county fair centerpiece

when planning for our recent campout with our Lemon Drop Divas group,
i knew i would incorporate the 'county fair' theme in our trailer decor
along with lemons and yellow - it's a thing with us ;) 

so i did what i always do - looked around my studio
and house and garage and backyard
to see what i already had that i could incorporate into the decor.

it wasn't hard to find useful items,
especially considering that i have an entire studio filled with yellow stuff i've made!

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

easy-peasy county fair bunting

it's not a party without some fun decor,

and this easy-peasy bunting project is perfect for summer fun!

whether you're hosting a backyard bbq, a block party, or a birthday party,

making cute pennant bunting banners doesn't have to be hard.

i hate hard. i love easy.

so i'm always trying to find the easy way to decorate!

i recently made these bunting banners and they came together really quickly -

without sewing!

continue reading, and i'll show you how...

county fair award ribbons

these fancy 'county fair'-style ribbons appeared in my last post,

as accents on the 'Dime Toss' game sign and the end of the game table.

they were pretty easy to create  - and are MUCH larger than anything i could find

in stores or online. plus, they had to be yellow!

so in typical Deb fashion, i made my own

using the fabric, ribbons, and other detritus stashed in my creative studio.

do you have plans for games at a Fourth of July or summer birthday party?

these could be the perfect decor accents -

or use them as actual prize ribbons!

continue reading to see my easy tutorial...

county fair dime toss game!

it's SUMMER and time to party!
and quite by accident, i just created a HIT of a party game...

when our fabulous girl camping group the Lemon Drop Divas plan an event,

we go ALL OUT. WAY over the limit. everything is themed, with coordinated decor.

a campout in May was themed 'Lemon Drop Divas County Fair'

and it was packed with references to old time fairs. 

including a midway. yep!

we were all given the opportunity to create a 'carnival games' booth

as part of our own fair midway, to enjoy with our friends.

i was stumped... until i was sorting through a bunch of stuff we had here at home

and realized 'we have a LOT of wine glasses that we don't use!'

and when that thought combined with the carnival game concept,

i had a light bulb moment.

continue reading to see how easy it is to set something like this up!

boho chic: crochet + lace pumpkins

i love coming up with new 'takes' on my own Original Sweet Sweater Pumpkins,
and the two i'm sharing in this post were a fun way to give a whole new vibe to them.

a crochet textile from the thrift store and some lace curtain panels
are the perfect way to get a boho look for your fall decorating...

continue reading to see how easy these versions are to make!

boho chic: floral wreath

boho style is everywhere, and as pretty as it is, it can be PRICEY!
i much prefer to create something using what i have on hand already - 
which isn't just budget-friendly. it's earth-conscious, too.

this easy wreath project is a perfect accent for August... the 'golden hour' of summer.

continue reading for details on the construction + the re-purposed materials i used!

boho chic: lace vases

it's easy to take inexpensive materials and turn them into a luxe look.
this pretty bohemian vase and floral arrangement are a great example...

made from two thrifted vintage cotton lace doilies and tassels,
a glass vase and two bunches of fake flowers from Dollar Tree,
arranged with wood beads and rattan wreaths that i had on hand here at home,
it gives a relaxed late-summer vibe to my office
 and also subtly fits my current yellow obsession ;) 

continue reading to see how easy it is to transform a cheap glass vase...

boho chic: lace dreamcatcher

macrame' and i have a history. and it ain't good.
about... oh, forty one years ago... i made a macrame' plant holder for my daughter's nursery.
i remember sitting (pregnantly) in my rocking chair, surrounded by yards of white yarn,

doing my best to keep the three parts even and getting very frustrated. 
i was miserable.
i finished it, and it wasn't awful, but i never attempted to macrame' anything ever again.

but i found a 'cheater' way to get a similar effect!
i just used it to create this boho style dreamcatcher, 

so i thought i'd share it for those of you who don't relish making a million little knots in a row. ;) 

continue reading for my easy tutorial...

boho chic: crochet lace umbrellas

you know i love using things in ways they were never intended to be used,
so is it any surprise that i use lacy cotton crochet tablecloths on canopies & umbrellas?
probably not!

 ten years ago at a vintage show, i created a fancy 'valance' on a simple IKEA net bed canopy
by draping a cotton crochet lace tablecloth over the hanging hoop at the top.

