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Showing posts with label simple solutions. Show all posts
Showing posts with label simple solutions. Show all posts

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!

4.22.2021

diy placemat bookmarks

crafting,dollar store crafts,simple solutions,trash to treasure,re-purposing,up-cycling,bookmarks,placemat bookmarks,Dollar Tree crafts,Dollar Tree hacks,tassels,DIY,.
it's time for a BONUS post!
( i returned to a once-weekly posting schedule in April )

in true 'trash to treasure' fashion,
i completed the tray project shared in my last post
and then looked at the scraps of vinyl placemat on the table and thought
'isn't there something i can use those for??'

the answer was YES!

those thin strips of patterned vinyl were perfect for this 'bonus' project:
indestructible vinyl bookmarks! it's so easy, i just had to share it with you.

if you're in the habit of giving books as gifts,
adding a bookmark is a nice touch -
and this is an easy, inexpensive way to make them!

continue reading for the EASY how-to...

4.02.2021

easy no-mess Easter basket grass

colorful home,Pantone color of the year,decorating,diy decorating,DIY,Easter,TOP TIPS,fast cheap and easy,dollar store crafts,gift wrapping,spring,simple solutions,re-purposing,thrifted,Easter baskets,Easter basket grass,yarn,use what you have decorating,Easter basket tips and tricks,Easter decorating,yellow,Illuminating Yellow,Pantone 2021,diy decorating tips.
while i have always loved creating holiday decor,
i do have my limits... Easter grass is one of them.

(my theory is it was created by the same people who invented Legos.
to drive parents - specifically the parent who does the cleaning - batty.)

since i hate the mess  of plastic grass strands wrapped around the vacuum bar!!,
i've found other materials to use in Easter baskets that reduce the mess and fuss.
yes, paper shred works - but it's still a mess.

i've found a way to get the same effect as grass
without the resulting mess and cleanup...
and you might be really surprised at how cheap and easy this solution is!

continue reading for my sly little trick (that has an added benefit!)...

1.01.2021

celebrate home!

colorful home,beach style,coastal style,boho style,rustic style,farmhouse style,industrial style,decorating,diy decorating,seasonal,new year,What Matters,winter,decorating basics,inspiration,simple solutions,2021,Pantone colors of the year 2021,Ultimate Gray,Illuminating Yellow,preparing your home for a new year,Celebrate Me Home,homewardFOUNDdecor
"endings need grieving... and beginnings deserve celebration."
i read that line recently in a devotional, and it really spoke to me.
while many of us may not actually be grieving the end of a very trying year,
we certainly DO need to celebrate the arrival of a fresh new one!

there's a lovely song called 'Celebrate Me Home'
(originally by Kenny Loggins, and recently covered by Josh Groban)
that includes these lines:
"Come on and play my music, Let's turn on the love light in the place...
Please, celebrate me home...Play me one more song that I'll always remember,
And I can recall, Whenever I find myself too all alone, I can sing me home."


what a beautiful idea - to celebrate home.
not feel imprisoned in, not tolerate, not begrudgingly accept... but celebrate.
express gratitude for the home we have, enjoy the time spent there, really live there.

as we enter this new year, i thought it would be good to focus on 
ways that we can refresh, reclaim, and rejuvenate the MOOD inside our rooms...
celebrating our homes, if you will.
helping us to embrace and enjoy where we live our lives in simple ways every day.

continue reading for some of my top tips to help you celebrate your home...

