. -->

view ALL winter content click here

Showing posts with label wall art. Show all posts
Showing posts with label wall art. Show all posts

2.05.2025

WINTER: Scrap Paper Hearts Wreath

winter,Valentine's Day,paper crafts,vintage paper,diy decorating,DIY,home decor,colorful home,trash to treasure,up-cycling,re-purposed,wreaths,wall art,tutorial,hometalk,crafting,scrap paper hearts wreath
In a bit of a coincidence, I was notified on Wednesday that one of my past project posts for Valentine's Day decor would be featured on Thursday in the HomeTalk daily email and on social media... and that project just happens to be the original version of the one in this post, which I scheduled for Friday! I bumped it to publish a *bit* earlier, so I could link this new version to the original post that the HomeTalk link will lead to.

I offer a warm welcome to all of you who are visiting from HomeTalk!

As my beloved regular readers know, I love 'making something out of nothing'. In other words, turning the contents of my trash + recycle bins into seasonal home decor accents. Making my own decor this way costs me nothing, is a fun exercise in creativity, and gives me no guilt at all when I disassemble and re-use elements from one project to another!

Let me show you how I turned scraps into Valentine's Day home decor ...

1.24.2025

WINTER: make a faux vintage felt pennant

 winter,crafting,DIY,diy decorating,decorating,Disneyland,painting,tutorial,wall art,wreaths,just for fun,

This is another 'just for fun' project to add to your winter decor - and also one of those projects that changed course a few times!

My original inspiration for this were two photos on Instagram, shared by Jens Fresh Vintage. Jen shared shots of her antique booth winter setup, showing winter paint-by-numbers and thermoses and ski's - and vintage souvenir pennants from ski resorts:


Recalling the fun days that I had spent skiing the slopes at Northstar and Squaw Valley in Lake Tahoe, I decided to make myself a felt pennant that looked old.

As you can see in the photo up above, I did not make pennants that say 'Lake Tahoe' or anything like that... I went bigger! 

Continue reading to see a step-by-step tutorial to make your own pennants - AND what I ultimately ended up doing with them in my studio!

8.15.2024

Published Again! Farmhouse Style Magazine

fall,autumn,DIY,diy decorating,home decor,Country Sampler Farmhouse Style Magazine,published,re-purposing,up-cycling,wall art,farmhouse style,
another of my diy home decor projects is included in
the Fall 2024 Issue of Country Sampler Farmhouse Style Magazine...

the pegrack / coatrack that we made
using a vintage porch post, cut in half lengthwise before we bought it,
is part of the 'Architectural Adaptations' feature in this issue,
with a special mention of the unique hooks on ours.

continue reading to see a peek from the magazine
AND a few different ways i've styled this feature...

5.03.2024

welcome to an epic crafting fail. and a fix!

spring,garden art,garden style,painting,tutorial,DIY,diy decorating,decorating,home decor,wall art,colorful home,makeover,refresh a metal garden sign with paint.

prepare yourselves, friends... 
this project was actually going to be included as a photo prop in my 'posie pots' post.
and then everything that COULD go wrong WENT wrong.

so it wasn't included, and it's taken some time and effort
to reverse the damage and proceed with the project as intended.
ah, the joys of creating LOL! this is what you DON'T see on social media!

i've decided to feature it in its very own post
because this stuff happens - and for those who don't create a lot all the time,
it's helpful to know that 'ruined' does not equal 'toss it in the bin'.
there's usually always a way to save a project gone wrong!

continue reading to see the before, the scary during, and the after...

4.12.2024

terra cotta pot wreath

spring,wreaths,diy decorating,DIY,tutorial,inspired by nature,natural elements,neutrals,garden style,wall art,terra cotta pot wreaths,flower pot wreaths.

yes, this project IS a 're-share'!
as i made this wreath for my 2023 'Terra Cotta Christmas' theme,
i did so planning to share it again this spring...

it just captures all the spring 'feels' SO well 
and has endless possibilities for embellishment each season - 
which is really what homeward found decor is all about.

friends, you don't need a whole new set of decor accents each season!
and you certainly don't need to shop for all new stuff...
and bins to store more and more and more stuff.
make your own decor and create a home you love to live in.

continue reading for my 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! 

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...

1.12.2024

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!)

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.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.
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...

