DIY mannequin - from a tee shirt!

i'll admit it, i've fallen prey to the 'vintage mannequin' craze.

over the years i have admired them from afar, 
but never had the chance to get my hands on one of the 'real' ones.
oh, sure, i had a chicken-wire one picked up for a song after a gift show,
and i rehabbed a really old cardboard bust form found at a yard sale.

My friend Todd recently shared this image on facebook:

SOURCE: http://www.pinterest.com/pin/132011832801322296/

When I saw it, I thought "I really want to make that.
But I don't have a dress form / mannequin anymore.
And it's Christmassy... It's too late for that."

THEN my Muse arrived....

and reminded me that I have a WHITE faux Christmas tree

that would look FAB.U.LOUS all through the winter months as the skirt for a mannequin.

I just needed a mannequin.
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They say 'necessity is the mother of invention',
so I came up with one of my trademark 'Fast, Cheap & Easy' solutions:

I made a mannequin form from an old tee shirt!

It was a simple matter of cutting and stitching a few seams...
here's a quick tutorial for making your own:

[solid lines show original tee shirt outline; dotted lines are approximately where to cut for form]

once mine was done, i popped it onto the top of my small white Christmas tree!

 SAFETY TIP: if you do this, remove all lights from the area under the tee shirt form.

I removed the lights on the top branches and then bent the branches downward,

so I could easily slip the tee shirt on and stuff it with polyfil stuffing.
[ and yes, I gave her some lovely lady lumps! ]

Then I created her 'skirt' by adding my vintage metal & glitter tree branches to the tree,

and wrapping a fringe-y scarf around the very bottom of the tee shirt.

You don't have to use a tree as the base, you know...
What about a lampshade? Or a wire tomato cage? [one of my fave multi-use props]

 Up on top, I wrapped a cheap white garland around her as a scarf,

finishing it off with a vintage ribbon and rhinestone pin accent.
My own Original Ice Queen Crown encircles her neck.

I chose a tan tee shirt for the 'vintage' look, but black would look swanky! 

Shared Online:

One Project Closer | Creativity Unleashed

The Vintage Farmhouse | Creative Things Thursday

Winter Whites Inspiration

 Winter has arrived!
And even though it looks much better while sitting inside looking out, 

I love the fresh, clean, crisp look of a snow-covered landscape...

the soft, pale winter color palette inspires me.

In winter, choose subtle, soft, and misty neutrals for your rooms...

tones like gray, charcoal, chocolate, white, vanilla, and pale blue.

Then add sparkle with clear glass, mirrors, and shining silver.
This creates a beautifully serene background,

to which you can add the warmth of red, the softness of pink -

or perhaps the 'of the moment' Radiant Orchid lavender.

Start by gathering the elements that reflect the colors and surfaces of Winter:

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Then combine them to express the mood of Winter:

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These settings all include vintage, antique, and repurposed furnishings & decor,

because that's my own particular style...

but it's just as easy to combine mid-century modern and contemporary pieces

to create a seasonal  'Winter' mood in your home!

 Even the most humble things can become a decorative element...

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 Stay warm!

"Baby It's Cold Outside" Chalkboard Printable by The Everyday Home

 [ found on Pinterest ]

Find more of my winter decor posts by clicking on the 'Winter Decor' sidebar tab >

shared online:

Style Sisters | Centerpiece Wednesday

Color of the Year: yes or no?

Pantone, the leading color authority in the design world, has selected

the 2014 Color of the Year:
Radiant Orchid

 Now, I'm going to be totally honest here...

I am not driven by what Pantone chooses as their color of the year

or what hues and shades are 'IN' in fashion, home decor, and design.

While it's fun to watch what's 'trending' and rising to popularity,

and to sometimes find ways to reflect that in my own surroundings,

I am FAR more interested in expressing my own personal style and preferences.

And I am much more interested in inspiring you to do the same...

 I can't even begin to imagine this color in my home.

OK, wait, that's not entirely true....

I CAN see those beautiful orchids in a white vase on a white shelf,

surrounded by stacks of white books and shells,

or scattered in clear vases on a table for a party.

It would be a temporary punctuation point of color in my pale, neutral world.

In my life, that's all that a 'hot new trend' is...

a way to experiment with something new in a simple, small way that works for me.

I enjoy it for a little while, then replace it with something else.
I don't have to - or want to - change my whole wardrobe or decor to incorporate it.

Pantone creates a new palette of colors for each season,
and those choices help drive the creation of new products to be manufactured and sold.
I've spent a lifetime in the retail industry, and I know that this all has a purpose in the bigger picture.
But when it comes down to how it affects our lives, we ultimately choose what we buy - or don't!

That being said, in a rather amusing coincidence,

one of my daughters gave me a sparkly, spangly purse for Christmas.
Just GUESS what color it is!

 I think I've found a way to use it that works for me:

I turned it into a vase! 

(just like I did HERE last Spring)
Right now, it's holding my potted lavender plant, a potted ivy, and a few silk orchids...

while looking very fashionable!
[you could say this trend is 'in the bag'!]

 Of course, if you want to incorporate this new hue in your rooms,
it's SO easy to do on a budget...
get a quart of paint and revamp a chair, a lamp base, a few picture frames, or a thrifted find.
Add that 'exclamation point' to a room and see how you like it -
preferably BEFORE you buy new wallpaper ;)

See inspiration for using Radiant Orchid here:
Pantone's Color of the Year on Pinterest

How do you feel about fads? 

Do you heartily embrace new trends with gusto?
Do you hesitate and see if it really catches on?
Do you find a small way to include it in your home decor or fashion style?
Or do you eschew trends altogether, and forge your own unique path?

I'd love to hear your opinions on this topic...

Happy 2014!

However you celebrate it, and wherever you are when midnight comes tonight,
may 2014 bring you an abundance of love, joy, and success (however you define that! )...
Happy New Year, everyone!

for more decorating inspiration for every season of the year,

  visit HOMEWARDfound on these social networking sites:

Subscribe to HOMEward Found Decor by Email

Joy to the World

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas,

filled with the joy of the season

Thank you all so much for your support, encouragement, and communication

through your comments here and on the HOMEWARDfound facebook page over this past year.
I am so grateful for you, that you enjoy what I offer here...

I hope it brings joy to your lives and homes throughout every season of the year.

.

 

Vintage Style Gift Wrap

I'd like to share some of my ideas for last-minute Holiday gift wrap

using everyday items and vintage elements!

Some of these ideas have previously been published in
Creating Vintage Style and FOLK magazines,
as well as here on the homewardFOUNDdecor blog

linen stockings, simple burlap wraps, and sweater sleeves
make fast and stylish work of wrapping hostess gifts!

See more in Wrap It With Style

Paper printed to look like sweaters, REAL sweaters, and vintage embellishments

bring charm to gifts under the tree...

See more in Embellished Gift Wraps

Even the Dollar Tree has items that can elevate a gift wrap from ho-hum to ho-ho-ho!

See more in Last Minute Wrapping

May your Holiday be filled with family and friends, peace and love
and the time to enjoy them fully... 
[because we all know that the BEST gifts can't be wrapped]

I'll be flying to Seattle on Christmas Eve to be with my family for the week -
a Christmas gift that is beyond anything I could have dreamed of! (2013)
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HOMEWARDfound posts will resume after the New Year
with Winter decorating inspiration and ideas