10.25.2020

diy wood slat shade / privacy screen

fall, fall decor, fall home decor, outdoor decor, outdoor furnishings, fall patio decor, porch swing, wood slat privacy screen, wood slat shade screen, neutral fall decor, pumpkins, pumpkin decor, diy, diy projects, diy home decor, repurposed, woodcrafts, boho style, boho decor, farmhouse style, farmhouse decor, rustic decor, rustic style,
living here in the semi-desert of Southern California means we get a lot of sun.
for four years, i've been struggling with - and have tried - many ways to block that sun
so that we can enjoy our patio and backyard in the late afternoon.
but along with the sun is wind. Santa Ana winds and strong daily afternoon winds.
those winds have torn down every umbrella and shade cloth and curtain i've hung.

finally a bright idea dawned on me - make it wood!
the simple solution was to repeat another element of our landscaping
and create a wood screen to withstand wind and block the afternoon sun.

the best part of this project? it makes use of a pre-made element available at Lowes.
paired with an item i already had, it became the perfect shade screen for us - 
and would work as a privacy screen, as well!

continue reading to see how simple this outdoor diy project is...

5.18.2020

updating old school clipboards

color, color palettes, creative spaces, diy decorating, DIY, dollar store crafts, fast cheap and easy, gift wrapping, organizing, paper crafts, paper, simple solutions, spring, office organization, office decor, colorful decor, diy crafts, papercrafts
say 'clipboard' and everyone pictures part of a computer function.
in my office, it refers to the Old School style ACTUAL clipboards.

sure, i use digital photography, social media, web platforms, and digital files.
but in the course of blogging and designing spaces for retailers & show vendors,
i also use a lot of hand-drawn sketches, doodled/scribbled ideas, and notes.
a LOT of doodles and notes. and they pile up.

for years, i've used shallow wire baskets to corral the paper landslide. 
(another old school organization method) but it always looks messy.
 while cleaning, i spied several old wood clipboards that my Dad had used in his warehouse...
and an idea began percolating:
make these look good, and they'd sure come in handy for holding file folders.
and y'know, they really do! i use them every day now.

continue reading to see how fast this project was...

3.09.2020

spring decor accents made from 1 tablecloth

color, decorating, DIY, diy decorating, entertaining, farmhouse style, re-purposing, room makeovers, seasonal, spring, simple solutions, tablescapes, thrifted, wall art, tablecloths, gingham, gingham check, plaid, fabric crafts, sewing, spring decor, spring decorating, home decor, diy home decor
i love  a good decorating challenge...
for example, how much decorating punch can you get from a single piece of fabric?

i picked up a pretty green gingham tablecloth at Home Goods
and transformed it into some fresh new accents for our home this spring
to prove to myself that it doesn't take much to make a big impact.

continue reading to see how far a $15 purchase got me!

2.28.2020

painted 'paint chip' wall art

spring, spring decorating, wall art, painting, paint chips, green, spring greens, art project, crafting, diy, diy decorating, diy home decor, tutorial
in a past post, i used pink paint chip cards to make decorative hearts.
i also talked about how it is decidedly NOT cool 
to grab handfuls of paint chip cards from your local hardware or paint store, 
and suggested a few ways to obtain said paint chip cards without being greedy.

today, i came up with another alternative - just paint your own 'paint chips'!

i grabbed some heavy white paper and some craft paints to try out my idea,
and it works so well that i immediately made some wall art out of it!

continue reading for an easy paint tutorial,
and in just a short time, you can have SHEETS of 'paint chips' to craft & decorate with!

2.03.2020

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...

1.31.2020

heart-felt decor - in an instant!

valentine's day, decorating, diy, diy home decor, red, hearts, papercrafts, crafting, wall art, rustic style, farmhouse style, salvaged wood, chalkboard art, chalkboard lettering
we incorporated the color RED (for the first time) into our home decor this winter,
and it has truly warmed up the visual look of our rooms.
(i've linked up those posts at the bottom of this post)

the bonus is that this color made the transition to February SO easy:
all i did was add in a few red hearts... BOOM! done!
one of the ways i did that was by using a completely unconventional method 
that i just had to share!

continue reading for my crazy crafty decorating exploits...

1.17.2020

spice it up!

winter home decor, diy decor, home decor, rustic style, farmhouse style, winter, diy, red, color, spice it up, a touch of red
 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!

1.13.2020

re-purposing new furniture

industrial style, rustic style, farmhouse style, diy decor, home decor, decorating, wood furniture, furniture, repurposed, repurposed furniture, bar
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!

