the daffodil queen

it's my birthday week ;) 

and if there's ever a day that a girl deserves to wear a crown,
it's on her birthday / week / month. no matter her age!

a tiny wire crown (that i made over a decade ago)
has been embellished with tiny faux daffodils... my favorite flower...
and though i am not nor have ever been a bona fide 'daffodil queen',

i think maybe for today, i shall proclaim myself one!

continue reading for the simple transformation...

pop art paper posies!

a recent creative challenge i am part of called for participants to share
how we've invoked the spirit of spring in our art.

well, my 'art' is craft - using re-purposed, upcycled, re-imagined materials.

and my first response was to think of my paper paint chip daffodils,

so i submitted a photo of those.

then i thought of another idea, and wanted to play with it...
since i love making somethin' outta' nuthin', i chose to use plain cardstock paper!

the result of my afternoon 'playtime with paper, paste and scissors' is something
that reminds me for all the world of pop art, like Andy Warhol's famous pixilated works.
it also makes me think of the art of Sina Trixx, an inventive design firm
(view their astounding pop art architectural creations on Instagram)

can black + white evoke springtime? yes! 
continue reading to see how...

flower embellished lampshade

spring is trying to arrive. mother nature is just a bit fickle right now...

until she makes up her mind, i find ways to 'force' spring by adding flowers to my decor.
and i don't just mean in vases and pots...

a 'bouquet' of faux flowers was used to embellish this plain lampshade,
adding spring-fresh style with little effort.

continue reading to see how!

miniature wire nest charm

a search through some boxes unearthed a relic from my past
that's been in hiding for years...
when i saw it, i was inspired to make a larger nest using wire,
and i love how that turned out.

these miniature wire nest charms were an item i previously made and sold at vintage shows,
and this one is the original!
you can make one of your own, or as the perfect springtime gift!

continue reading for an easy tutorial...

spring forward with a wire nest

let's spring forward! (pun intended - sorry, i couldn't resist!)

 
recently, i played with a new material to see if it would work as well as i thought it would
to create a new kind of bird nest for spring decorating.
(the fact that it literally LOOKS like a spring evaded me until i was typing this post!)
i have to say, i LOVE the result! 

 can't you just see this nest as a decor accent in rustic, farmhouse, and boho style rooms?!
it's an easy project that i think you'll want to try...

continue reading for my easy tutorial!

yes, you can make a bird nest!

bird nests seem to me to be a sign of springtime...

over the years, i've been lucky enough to have found a few real ones, 
incorporating them into my home decor in spring. and fall. and on my Christmas trees!

i've also made quite a few - 
from elaborate to simple, from small seasonal versions sold via an enchanting online boutique
to an enormous one made for a client to hold a precious gold-embellished ostrich egg,
making them always connects me to nature.

this year i've made one with the slightest hits of gray and yellow elements
unearthed in my bins and boxes of saved materials,
and i thought i'd share the easy process of making them with you.

if you're sitting there thinking 'whaaaaa? MAKE a bird nest?!', continue reading!

dollar tree vase makeover

even the smallest details matter...
when i saw these two funny little bud vases at Dollar Tree,
the sunshine yellow caught my eye.
the bottom half of them were not at all my style, however.

i bought them anyway!
 it's so easy to give store-bought items a quick makeover...
a few artful dabs of paint quickly remedied the problem,
and these vases now fit my palette and style perfectly.

continue reading for the before and after...