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Showing posts sorted by date for query halloween. Sort by relevance Show all posts
Showing posts sorted by date for query halloween. Sort by relevance Show all posts

10.31.2023

painted 'chocolate' pumpkins on a sweet sweater cake

fall,pumpkins,foofoo Faux Food,sweaters,home decor,DIY,diy decorating,seasonal,decorating,painting,tutorial,Thanksgiving,Halloween,re-purposed,thrifted,dollar store crafts,faux cake with faux chocolate pumpkins,Dollar Tree pumpkins.
a fitting conclusion to my recent faux food project posts,
this one really takes the cake....

this project came about because i had some tiny styro pumpkins,
which made me start thinking about making a very REAL cake
like my Mom used to make every fall when i was a kid.
it was always a round two-layer chocolate cake with chocolate icing
and adorned with tiny orange candy pumpkins all along the top edge.
i loved that cake.
we took them to school fall celebrations and church harvest festivals.
we took mini versions - cupcakes - to friend's houses.
we never brought any of it home, either!!! everyone loved it.

instead, i decided to make a fall 'cake' in my own style...
because deb does NOT need more calories!

continue reading for the before and after...

10.10.2023

have a ball with these pumpkins!

fall,pumpkins,DIY,diy decorating,re-purposing,up-cycling,thrifted,just for fun,colorful home,crafting with kids,Halloween,dollar store crafts,decorating,outdoors,fast cheap and easy,fall pumpkins,sporty pumpkins,basketball pumpkins,sports ball pumpkins,fall home decor.
do you have a family full of sports fans?
oh, my friends, you're gonna' have a BALL with this idea! 😉

i was killing time before an appointment by walking thru a 'FIVE below' discount store,
and spied a bin filled with small basketballs in bright happy colors...
there was no yellow, but the minty green one caught my eye!

continue reading for tips on this SUPER fast & easy pumpkin decor project!

9.05.2023

a NEW LOOK for my Original Sweet Sweater Pumpkins!

pumpkins,Sweet Sweater Pumpkins,Sweet Sweater Originals,original designs,tutorial,fall,home decor,Better Homes & Gardens Magazine,Romantic Homes Magazine,published,sweaters,up-cycling,re-purposing,pumpkin home decor,diy pumpkins,diy fall decor.
september is here, and you know what THAT means...
it's time for sweater weather AND sweater pumpkins!!!

i've been making + selling my Original Sweet Sweater Pumpkins TM since 2007,
and while i haven't sold any since i had my little hwf shop in 2017,
i occasionally still make new versions!
in 2021 i made a batch of new yellow 'sweeties' for myself, 
and this year after creating a huge new multicolor batch for my daughter Bethany,
i've made a revision to the way i finish them...

continue reading for a quick addition to my original tutorial...

11.29.2022

it takes a (gingerbread) village

painting,holiday,Christmas,Christmas Decor,re-purposed,up-cycling,makeover,DIY,diy decorating,thrifted,art class,gingerbread theme,gingerbread decor,gingerbread Christmas,gingerbread home decor,Christmas home decor,gingerbread holiday decor,gingerbread crafts,gingerbread house,gingerbread village,ceramic village makeover.
how many of you have dreamed of making REAL gingerbread houses...
and then tried it? UGH! it's an exercise in futility, in my opinion!
(i'm a pretty good baker...
it's just getting them to stay together and upright that stumps me!)

i've found a totally 'deb' solution to that dilemma: 
just PAINT some ceramic houses to LOOK like gingerbread!

i took some little ceramic houses that i've had for a few years now
and gave them a simple makeover with brown and white paint
and now i have a darling 'gingerbread' village on my mantel
that matches the big 'gingerbread' dollhouse shared in my last post.

continue reading for details (and a peek BACK at how i used them before!)

11.22.2022

a 'gingerbread holiday' dollhouse

painting,holiday,Christmas,Christmas Decor,re-purposed,up-cycling,makeover,DIY,diy decorating,thrifted,art class,gingerbread theme,gingerbread decor,gingerbread Christmas,gingerbread home decor,Christmas home decor,gingerbread holiday decor,gingerbread crafts,gingerbread dollhouse,dollhouse makeover.
because i squeezed in my last Thanksgiving post on Friday of last week,
it's finally time to share holiday decor!

 this first project was inspired by some halloween decor that i saw online
and you probably saw it, too...
dollhouses painted as decrepit old haunted houses.

i saw so many amazingly creative 'takes' on that idea on social media,
and decided then to create a gingerbread dollhouse for Christmas.
and that idea launched an entire theme:

welcome to my 'Gingerbread Holiday'!

once again, i'm making use of elements i have on hand already
along with a few CHEAP additions from thrift & discount stores
to create a whole new holiday decor theme to enjoy.

continue reading to see the before shot and all the details...

