creative Christmas tree skirts

i'm going to confess that i have never used a store-bought tree skirt

on any of my own Christmas trees. NEVER.

it's not that my trees go bare-legged, it's just that i use different things under them than most people:
vintage petticoats, silky satin formal skirts, my wedding dress!, rugs,
old wood crates, and more tablecloths than i can count. Oh, and a fuzzy blanket!.
i've even used.... wait for it... pine branches. simple, right?

this year's happy colorful theme called for some FUN under the tree,

and i've come up with two different ways to do that by repurposing other items.
one involves some crafting, and will work on any size tree.
the other is for a small tree,
and was so easy i could hardly believe i hadn't thought of it before.

i hope they both make you take a look at whatever tree skirt you've been using
and think twice... about maybe trying something different this year.
now, let's get creative!

continue reading for the easy diy tutorials...

boho chic: lace vases

it's easy to take inexpensive materials and turn them into a luxe look.
this pretty bohemian vase and floral arrangement are a great example...

made from two thrifted vintage cotton lace doilies and tassels,
a glass vase and two bunches of fake flowers from Dollar Tree,
arranged with wood beads and rattan wreaths that i had on hand here at home,
it gives a relaxed late-summer vibe to my office
 and also subtly fits my current yellow obsession ;) 

continue reading to see how easy it is to transform a cheap glass vase...

Tattered N' Torn Christmas Decor

silver and white are staples for the Holiday decor in my home. 

yet each year, i add something new like

another color [or non-color in the case of clear glass]

to breathe new life into the rooms we live in. 

one year, I decided to bring in browns, coppers, bronzes, and wood. 

i love the warmth and masculine touch it brought to the decor...

i call this look 'Tattered & Torn'

and i hope that you will find some inspiration for your own home, table, or party decor here!

hanging on an old door turned pegrack at the entry to our Cottage,

leather bags and a weathered chair hold knit scarves, mittens, holiday decor and a sweet teddy bear

on the white mantel, a gathering of silver serveware is dressed up with

a floral arrangement, candles, and ornaments galore...

one end of the mantel holds this tiny nosegay arrangement, 

made with a dried hydrangea blossom and one of my chenille stem poinsettias 

simply placed in a silver mint julep cup with a crepe paper collar.

stockings made from old linen fabric and the trim from a vintage dress hang from brown bows.

the buffet in the dining room held another arrangement of silver pieces, 

loaded with ornaments, florals, candles, and silver flatware.

i like STUFF, what can i say?! i load things up for an abundant look... 

[no, i honestly never used this as a server!]

on the wall, a huge twig wreath is flanked by two wire baskets

filled with dried hydrangeas, vintage paper, and ornaments

 adding scale to the wall arrangement.

ah, and the lamps? new. i paid something like $14 each at Marshalls for them.

i took some muslin fabric and swooped it around the white lampshades, and tied it with string.

the warm creamy ivory light made this room glow!

the arrangement features a sweet birds nest, 

with a tiny ceramic brown bird decorating HER nest with tinsel!

celery glasses hold my silver flatware, ready for a party...

my grandmother's silver sugar spoon on display...

 a beautiful tiny arrangement of a dried hydrangea and dried roses,

in a silver creamer...

 on the dining table, a centerpiece is created on two trays that are easily removed,

and the tall arrangement in the center coordinates with the ones on the buffet and mantel.

the tablecloth is actually a beautiful piece of sari fabric...

up above the table is a simple chandelier with linen shades,

and several wire garden baskets hung upside down... just because i could!

[tho they DO coordinate with the wire baskets on the wall above the buffet...]

and finally, the Christmas tree... this one was pretty unique. 

i had a small white vintage tree  - and then found a vintage aluminum tree on craigslist!