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)

5.17.2023

deb flips the bird... ?!

spring,painting,diy decorating,DIY,flowers,wreaths,just for fun,dollar store crafts,colorful home,farmhouse style,wall art,bluebird of happiness,bird decor,painted birds.
that post title doesn't mean what you might think!
some people 'flip' furniture. (actually, i've done that, too).
now i 'flip' home decor elements each season...
sometimes more than once IN a season!

and my favorite tool for changing how things look is paint.

i never let the color of an item found at a thrift store or yard sale
or even in my own storage bins limit me - 
because it's SO EASY to repaint things to make them fit my current decor style.
so when i discovered this little ceramic bird on a bottom shelf at Dollar Tree,
the very last one they had in the store,
i didn't hesitate a moment before dropping her into my shopping basket:

spring,painting,diy decorating,DIY,flowers,wreaths,just for fun,dollar store crafts,colorful home,farmhouse style,wall art,bluebird of happiness,bird decor,painted birds.
the pink color isn't BAD, it just doesn't fit my decor.
but with a few ideas and some paint, i gave her FOUR NEW LOOKS
and i created spring wreaths / wall decor for three of those!

continue reading to see how all four turned out...

11.18.2022

words of Thanksgiving wall art

Thanksgiving,fall,wall art,art,home decor,DIY,diy decorating,decorating,vintage paper,re-purposed,up-cycling,tutorial,Thanksgiving wall decor,Thanksgiving craft,vintage paper 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...

11.15.2022

salvaged wire fan fall wreath

fall,wreaths,pumpkins,wall art,paper crafts,dollar store crafts,re-purposing,up-cycling,tutorial,DIY,diy decorating,decorating,Thanksgiving,Thanksgiving wreath,Thanksgiving wall art,DIY pumpkin and leaf wreath.
i don't just make things from repurposed materials - 
i re-use the things i MAKE, too!

this wreath includes two of my recent fall decor projects
PLUS an element that i used several years ago (posts linked below)
to create a new look for this November.
perfect for a front door or hanging on a wall in your home,
it's an easy project perfect for these fall days.

continue reading for the easy details...

5.12.2022

what's your inspiration board style?

DIY,diy decorating,re-purposing,up-cycling,paper crafts,inspiration board,mood board,creative spaces,decorating,organizing,colorful home,color,gift wrapping,dollar store crafts,wall art,tutorial,winter decor,winter diy, winter home decor 
in the past few weeks,
i've shared some flowers that i've created with paper.
well, there's something else i've done with paper for many MANY years -
i make pinboards / bulletin boards / inspiration boards
and fill them with all kinds of paper detritus that i've collected
over several decades.

they serve as not only inspiration and a way to corral my 'vision',
but also as a decor element in my studio.

i recently re-read an
old Houzz.com article about inspiration boards - 
and how the way you create yours reveals
if you are a
left-brain creative or a right-brain creative!

Artists and Creatives know that we are right-brain people, for the most part.
but apparently, our left-brain compulsion for order can often over-ride
 the instincts that we associate with creativity (um... that it's messy!).
that was new info for me.
the houzz article has a LOT of visual inspo, too!

more on that in a bit...
first, see what reading that article inspired me to RE-do in my studio,
and learn how I make inspiration / bulletin boards using simple materials. 

continue reading for more...

4.14.2022

the old rugged cross

wall art,art,What Matters,spring,Easter,woodcrafts,DIY,diy decorating,decorating,re-purposing,up-cycling,trash to treasure,salvaged,dollar store crafts,easter cross decor,spring home decor,spring easter decor,salvaged wood crosses,dollar tree crosses,painted easter eggs.
in my last post, i shared my new faux Kintsugi painted eggs,
and in the background of a few shots you saw a small collection of wood crosses.
today, i'm focusing on those and how they are made from 'everyday' materials.

Easter arrives in just a few days, and it is one of the most important days of the year to me.
my faith is built on the miraculous events celebrated on this day centuries ago,
and my hope resides in the promises God made about what it all means for the future.

Easter is also the day that my sweet Dad went home to Heaven seven years ago,
just as the sun was rising and beaming through the windows onto his peaceful face...
a precious reminder about what is really important in this life.

having a cross (or collection of crosses) in my decor is important to me,
and i love being able to make them unique and personal.
i hope these ideas inspire you!

continue reading for details...

