WINTER: office organization on the cheap

  

Donna at Funky Junk Interiors blog hosts a weekly linkup, encouraging her followers/readers to share their recent projects. This past Friday, she suggested that we also share our favorite tips for getting organized at the start of a new year... which sent me to my hwf blog archives to find a post I knew would be what she was hoping for.

It took me awhile to find it in my archives, but I did, and linked it up to her party. The response to it in just two days is astounding! Now I feel motivated by Donna to share this helpful info that you can use by re-posting my original post from 2013 again - so I'm sharing it today as a 'Bonus Post' in addition to my regular content.

This info is the 'BTS' - Behind the Scenes -  of how I created my absolute dream office / design studio... spending very little money, using reclaimed + thrifted items + what I already had. I've actually done this in every creative space I have designed for myself, since the very first one in 2004. (I shared that studio in another post, which is linked at the end of this post)

In January of 2011, I moved into my dream house on an island in the PNW, and enjoyed the opportunity to design a whole new studio/office for myself.  I undertook this project exactly as I would one for a client: start with what you have and look at it in a fresh way.

continue reading to see how I get organized - on the cheap!

WINTER: a stylish & EASY taper candle tip

I've decided to focus on very simple projects this month, sharing a few tips that will quickly and easily impact your decor as you warm up your winter homes.

This particular tip isn't mine - it originated with a very special shopkeeper, entertaining guru, visual stylist, decorator, and author who has been inspiring me for decades now: Ted Kennedy Watson (no, we're not related!).

Ted owns two stores in Seattle - Watson Kennedy Fine Living on Pine Avenue (across from Pike Place Market), and Watson Kennedy Fine Home on First Avenue. Both stores boast a wealth of beautiful items to enjoy in your decor and entertaining, and the displays Ted creates in the shops and the window displays are absolutely some of the best I've ever seen. I could (and did) spend hours taking in every detail in both shops during the 18 years I lived in Washington.

This particular stylist's 'trick' is SO easy - and by adding just one little detail, it makes a huge difference!

continue reading to see HOW easy...

simple paper strip nest

how did we get to the end of MARCH already?!!

this last post for the month - though certainly not my last spring project - 

was a thought that occurred to me as i was working on my

new 'Sweet Sweater Nest' creations late last month (post linked below)...

this nest is made using the same basic method as the sweater nest,

but with a different material: paper strips.

i've chosen to use some of my 'painted paint chip paper' strips to make mine - 
remember back in 2020 when my theme was paint chip crafts ALLL year long??!

to fit your own style, this project could easily be done using vintage sheet music,

elegant gift wrapping paper, or even colorful comic pages.
it's a fun way to up-cycle any paper you have on hand!

continue reading for a great last-minute spring project
PLUS a tip for filling your Easter baskets easily! 

giant paper flowers

sometimes it's just best to go BIG, you know?

i've been a retail visual merchandiser + display designer / stylist for over 45 years,

and have made a LOT of props in my lifetime...

and i learned that whether you're creating a window display

or an event display or a photo backdrop, large scale has the most impact.

making big things can get costly, tho - unless you use inexpensive materials

like paper, tissue, and repurposed/upcycled elements.

the flowers you see up above were created for use in an event entry display,

and are made from new cardstock paper -

but i've made similar ones from vintage book pages, too.

can't you just imagine flowers made out of repurposed MAPS?

old newspapers? magazine pages? gift wrapping paper?

yep, so can i!

i can also see them decorating a lovely Mother's Day brunch setting,
or as decor in a nursery or girls' room.

continue reading for a quick tutorial and loads of inspo...

words of Thanksgiving wall art

time for a BONUS POST!
i just had to fit this one in before Thanksgiving...

here's a 'fast, cheap, & easy' last-minute decor idea
that will add a touch of personalized meaning to your celebration
( and might just help to keep the kids busy, too! )

make word art to decorate your front door or entry wall

all it takes is a word program, paper, a printer, 

and some interesting 'frames' to display the completed word art...

diy paper hearts wall art + garland

the wreath in my last post isn't the only way i am using paper hearts!
the freebie hearts cut from magazine pages and other scrap paper in my studio
have also become wall art and a mantel garland.

this is a really easy way to add a fun seasonal touch to your home
using what you have on hand already
(that's really been my Modus Operandi through this whole pandemic)

continue reading to see how easy it is to make home decor from scrap paper...

