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9.10.2014

Farmhouse Fall

 Last week I had the honor of working with and for a very good friend, Rita Reade,
who is the proprietor of the creative vintage business Mammabellarte 
and co-founder, along with her sister-in-love, Christie Repasy, of The Vintage Marketplace at the Oaks.

Rita has her hands full organizing and assisting the 65 vendors at every show,
which is held every three months in a lovely park setting NorthEast of San Diego, CA,
so she hires me as her visual designer and stylist *
to style all of her beautiful creations into an inspiring booth setting...
and I love every minute of it!

Here's what I did with her booth for the fall show, 
to coordinate with the show theme 'Farmgirl Fancies' -
I hope it inspires you for fall decorating!
 Rustic elements and a focus on ivory, white, tan, and green set a Farmhouse mood.
Rita's signature pink is still in there, but it's taking a back seat in the color palette this time...
Those are vintage window screens that I turned into an 'awning' at the back of the booth! 
It was a spur-of-the-moment idea that became my favorite part ;)

continue reading for MORE gorgeous photos!

9.06.2014

Wine Not???

Last Fall, I shared a simple way to spook up a chandelier with black netting.
Then last Spring, I shared photos of a crystal chandelier turned into a water fountain.
Both ideas were created by the incredibly talented visual team at a nearby home and garden store, 
Roger's Gardens.

Well, they've gone and done it AGAIN!

I went over to check out their famous Halloween House displays this year (post to come!)
and saw this fun embellishment of a chandelier...
It's simply ropes of chandelier crystals (with metal clips) epoxied to the bottoms of
wine and champagne glasses,  letting them dangle precariously in the air:
Talk about SPIRITED decor ;)

Want to see more of the ways this visual team uses their crystal chandelier props?
chandelier fountain
wicked chandelier

visit the Roger's Gardens website

shared online:

Practically Functional | Creativity Unleashed

Cupcakes & Crinoline | Project Inspire{d}

9.02.2014

Welcome, Fall! Wait.... WHAT????!

Yeah, it's FALL, Y'all.... and I'm just not ready for summer to end!
Before we jump into ideas and inspiration for Autumn decorating here at homewardFOUND,
I thought I'd share what I was up to over my two-month 'break' from social media.
Yes, friends, I'm going to answer the eternal September question
that we all remember (fondly??) from those first-day-of-school assignments:

'What did you do on your summer vacation?' 

You had to either write about it or stand up in front of the class and talk about it.
(How many of you, like me, immediately thought 'KILL.ME.NOW.' when the teacher informed you
that you had to speak instead of write because she knew you LOVED writing??
Fortunately, I finally overcame my fear of public speaking!)

Just as I planned, I spent my 'summer vacation' doing things I love:
walking at the beach, going to flea markets and vintage shows and thrift stores,
reading books from the library, swimming in the pool, sitting on the porch swing,
seeing friends and family, and of course working at the Happiest Place on Earth!

 But the BIG thing, the ONE thing that made this summer totally awesome was that
We had a Family Reunion!
Four generations of my family - my parents, siblings, our kids AND my grandkids -
gathered in California to celebrate my Mom's 70th Birthday
and to celebrate that we are one AWESOME family - 
not 'despite' the difficulties we have faced, but in part BECAUSE of those challenges.
Love is stronger than anything - even distance that spans the continent.


26 of us spent five days together at my parent's home,
splashing in the pool, making a lot of noise, talking, laughing, 
and eating SO much good food... 
(my brother brought 100 pounds of fresh fish and King Crab with him from Alaska,
and that fish fry dinner was utterly decadent!)

It was such a joy to be in the same place with all four of my 'kids' and their families,
including my four grandchildren, 
enjoying the smiles and hugs and stories and laughter.
It's a bona fide miracle, folks,
and I could not feel more blessed to have had this time with them.

And then, on the last day....
We went to Disneyland!


We posed with my BOSS! (and isn't he the CUTEST boss ever?!) 


