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Showing posts with label transitional. Show all posts
Showing posts with label transitional. Show all posts

2.23.2024

ease into spring with a faux moss wreath

spring,winter,wreaths,decorating,diy decorating,DIY,wall art,seasonal,transitional,winter to spring decor,home decor,tutorial,white,crafting,dollar store crafts,re-purposing,up-cycling,.

spring's arrival is just around the corner!
here's an easy way to ease into it...

i'm pairing my white fabric wreath that i created this winter
with a new element for spring - along with a few other items -
and i love how it bridges this 'winter into spring' time of year. 

even the smallest changes can reflect nature
and refresh your home decor in just minutes.
big changes are good - but they don't ALL have to be big.

continue reading for an easy wreath + decor tutorial!

8.31.2020

a succulent tablescape

decorating with succulents, succulents, cacti, boho decor, boho style, home decor, diy, diy home decor, fall home decor, fall decorating, tablescapes, fall tablescape, entertaining, party decor, faux succulents,  tutorial, crafting, salvaged upcycled, repurposed, trash to treasure, fall, transitional
this final post for august wraps up my recent succulent / cacti obsession,
which i think is a great way to bridge the hot 'summer into fall' seasonal change.

today, i'll share how i took some of the elements that i created for the
no-cost, use-what-you-have guest room makeover
and found a whole new way to use them... on the dining table.

this clean, crisp, contemporary nature-based composition
fits so many decor styles: boho, rustic, industrial, modern,
and will work indoors and outdoors to make entertaining really easy!

 you'll also find a quick tutorial for making one last version 
of faux succulents to decorate with.
continue reading...

8.24.2020

tutorial: make faux succulents from ribbons

boho style, crafting, ribbon crafts, decorating, diy, diy decorating, home decor, decorating with succulents, faux succulents, summer decor, fall decor, trash to treasure, repurposing, paper crafts, tutorial, upcycling, reusing, faux plants
as i've been scouring my house for crafting / decorating supplies during quarantine,
i've unearthed a LOT of stuff that i had forgotten about!
case in point: a tin container of multicolored ribbons shoved in a box.
i pulled them out, separated them by color, and looked at the pile of green ribbons
with an eye toward using them somehow in the new guest room decor.

nothing immediately came to me UNTIL i walked outside that evening to water our plants.
i looked over at a galvanized bucket filled with succulents and BING! 
bells started ringing in my head.

a nice 'play' session ensued, where i messed around with paper, scissors, and glue
to combine with those ribbons and turn them into a decor element.
once that was done, i attached them to something already in the room -
and i really like the way this one turned out!

continue reading for the before, during, after, 
AND a tutorial to walk you through making your own faux succulents from ribbons!

8.20.2020

painted ceramic vases = faux cacti!

boho style, room makeover, painting, painted decor, home decor. diy decor, fall decor, summer decor, succulents, cacti, decorating with succulents, Dollar Tree crafts, faux succulents, faux cacti, boho home decor, easy home decor transformations
ideas for decorating with succulents and cacti have taken over my brain!
i've been sharing all of the details of projects completed as part of a recent
no-cost makeover of our guest room, giving it boho style,
and i hope you've been finding some inspiration for projects of your own!

the bowl of faux succulents/cacti shown above reveals another one, and it's SO easy. 
continue reading to see the before & after transformation...

8.02.2020

no-cost diy boho guest room decor

beach style, boho style, color palettes, color, coastal style, DIY, diy decorating, decorating basics, farmhouse style, furniture, junk makeover, makeover, room makeovers, rustic style, summer, fall, re-purposing, transitional, trash to treasure, wall art, guest room decor, home decor, home decor crafts, succulents, cacti, decorating with succulents, no cost decorating
my home is basically a laboratory. a design 'test kitchen' of sorts.
every space is fair game for me to try out ideas, 
without worrying whether or not they'll work. if not, i try a new approach!

recently i had some ideas for some new decor that would bridge summer into fall,
with a bit of a 'modern boho' vibe. 
i just wasn't ready to remove all of the fun tiki style details
that we are enjoying in our main living spaces this summer.
so i took a peek into the guest room... and found a willing volunteer.
this room has been the same for four years, and it's long past time for a refresh!

i got to work and created a buncha' new projects, then restyled the room in a day.
i used what i have on hand here at home, so a whole new look didn't cost me a cent.
(all of those projects will be getting the spotlight in upcoming posts)

continue reading to see the before, during, after - and all of the details!