scrap paper heart wreath

my penchant for paper often pays off... which is good, because i keep EVERYTHING. 

  old magazines. brochures. cards. shopping bags. even business cards if they're cute!

this past year, i've been a bit better about tearing pages out of mags instead of keeping them.
(i almost broke a drawer in my studio because it was overloaded with heavy magazines.) 

so when my brain comes up with an idea for using said scrap paper
(usually at 3 in the morning)
i have a stash on hand that i can dig into, and it costs me nuthin'.
and you all know how i love making art & decor with everyday stuff!

in December, i shared a wreath like this made from old Christmas cards cut into circles.
this time, i cut paper into heart shapes - you could certainly make a heart-shaped wreath, too!
i even brought out a piece of paper that is one of the most valuable i have:
vintage. Disney. and i CUT IT UP. yeah, call me crazy.
but it's my fave part of this wreath!

continue reading to see how scrap paper becomes art...

scrap paper posies

some days, we just need a break. right? 
a chance to rest, an opportunity to cut loose, a moment to relax.
not every project has to be a ground-breaking new invention. or a massive undertaking.
sometimes - especially during a worldwide shutdown -
we just need some mindless activity to distract ourselves from anxious thoughts.

so while i've completed some big projects over the past few months,
and the muses have been kind enough to lead me in the direction of new creations,
i've also given myself the gift of time to PLAY. as in: projects just for FUN.
not necessarily to blog about, because they aren't always AMAZING,
but to sit back for a time and play around - and see where it goes.
i'll look at something in my studio and think 'what if i.....' 
and then i'm off, trying something new.

no matter what i am making, i always have fun playing with paper, scissors, and glue.

(sometimes my creative life feels like kindergarten....)

my challenge to myself these past four months has been to ONLY use what i have here at home.
(yes, the vintage roll of crepe paper from a recent post broke that rule...
but i hadn't gone out specifically shopping for craft supplies.)
i've got a lot of stuff around here, so there are ample 'art supplies' at hand.
and rarely do i use things the way they were intended to be used.
i just see things.... differently.

take gift wrap paper, for instance.... sure, i wrap gifts with it. 

but it's basically an art supply, right? paper of any kind is an art supply. 

oh, how i love art supplies. always have. even when they aren't from an 'art store'.
even when it's technically trash...

these scrap paper posies turn trash into treasure,
and are a quick project, perfect for de-stressing on a hot summer day!

continue reading to see where the inspiration for these colorful blooms came from...

festive 'foo foo faux food' for the fourth!

a miracle happened yesterday... a thrift store near us was OPEN!

so, masked up with sanitizing wipes in hand, Mom and i tiptoed through the door

and were welcomed by a cheerful young lady who was wiping down the register counter.

only one other person was in the store, so we felt quite safe.

and on the way to the back of the shop, 

where there are many many bookshelves filled with many many books 

- for just ten cents each, which is why we LOVE this thrift shop! - 

i spied a brand new roll of vintage crepe paper (probably from the 70's)

and my weakness for vintage paper ephemera began nagging at me. 

(spurred on by the fact that i haven't been out thrifting since February!)

yes, i bought it. i spent a whole TWENTY FIVE CENTS on it!

nope, i had NO IDEA what i was going to use it for. i just couldn't resist.

but then i came home, sat it on the sideboard in my studio,

 next to a few small bottles holding old paper flags.

and an idea for a 'fast, cheap, & easy' accent for the Fourth of July was born!

click through to see the details...

happy Easter

wishing a happy Easter and a blessed Resurrection Day to all of you, my friends... 

and if you don't mind, i'm going to 'wax poetic' for a moment 

to share something important with you...

i've realized that one of the reasons i am so drawn to using 

old, scarred, damaged, discarded elements 

to create beautiful decor for my homes and to share with you here on the blog 

is that i myself have felt much the same at times... old, scarred, damaged, discarded. 

i long to not let the experiences and misfortunes that have made me feel 'less than' 

stop me from seeing beauty in life... and beauty and usefulness in the detritus.

when i salvage a bit of wood or an old rusted dented piece of metal, 

or pick up an errant bit of fabric or paper, and turn them into lovely home decor, 

i am finding a way to redeem those forgotten and discarded items. 

it soothes my soul to not let them stay there on the ground in a broken, dirty state, 

but to lift them up and clean them off 

and give them the chance to reveal the beauty that remains - deep within. 

it's not perfection, but it is beauty nonetheless.

do you see where i'm going with this, my friends?

this is what i know that God has done with me, and with many others i know: 

He has not left us to rot away in our broken, damaged state. 