12.03.2021

Sweet Sweater & Scarf wreath

holiday,Christmas,Christmas Decor,Christmas Decor Themes,wreaths,wall art,sweaters,Sweet Sweater Originals,Sweet Sweater Wreath,DIY,diy decorating,re-purposed,thrifted,winter,holiday wreath,winter wreath,sweater wreath,crafting with sweaters,holiday decor,holiday wreaths.
let's start off with a warm, welcoming touch for winter at the front door...
today, i'm re-visiting a past project: the scarf-wrapped wreath!
for this version, i've turned the scarf into the bow and covered the wreath with a sweater.

it's a easy and inexpensive way to create a wreath
that will work well wherever you place it - 
on the door, a wall, a mantel, or even lying flat with a glass-encased candle in the middle!

the bonus is that there are no needles falling off of this wreath!

continue reading for the easy details...

11.29.2021

Scarf Christmas Card Holder - 3 ways!

sweaters,Christmas,wreaths,Christmas Decor Themes,Sweet Sweater Wreath,thrifted,winter,holiday,Christmas Decor,diy decorating,DIY,wall art,Sweet Sweater Originals,re-purposed,diy holiday decor,Christmas card holders,Christmas card displays.
confession: i'm really awful at sending out Christmas cards. sigh.

in 'the old days', our annual family card was a huge production:
from selecting matching outfits (and then wrangling everyone INTO them),
arranging and decorating the perfect 'set', posing four rambunctious kids
(did i say four? let's be honest... the husband was as uncooperative as the kids),
snapping the photos, and then taking the film to be developed
and praying that at least ONE shot would work.

there usually was at least one.
except the year that my pre-teen son crossed his eyes in EVERY SINGLE PHOTO.
i chose one anyway and had it made into cards - with 'Bah Humbug' as the sentiment.
and now that my kids are grown and have their own families, they don't do photo cards...
apparently they are smarter than i was!

anyway, i still love GETTING cards. and finding fun ways to display them...
this year i've come up with three ways to do that using scarves.

continue reading to see my easy solutions!
(to displaying cards - not creating the photos for them. you're on your own, friends.)

11.26.2021

Sweet Sweater Santa hat tutorial

Sweet Sweater Originals, Sweet Sweater Santa Hats,sweaters,winter,holiday,DIY,diy decorating,Christmas,Christmas Decor,Christmas Decor Themes,Christmas tree,wreaths,wall art,tutorial,re-purposed, Christmas home decor,holiday home decor,holiday decor,Santa hat,thrifted,sweater crafts.
along with our homes, i think WE deserve some 'decorative' touches for the holiday season!

my original Sweet Sweater Santa hats have been my go-to December accessory for a decade now,
and wherever i wear them they garner smiles.
so i thought i'd share my SUPER easy method for making them!

continue reading for my easy NO SEW tutorial - 
PLUS some ideas for using them in other ways!

11.12.2021

fall paper leaf arrangement

seasonal,colorful home,Thanksgiving,diy decorating,up-cycling,trash to treasure,paper,fall,paper crafts,DIY, junk makeover,crafting,wall art,tutorial,re-purposed,fall florals,fall home decor,fall centerpieces.
i've had to get creative to bring a fall feel into my home
(there's not a fall leaf in sight outside and it's still in the 90's... sigh)
but i've managed to find a way! it's PAPER!

some of the leaves from the wreath in my last post joined with new ones
along with faux florals + leaves and a branch from my backyard tree
to create this lovely fall arrangement.
it's easy-peasy AND it won't fall apart! (hah. pun not intended)

continue reading for more details...

11.05.2021

fall wreath with scrap paper leaves

wreaths,wall art,up-cycling,trash to treasure,Thanksgiving,seasonal,re-purposed,paper crafts,paper,junk makeover,fall,DIY,diy decorating,crafting,colorful home,fall leaves,fall leaf crafts,fall home decor,fall wreaths,fall mantel decor, paper leaves
here in Southern California, we don't get 'fall leaves'. 
not at my elevation, anyway. up in the mountains it's a bit different.
the leaves down here in the flat desert turn from green to brown in July when the heat hits.
if they aren't blown off of the trees by the Santa Ana winds in September,
they hang on until January when the new leaf buds push them off.

it's harder yet when you've lived somewhere else that actually has a fall season.
i really miss being able to forage the forest for glowing red, orange, and yellow leaves.
since that possibility no longer exists for me,
i had to find another way to express a fall feeling in my home this time of year...
and i found the solution in my recycling bin!

continue reading for a quick tutorial on turning scrap paper into fall leaves - and more!