We posed by the Castle!


and we posed in front of the attraction that is VERY important to our family,
'It's A Small World'

We have family ties to the history of this wonderful place:
My Mom's Dad and brother, my Uncle Don, were electricians
who helped build many of the attractions at Disneyland...
Grandpa Ward worked on It's A Small World, Tiki Room, and Great Moments with Mr. Lincoln.
Uncle Don Ward worked on the Haunted Mansion and Pirates of the Caribbean.

All of my life, I have had such pride that they worked to bring Walt's dream to life,
to make the magic real
(that's a HUGE part of why I have always wanted to work there!)
and since the day my first grandson was born,
I have dreamed of riding the little boats of It's A Small World with my grandchildren.
Just like my grandpa rode it with me when I was a Little Debby.

I got that wish ;) That weekend was the best part of my summer!

I created the graphic that you see at the top of this post, 
and had it made into buttons at PureButtons.com.
My sweet friend Julia Chow, who is my fellow cast member at Disneyland,
captured our dream of a day in photos.
(See more of her fabulous work on her Julia Lisa Photography facebook page)


OK, now it's YOUR turn...
"What did YOU do on YOUR summer vacation?"
Leave a comment and share!

I promise I won't make you stand up in front of anyone :)

8.27.2014

Nostalgic Back to School Decor

I recently ran across some old photos that brought a past project to mind,
and it's PERFECT for 'Back to School' celebrating!
.
I don't know about you, but for ME, this time of year seems to stir faint memories of 
the smell of sharpened pencils and new paper
the need of a new tote bag, backpack, or lunch pail
wistful reactions to hearing school recess bells ring
and children laughing on the playground
hearing marching bands practice on the field
using typewriter fonts
and other nostalgic impressions.

Whether or not you have kids heading back to school right now,
it's pretty easy to pull together some items in a small display or tablescape
that will say 'back to school' in a whisper of neutral tones.
( If you want it to SHOUT, use bright color! )
I created this vignette in about five minutes,
by simply rummaging through my office and finding some things 
that could pass as 'school supplies':

a metal locker basket
two metal lunchpails
a small metal chalkboard
rulers and yardsticks
a large canvas satchel bag
a small metal memo board, magnet, and sheet music
a vintage vocabulary card that I treasure
 a tin can vase
scissors & pencils
a paperweight
several books in neutral tones
(total disclosure: they aren't school books - or even really old!
Two are Bibles. One is a library book. the other is a paper brochure. ;) )

The thing is, it's about creating a MOOD, a LOOK - by using what you have on hand!
If you have great vintage items, use 'em!
But if you don't, don't fret -
you'll be surprised at what you can create using everyday stuff from your desk, too!
Case in point:
I wish I had more pencils to fill up this vase, but I really don't USE pencils.
So I don't HAVE pencils, and that's ok - 
even though my designer eye wants to see a vase brimming with pencils.
Maybe I'll hit the Dollar Tree store and buy a pack for a buck. Maybe I won't. 
But I'll enjoy this little scene either way!

You can see my fave vocabulary card here, too - the back side says "Embellish". ;)
I've had that for about ten years now.

continue reading for more - in a darling vintage kitchen!

8.16.2014

Save Vacation Finds in a NeSt

As Summer winds down and I am enjoying my social media break,
I thought I'd send you a 'postcard' of sorts...
with an idea for preserving your summer vacation memories.

I don't know how I started this practice, but years ago, I began making 
Found Item NeSts
(and no, I don't know why I capitalize it that way, either!)

When on vacation or even a day trip,
I'd pick up shells and sea glass at the shore, 
or tiny pinecones and feathers and leaves in the mountains,
and then find long grass nearby to weave into a nest.

The NeSt shown below also contained a wine cork, 
since the day had been spent celebrating a special occasion.
You can put anything into a nest!
The collected items would then go into the nest for display,
giving smaller items a lot more presence so that they were more noticeable on a shelf or table.
To my amazement, the nests never lost the smell of their place of origin -
salty sea air or pungent pine forests -
adding another level of enjoyment to them.

I've also made NeSts to observe each season of the year,
gathering up tiny mementoes of spring or fall  
like dried daffodil blooms and little russet leaves to place into the nests,
then displaying them on my mantel or entryway table...
I previously shared a simple tutorial for making a NeSt here,
where you'll see that this project isn't time-consuming or difficult at all...
a perfectly relaxing 'last day of vacation' craft!