8.15.2018

refresh those dried topiaries!

art class, decorating, DIY, diy decorating, fall, farmhouse style, fast cheap and easy, junk makeover, junking, makeover, neutrals, rustic style, summer, TOP TIPS, transitional style, topiaries, crafting,
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...

8.01.2018

grocery store flower + herb bouquet

flower arranging, decorating, DIY, diy decorating, entertaining, flowers, garden, outdoors, summer, fall, white, transitional, herbs
welcome, August!
this last month of the summer season always slows me down. 
i find myself taking more walks, reading more books, just enjoying the 'now'
instead of constantly planning and making lists for all that is coming in the future...
and isn't that what summer is all about? being in the moment? enjoying life?

i take it easy when it comes to decor, as well. take flowers, for example... 
combining a grocery store bunch of mixed flowers with a handful of fresh herbs from my garden, 
i quickly created a stylish and fragrant late-summer bouquet!

continue reading to see my easy tips...

7.25.2018

easy canvas awning valance

farmhouse, rustic, beach house, upcycle, repurpose, canvas drop cloths, windows, window treatments, diy, diy home decor, home decor, low cost decorating
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!

1.05.2017

Into the Pale : A Neutral Palette

vintage antique repurposed neutral decor
I've heard a lot of people saying the same thing lately...
"Once the tree and the holiday decor comes down, it looks so EMPTY!"
Well, maybe I'm weird, but I kinda' LIKE the cleared-out spaces!

To me, this is the perfect time of year to do a nice, thorough cleaning
and a refresh of our rooms so that we start the new year with a 'clean palette'.

I took that idea to the nth degree this year

and pulled all of the orange accent color OUT of the house.
I packed it up and put it away, leaving only the neutral background - 
and the result is a soft, cozy, warm, 'cashmere' feeling in the house!
It's perfect for winter, and a nice visual rest from all of the holiday excess.

and the best part? it wasn't even hard to do...

click 'continue reading' for the before and after!

7.22.2016

Paper Flower Power!

  Don't know what it is lately, but apparently I have blossoms on the brain!
I recently saw some gorgeous photos of brightly-colored paper flowers on Instagram,
posted by 'BloomBox_oc' - I tried to save an image to share here, but it wouldn't work.

Their photos reminded me of a paper flower that I won at an event, 
so I dug through some of my (still packed) boxes and found it...
it's the middle flower in that image above, made from old book pages and tissue paper
by a very creative vintage show vendor named Becky, from 'Whimsies'.

All that flower power inspired me,
 so I dug out a bunch of my own vintage paper and made myself some:
It was fun!
I haven't spent a lot of time doing creative things for myself lately, 
and this was a nice way to spend the hottest part of the day - 106 degrees. YIPES.

And when I was done, I had a buncha' blooms to put on my studio/office wall:
I haven't made time to do many creative things for myself lately, 
and this one just made me smile.
Just in case that photo above doesn't make the scale clear, here's a reference shot:
Yeah, these babies are HUGE!

This project was was fun, easy, and I already had everything I needed to make them -
which is pretty much how most of my projects come about, anyway:
I get inspired and then dig through what I have to 'make it work'!

Through the process, I snapped some photos and put together a simple tutorial:








Looks like I'll be making more in the near future, too...
my Mom saw these on my wall and asked
"I think these are exactly what I need for the wall over my bed!
Can you make some in aqua and tan and white, to match my linens?
"
Why, yes, Mom, I sure can!  see more of these here!

Shared Online:

Cupcakes & Crinoline | Project Inspire{d}


11.19.2014

A Rather Shady Project!

 In my last post, I focused on the dried roses in my office...
but right next to them is one of my trademark 'Fast, Cheap & Easy' TM ideas
for updating your decor each season:
Slipcover your lampshades!
That lovely vintage alabaster lamp from a thrift store
has a plain ol' white drum shade that cost me all of three bucks at the IKEA 'as is' department.
It has one lil' dent in the back ;)
But no one sees it, because I am constantly covering the lampshade with all kinds of things - 
like this slipcover, which was made from
A RUFFLED TANK TOP!

I can just hear you now... yes, yes, I can....

