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Showing posts with label tutorial. Show all posts
Showing posts with label tutorial. Show all posts

3.15.2024

easy-peasy twine nest

spring,nests,DIY,diy decorating,tutorial,home decor,seasonal,re-purposed,up-cycling,dollar store crafts,inspired by nature,garden style,twine nest,diy nest,diy spring nest.
i dropped a ball of twine on the floor in my studio, it unraveled...
and this nest was the result!

i love it when something happens that makes me look at a material
in a new way, with a new use in a new seasonal accent.
and this one couldn't have been easier!

wanna' turn a ball of dollar store twine into a nest in less than five minutes?
continue reading! 

3.08.2024

faux spring leaves made from ribbon

spring,re-purposing,trash to treasure,natural elements,DIY,decorating,inspired by nature,tutorial,diy decorating,up-cycling,crafting,DIY leafy spring branches,faux leaves,fabric leaves.
my last post included these leafy branches
that aren't leafy branches at all!

the trees in my yard haven't yet put on spring buds or leaves,
so i had to find a way to turn some bare branches into props for photos...
i've done that before with paper flowers and paper leaves,
but this time i used a different material to make the leaves:
thick satin ribbon saved from gift baskets.

they turned out SO much more realistic than i had anticipated,
and i'm thrilled to share this idea with you!

continue reading for the easy tutorial...

3.01.2024

NEW! 'Sweet Sweater Nest' for Spring

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springtime is time for a NEW 'Sweet Sweater' Original creation!

 i've created various versions of nests over the years
from all different kinds of material (posts linked below) - 
this year, i hatched an idea for one made from sweater scraps!
(does that surprise anyone at all? i bet not!)

i love the more natural, rustic look that resulted from my new method,
and have created a tutorial to help you get the same results...

...continue reading for my 'Sweet Sweater Nest' tutorial

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!

2.16.2024

moss-filled bookend | wall art

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how many times can Deb re-use something?!
it's okay if you ask that... i ask myself that question a lot!

i love re-using elements in my decor, making them look
as different as i can from season to season.
or, in this case, from color obsession to color obsession...

while i do still love yellow, i wanted a change of course this year
and am embracing all of the shades of green i can find in my projects.
while i was taking one project apart, another presented itself 
and it's so easy i just had to share it with you.

continue reading for an easy way to personalize your decor! 

2.09.2024

faux terra cotta painted hearts

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one last 'heart'-themed project for the month!
when i found four plastic hearts in my stash, i turned two of them
into faux moss covered topiary hearts (see my last post, linked below).

i held two back for this project - 
an easy faux paint treatment that turned two cheap plastic hearts
into something much more elegant and 'natural'.

using paint to change things is one of my favorite approaches
to seasonal decorating (and to not BUYING more stuff that i have to store)...

continue reading for my easy tutorial and a few more ideas!

2.02.2024

'moss' heart topiary

winter,Valentine's Day,inspired by nature,home decor,diy decorating,up-cycling,DIY,tutorial,re-purposed,garden style,garden art,decorating,faux moss hearts,faux moss heart topiaries,yarn crafts,.
as i was creating the large faux 'moss' heart in my last post,
i unearthed some small plastic hearts that i had previously painted.
(those posts are linked below this one)
i decided to recreate them to coordinate with the larger 'moss' heart.

covering these lil' hearts with moss-like green yarn and fuzzy fabric was easy,
then i turned one of them into a tiny topiary.

continue reading for an easy tutorial...

1.26.2024

plant a faux 'moss' heart

winter,wreaths,wall art,garden art,garden style,tutorial,Valentine's Day,spring,DIY,diy decorating,home decor,inspired by nature,re-purposed,up-cycling,thrifted,moss,moss wreath,moss wall art,yarn crafts,crafting with yarn,painting.
this wood heart-shaped planting box is the perfect way
for me to incorporate nature-inspired elements in my winter decor. 

even though i'm not focused on creating for a specific 'holiday' now,
you've seen this element on the blog previously
as three different versions of wreaths perfect for February.
(previous posts linked below)

moss is a hot home decor trend this winter
and is showing up in many spring decor collections online...
from sculptures and floral designs to very large framed art pieces made of moss.
while i initially thought of using real moss for this project,
i found that one of my favorite 'faux' materials worked much easier
and with a lot less mess!

continue reading to see more details and my big 'secret' for moss...