It's truly a simple way to gather items from nature that will enhance your home
and bring sweet memories to mind whenever you see it.

Another easy idea for preserving vacation memories:
I also gather a small bit of sand from the beaches I visit, 
then place it into tiny jars with tags identifying the beach.
This would work with rocks, tiny shells, cones, and leaves, as well.
And the bottles don't have to be expensive or antique - 
in this photo, you can see that I used an empty Starbucks Frappacino bottle
and even salt & pepper shaker bases!


shared online:

Yesterday on Tuesday | Project Inspire{d}


Practically Functional | Creativity Unleashed
 

7.01.2014

Taking a Break....

 In a world of increasing speed, business AND busy-ness, 
broadcasting our every meal and move and thought on social media,
and occupation with things happening outside of ourselves,
I crave simplicity.

I long for summer days that stretch into forever... 
a season of relaxation unfolding moment by memorable moment,
WITHOUT documenting it in photos or posts.

My heart yearns for a summertime like the one I experienced as a child - 
and if you want to see what that looks like, watch the movie 'Now and Then'.
The girls at the beginning of the film depict exactly the kind of summer vacation that I lived 
as a kid in the late 1960s and early 1970s.
I loved it. I tried to re-create parts of it for my own kids, who grew up in the 1980s.

In this recent post here on HOMEWARDfound,
I shared a bit about how a certain book influenced my summers and my life as a child.

That re-discovered book has stirred creative longings in me again:

To explore the local shops and parks and gardens that call to me as I drive by.

To spend my days off walking and sitting on the beach, 
photographing crashing waves and changing sunlight.

To be inspired to create something just for the pleasure of playing in the moment - 
not as a planned, scheduled, managed activity leading to a blog post.

To invest hours in writing letters to the people I love, 
rather than rely on texts and facebook comments to communicate with them 
in the midst of our busy lives.

To plan and enjoy a monumental birthday party for Mom and family reunion for everyone.

To spend days and nights wandering the magical streets of Disneyland,
seeing it again like an eight year old little girl with a dream in her heart
(and a camera in her hand).

To celebrate that my childhood dreams really ARE coming true 
as I work at the Happiest Place on Earth,
especially now that I have been promoted to member of the Visual Merchandising Team!

To lie in the shade and listen to music and read books that nourish my soul.

Actually, that word perfectly captures what I am craving:  
Nourishment.

I desperately need more than just a 'fast food' mindset when it comes to my creativity.
I need the freedom to immerse myself in an idea, a process, a project
and 'let it flow'...[ why, yes, I DO hear a certain tune when I read that! ]
instead of rushing everything to make it fit a blog post schedule.

There is only one way to satiate my hunger for simplicity and focus - 
and that's to simply STOP. 
Stop running through the equivalent of a drive-through for inspiration and motivation.
Stop worrying about making products and selling them online,
and marketing and promoting and... all of it. It's exhausting.

And now, finally, I'm ready to give myself the gift of summertime again...
I am taking a social media break for the rest of the summer.

I plan to spend the next few months feasting on time in nature, 
time with family and friends, time on a walking path and a bike, 
time in the sunshine, and time investing in my own creativity.

Heaven knows, I have learned that there are no guarantees.
No 'forever'. And sometimes, no 'someday'.

We have only each moment, each day, to LIVE. 

Enjoying every day: that's where I'll  be this summer.

6.27.2014

Nauti, Nauti....

In a recent post, I shared the flag that I found this week at the Disney cast member outlet store.
I found something else there that day:
Nautical signal flags, all in red, white, and blue!

Measuring @ 12 by 16 inches and made of nylon,
these babies are nearly brand new (I have no idea where they were used at the resort)
and they only set me back a dollar each!
They present creative opportunities for summertime decorating.
My first idea was to turn them into a decorative banner for the backyard:
I simply threaded the grommets on each flag onto a length of seam binding ribbon,
tied & swagged it from the strands of patio lights already installed overhead,
then used miniature white clothespins to keep the flags from sliding on the line.
[ note that the flag fabric is no where near the light bulbs. ]
Fluttering in the breeze, they bring bright patriotic color to the space.