"OK, Deb is certifiable now. She's gone over the edge with this one.
Cutting up CLOTHES to decorate with?"
Oh, wait, there was that sweater thing..... ;)


No sewing, no gluing - nothing but a cut with scissors.
 Maybe a straight pin or two to make sure it stays tight on the shade, that's IT.
Five minutes TOPS.

Perfect for the holiday season, when you want to freshen up the decor in your rooms!
The 'How To':

*Slip the shirt over the lampshade BEFORE YOU CUT IT.
*Move it around to to find the best 'fit' and the correct amount of shirt to cut off.
*Remove the shirt from the shade, lay it flat, and cut it in half.
* Slip the cut portion of the shirt (lower half) back onto the shade.
* Tuck the top edge of the shirt section over the top edge of the shade.

* Use a few straight pins to hold it tight if the shirt is a lot bigger AROUND than the shade.
I use women's small size shirts, and they always fit perfectly on basic lampshades.

Just think about doing this using a sparkly glittery tank top :)
Or... just maybe.... a SWEATER!

Want MORE lampshade inspiration? Click HERE!



shared online:

Yesterday On Tuesday | Project Inspire{d}


11.15.2014

from fresh to faded...

 Two weeks ago, I was working at my second job (visual stylist for a charity resale store),
and at lunchtime, I walked to the nearby grocery store for a sandwich.
 Just inside the door, I passed the floral case,
and next to it was a funnel of plastic-wrapped rose bunches, all looking a 'little' weary.

You've all seen those bouquets - 
the ones with a few drooping flower heads and some browning outer petals?
They were priced at a mere $1.99 each,
so I grabbed a bunch of white and a bunch of rusty orange roses,
and took them back to the store (along with my chicken salad on sourdough, and sweet tea).

After I ate lunch, I popped the roses into a vase of water and put them into this display:
I figured they could live there for the weekend, freshening up the display,
and then I'd toss them out the next week. Cheap props, just the way I like 'em!!!
Only, when I came back, they had begun to dry in perfect form....
so I didn't throw them out.

I wrapped each bunch up in our store's tan tissue paper, and took them home.
They just kept drying, all wrapped up, 
without losing petals or bending or looking forlorn.

That's when I decided to keep them indefinitely - and decorate with them!
 I tucked the tissue-wrapped bundles of roses into a burlap market bag on the dresser in my office.
The fading color of the white roses coordinates perfectly with my neutral decor,
(which is why the rusty orange ones don't show in this photo, they are tucked down into the paper)
and the soft lingering rose scent is a welcome addition to this area near my desk.

I may never throw these out.
I may let them continue to dry out, eventually de-heading them from the stems
and adding them to a bowl of potpourri or layer the inside of a nest with them.

I've added fresh flowers to my decor for years,
letting the blooms dry in place and enhance the decor for weeks afterward:


 Hydrangeas are one of the easiest flowers to let dry 'en scene', as are roses.
Gardenias and Narcissus / Daffodils also dry well.

In August of 2013, my best friend of 37 years passed away.
I created a bouquet for her memorial service from fiery orange roses and lilies,
inspired by her fiery red hair and spirit.

I saved a few of the roses that I didn't put in the arrangement,  and I still have them...
the perfectly dried petals nest in a special teacup here in my office.
Those rose petals mean the world to me, because they are a connection to her.
This isn't just true for REAL flowers, either...
Long ago, I found a bunch of vintage fabric roses at a thrift store - for a song.
I cleaned them, then wrapped them up in a bit of vintage sheet music.
I displayed them lying on the table (this one made from a vintage peach-painted door)
and the simplicity of the display was timeless.

Finding beautiful decorative elements isn't about what you spend...
I'm getting a lot of lasting enjoyment out of two simple and cheap bouquets.
It's about the value you coax out of the elements.

Next time you grab flowers at the market, 
think about how you can extend their contribution to your decor...
choose flowers that will dry well, and enjoy them from fresh to faded.
.
PS: That lampshade in the photo up above?
I'll share its secret in my next post !

11.08.2014

Garden Planter = Wire Dome

bring the beauty of nature indoors with
a dome made from a wire garden planter!

It's perfect for every season...
* over a nest with leaves tucked into it, resting on a wood round for autumn.
* over a branch of evergreen with some vintage ornaments or pine cones for winter.
* over a nest with wood or stone eggs and tiny daffodils for spring.
* over a white ironstone plate filled with shells from the seashore in summer.

