painted 'heart art'

Valentine's Day is almost upon us...
 i had a 'Valentine' project idea, and started on it... then stopped. 

it just wasn't going the way i wanted. 

after taking a break and surfing Instagram, i had a NEW idea!

(do you have any idea how MANY 'ideas' never make it to the blog?!!!
creating is a process - and sometimes, that process doesn't work as planned!)

the original project plan became THIS and i'm much happier with the results.

i owe that to two other people - continue reading to find out why!

gift bag wall art tutorial

i love making somethin' outta' nuthin'! using inexpensive or free supplies is my jam.

and i love sharing those kinds of ideas here.

we all know that crazy-cheap retailers like Dollar Tree have loads of paper gift bags every season:

(Dollar Tree photo)

did you ever think of those as not just gift bags but craft supplies?

doing something unexpected with things is my jam, too...

like turning gift bags into wall art that echoes the current 'handlettered sign' trend! 

continue reading for this super 'fast, cheap & easy' project tutorial

use heart-shaped cake tins as decor!

just in case you need a very last-minute Valentine's Day decorating idea,

here's a cute idea using heart-shaped baking pans and cookie cutters!

i mean, why NOT use what you have on hand to decorate?!

continue reading to see the details in this bonus post!

WINTER: 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 ...

more embellished hearts!

the last two 'embellished' hearts i have to show you are quite simply
 'junk makeovers' of an old glass heart-shaped dish and another heart-shaped tin.
and one of those includes an easy-peasy way to add glitter to ANYTHING!

a tiered tray (made by stacking white dishes from the kitchen!)
holds a pretty yellow and white assortment of hearts - with a touch of gray -
and i love how cheerful it is in my studio 'photo spot' by the faux fireplace.

enjoy my last Valentine decor post!

continue reading to see a few 'before' and 'afters'...

faux terra cotta painted hearts

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!

'moss' heart topiary

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...

plant a faux 'moss' heart

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...

create a valentine's day buzz!

you've seen my unusual yellow heart decor in previous posts.
now that it's February, i'm taking the Valentine's theme a BIT further... 

BEE my Valentine, won't you?!

i'm having fun with this and can't wait for you to see what i made...

continue reading to see what inspired this happy theme, and how to make those buzzin' bees! 

bee mine scrap wood sign

my unusual yellow palette for Valentine's Day combines with a honey of a theme
in this third of three related projects...

a small piece of scrap wood found in my garage became this cute sign,
which could hang on a wall or sit on a tiered tray or mantel.

the addition of dimensional elements makes it special - and still so easy to create!

paired with my last two projects, it forms a sweet vignette on my mantel.

you can do this! continue reading for the easy how-to...

Winter Inspiration for February 💗

February has become synonymous with romance, love, hearts, Valentines, and cupids. While we're still in the depths of winter, the focus on 'love' brings hope and warmth, guiding us toward connection.

I recently learned something about this month's history, and it led me to an expanded understanding of what the end of the winter season has to teach us... but I still don't get why February isn't pronounced the way it is spelled!

Continue reading for what's inspiring me in this last month of winter... 
(links included for your convenience, they are not paid ads)

Scrap Paper Heart Wreath

Welcome to all who are visiting in February 2025 from HomeTalk!
This post from 2021 has been updated for you,
with links to a NEW post plus other related projects on my blog...
You'll find them at the end of this post.

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...

heart-felt decor - in an instant!

we incorporated the color RED (for the first time) into our home decor this winter,

and it has truly warmed up the visual look of our rooms.
(i've linked up those posts at the bottom of this post)

the bonus is that this color made the transition to February SO easy:

all i did was add in a few red hearts... BOOM! done!
one of the ways i did that was by using a completely unconventional method 
that i just had to share!

continue reading for my crazy crafty decorating exploits...

Fabric Hearts Tutorial

 Many years ago, I used up some small scraps of fabrics left in my 'stash',

making little stuffed fabric hearts for my winter + Valentine's Day decor.

Created from remnants of a matlasse' bedspread, burlap,
and a chenille bedspread that reminds me of my Grandma,

I've displayed them in many ways over the years...

These hearts were featured in 2014 in my seasonal decor columns
in two lovely home decorating publications,
Creating Vintage Charm Magazine and JOYful Home & Life online.
(Also in the Winter 2012 issue of FOLK Magazine)

 I'm sharing my simple tutorial for making stuffed fabric hearts
for the month of February here on the blog, too...

Enjoy this 'fast, cheap & easy' TM craft project!

continue reading for tutorial...

'gilded' hearts

i guess i'm just different.
while the majority of people i see on social media are rushing to Target
for the release of new items every season and holiday,
i'm over here digging thru bins in my garage and studio
to find things i can revitalize and reuse to decorate my home.

case in point: these painted hearts.

i had an idea rolling around in my head to try to replicate gold leaf,
so i pulled these out and found two ways to try out my idea.
it cost me nothing at all! i had everything i needed on hand already.
and i didn't need any more storage space to keep a new project in!
(can you imagine if i kept every.last.project. i have ever made???
i'd have far more bins and boxes and shelves filled than i already do.
i'd have spent a lot more money, too!)

continue reading to see how i got these effects...