10.25.2022

happy MAHALOween!

i read that term - happy MAHALOween - on a tiki bar's website.
when this fun phrase gave me a way to incorporate my love of
tropicana decor and tiki culture into October celebrations, i was IN!

(truth is, i'm not really into Halloween anymore - fall, yes. pumpkins, YES!
the 'scary horror bloody zombie creepy clowns and witches' kinda' decor? nah.)

since i have NO intention of dressing up in costume, 
 i simply decided to give a pumpkin a costume. with a tiki mask!

continue reading for the details and an easy paint tutorial...

10.04.2022

let's make plate pumpkins!

pumpkins,tutorial,re-purposed,up-cycling,trash to treasure,fall,tropical style,boho style,beach style,woodsy style,crafting,,DIY,diy decorating,gift wrapping,palm leaf plate pumpkins,pumpkin decor, pumpkin decorating,diy pumpkins,eco-friendly crafts.
this project was hatched when i started to throw something away...
and then thought twice about it!

my 'thing' is to embrace the 'trash to treasure' approach
to life, decorating, crafting, etc -
using up stuff from the recycle bin and the waste basket,
stuff like junk mail and empty containers. and sometimes, even bonafide trash. 

why? because it's cheaper, it's easily accessible, it's good for the planet
AND it makes me stretch my creative muscles to use what i have.

that said, you don't HAVE to use 'trashed' plates for this project.
there are many possibilities and permutations - any kind of plate would work!
(check out the ones i made using ceramic plates the end of this post)

continue reading to see them all...

9.27.2022

NEW! faux painted bamboo pumpkins

fall,pumpkins,painting,faux finish,DIY,diy decorating,tutorial,neutrals,tiki style,coastal style,beach style,Halloween,boho style,re-purposed,home decor,fall home decor,autumn home decor,painted pumpkins,pumpkin decorating,faux bamboo,bamboo decor,bamboo pumpkins.
my penchant for tropical decor and tiki culture inspired this new pumpkin project...

our So Cal home is filled with tikis and bamboo and leafy palm fabrics,
because during the pandemic lockdown we had to cancel our trip to Hawaii
and decided to just make HOME feel as much like Hawaii as we could.
and we love it!
so, i like to create seasonal decor for us that coordinates with that theme.
pumpkins that look like they are made from bamboo are a perfect fit!

continue reading for my paint tutorial...

9.06.2022

NEW! faux 'sand' painted pumpkins

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let's just jump right in to pumpkin season, shall we?
during my summer break, i let my creativity + imagination run wild,
which resulted in a bunch of fun new pumpkin decor projects for 2022.

first up, a new idea that is the perfect transition from summer to fall:
faux 'sand' painted pumpkins

if you're a beach lover like me, or a tropical / tiki culture lover like me,
or perhaps a 'coastal grandmother' like me??! ha!
this idea may be the perfect way to bring some beach vibes home...

continue reading for my easy paint tutorial!

10.26.2021

give 'em pumpkin to talk about!

fall,pumpkins,neutrals,farmhouse style,just for fun,Halloween,DIY,diy decorating,crafting,crafting with kids,dollar store crafts,seasonal,fall home decor,pumpkin decorating,decorating pumpkins,easy no-carve pumpkin decorating,pumpkin decorating for kids, stickers, dollar store ribbon,dollar store pompoms.
for my final 'Halloween' post, i'm sharing some costumes!
they're a bit different that what that word might cause you to expect...
because they are all for pumpkins!

i dressed up my white pumpkins in hats, glasses, bow ties, lacy ruffs, masks, crowns,
and one spectacular wig.
they're ready for the costume parade - and they serve as great inspiration
if you're still looking for last-minute decor ideas!


continue reading to see how i raided the costume box and dressed up my punkies!

