paint + paper picture frame pumpkins

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...

NEW! Sweet Sweater Spookies!

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...

gradient pumpkins

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...

time for Sweet Sweater Pumpkins!

it's september! fall is on the way... and fall means pumpkins.
so it's time for me to share my Original Sweet Sweater Pumpkins!

the most famous - infamous??? - thing i've ever created,

since 2009, these cute lil' upcycled gourds have appeared in
home decor magazines, on home decor websites, in a 'designer gift crate' selection,

and have been sold in dozens of shops & shows, as well as here on the blog.

i only stopped making them for sale because my carpal tunnel was outta' control

(i was single-handedly creating hundreds of them each year),

so then i taught classes and made my tutorial available here on the blog

to help others make their own versions using my ridiculously easy method.

continue reading for more info on making your own!

boho chic: crochet + lace pumpkins

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!

painted pineapple planters

i'm in a tropical state of mind, if you can't tell...
since i can't visit the island this year, i'm creating a tropical vibe here at home!

when i ran across an item at the 99 Cents Only store recently,
i immediately saw how i could easily transform it into a tropical decor accent...

continue reading for the easy how-to!

yarn + twine pineapples

as i was making my new Sweet Sweater Pineapples
(shared in my last post - link below)
i came up with a few more ideas for easy-peasy pineapple crafts...

like, SO easy. kids can do this easy. no adhesive easy.

continue reading for the two-step tutorial -
PLUS another way to make a 'sweater' pineapple!

new! Sweet Sweater Pineapples!

sweaters? in SUMMER?

over the past 14 years, i've come up with all kinds of ideas using sweaters as crafting material,

and created nearly a dozen different 'Sweet Sweater' Originals...

a few of those are food:  pumpkins, popcorn, ice cream - and now, pineapples!

the tropical vibes are so strong with this one,

i can almost hear the ukelele music playing...

pour yourself a mai tai or some pineapple juice

and 

continue reading to for my sweet n' easy tutorial!

boho lace pumpkins

i am always trying to find new ways to create pumpkin decor to enjoy in the fall...
i'm game to try anything to see if it will work.
i recently came across some photos of this past project, never shared here on the blog,
and thought i had better do that before the window of opportunity for fall decor closes!

these are a fun way to create pumpkins with a bohemian style vibe,
perfect in combination with the neutral hues, macrame' accents, and wood textures
in the 'of the moment' boho modern fall decorating.

continue reading for details on how easy these are...

fall flip: guest room update

back in August, i shared the no-cost makeover i created in our guest room - 
a cool, refreshing boho mod style in tones of greens and accented with succulents.

no one has come to stay with us since then, but i've just updated the decor...

and even though there isn't a pumpkin or a leaf in sight,
adding the color orange really works to to bring in a 'fall' mood.
(it's still hot here. but it's October now, so i have to accept the inevitable!)

continue reading to see how a few small changes made a BIG difference

 in the way this room feels...

funky junky pumpkin!

this project has an interesting beginning:

i was taking our garbage cans out to the curb for pickup one morning.

and there at the curb was my neighbors' trash can...

with a fabulous, huge, ORANGE metal floor fan sticking out of it.

as i discovered upon further investigation, it was just a fan housing. no inner parts.

meaning the hard work had been done already - 

so how could i NOT snatch this thing up and repurpose it?!!!

especially when my whoooooole quarantine mission has been

to NOT spend money on craft or decor supplies. to just use what i have.

this thing shows up right in front of me, on my street. what am i supposed to do?!!!

i thought you'd agree.

so yes, in just a few seconds i did grab that fan housing right outta' his garbage can!

and i knew exactly what it was going to become...
last year, i made some junky fall pumpkins from similar salvaged metal parts.
and this version is even better!

continue reading to see several versions of 

the giant junk pumpkin that i made from it...

fall decorating in gradient tones

September rolls around and it's supposed to be 'everything Pumpkin Spice'.
but honestly, that's a stretch when it's still triple-digit summer heat outside - 
sometimes our geographic location just doesn't vibe with popular seasonal decor
and it's time to get outta' that box!

rather than go full-on with leaves and pumpkins everywhere, 

i came up with a way to use what i had on hand with a fresh look:

arranging my stash of pumpkins in a color gradient.

while the color spectrum runs from clear to brown,

arranging things this way gives a 'fall feel' with a bit of whimsy.

continue reading to see how easy this approach is!

paper 'paint chip' pumpkins

these happy pumpkins sprang into my head one night,

and i couldn't wait to get into my studio the next day to try them out!

last spring, i shared a few projects that are based on paint chips.

although the first project - hearts - was made from real paint chips (from a client's decor project)
i then came up with a way to make my OWN paint 'chips': paint them on paper!

not only is it a perfect way to get the right colors for a specific use,

it also assures that i always have as many as i need if a project expands
(frequently!) or needs a do-over (sometimes!).
.
continue reading for details on making your own painted paint chip paper

AND the things i've made with them this year!

sweater + pool noodle faux cacti tutorial

the inspiration for these fun and funky faux cacti

began last fall with the design and creation of my Original Sweet Sweater Succulents.

when i recently decided to create new decor with a boho modern vibe, 

succulents were definitely a big part of the design... faux succulents, that is.

