass globe pumpkins!

 years ago - seven, to be exact - i made this original creation shown above. 

i call them 'glass globe pumpkins' because they are made from vintage glass light globes.

(the kind that hang on the ceilings of hallways & kitchens in old houses) 

more recently, i found some unique vintage glass lamp globes* and turned them into pumpkins - 

with a twist. i did something on these that i didn't do on the originals... 

continue reading to see the new versions!

a fall wreath-hanging secret!

 September has arrived, along with a refreshing cool front ('only' 91 degrees here this weekend!)

suddenly i found myself in a fall mood, ready to change up the front porch decor...

in true 'homewardFOUND' fashion, i started rooting around the garage to see what was on hand.

and in the process, i found something we bought back in JANUARY - and promptly forgot about.

we had a purpose in mind back then, but when i pulled it out of a box on Friday, 

i immediately came up with a completely different way to use it. 

(which is really no surprise to any of you, i am sure!)

there's a hint in the photo above, and when you continue reading, you'll see it!

pumpkins on point - needlepoint!

yes, my friends, it's THAT time of year again - pumpkin season is here!
and i am so excited to share with you some of the most unique and beautiful handcrafted pumpkins
that i have ever had the pleasure to see...

the Original Heirloom Needlepoint Pumpkins (TM) 
by smWollman Designs
handmade from carefully curated vintage needlepoint panels,

these charming creations express the richness of fall in a stunning new way.
each pumpkin is a one-of-a-kind creation, rare and never to be replicated.

the needlepoints used are handcrafted by 1000s of unknown hands 
over a span of many years, from across the country. and every needlepoint has a story to tell...

continue reading for more about these perfectly imperfect 'on point' pumpkins...

easy 5 minute fall tablescape

ever get one of those calls: "hi! we're in your area and thought we'd stop by..." ???
panic ensues, right? a whirlwind of activity starts the minute you hang up the phone:

throw the messes into the dishwasher and dryer and garage.

peer into the freezer to see if there's something you can whip up to feed guests.

clear the table of papers and projects and.... the TABLE! oh dear.

it's easy to pull something together quickly for a pretty tablescape...

continue reading to see what i pulled off in five short minutes a few days ago!

refresh those dried topiaries!

years ago, i unearthed these two identical topiaries at the bottom of a thrift store bin.

i actually pulled on the first one because i saw the brass urn shape - never expecting anything to be attached.

when i saw the TOPS of the topiaries, i was underwhelmed.
however, i eyed them with my 'well, MAYBE they could be SOMETHING' look, 

and paid the whopping 50 cents each to take them home. 

the photo above was taken in one of my booths at a vintage show, 

where those two cheap topiaries (after a blow-dry cleaning and a bit of 'fluffing') sold for $12. EACH.

one man's trash, right?!!! it's easy to turn junk into decor!

.

i see dried up and worn out topiaries all the time, and chances are you might HAVE one - 

so i thought i'd share some easy tips with you for 'refreshing' them.

continue reading for details...

summer's not over yet!

it's the last month of summer - no, it aint' over yet!!!

while it's still warm and sunny, why not invite friends, family, and neighbors over
to enjoy good food and hospitality... and easy summertime style.

simply combine vintage and new dishes & glassware,

along with some vacation souvenirs, found objects, and stuff you have around the house.
in no time at all, you'll be back on the beach! 

continue reading to see my easy tips for creating a stunning summer tablescape...

easy canvas awning valance

we decided that the window treatments in our home would be simple and coordinated -

nothing heavy or complex to make the rooms feel closed in.

so white wood blinds went up first for privacy and sun control 

then simple side panels made of canvas dropcloths that fall from floor to ceiling,

adding softness to the hard edges.

when it came to the kitchen window, i needed something different.

and though i STILL haven't found the vintage metal awning i really want for this space,

i came up with a solution that gives the window style in the meantime...

continue reading to see how easy this faux awning valance was to make!

a found & foraged flag

you know, i love decorating with red white and blue
just as much as the next patriotic American... but... 

what if i don't want to use red and blue in my home, 

and want to stick with white + warm neutrals?

well... i found a way to do exactly that, and still have a focus on the flag for the Fourth of July!

i was cleaning out the garage (which may just be a summer-long project, i tell you...)

and found a bunch of materials left over
from when i closed the homewardFOUND shop last March.

when i looked at the weathered white fence pickets,
and the blue-ish zinc metal scraps, i saw a flag.

 so i got busy assembling it on the workbench...
and that metal in the top photo isn't what you think it is!

...continue reading to see how i made my own faux zinc!