my FAVE winter decor projects

all of the Christmas decor is packed up, and i've been thinking about winter decorating
and all of the many ways i've 'warmed up' my homes every winter over the years...
 some of those projects have been successful several times in more than one home

as i re-create them in new versions + colorways.

over the past ten years of blogging here at homeward found decor,

i've shared hundreds of my original diy home decor projects

in 733 posts since i launched this blog in August 2012.

if you've been reading my blog for the past decade, THANK YOU FRIENDS!

if you're new here, i hope you enjoy discovering some of my past creations

as i share a look back... 

continue reading for some of my FAVE winter decor projects!

diy gingerbread men + village wreath

true to form, i've re-used one project in the creation of another!
you'll recognize these ceramic village houses and trees from my last post,
where i shared my 'gingerbread' makeover - with paint!
i love seeing how many ways i can use something,
and how i can expand a seasonal theme to encompass many different projects.

continue reading to learn some secrets about this one!

salvaged wire fan fall 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...

diy tomato cage cornucopia

one of the enduring traditions of Thanksgiving is the familiar image of a cornucopia.

also known as the 'horn of plenty', this cone-shaped basket (originally an animal's horn)

laden with an abundance of harvested food in fall

reminds us of the many ways we are provided for on this earth.

i had an element on hand that i knew would be perfect

for transforming into a cornucopia for our Thanksgiving decor,

and boy does it make an impact!

continue reading for my not-so-easy diy tutorial and detailed photos...

what i did with all of my May flowers!

after creating all of my flowers for the Instagram #flowermonth2022 challenge,
i decided that i wanted to enjoy them a bit longer...
so i combined almost all of them into one big flower arrangement!
but that's not all i included.

continue reading to see some interesting things tucked in with those flowers...

May flowers: art challenge recap

over the past month, i've been participating in a creative art challenge...
the #flowermonth2022 challenge on Instagram
was sponsored by three artists,
with thousands of creative people around the globe participating.
each interpreted the prompts - an alphabetical listing of flowers - 
in their own style and method.
it has proved to be not just a fun exercise for me,
but also an educational experience,
as i've seen many variations on the themes in many different art mediums.

my own creations for this challenge
were all made from materials & elements that i have here at home - 

all reused, repurposed, recycled, and turned into flowers & foliage:

scrap paper, paint, paint pens, colored pencils, felt pens, fabric, gift wrap, 
wood blocks, vintage crepe paper, tissue paper, wire, sweaters, yarn, 
vintage jewelry, sewing pins, even plastic parts from dollar store flowers.

though my original plan was to make 12 different flowers, as shown here,
it quickly expanded to a plan for 14 blooms - 

and then i added one more at the last minute!

continue reading to see all 15 floral creations from my studio...

May flowers: yarrow & zinnia

it's a two-fer!
i don't have enough time left in the month to add more posts,
so this one is doing double duty.

the two last letters of the floral alphabet challenge - Y and Z -
just finished up on Instagram,
and i made a Yarrow blossom and some Zinnia blooms...

continue reading to see the easy ways i created these flowers
using everyday materials here in my studio...

May flowers: gerbera

May 7 Day 7: Gerberas

this is another 'trash to treasure' assemblage / collage project

for the May Month of Flowers art challenge on Instagram.

this sunny bloom grew right outta' my recycle bin!

continue reading to see how i turned garbage into art...

May flowers: daffodil, daisy & dandelion

D is for daffodil, daisy, and dandelion!

(and a bunch more, like delphinium and dahlia and daphne)

continuing with the May Month of Flowers art challenge,

i've shared those three on Instagram on May 4 / day 4 / letter D -
and thought i'd share them here, as well!

several are older projects, and a few are brand new - created just for this challenge.

continue reading to see them all and learn how i made them...

May flowers: buttercup

'chin up, buttercup!'

ever heard that one?

in my last post, i shared info about a May art challenge on Instagram.

i'm not posting a new project there every day,

but i did share my first one on May 2,

and i chose 'buttercup' for the letter 'B' prompt.

this was a new project for me, using materials in my existing stash,

and i had to work out the details as i went -

and now i'm sharing it as a tutorial here on the blog.

when i was finished making my buttercup, i added it to a larger art piece

that i had in mind when i chose this specific flower!

continue reading for my easy tutorial...

'month of flowers' May art challenge

flowers are always on my mind in springtime...

and they are one of my favorite things to create.

this month, i'm excited to revisit some of the flowers i've made in the past

(and whooooo have there been a lot of them - some shown above)

and create different flowers for something NEW:

the 'May Month of Flowers Instagram Challenge'!

continue reading to find out the details!

Sweet Sweater & Scarf wreath

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...

Scarf Christmas Card Holder - 3 ways!

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.)

Sweet Sweater Santa hat tutorial

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!

fall wreath with scrap 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!

salvaged silver tray pumpkins

salvaged silver trays paired with simple kitchen serving tools
become elegant pumpkins in this project,
and can be adorned with just about anything you choose...
the fall leaves here include yellow tones to fit my 2021 obsession!

continue reading to see how easy assembly is!

make a 'harvest time' sign from a clock!

here's a timely project for you: turn a wall clock into a sign!

with a 'harvest time' message, it's perfect for fall decorating
inside your home or on your front door...

and a great way to re-purpose a pretty but broken clock.

continue reading for the easy-peasy details...

boho chic: floral wreath

boho style is everywhere, and as pretty as it is, it can be PRICEY!
i much prefer to create something using what i have on hand already - 
which isn't just budget-friendly. it's earth-conscious, too.

this easy wreath project is a perfect accent for August... the 'golden hour' of summer.

continue reading for details on the construction + the re-purposed materials i used!

boho chic: embellished hats

i know, i know... a fashion accessory isn't exactly within my purview here at homewardFOUND.
but if you hang it on a wall or a door, it's decor. wink.

i recently dolled up one of my straw hats to wear to a party at the beach,
and it was so easy and so much fun that i decided to share it here on the blog.
i have a feeling you'll be inspired to make your own -
for your head, or as a perfect summer home accent!

continue reading to see how easy it is to embellish a straw hat for summer...

sunshine door decor

talk about sun salutations!

i was staring at some junk that was sitting in the garage the other day,
decided it looked a bit like something from a place i love,

and came up with another way to make a sunny project

that's perfect on your front door, wall, or even garden fence!

this is an easy one to make,

using only a few pieces of metal junk, paint, a wreath hanger, and some zip ties...

*** as a matter of fact, it's SO EASY that i just RE-DID this project
with a *bit* more of the original inspiration included! ***

continue reading for details on the original project AND the changes i just made...