1.19.2024

a serene winter wreath

wreaths,white,DIY,home decor,decorating,winter,neutrals,diy decorating,inspired by nature,tutorial,winter wreath,re-purposed,up-cycling,foraged,january,2024,winter home decor,seasonal home decor,diy home decor.

i love a seasonal wreath, don't you?!

this simple winter season wreath
is created from remnants of an old white matlasse' bedspread
and adorned with natural elements from my yard,
reflecting the way winter looks and feels where i live.

a fabric-wrapped wreath can be made with YOUR preferences,
and i hope this one inspires you to create something you love!

continue reading for an easy tutorial...

1.12.2024

time for a change... a new 'mantel'!

home decor,decorating,winter,diy decorating,up-cycling,white,DIY,inspired by nature,foraged,neutrals,tutorial,re-purposed,painting,wall art,faux mantel,winter home decor,winter decorating,vintage-look signs.
in November 2020, i created something i had wanted for a long while:
a faux fireplace and mantel, as a photo backdrop.

using some spare lumber and white paint
i cobbled together a simple 'fireplace' and attached it to
the old wood gate that hangs on my studio wall
(my dad built it in the 80's and i swiped it when he built a new one in 2013!)

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this backdrop has been in constant use since then, and has worked pretty well.
there have been a few times when it has not worked well -
usually when photographing a wreath or wall art
that was too big in scale to fit in the space above the mantel.
(and those sharp dark shadows from the 'firebox' drove me mad!)

in mid-December of '23, i decided it was time for a change
and tore that faux mantel and firebox enclosure apart!
the result is very satisfying.

continue reading for more details...

1.05.2024

welcome, winter...

found objects,natural elements,DIY,seasonal,home decor,decorating,winter,original designs,tutorial,diy decorating,new year,color palettes,neutrals,
my personal word for this next year is light 
along with the many meanings that word encompasses.

 i often hear people talk about how dark winters are -
yet after we remove the holiday decor, our homes feel lighter. cleaner.
(and yes, some say emptier.) 
but do we really want to fill them up again with a lot of stuff? 
why not welcome the new year with the lightness of a refreshed home?

i'm embracing the aesthetic of lightness and simplicity this year,
as well as a renewed focus on the beauty of nature in every season.
that's going to affect the way i approach my own home decor
and by extension the content i share here to inspire you.

as i plan and create new projects for the upcoming season,
i'm asking myself questions about how i want my home to feel,
how i want to feel IN my home, and how i can inspire you
to create a home you love to live in.

continue reading to see where i'm heading...

12.29.2023

winter inspiration

winter,DIY,diy decorating,decorating,home decor,tutorial,winter wreaths,winter crafts, winter home decor, winter decor,winter foraging,winter mood.
the new year beckons with possibilities...
if you're looking for winter home decor tutorials and projects
to inspire you to create a home you love to live in,

new winter content posts begin in january!


winter,DIY,diy decorating,decorating,home decor,tutorial,winter wreaths,winter crafts, winter home decor, winter decor,winter foraging,winter mood.

12.08.2023

terra cotta Christmas: 2 nativity scenes

terra cotta Christmas 2023,Christmas,Christmas Decor Themes,thrifted,ornaments,Christmas Decor,holiday,up-cycling,re-purposed,painting,faux finish,tutorial,terra cotta pot nativity,terra cotta pots,nativity scenes,Christmas nativity.
when i was thinking about ideas for a terra cotta pot nativity,
i looked online - and every rendition i saw was 'cute'. and painted.
not what i wanted, which is good -
it means what i've created is different than what other people have done!
(always my goal)

i wanted the same kind of simple, modern/contemporary style i've done before
that would coordinate with the other terra cotta decor elements i've made this year.

then i grabbed a traditional nativity scene
and shzooshed it up a bit with paint ;) 

continue reading to see how easy it is to transform something
into something ELSE ...

12.01.2023

terra cotta Christmas: faux painted tree ornaments

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while i'm having fun finding all kinds of ways
to use terra cotta flower pots in my theme this holiday season,
i needed to expand the scope... enter my favorite tool: PAINT!

i rounded up some unused ornaments from my stash
and transformed them using my faux terra cotta paint technique.
it's easy, cheap, and a great way to revive unused items!

continue reading for the details and some of my top tree decorating tips...

11.24.2023

terra cotta Christmas: clay pot wreaths

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we've all seen beautiful wreaths made from terra cotta pots,
filled with herbs or succulents or flowers - in springtime.
i wanted to create a wreath made of pots
that fit this year's terra cotta Christmas theme...
simple, subtle, natural. and 'wintery' in feel.

the result is two wreaths that include terra cotta pots - 
one is a wreath of greens embellished with 'bells' made from pots,
the other a wreath made entirely of pots.
(and when i did a Google search, i didn't see any that looked like mine!)

they represent two different styles that can be made in varied sizes
for a variety of uses in your holiday decor!

continue reading to see tutorials for two variations of holiday wreaths...

