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Showing posts with label up-cycling. Show all posts
Showing posts with label up-cycling. 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

spring,inspired by nature,re-purposed,up-cycling,DIY,diy decorating,decorating,seasonal,wreaths,wall art,faux moss,moss wall art,bookend,spring moss,tutorial
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

DIY,inspired by nature,home decor,decorating,winter,tutorial,re-purposed,diy decorating,up-cycling,Valentine's Day,painting,faux finish,faux painted hearts,Valentine heart decor,Valentine decor,faux terra cotta paint effect,matlasse' fabric hearts,chenille fabric hearts,matlasse' fabric wreath.
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...

12.15.2023

terra cotta Christmas: a simply natural table

terra cotta Christmas 2023,Christmas,Christmas Decor Themes,thrifted,ornaments,Christmas Decor,holiday,up-cycling,re-purposed,Christmas tree,tablescapes,holiday,entertaining,terra cotta pots,natural elements,Pottery Barn,West Elm,Terrain,Christmas table decor
i'm gonna' be honest, i got stuck on this one.
just how do you incorporate terra cotta pots into a tablescape?

keep it simple.

as always, i used what i had on hand,
combined some varied colors and textures and elements,
and didn't try to do anything that YOU can't do in your home, too.

continue reading for a few easy ideas...

12.08.2023

terra cotta Christmas: 2 nativity scenes

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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!

11.11.2023

woodsy brown Thanksgiving tablescape + 25 more!

fall,Thanksgiving,tablescapes,entertaining,decorating,re-purposed,up-cycling,farmhouse style,rustic style,Thanksgiving tablescape,Thanksgiving decor.
a few years ago i created a lovely Thanksgiving table setting
and never shared it on the blog!
i just ran across the photos in a file, and decided they need the spotlight...
even though there's not a single touch of yellow in the photos ;) 
(i think i DID share it on Instagram that year)

the rustic woodsy warmth of this table decor exemplifies fall to me,
and i loved the way the elements reflect traditional style.

continue reading for the details...

10.10.2023

have a ball with these pumpkins!

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do you have a family full of sports fans?
oh, my friends, you're gonna' have a BALL with this idea! 😉

i was killing time before an appointment by walking thru a 'FIVE below' discount store,
and spied a bin filled with small basketballs in bright happy colors...
there was no yellow, but the minty green one caught my eye!

continue reading for tips on this SUPER fast & easy pumpkin decor project!

9.12.2023

repurposed crochet hat pumpkin

pumpkins,Sweet Sweater Pumpkins,fall,tutorial,DIY,diy decorating,up-cycling,re-purposing,crafting,thrifted,boho style,colorful home,decorating,granny squares,crochet hat pumpkin,fabric pumpkins,fall home decor, diy fall home decor, diy home decor, diy pumpkins.
i'm a hat girl. always have been. i love wearing them
and have a pretty big collection of hats for every season.
i have thick straight hair and on the many days when it won't cooperate,
i just pop a ballcap or sunhat or cloche on my head and fuhgeddaboutit.

the only hats i don't like on my head are beanies. my forehead's too big.
but when i found THIS beanie, i fell in love with it and had to buy it...
because the moment i saw it, i KNEW it had to become a pumpkin!
here i am using things in ways they weren't intended to be used again LOL

continue reading for my tutorial (which is much like my sweet sweater pumpkin tute)...

9.05.2023

a NEW LOOK for my Original Sweet Sweater Pumpkins!

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september is here, and you know what THAT means...
it's time for sweater weather AND sweater pumpkins!!!

i've been making + selling my Original Sweet Sweater Pumpkins TM since 2007,
and while i haven't sold any since i had my little hwf shop in 2017,
i occasionally still make new versions!
in 2021 i made a batch of new yellow 'sweeties' for myself, 
and this year after creating a huge new multicolor batch for my daughter Bethany,
i've made a revision to the way i finish them...

continue reading for a quick addition to my original tutorial...

8.29.2023

NEW: beach towel pumpkins!

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as August comes to a close in the weirdest way possible
(a hurricane in Southern California? AND an earthquake? okay....)
i am still stretching 'summer' to the very last moment
with this new original pumpkin design...
dare i say 'it's time for beach blanket bingo'??!!

i've noodled the idea of creating pumpkins using colorful beach towels for awhile... 
first i tried to make them the same way i do my famous sweater pumpkins
but towels just don't *squish* like sweaters do - even thin ones.
 i tried a kind of 'gathered' approach - nope. still too bulky.

then one day i was scrolling Instagram,
and right there in front of me was a fantastical, incredible, creative,
 ORIGINAL and colorful new form of art that just blew my mind -
AND solved my pumpkin problem!

continue reading to see what i saw, and how i translated that into pumpkins!