How Pinteresting!

 welcome to Day 2!

i'm sharing a quick and easy 'how to' make the spool heart shown above

in today's post on....

Pinterest!

[click button to go to my pinboard

and find the '30 day countdown' logo on today's posted image]

 stay tuned for the next post in our daily countdown, coming up tomorrow

on the blog or ONE of these social networking sites:

Bowl 'Em Over!

today i'm sharing a crazy repurposed decor idea

that will really SCORE:

 

use a bowling ball as a flower vase!

* start with a spiffy bowling ball, like the HOT PINK one shown above

or spray paint one in any color you want!

clean it up with windex, and then rub just a drop of olive oil into it

so it shines!

* sit the ball on top of a vase, urn, planter, or other object that will hold it in place

[you really don't want a heavy bowling ball 

to roll off of your table]

either use a heavy base, or fill it with sand or stones to weight it.

* make sure that the three fingerholes on the ball are facing upward.

place three plastic floral tubes down into the three holes

and add water - fill them about halfway

then insert your cut flower stems...

 flowers from the grocery store or the roadside are PERFECT for this -

we're not talking long-stemmed red roses for this look!

* you could also insert long taper candles into the floral tubes without water,

making the bowling ball a candleholder instead!

and that's all there is to it:

a fun, fast, inexpensive centerpiece or accent

that will literally BOWL THEM OVER!

shared online:

(2021) funky junk interiors | diy salvaged junk projects #563

Countdown to Valentine's Day!

 for the 30 days leading up to Valentine's Day,
i'll be posting every.single.day!

 

i have SO many creative and easy ideas ready to share with you for this holiday,
and you won't want to miss a single post!

i'll be sharing inspiring content across all of the social media platforms that i use,
so check each site every day to find my daily content

make sure you are following the HOMEWARDfound blog and facebook page,

and following Debi Ward Kennedy on Pinterest and HOMEtalk

you're going to find a heaping helping of heartful

inspiration, ideas, tips & tutorials!

.

 i'm including lots of

'Fast, Cheap & Easy' TM

party decor, craft projects, gifts, home decor, and more...

from accessories and tablescapes to gift wrapping, 

crafts using wood spools, vintage sheet music, sweaters, and old boxes,

info on magazine features and possibly even a GIVEAWAY! 

.

on my facebook page, i'll be asking you to share your FAVORITE

events, shops, boutiques, facebook pages and web sites

that offer Valentine's Day fun - all around the world!

look for this image on every post:

click here to see all previous posts & links

a black & white winter garden

these are my own images, 

capturing the beauty of winter in my gardens

at two of my previous homes in Washington state.

displaying black and white scenic photography 

is another way to introduce a dash of black in your rooms
and a perfect way to make seasonal changes easy...

btw, this is my 100th post since launching HOMEWARDfound in August!
thank you all so much for your support and interest in my original content

stay tuned, because TOMORROW
we begin the 30 Day Valentine countdown! 

Spice Up Your Winter Decor with Black!

my last post showed the winter decor in my Cottage, all in tones of brown, tan, and white.

the photos here show the same rooms in another year,

where BLACK was added to the scheme for graphic impact and a fresh new look.

like adding a dash of black pepper to a recipe,
a fresh coat of black (or color) paint on a few accessories

can really change the flavor of a room
and spice up your winter decor!

this vintage victrola cabinet has been re-purposed as a bar

and the black paint makes the sparkling glass and silver accessories POP

 painting the chairs, lamp base, chandelier, and mirror frames  added just the right modern touch to the dining room. [here's my tip on painting chandeliers: use Krylon Appliance Spray Paint in gloss finish. No primer needed.
use two LIGHT COATS and let dry completely in between. FLAWLESS finish!]

the victrola 'bar' cabinet was a great addition to the next house we lived in,
joining a newly-refurbished black buffet in the dining room...
and yes, i made the glam lampshades myself. i LOVED those!

okay, so maybe you don't want to PAINT anything black.

that's okay!

what about using black in small accessories that are easily changed?

what about using your DISHES?

take a look at how bringing a few of those everyday items out 

and putting them on display in your home

can really spice up your winter decor!

the damask-pattern mugs and plate came from Marshalls

and the stack of art-deco border plates is vintage.
all of the other pieces are clear or white, but your EYE goes to the black patterns!

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!

get organized - on the cheap!

 

here's the story of how I created my absolute dream office / design studio... 
using reclaimed + thrifted items + what I already had, without spending much! 

In winter of 2011, I moved into my dream house,
and enjoyed the opportunity to design a whole new studio/office for myself. 
I undertook this project exactly as I would one for a client: 
start with what you have and look at it in a fresh way.

continue reading to see how i get organized!

Warm Winter Whites

 making use of what we've got on hand or can get for a bargain makes decorating fun!

gathering together some items in tones of white 

was the starting point for some fresh winter decor over my desk...
i started with what i have on hand - everyday stuff and craft supplies -
then i picked up four new items, and spent about half an hour arranging them all.

what i already had on hand

vintage sheet music, postcard, and white-bound book

scrolly white picture frame seen in this post

vintage ivory carnations and new silk tulips

the sweater-wrapped bar glass with candle from this post

vintage white rosary

white ironstone & ceramic creamers, white ceramic coffee cup,
and white milk glass slipper

tiny ivory doily and the resin crystal in the small creamer

two white shelves on the wall

what i added

three felt snowflakes

[these are christmas ornaments, found on sale at target for 50 cents each!]

one white scalloped dessert plate with a snowflake pattern on it
[found on sale at HOMEgoods for $2.99]

what i spent: $4.50
[and THAT is why it pays to hit the after-Christmas sales!
you can find all kinds of things to use for winter decor] 

the shelves hang over my desk, and are a great place to play with small seasonal changes.

you don't always have to do big things to make a big impact!

in a small room like my office, this is enough.

by mixing up various shades of white and cream, and several textures, 

it becomes a three-dimensional collage to play with...

a close up of the small plate from HOMEgoods reveals 

the 'damask'-like tone-on-tone snowflake pattern

vintage sheet music and books make a warm backdrop for the white felt snowflakes

and this charming glass slipper

this photo looks dark, but i actually wanted it lit this way...

 it highlights the engraved print on the sweater-wrapped bar glass.

i paid 45 cents for that glass at a Goodwill store over ten years ago!

what do you have on hand already that you could gather up
and use to create a fresh new grouping?
clear crystal? white ironstone? or perhaps some vibrant colored glass?
take a look in your cupboards and see what is waiting there!

another thing i did with the 50 cent snowflake ornaments was add them to a wreath!

this cozy wreath was made by simply wrapping a long scarf around a straw form,

and then embellishing it with the dangling crystal and the snowflake for winter

(i made the scarf by sewing scraps of various sweaters together into a patchwork)

 

you can find the easy step-by-step instructions on my tutorial page.

[no, it's not my original idea! but it's a GOOD idea, 

and i love to share those, too!]

shared online:

common ground |  be inspired friday