this look fits right in with the 70's aesthetic so popular right now,

and a perfect addition to any backyard or event decor this summer & early fall.
i'm sharing the ways i've used lace to update decor elements overhead
 as part of my august 'look back' at past projects... 

continue reading to see more ways to use crochet & lace for a boho vibe!

boho chic: embellished hats

i know, i know... a fashion accessory isn't exactly within my purview here at homewardFOUND.
but if you hang it on a wall or a door, it's decor. wink.

i recently dolled up one of my straw hats to wear to a party at the beach,
and it was so easy and so much fun that i decided to share it here on the blog.
i have a feeling you'll be inspired to make your own -
for your head, or as a perfect summer home accent!

continue reading to see how easy it is to embellish a straw hat for summer...

boho chic: backyard cabana

august always feels to me to be the most relaxed part of summer...

as the light changes to a richer hue with autumn's approach,

i see this month as 'Summer's Golden Hour' and want to lean into the slower pace.

so for the next few weeks, i'll be re-visiting some of my past blog content

featuring some 'boho chic style' that fits current design + decor trends.
(and i've tucked in some NEW versions of those projects, too!)

 i hope you are inspired to try some of them!

continue reading for the biggest, baddest, 'boho-est' project i've ever undertaken...
and learn my tips on how YOU can do it, too!

painted pineapple planters

i'm in a tropical state of mind, if you can't tell...
since i can't visit the island this year, i'm creating a tropical vibe here at home!

when i ran across an item at the 99 Cents Only store recently,
i immediately saw how i could easily transform it into a tropical decor accent...

continue reading for the easy how-to!

yarn + twine pineapples

as i was making my new Sweet Sweater Pineapples
(shared in my last post - link below)
i came up with a few more ideas for easy-peasy pineapple crafts...

like, SO easy. kids can do this easy. no adhesive easy.

continue reading for the two-step tutorial -
PLUS another way to make a 'sweater' pineapple!

new! Sweet Sweater Pineapples!

sweaters? in SUMMER?

over the past 14 years, i've come up with all kinds of ideas using sweaters as crafting material,

and created nearly a dozen different 'Sweet Sweater' Originals...

a few of those are food:  pumpkins, popcorn, ice cream - and now, pineapples!

the tropical vibes are so strong with this one,

i can almost hear the ukelele music playing...

pour yourself a mai tai or some pineapple juice

and 

continue reading to for my sweet n' easy tutorial!

a different kind of sand castle...

bringing sand and shells home from a beach vacation is do-able.
a sand castle? not so much.

unless, of course, you find a new way to make a sand castle ;) 

and i did. 

continue reading to see the everyday material that inspired me and how i used it...

beach in a box!

years ago, i started filling vintage jars with seashells, and sand, and seagrass.
i call them 'Beach in a Jar' - and i sold a LOT of them at vintage shows.
saving souvenirs from vacation trips is a great way to relive summer memories...

here's a fun and easy way to use inexpensive materials and found objects
to create a 'beach in a box'
(and you really don't even have to GO on vacation to make these!)

continue reading to see how!

seashell wall art

for as long as i can remember, i've collected mementos from the beach...
tiny bottles of sand, sea glass remnants, little pieces of driftwood, and seashells.
*NOTE:  i DO make sure it's permissible to take these natural 'artifacts' from their locations,
and i don't take a lot. *

finding new ways to display these treasures is a fun creative exercise,
and this summer i've re-worked a former project to highlight a few of my seashells.
and yes, it's yellow! sunny, bright, warm, happy yellow for summer.

continue reading to see a few of my summer seashell shadow boxes...
(try to say THAT fast!!!)

summer sand pail centerpiece

summer's here, and it's time to relax and kick back.

that includes taking it easy with decor for home & parties...

so i'm sharing one of my fave summertime decorating tips.

this easy idea is a perfect happy everyday accent -

perhaps on a hallway console or dining table, 

or even at your front door.
it's also fun for a party - and no, not just for kids!

pssst.... continue reading to find out two secrets about that sand!

sunny paint palette wall art

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...

sunny garden plant markers

this 'sunny' summer project is the third in a series...
designed to bring a fun, colorful vibe to my garden this season
and hopefully to inspire you to try something similar in your home!

every gardener loves to ID the plants they grow,
and this cute plant marker project is an easy way to use stuff around the house
to make an artful impact in the yard!

continue reading to see what i used and how easily these are made...