[i LOVE craigslist!]

since you can't put light strands on an aluminum tree (fire & shock hazard)

i just nestled the two trees together(a bit like trees grow in the forest...)

and then decorated the white one with large white C9 lights,

and an array of ornaments, vintage finds, and crafted goodies:

the brown stars look like gingerbread - but they are pre-cut felt stars from the dollar store, 

painted with brown textured patio furniture paint

those silver beads are on bendable wires, able to swoop and loop through the branches.

tiny buttons on wires and gold acorns dance on the branch ends...

my white santa mugs again, this time suspended as tree ornaments with brown ribbons.

[people always ask where i found white vintage santa mugs... 

these came with red paint on them, just like the ones you always see in antique stores. 

i simply soaked them in hot soapy water, then used a credit card to scrape off the softened paint]

the other ornaments are beads and charms on wires,  with the names of my family members on them

i had some silver candle clips, so i added these long white tapers to the tree.

and no, i didn't light them!

a vintage painted ornament in the perfect copper & brown colors,

and a new star... i found six of these at a thrift store. they were PINK.
i spray painted them silver, and now they look perfectly vintage!

taking a page out of Deb's book...

this last post for a series of photos shows a few more ideas for simple seasonal changes...

the table up above is a round wood pedestal table, painted green.

It was just an 'ok' table until I added some detail to it:

a selection of pages from old dictionaries, ruined books, sheet music,

and miscellaneous items like vintage bingo cards and postcards

are laid out artistically on the table top and reflect the brown tones in the fall decor.

then the glass top from a round patio table is laid over it all to protect it all.

what else can you do with old book pages?

*paper a wall or a wainscot below a chair rail

*use as matting for photos in frames

*paper a CEILING (pretty advanced stuff)

*decoupage onto furniture

*cover lampshades

...and i know you must have some of your own ideas, so

share a link to your projects in the comments!

[i love buying old or damaged books for pennies at libraries as they are sold with missing or torn covers, ripped pages, etc.

i never feel guilty about using the pages in crafting & decor projects, because it is giving the books a second life]

i found this old door at a salvage yard for TEN BUCKS!

[ReStore is the architectural salvage end of Habitat for Humanity.

they re-sell used building supplies - often antique & vintage items -

to raise funds for their building projects. it's a GREAT cause to support!]

i was lucky - there were four old coat hooks already on the top of this door.

[but you could add some old hooks to any door for the same effect]

i simply leaned this perfectly peely door against my wall,

and then used it as a 3-D 'inspiration board' and organizer next to the front door.

it holds baskets and assorted items that change with each season:

you can see some leather purses and bags,

along with natural materials like bleached leaves & grasses,

that coordinate with the fall palette in the rest of the room.

it's an easy change with every season, using items i have on hand...

Warm Winter Decor

 today i am simply sharing these images of one my past homes
[known as 'the Cottage']

showing some easy ways to warm up your winter rooms using color and texture

the decor in these images show how the room was decorated

immediately following the holiday decor scheme seen in this post

 you'll see some of those holiday elements re-used in a new way

 to lighten up the rooms and make them warm and inviting, 

while remaining spacious and uncluttered.

it's a great way to start off the year!

simple elements and color add comfort and warmth

that wrap around you like a cashmere sweater

the mantel's arrangement of branches brings nature into the composition

and a collection of quirky letter K's adds interest without clutter
i collect letters from everywhere, and i also make them myself:

*a K cookie cutter, painted black
*a clear glass cylinder vase with a cursive k painted on with a paint pen
*a carpenter's ruler forms a K
*a cursive k cut from a piece of vintage sheet music
*a chipboard K covered with white glitter

a quick-change of the lampshades on the chandelier and the addition of clear crystals to bounce light

branches, pine cones, and bird nests bring the feeling of the winter woods indoors

if you aren't into neutrals

[and that's perfectly fine!]

it would be easy to replace the dark brown and tan colors in this room 

with bright or pastel hues - and you'd have a completely different look!