10.22.2021

harvest moon shadow box

art,wall art,paper,paper crafts,pumpkins,Halloween,fall,DIY,diy decorating,home decor,thrifted,re-purposed,up-cycling,trash to treasure,dollar store crafts,fall home decor,Halloween home decor,Halloween decorating,haunted village mantel display,shadowbox art,Halloween shadowbox, miniatures.
miniatures are all the rage right now...
from dollhouses and tiny 'rooms' that sit on bookshelves
to tiny spaces behind walls and accessed by little 'fairy doors', 
it's a trend that engages our childlike imagination.

i was inspired by that to create a sort of miniature setting,
and chose to use a shadowbox frame as the structure for it.
a simple project that took very little time to assemble,
it makes use of items i have used in past projects...
and i hope it will inspire you to try something similar!

continue reading to see how it all came together...

10.19.2021

decorate pumpkins with stickers!

fall,pumpkins,neutrals,farmhouse style,just for fun,Halloween,DIY,diy decorating,crafting,crafting with kids,dollar store crafts,seasonal,fall home decor,pumpkin decorating,decorating pumpkins,easy no-carve pumpkin decorating,pumpkin decorating for kids, stickers, dollar store stickers.
Halloween is comin' up quick... 
and if you're still looking for easy ways to decorate, i've got 'em!

this pumpkin decorating method ticks all the boxes:
fast     cheap     easy    no-carve     no clean-up   kids can do it 

and the results are loads of fun, too!

continue reading for a really sneaky way to get fabulous 'last minute' pumpkins!

10.15.2021

repurposed planter pumpkins

pumpkins,outdoors,seasonal,fall,DIY,diy decorating,home decor,neutrals,farmhouse style,Halloween,junk makeover,trash to treasure,re-purposed,thrifted,up-cycling,garden art,salvaged,painting,fall home decor,Halloween decor,Halloween home decor,Halloween decorating, pumpkin decor,decorating with pumpkins,plant pot pumpkins.
i can't even say this is a 'craft' project...
it's more like an 'arrangement' project.
it's just stacking things together to make pumpkins!
SO easy - and flexible.

it will work in any color, any size, any style:
i'm into a black and white (with accents of yellow!) palette this fall,
but these would be elegant in gold & white, mod in chrome silver and white,
boho chic in terra cotta, and traditional in varied orange tones.

continue reading for the details - and more ideas!

10.12.2021

paint + paper picture frame pumpkins

art,wall art,Halloween,fall,home decor,DIY,diy decorating,painting,re-purposed,thrifted,up-cycling,paper,paper crafts,pumpkins,Sweet Sweater Pumpkins,neutrals,white,farmhouse style,trash to treasure,Halloween home decor, Halloween decorating,pumpkin decor, decorating with pumpkins,trash to treasure pumpins,junk pumpkins,painted pumpkins,black and white Halloween decor.
creating seasonal decor accents with paint and paper is my jam.
i love taking something i already have, combining it with scraps of this and that,
adding some paint, and turning it into something new
without spending a cent.

it's 'green'/eco-friendly, no-cost, easy to do,
keeps stuff from being 'stuffed' into storage boxes until it's that season again,
and it's a great way to ensure that my decor is unique and one of a kind.
i'm able to embrace current trending looks - with my own twist.
like..... yellow. yup. still doin' my yellow thing. alllll year long!

while these photos do indeed have yellow in them,
the project is graphic black and white - which is not just perfect for Halloween,
but easily incorporated into nearly any color scheme.
or, you know, altered to fit any color scheme...
you want orange? great! swap out the black for orange!
maybe you embrace all neutrals? okay! use soft sand instead of black with white.

and if 'cute' isn't your vibe, picture these made from elegant gold frames
filled with vintage book pages or wallpaper, with gold-painted wire 'stems'.
i want to inspire you to make it yours!

continue reading for details...

10.04.2021

NEW! Sweet Sweater Spookies!

fall,Halloween,Sweet Sweater Originals,sweet sweater spookies,re-purposed,up-cycling,trash to treasure,salvaged,junk makeover,tablescapes,entertaining,just for fun,home decor,DIY,diy decorating,crafting with sweaters,Halloween decor,cute ghosties for Halloween,cute Halloween decor,use what you have decorating,sweater weather.
this is quite possibly the EASIEST project i've ever undertaken...
and it was an idea that popped into my head as i was washing dishes!

i re-use plastic storage bags, washing them after use (unless they are greasy)
then placing them upside-down over a glass to dry.
as i did that one morning, i absentmindedly thought 'hah ha! he looks like a ghost!'
and then i stopped, looked again, and this crazy idea hatched in my brain.

so bear with me, and come along for the craziness!

continue reading for the details...