11.17.2023

terra cotta Christmas: clay pot trees

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it's tiiiiiime! (channeling Mariah Carey there...)
there's no waiting any longer to start sharing holiday decor content!

my muses love to yank my chain....
i HAD a plan for holiday content this year on the blog. yes i did.
and then... 

surfing through IG one night when i couldn't sleep,
a photo shared by one of my former employers and clients
came across my screen - and wouldn't you know it,
that one photo inspired a whole NEW idea and theme.  
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this is the photo posted by Molbak's Garden Center near Seattle
to promote one of the themes of their holiday products this year.
(i used to be on the visual merchandising design team there,
and love keeping up with what they are doing now - it's amazing!)

those are turned wood trees on the mantel.
but that's not how i interpreted it... 
instead, i saw a forest of terra cotta trees made from pots!

that one photo inspired me to create decor
that was subdued, simple, natural, and elegant -
along the lines of something from Pottery Barn, Terrain, West Elm.
in the process, i've come up with different ways to use terra cotta pots
to embody a new theme for the holidays this year...

(and there's not a BIT of yellow in it! ;)

...continue reading to see three styles of terra cotta trees!

11.04.2023

diy tomato cage 'cornucopia' door + wall decor

Thanksgiving,fall,home decor,DIY,diy decorating,wreaths,tomato cage crafts,Sweet Sweater Pumpkins,dollar store crafts,wall art,rustic style,farmhouse style,tutorial, DIY cornucopia,Thanksgiving cornucopia.

are you one of the few people in the world
who is looking for some Thanksgiving decor?
who hasn't moved on to decorate for Christmas already?! 
i'm one of you - and my next few posts will center on this holiday that i really love!

last November i shared my tutorial for making a cornucopia
using a wire tomato cage and some burlap.
this year, it's been elevated from the tabletop
to hang on the door as a gorgeous 'wreath'
or as welcoming 'wall art' anywhere in your home.

continue reading for all the details (and a link to my previous tutorial)

10.31.2023

painted 'chocolate' pumpkins on a sweet sweater cake

fall,pumpkins,foofoo Faux Food,sweaters,home decor,DIY,diy decorating,seasonal,decorating,painting,tutorial,Thanksgiving,Halloween,re-purposed,thrifted,dollar store crafts,faux cake with faux chocolate pumpkins,Dollar Tree pumpkins.
a fitting conclusion to my recent faux food project posts,
this one really takes the cake....

this project came about because i had some tiny styro pumpkins,
which made me start thinking about making a very REAL cake
like my Mom used to make every fall when i was a kid.
it was always a round two-layer chocolate cake with chocolate icing
and adorned with tiny orange candy pumpkins all along the top edge.
i loved that cake.
we took them to school fall celebrations and church harvest festivals.
we took mini versions - cupcakes - to friend's houses.
we never brought any of it home, either!!! everyone loved it.

instead, i decided to make a fall 'cake' in my own style...
because deb does NOT need more calories!

continue reading for the before and after...

10.24.2023

easy 'dot' candy pumpkins

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it seems this fall has affected me by making me crave candy and sweets!!

this happy project was born when i found THESE at the Dollar Tree:
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'member those?!!!
'dot' candy on paper strips was one of my FAVE sweet treats as a kid
(confession: i would sometimes stop at the local Circle K market while walking to school
and spend my lunch money on candy instead. BAD little debby!!!)

when i saw these GIANT candy versions, i grabbed a package
and got right to work when i arrived home...

...continue reading to see how easy this pumpkin decor is for adults & kids alike!

10.17.2023

faux food 'caramel apple' pumpkins

fall,pumpkins,foofoo Faux Food,painting,tutorial,dollar store crafts,just for fun,DIY,diy decorating,decorating,seasonal,home decor,faux caramel apple pumpkins,fake food.
a recent rainstorm and cool temps (that have long since vanished!)
spurred my 'fall feels' - and my taste buds for all things caramel.
it's my favorite fall flavor, and i love indulging it...
from scarfing down Werther's Original caramel cremes
to sipping a caramel apple martini on a cool but sunny late afternoon.

with those thoughts already swirling in my head, 
seeing a photo of a green apple being dipped into melted caramel
inspired something else... this fun 'faux food' bit of sweet fall home decor!

how it started:
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i knew that a method i had previously used to make faux honey
would work for the glossy dimensional caramel effect,
so i proceeded with this project as i had with that one.
(my faux honey jar is linked below this post)

... continue reading to see how it's going, and how you can make them, too!