11.23.2019

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...

8.22.2018

easy 5 minute fall tablescape

decorating, decorating basics, DIY, diy decorating, entertaining, fall, farmhouse style, fast cheap and easy, neutrals, rustic style, seasonal, simple solutions, style, summer, tablescapes, burlap, Scrabble tiles,Pinterest, Instagram, homewardFOUND decor
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!

7.18.2018

why i planted pvc pipes in my yard...

backyard, outdoors, landscaping, umbrella holders, patio umbrellas, outdoor decor, home decor, diy, diy decor, pvc pipe, homewardfound decor
when we designed our backyard, we had to work with some limitations
(as all design projects do)...
turns out, 'planting' a few pvc pipes on our raised bed slope solved one!

continue reading to see my easy DIY solution...

6.20.2018

turning the tables...

diy, decorating, home decor, outdoor furniture, furniture, tables, cable spool decor, use what you have, rustic, industrial, tables, junking, junk makeovers, beach, farmhouse
seems like every day, i see a photo on social media of tables made from wood cable spools.
it's kind of the 'orange crate' diy decor trend of the 70's reborn!

i've STILL not seen anyone do with them what *i* do with them:
pair the wood spool top with metal bases from other tables. 
because, you know, i always have to do things differently than other people!
we have quite a few variations on this theme at home - 
... continue reading to see what i've created!

6.07.2018

5 easy ways to summerize!

beach style, diy, diy home decor, decorating, slipcovers, white, summer, summer style, simple solutions, top tips, decorating tips, resort style, staycation style  
it's summertime... and the livin' should be easy!
it's time to simplify, lighten up, and create rooms that welcome a casual, fun, active lifestyle
to enjoy over the next few months.
i have a few simple ideas to make your home feel like a resort all summer long
without having to spend a lot of your vacation / stay-cation cash!

here are my top five tips for adding summer style to your rooms:

6.04.2018

my hat trick!

hats, straw hats, summer, summer decorating, summer home decor, home decor, decorating, neutral home decor, farmhouse style, beach style, cottage style, vintage, seashells, glass vases
decorating with collections is an easy way to bring your own personality into your home, 
and changing them up seasonally is a fun way to change the 'wardrobe' your house wears!

i love straw hats, and have a nice collection (tho it is smaller than it used to be).
displayed in spring and summer, i often hang them on a pegrack or pile them all on a chair.
sometimes, i even hang them on a wall. yes, RIGHT on the wall, as seen here...
it's as simple as putting a few clear pushpins in the wall and plopping a hat on it.

a grouping like this makes it pretty easy to grab one when needed - and hey, it's free wall decor!

then there's that OTHER hat trick... continue reading to see what i used under those chapeaus!

5.14.2018

the grass is greener...

artificial turf, fake grass, backyard, landscaping, water conservation, water-smart, grass, yard, low-maintenance yard, easy landscape solutions
...when it's faux!

because we live in a dry desert climate here in SoCal, we work hard to conserve water.
(which cracks me up, having lived north of Seattle for 18 years with more water than i knew what to DO with!)
one of the things we've done to keep our consumption down
is the choice to install artificial turf when designing our backyard.
the color is perfect all year long, there is NO maintenance - just picking up a few tree leaves and rose petals,
and because all of our landscape plants are on a drip system, no one else needs to come back here.
it's our own private oasis!

continue reading to see how i used faux turf to solve a few challenges...

3.26.2018

Create a White Spring Tablescape

create a simple white tablescape for spring using what you have on hand with ideas from homewardFOUND decor
Easter and springtime are filled with symbolism of growth and life and celebration...
sometimes winter hangs around a bit longer than we want (like this year!)
yet the white blanket of winter snow covering up signs of spring can inspire, too,
as in this tablescape that combines the freshness of spring blooms with crisp winter white.

continue reading for my one-step trick for making those mini glass domes!