He has not discarded us, but has lifted us up, 

given us the opportunity to be cleaned up and made useful and shiny once again. 

to reveal the beauty that He created within us to be seen once more. 

i have certainly seen that principle at work in my own life... 

that beauty can come from ashes, growth from destruction, and life from death. 

most especially, i see the way that my faith has given me a new start many times over, 

and a glorious hope for the future.

because of that faith in Him and hope for my eternal future, 

this day means a great deal to me. 

and i hope to live every day with the promise of Easter, of resurrection, 

in my heart and on my mind, guiding me through life.

i hope that you, too, will find your hope in Him. 

by the way, there's a really great story behind this wood cross planter that i made into wall art... 

check it out here

Salvaged Cross Wall Art

 as fun as the bunny ear napkins were in my last post, 

i couldn't let Easter go by without sharing much more meaningful content...

the cross in the photo above is a wood planting box, 

handmade by an artisan* who gifted it to me in a parking lot. yes, a parking lot. 

his truck was parked next to me at a local nursery, and he walked out as i was getting out of the car.

i complimented him on the two planters that he had in his hands - the cross and this heart - 

and he told me his good news, that he had just landed an account for them to sell his planters.
he smiled a mile wide - then he handed the planters to me. 

i was shocked and tried to refuse them, saying he didn't need to 'pay' me for the compliment.

and that young man said something profound to me that will be forever linked to this cross planter:

'hey, good news needs to be shared, and celebrated!'

 yes, yes it does. 

and on Easter weekend, i can think of no Good News better than that of the Cross.

that particular cross is now something i see every day in my home.
when i was creating a gallery wall arrangement, i grabbed the cross planter from the potting bench,

intending to include it in my decor. but it needed something more... and it became a project!

continue reading to see what i did with it!

Capture Spring in a Jar!

one of my most popular pins + posts is my 'beach in a jar' project

 but long before i ever came up with THAT one, i created another: 'SPRING in a jar'!

i'm not sure why i haven't shared them here on homewardFOUND before, but it's time to change that!

continue reading to learn more...

Have a Heart!

happy february, everyone!

five years ago, i shared a project here on the homewardFOUND blog
that began with a simple wood moss-filled garden planter.
 click here to see the planter-turned-door wreath post

i found another way to use that wood planter:
i decided to re-create the look of a floral heart using PAPER!
it was simple enough to cut petals and leaves and spirals out of old sheet music + school paper,
to fold and bend and twist them into shape, gluing them along the way,
and then to tuck them into the chicken-wire of the planter.

these flowers are so simple to make... just remember your kindergarten 'cut & paste' skills,
maybe even enlist some kids to help!

continue reading for more details...

Tutorial: Make New Books Look Old!

 here's a trick i've been using for four decades as a visual display stylist:
i shared a photo on Instagram the other day because i loved the display:

i snapped that at Roger's Gardens in Corona del Mar, California, 

where i have found visual and decor inspiration galore over many years.

this photo is of a cabinet filled with old books - 
only, they aren't old. they just LOOK old. 

and because of my 40+ year background in retail visual merchandising & display,

i know a secret to getting the same look!

so i shared the trick in my IG post... and a few people suggested that i create an actual tutorial.

sure, i can do that! ;) 
here's the quick tutorial in one easy image:

now THAT's what i call 'fast, cheap & easy'TM ;) 

(ps: i posted a quick VIDEO tutorial on the hwF facebook page, too!)

shared online:

funky junk interiors diy salvaged junk projects #412

yesterday on tuesday  project inspired #258 

oh my gracious! i'd like to offer a big thank you to Donna at Funky Junk Interiors
for featuring my project in her recap of junk party #412 - i am honored!

Happy HAULidays!

 Jingle & Jangle are getting excited!

These darling vintage elves will be in my shop soon - along with a lot more!

I've been pricing and making and prepping my huge HAULiday stash

to go into my homewardFOUND shop in Room #1 at Needful Things Addiction.
(there is SO MUCH MORE than I can even photograph right now)

and then.... Plan B happened.
The store owner asked for my help with a project - and OH am I glad I said yes!!!