So then I thought... what ELSE can I do with these out here?
What about a tablescape?

These flags lend themselves perfectly for use as placemats (easily washable nylon)
and they also bring color to the centerpiece-
simply a blue metal water cup filled with red geraniums from the yard.

They create a Nautical theme without too much fuss, 
and make simple details shine:
Easy little touches like folding a napkin into a sailboat shape make all the difference -
and yet take just seconds.
The white plastic food basket is available at Dollar Tree stores!

Picnic or poolside place setting tip:
Place plastic / paper cup over a (full) soda can or bottle to keep the cup from blowing away.

I know most DIY / Decor Bloggers will shudder that I actually put this super-simple table in a post,
but Red Solo Cups have their place (and it's not always at a kegger). 
Sometimes you just want easy. 
Forget the foofing and fussing and planning, and just sit back and enjoy - 
then dump the disposable plastic dishes in the trash.
I'm not advocating doing this ALL the time, mind you, 
but some days just call for EASY.
It's SUMMER, for goodness sakes!
[ More on THAT subject in Monday's post......]
.
... and you know what the perfect front door 'welcome' would be for this look, right?
uh huh.
seen sixty gazillion times on Pinterest, this utterly brilliant design and photo is by
Tell It to Your Neighbor

(so, see, you don't have to throw out the cups after all. CRAFT with 'em!).

shared online:


Practically Functional | Creativity Unleashed


Cupcakes & Crinoline | Project Inspire{d}

Creative Country Mom | Home Sweet Garden Party
.


6.26.2014

My Creative Source

Many (many) years ago, there was a little redheaded girl who loved to read.
LOVED. TO. READ.
Loved it SO much that she hid in her room reading all the time,
and her mom & grandma would literally kick her outside and close the door,
entreating her to 'Go Play!'.
Most of the time, I DID go play - bikes, barbies, kiddles, house, swimming, skating -
with my neighborhood friends, 
until dusk fell and the streetlights came on and Moms called their kids in to dinner.

Other times, I sneaked a book out of the house - under my tee shirt - 
 and climbed the tree in the yard to read hidden among the branches, undisturbed.

And there was this one book.....
the 'Make and Do' volume of the Childcraft 'How and Why' Library from World Book.
ah, the wonders it held inside!
Every page revealed creative ideas GALORE.
Pages dog-eared from being folded over for 'things I want to make'.
Cover sticky with remnants of paste and glitter and paint.

I made things for Christmas and holidays and birthdays and every days.

Oh, how I loved that book.
In later years, my mom gave me the whole World Book set for MY kids, 
and they loved it just as much as I did.

A week ago, I went into a thrift store and there was the whole set of the books. 
[ not MY actual set, mind you ]

I rifled through them in a split second, looking for the familiar cover...

and breathed a huge sigh of relief when I found it!
I bought it for the grand sum of FIFTY CENTS and brought it home.
I sat on the twin bed in my office, which is covered with a white matlasse spread - 
reminding me of my own childhood bed all those years ago.
On hot summer days back then, I lived for 'rest time' -
 I was too old for naps, but it helped my mom get my little brother to nap if I laid down, too -
but I never argued about it,
because THAT was when I could curl up on my bed with this book, 
and just devour its enticing and inspiring contents - page by page:
 So, when I came home the other day,
I did exactly that... devoured it from cover to cover.

And on one particular page,
I spied something that I realized had been embedded in my mind all of my life.
It brought a smile to my face as I read it,
because the formation of my homewardFOUND philosophy
of using what you have to make beautiful things
started right in this very book when I was a child:
Tin Cans? yep. Buttons? yep. Balloons? yep.
I've shared posts for craft and decor ideas using all of those elements - and many more.
(Sweaters aren't specifically mentioned here, but let's just go with the 'cloth' reference, shall we?!)

What a thrill to see something that inspired me so much as a child
and formed one of my most definitive design qualities: re-purposing everyday items into decor.

I didn't just find a treasured book last week...
I found another part of ME!