WINTER | SPRING: Easy DIY Yarn Nest

 .

After Valentine's Day, some people leave their red and pink heart decor up until the end of the month. Others remove theirs and bring in spring decor. Which do you do? I didn't decorate for Valentine's Day this year, but wanted to have something that bridges the 'winter to spring' season we are in right now...

This week has been filled with cold, windy, wet, rainy days here in So Cal, with a few 'sunbreaks' along the way. It feels very much like Winter, but I'm still hanging on for springtime to arrive soon... and I love using nests in my spring decor. So I chose to create a cozy 'wintery' nest in the easiest possible way!

Continue reading to see how insanely FAST & EASY this project is, along with some tips on how to style it...

NEW Sweet Sweater 'Sweetie Pies'!

May I present my newest Sweet Sweater Original creation? 

Say Hello to the 'Sweet Sweater Sweetie Pie'! TM 

I've been thinking about this project for a LONG time... decades, actually. The idea was originally inspired by the art of Mary Engelbreit, resulting in a 'Sweetie Pie' chair that I painted to sell in my shop. (My tiny shop was located next to a pie bakery, and my friend the owner LOVED this chair!) A client saw the chair, bought it, and then requested the same art on a cabinet she already had:

Way back then, I thought of making little felt or sweater pies to coordinate with this theme... a great idea, I just never got around to making any. Until recently, when I discovered a positively CUTE find that made me think 'Oh that is the PERFECT prop for the pies!!!' It was this cute lil' container (it holds lip balm) at my local DAISO store that kicked me into gear:

I purchased two of them and then hustled across the street to the craft store to buy some red pompoms - I already had everything else I needed at home. With February on the horizon, I thought I should share it in time for you to make your own versions for Valentine's Day decor!

Follow along with me as I finally make a ''Sweet Sweater Sweetie Pie'...

Valentine's Day Sweet Tooth!

Deb's got a sweet tooth in more ways than one, let me tell ya...
today I was searching for something on my retail visual design blog

and found a 'blast from the past' old post sharing my Valentine's Day decor.
... and since we're already gearing up for Happy Hearts Day decor,
I thought you might just want to see it!

That was my little craftsman Cottage's kitchen window shown above, 

loaded with candy dishes heaping full of yummy tidbits 

(that I'll never really eat, truth be told....my weakness is chocolate) 

and a few trompe loeil treats.

One of them was inspired by THIS photo

from a past issue of Mary Engelbreit's Home Companion Magazine ...

I gathered up some round cardboard containers, metal tins, fabric, ribbons, and froufrou,
and got to work making my own versions of this 'stacked wedding cake' idea.
(I know, I know, this is not WORK. Let's call it a 'Creative Exercise' then, OK?)

I came up with two of them:

It's simply a cake pedestal with boxes, tins, and even a ceramic coffee cup
stacked up in layers and embellished with ribbons, flowers, 
and even my own REAL wedding cake topper!

 I shared a similar 'stacked wedding cake'-style idea here on HWf a few years ago:

Here are just a few more ideas for making your Valentine's Day sweet as can be....

More clear vases, domes, and candy dishes were loaded with 
pink and red candies from the Dollar Tree, an old heart pin made from buttons,
a 'cupcake' pincushion in a mug, and red marble hearts in a heart-shaped box...
it all added whimsy and charm to that little window in front of the sink
but took no time at all to create!

The truth was that although my Cottage kitchen was a retro dream,
the view out that window was utterly hideous - 
it looked directly at the garage of the house next door. UGH.
(you can see it right there in the background of the top photo!)
So I always created cute little vignettes in the window to look at instead!
.
Want even more Valentine's Day inspiration? 
See my '30 Days to Valentine's Day Countdown' posts from 2013!
View my Pinterest board: February Hearts

pssssssst..... I'm on Instagram, too!

a quick Valentine's Day table to love

the truth is, incorporating seasonal decor in my home

all started for the simple reason of making my four children smile.

i loved doing things each month that would delight them, and make them feel special...

every month of the year, there is a holiday - some are major, some are minor.

and if there wasn't one on the calendar, i'd make one up: "It's SUNSHINE day!"

on the 'big day' (whatever that was - including birthdays), 

the kitchen table would be decked out colorfully in the theme for the day.

a fun breakfast table and a special treat like cookies, stickers, or a tiny stuffie from the dollar store

started their day off in a happy mood and let them know that they were special to ME... 

worth the effort to make things fun just for them.
(what can i say? decorating is my love language!)

now, i'm not ashamed to say that we had very little money while raising our four kids.

so i didn't run to the store and grab a bunch of new decor each month...

i simply looked around the house and pulled together things we had that were the right color

(toys, books, crafts made by the kids, decor accessories, flowers, etc)

and made little decor elements out of scraps (sweaters!) and trash (paper!) to coordinate.

i literally 'shopped the house' to create a fun atmosphere for my kids.

today, i'm sharing how i did exactly that with what i have on hand right now!

 continue reading to see how to simply pull together a few items from your home

and instantly create a sweet table to enjoy on Valentine's Day...

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...