Today I spent a few hours down at the store, prowling through some storage rooms

that are FILLED with amazing furniture and accessories, 

selecting some for fixtures and then getting to work turning an empty room

into a setting for a holiday happening!

That room is Room #3, and it's right next to my regular spot, Room #1...

I'll be filling it with my haul of handmade originals and vintage finds in bright happy colors
for the BIG EVENT this coming Saturday:

 .

Some new holiday things in soft neutrals will be headed into my 'regular' shop in Room #1, too!

I'll share some 'sneak peeks' here and on my social media pages

as soon as it's all set up and ready... and I hope you can make it out on Saturday -
I'll be at the store in the afternoon and evening to help out, 

and I'd love to meet you!

.

bewitched, bothered, & bejewelled!

I'm so crazy busy this week getting ready to open the homewardFOUND shop,
that I've decided to just share my Instagram posts here instead of writing a whole post!
.

Working on creative display ideas for the vintage costume jewelry that I'll have 

in Room #1 at Needful Things Addiction in Lake Elsinore, CA very soon... 

If you want a stylish new pair of earrings or chunky necklace 

to wear to Thanksgiving dinner, I've got them!
,

stay tuned for my Opening Date announcement 
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Today's Fall Finds....

this morning... LATE this morning...
I headed out to the 'community garage sales' in my neighborhood.
since it was late, I didn't know if I'd find anything I could use.

oh, but I DID!!!
 I spied several wonderful things...

okay, wait, I need to backtrack for a minute and make a confession. 

I'm the kind of garage / yard sale shopper that you probably hate.
I'm a DRIVE-BY SHOPPER.
yup.
I  roll past your driveway and scope out the offerings on your tarps and tables
without stopping my car. or getting OUT of my car. 
If there's enough there to intrigue me, I'll park and actually walk over to take a closer look.

I did it alllll morning long. 
my Mom sat in the car and helped me watch for signs ,
and then quickly evaluate each one as we drove past.

I can actually hear your eyes rolling as you read that... but it's ok. I get it!

So anyway, I found some lovely things that perfectly fit my palette and style,
things that will be headed to my homewardFOUND shop in Room 1
at Needful Things Addiction in Lake Elsinore, California
in just a few weeks!

oh.... and the BEST thing I found?

these vintage player piano rolls!

if you've known me for any length of time at all, 

you know that I let out a happy scream when I came across these!
I've used them for YEARS in my vintage art & decor creations,
and have been looking for them here in SoCal for a long time.
who knew they were right here in my own neighborhood?!!!

 and you can bet I have big plans for them ;)

stay tuned for my opening date announcement!

Tidings of Comfort and JOY

Tomorrow is Christmas Eve, 
so this is the last post in my holiday 2016 series...

Finding this vintage book at the thrift store last summer
inspired our theme for our Christmas decorating:

  I've enjoyed sharing how we have embraced it in our home this year.

( Click to see all Holiday 2016 Posts )

JOY has been my Word of the Year for 2016,

and in so many ways I have found it again, lived it, and shared it...

for that gift, I am profoundly Thankful.

I owe a debt of gratitude to so many people in my life,

including each of you who visit my blog and social media pages...
your visits, comments, likes, shares, re-posts, pins

and enthusiastic support and encouragement mean so much to me.
Thank you all, from my heart, for finding value in what I share with you.

It's not rocket science, and it's not as BIG and as WOW as many other bloggers post,

but you've let me know that it's helpful, useful, and inspiring to you - 

and that just makes my heart sing!

I wish each and every one of you a very Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays 

- no matter what holiday you celebrate this time of year! - 

and a New Year filled with hope, faith, love, laughter, and yes.... JOY

With Gratitude, 

Deb

A Christmas Tablescape

Okay, I'll be honest... we really don't use this dining table much.
Even after I gave it a snazzy makeover! 
It serves as a big crafting surface a lot of the time, 
but is currently set & ready for Christmas Day dinner with some very special guests.

Everything here is coordinated with our daily decor palette
and the deeper tones that we brought in for the holidays...
And it has a few ideas that are simple to replicate:

Continue Reading for more...

Folded Book Christmas Angels & Trees

My Mom and I have been crafting and making things all of my life...
long ago, she and I created angels, choir boys, Santas, and snowmen
out of Readers Digest books with folded pages.
Back then, we painted ours gold and white and red, 
and the heads were round styrofoam balls.

Well, this year, Mom got the idea to make some of those again!

Continue Reading for more about our creations...