Gettin' Scrappy

in a previous post, I shared some simple ways to change the look of a room for fall.

here are a few more photos and ideas from that 'tattered & torn' room...

sofas are just more comfy filled with pillows, don't you think?

i love pillows that add texture and interest to a room,

so i usually make my own covers from scraps of miscellaneous fabrics i have on hand.

the ones shown here are made from .... oh, come on, you know this... old sweaters. o yeah. i did.

i had some really soft, comfy old sweaters in creamy colors that i loved -

but they had stretched out a bit and i couldn't wear them anymore.

[i had streched out a bit, too, but let's not go there....]

i thought that i could still enjoy the softness of the sweaters if they were covering pillows, so...

The How-To:

*cut the arms off of the sweaters and flip the sweater body inside-out 

*sew a line up both sides and across the neck hole

*turn the cover right-side out, and pop a throw pillow form inside

[you can get cheap pillows at Ross, Marshalls, or the thrift store.]

*hand-stitch the bottom edge closed

*when you want to wash them, cut the threads and the pillow comes out -

and because it is the bottom hem of the original sweater, it doesn't unravel in the wash.

*put the pillow form back into the cover, and re-stitch it closed.

i didn't make these as 'envelope'-style covers because sweaters SAG,

and when i am cuddled up on the sofa on a rainy fall day,

i don't want the sweater cover sagging and falling off the pillow under my head.

another of the pillows is covered in a muslin fabric, and i DID sew that one with an envelope closure.

[i had some remant scraps in a box, but you could just as easily buy the fabric -

muslin is about $3 a yard.] then i tied a thick piece of string around it for interest.

another thing you can do with fabric scraps is change the look of your lampshades!

it's simple, really - wrap a bit of fabric around the shade, and pin it to help it keep its shape.

no glue, no fuss, no muss.

the two lamps shown above have two types of fabric on each shade,

just layered over one another and then pinned together.

[the fabric is pinned in smaller at the top, so it doesn't fall off the shade]

a simple string tied around adds interest and keeps the fabric in place, as well.

you could also use removable tape to secure the fabric.

mine is loose and unstructured - yours might be cut to size and crisp.

or maybe you will use strips and tie them vertically around a wire lampshade frame...

[i actually have another post planned to share ideas like that!]

just match your own style!

and i have to say, the ivory fabric over the white shades made the light in these rooms GOLDEN.

[i looked ten years younger in those rooms! man, i miss those lamps.....]

wire lampshade mobile

you've all read my statements that 'i see things differently'
and 'i never really use things the way they were intended to be used!', right?
i'm very into 'use what you have' decorating & crafting using 'everyday' elements.

one day in 2020 when i was bored outta' my skull here at home,
i looked at a stack of wire lampshades and wire domes in the corner of my studio,
 and just played around to see what i could DO with them.
they ended up as a giant kinetic sculpture / mobile hanging from my studio ceiling.
and i shared that version here on the blog.

since then, i've changed it up a bit, and added a new element that makes me smile.
wanna' see?

...continue reading for wire lampshade mobile part 2!

celebrate home!

"endings need grieving... and beginnings deserve celebration."

i read that line recently in a devotional, and it really spoke to me.

while many of us may not actually be grieving the end of a very trying year,

we certainly DO need to celebrate the arrival of a fresh new one!

there's a lovely song called 'Celebrate Me Home'
(originally by Kenny Loggins, and recently covered by Josh Groban)
that includes these lines:
"Come on and play my music, Let's turn on the love light in the place...
Please, celebrate me home...Play me one more song that I'll always remember,
And I can recall, Whenever I find myself too all alone, I can sing me home."

what a beautiful idea - to celebrate home.
not feel imprisoned in, not tolerate, not begrudgingly accept... but celebrate.
express gratitude for the home we have, enjoy the time spent there, really live there.

as we enter this new year, i thought it would be good to focus on 

ways that we can refresh, reclaim, and rejuvenate the MOOD inside our rooms...
celebrating our homes, if you will.
helping us to embrace and enjoy where we live our lives in simple ways every day.

continue reading for some of my top tips to help you celebrate your home...