10.01.2021

'dipped' faux concrete pumpkins

faux finish,farmhouse style,home decor,thrifted,colorful home,diy decorating,Thanksgiving,,fall,DIY,painting,boho style,Halloween,fall home decor,decorating with pumpkins,pumpkin decorating,painted pumpkins,faux concrete painting tutorial
one of my most popular fall tutorials since i published it seven years ago
has been my faux concrete painting tutorial.
i've used this treatment on just about every kind of pumpkin,
as well as on styrofoam wig heads, lamps, urns, and even a swan planter
to achieve an elegant 'statuary' effect.

this year, i'm combining that faux concrete look
with a current trend: the 'paint dipped' accent color.
it's been applied on the legs of furniture, the bottoms of picture frames, and more
in many popular shelter mags, websites, and products...
but i haven't seen it done on pumpkins yet!
both paint applications are quite easy - with endless variations possible.

continue reading for more details, a link to my faux concrete tutorial,
and a secret hiding in the photo above!

9.28.2021

gradient pumpkins

faux finish,farmhouse style,home decor,thrifted,colorful home,diy decorating,Thanksgiving,Sweet Sweater Pumpkins,fall,DIY,painting,boho style,Halloween,fall home decor,decorating with pumpkins,pumpkin decorating,painted pumpkins,color spectrum decor.
want a really easy way to decorate for fall?
one that makes use of things you already have?
choose one color, and gather up everything you have in that hue.
then arrange items from light to dark - or mix 'em all up.

and if what you have is a mish-mash of colors,
you can always paint things a new color! that's what i did.

continue reading for some simple transformation ideas...

9.24.2021

salvaged silver pumpkin coach

fall,DIY,diy decorating,re-purposed,up-cycling,salvaged,thrifted,home decor,pumpkins,Thanksgiving,Halloween,junk makeover,trash to treasure,vintage,vintage style,farmhouse style,fall decorating,fall home decor,decorating with pumpkins,salvaged pumpkins,junk pumpkins,upcycled pumpkins,repurposed pumpkins.
if you've been around for awhile, you know that i've got a thing for pumpkins...
it all began with my sweet Grandpa Ward, who had a nickname for me:
his little pumpkin eater. 
i have always thought he called me that because of my rusty, pumpkin-y auburn hair
and i sure wish i would have asked him about that before he died when i was 15.

because of that nickname, i've collected pumpkins for most of my life.
and every year when fall rolls around, as i decorate with some of them,
i can hear the echoes of his voice calling me that pet name.

this project brings together two special things about my Grandpa:
his nickname for me, and his time building many of the attractions at Disneyland.
and though i bet you can name the film and the Disney Princess connected to it,
there's another inspiration that helped to bring this idea to life...

continue reading for more!

9.21.2021

salvaged silver tray pumpkins

fall,DIY,diy decorating,re-purposed,up-cycling,salvaged,thrifted,home decor,pumpkins,Thanksgiving,Halloween,junk makeover,trash to treasure,vintage,vintage style,farmhouse style,wall art,wreaths,fall decorating,fall home decor,decorating with pumpkins,salvaged pumpkins,junk pumpkins,upcycled pumpkins,repurposed 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!

8.24.2021

boho chic: crochet + lace pumpkins

coastal style,beach style,decorating,diy decorating,summer,re-purposing,white,DIY,vintage style,boho style,neutrals,vintage,thrifted,fall,pumpkins,Sweet Sweater Pumpkins,fall decorating, pumpkin decor, decorating with pumpkins, diy pumpkins,lace pumpkins, crochet lace pumpkins,fall home decor,farmhouse decor.
i love coming up with new 'takes' on my own Original Sweet Sweater Pumpkins,
and the two i'm sharing in this post were a fun way to give a whole new vibe to them.

a crochet textile from the thrift store and some lace curtain panels
are the perfect way to get a boho look for your fall decorating...

continue reading to see how easy these versions are to make!