 You aren't going to believe how easy this ONE STEP PROJECT is!
 Start with a simple wire garden planter from the home center:
Disconnect the hanging wires. Turn the planter upside down,
 ... and voila, you have a wire dome!

You can also cut a short length of the hanging wire
and then attach it as a loop at the top of the planter as a handle, as I've done here.

The planters will come as new, shiny metal from the home center -
but if you look for them at garage sales and thrift shops, 
you just might find some nicely rusted ones like these!

You can also make a wire dome from a tomato cage too!

Way back in 2008, I sold these in my booth at Faded Elegance Antiques in Everett, Washington -
and I kept having to make them because they sold so fast!

Fun Fact:
This photo is of my very first 'vintage' booth,
a little space that was a mere 2 feet deep and 8 feet wide in the back of the store.
It was the first stop of many wonderful years as a vendor in the vintage world.
This is where 'Retreat' started, 
and you can see how my former business reflected my love of nature 
and of using everyday items as decorative elements -
just as I do here at homewardFOUND decor.

shared online:

cupcakes & crinoline | Project Inspire{d}


funky junk interiors | diy salvaged junk projects #420

9.20.2014

A Loaf of Bread, a Jug of Wine, and Thou!

Our extreme summer heat here in Southern California has finally waned,
giving us a chance to head back outside and enjoy nature.
With the change of seasons on the horizon, it's the perfect time for a picnic!

Picnics can be elegant and fancy, plain and simple, or somewhere in the middle.
For me, whatever they look like, they should be EASY.
The movable feast shown here was packed up into a large woven tote and a big wire basket,
making it easy to transport everything from car to a grassy park in one trip...
it's not a massive meal, just a tasty repast of bread, fruit, cheese, wine, and water.
( oh, and some homemade, hand-cranked ice cream for dessert! )

Just add an iPod with music, a classic book of poetry, and someone special
for a perfectly relaxing Autumn afternoon...
in the park, at the beach, in the mountains, or even in your own backyard garden!

 * The dishes nestle into a lined basket for transport, 
while a small galvanized bucket holds flatware.

* Vintage galvanized cookie boxes hold bread, fruit and cheese. 

* A 'new but looks old' galvanized napkin holder fits right into the look.
 

* Tumblers work far better than stemmed glasses for wine
(steadier on rough tables, and oh so European!)


* Water is presented in re-used glass soda bottles instead of plastic.


* Galvanized candle lanterns hold citronella candles to ward off pests.
 

* That little vintage galvanized ice cream maker is one of my prize possessions 
(I've never seen another like it!) and oh, does it work fast!
 

* A simple canvas painter's tarp serves as a sturdy tablecloth - 
and can come off to lay on the ground for an afternoon nap, too!

 There's something really special about this table scape... it's the dishes.
They ARE vintage, but aren't fancy or precious or particularly valuable. Just sentimental.
 These melamine plates and bowls from a grocery store promotion in the sixties
feature seasonal-themed artwork by Currier and Ives,
along with a pretty floral border in brown and gold tones.
That border makes it perfect for a fall color scheme...
but I chose to use the dishes because for over 45 years,
these dishes have been known as 'the picnic dishes' in my family.

They belonged to my Grandma Ward, and she brought them out for every camping trip and picnic.
She kept them in her truck camper's 'kitchen box', and then in their little Shasta travel trailer.
During my childhood, that little vintage trailer was my 'playhouse',
and these dishes were my toys.
I created elaborate and artful 'salads' from leaves and flowers and errant vegetables
sneakily culled from Grandma and Grandpa's garden.
(why I didn't grow up to like cooking, I'll never know!!!)

After I grew up and had my own family, Grandma gave me her dishes.
So we used them for camping trips and backyard barbecues and picnics at the beach, too.
I treasure them, and just looking at them brings back SO many memories of happy times...
Keeping basic elements needed for a picnic ready to go in a basket or tote
makes it easy to enjoy a last-minute trip
to enjoy sunset on the beach or a temperate day at the local park...
Don't let the fact that summer is over keep you inside!

shared online: 

Yesterday on Tuesday | Project Inspire{d}



Creative Country Mom's Garden | Tuesday Garden Party