so i came up with yet another way to use my bottomless supply of sweater remnants:

pair a sweater sleeve with a simple pool noodle, and you've got taller cacti!

i used the new version in this basket under the side table in the recent guest room makeover,

paired with some of the previous versions (made like my Original Sweet Sweater Pumpkins!).

this is a really 'fast, cheap & easy' craft project to complete using scraps -

continue reading for a simple tutorial to help you make your own...

faux succulent wreath & wall decor

 when it came to wall art in our newly 'refreshed' guest room, 
i re-thought the currently hot trend of 'basket groupings' on walls

and went with a grouping of repurposed rusty metal items instead.

resembling woven baskets, they give the room a 'boho' feel - in a unique way.

my take on 'modern boho style' is less earth-child hippie and a bit more mid-century in feel.

and there's a reason for that:

during my sophomore summer, one of my jobs was selling imported baskets at the swap meet -

it was a hot, sweaty, physical job that a friend and i did every weekend all summer long.

we had to drive a junky old 'three on the tree' van to the drive in, unload it,

set up displays of the baskets, and then sit there all day convincing people to buy them.

then we had to load up anything that didn't sell. it was exhausting.

the only redeeming quality of it was the paycheck and spending time with my friend.

so now i have an aversion to baskets being used as they were back then! (the late 70's)

i like this solution... and just wait until you get a closer look at those succulents!

continue reading to see all of the details and 'how-to's'...

NEW! Sweet Sweater Pops!

so a funny thing happened while i was creating my last blog post...

i was typing in additional ideas for accessories that one might use

on one's own versions of my Sweet Sweater Sandbabies.

things like ball caps popped into my mind. and THAT led me down a rabbit hole...

it went something like this:

"yeah! ball caps! ball caps?! baseball! hot dogs! beer! popcorn! 

POPCORN??!! waaaaaiiiiiiiit a minute... i have...."

at which point i ran out of my studio to the garage, to the party supply bins,

where i found the paper and plastic popcorn containers i knew were in there.

i returned to my studio and dragged out the box with sweater remnants,

and there was a bag filled with wonky fuzzy yarn that is the color of UNbuttered popcorn.

my crazy brain puts two and two together and the result is those guys up above:
Sweet Sweater Pops!

Red, White, and Blue PATRIOTIC Pops.

and then the ideas REALLY started poppin'... continue reading to see!

NEW sweet sweater summer decor!

yes, yes, i HAVE lost my everlovin' mind, thankyouverymuch!

last Christmas, in the midst of my flurry of decorating in our Happy HULAdays theme,

i created some last-minute decor using.... you guessed it.... sweaters.

one photo of that project was part of this post back in December,

but really, the idea was so fun that it needs a bit more exposure.

with my mind on tikis and tropical style for summer, 
it's time to put them in the spotlight -
PLUS another beachy sweater creation from a few years back!

...continue reading for a bit of summer-y sweater fun!

NEW! Sweet Sweater Bunny Tails!

just when you thought i had made everything possible with upcycled sweaters...
introducing the springtime creation that has evaded me for years:
Sweet Sweater Bunny Tails! 

this happy spring project made use of some sweater remnants found in a bin in the garage -
including a pink sweater Santa hat!
using the same method as my famous Sweet Sweater Pumpkins, it all came together fast.
i actually spent more time snapping photos and editing them than making the bunny tails!

continue reading to see just how quickly you can make these for Easter...

totally tiki-tastic holiday!

our Happy HULAdays theme begins at the front door, 

with a totally terrific tiki welcome...

i made these guys by simply painting faces on planks of pine wood from our garage.

if you look closely, you can see that i used the grain of the wood as part of each face design.

the 'Happy HULA days' sign is a piece of plywood washed with brown paint, then hand-lettered.

the HULA letters were painted onto a few of my giant letter tiles, and glued onto the plywood.

you might recognize a few of those tiki faces... 

on the left: Olaf from Frozen (complete with twig arms and hair), a stylized Small World clock face, and a completely doe-like face that just came outta' my paintbrush that way!

on the right: a sun-like face inspired by Small World, a tiki face discovered online, 

Santiki - also discovered online - and finally, Baymax from Big Hero 6. that's for my Dad <3

the 'enter with the spirit of Aloha' sign is one my Mom bought in Hawaii and has had for years

(it was in the tropical backyard weekend makeover i did for my Mom)

... and the fun is just beginning!

continue reading to see MORE of the tikis that i gathered and created for our decor this year!

NEW! Sweet Sweater Succulents!

well... i said i'd be back if the muse strikes again... and those gals are partyin' around here!!!

after my last (surprise!) post, i tucked those ping pong paddle cacti into a bucket in my office - 

because i am vowing NOT to decorate with pumpkins for fall until it FEELS like fall here.

(it's in the triple digits where i live. decidedly still summer weather.) 

and apparently, those lil' cacti have seeped into my brain - because I HAD ANOTHER IDEA. 

same story as before: 

flash of creative energy. trip to the thrift store. making a mess in my studio. and it worked!

the best thing about this one? it makes use of something i've done before:
i took my Original Sweet Sweater Pumpkin tutorial... and made a CACTUS!

of course, i just HAD to share it with you!

<<< click 'continue reading' for my new 'Sweet Sweater Succulents' tutorial!