tiki punch!

this recent project in our backyard makes me feel like we're time-traveling back to the sixties!

remember these guys? 

these Tikis were in Mom & Dad's backyard for over 20 years, and i featured their first 'makeover'
as part of my 'Thrifty Weekend Makeover' series here on the blog a few years ago.
(that post is really gettin' hits right now because of the 'one step bamboo fence makeover tip' in it!)

well, we saved those tikis when we moved to the new house, 
but we didn't think we'd use them... except for a party, maybe.
here in the desert /wine country, it just seems out of context to have Hawaiian decor.

then i saw some photos from Palm Springs Mid-Century Modern Week.
and an idea came to mind for an area of our backyard that needed a little punch.

... keep reading to see how i created some TIKI PUNCH!

the grass is greener...

...when it's faux!

because we live in a dry desert climate here in SoCal, we work hard to conserve water.
(which cracks me up, having lived north of Seattle for 18 years with more water than i knew what to DO with!)
one of the things we've done to keep our consumption down
is the choice to install artificial turf when designing our backyard.
the color is perfect all year long, there is NO maintenance - just picking up a few tree leaves and rose petals,
and because all of our landscape plants are on a drip system, no one else needs to come back here.
it's our own private oasis!

continue reading to see how i used faux turf to solve a few challenges...

orange crush

one of the best things about decorating with a neutral palette is flexibility...
it's easy to add in a vibrant new color accent each season, to bring new energy to rooms.
adding in fresh accessories affects your rooms like an exclamation point!

here in the home i share with Mom, that accent color is most often orange.
Mom once painted the front door of my childhood brown and white tract house bright persimmon,
and planted marigolds in matching wood planters on the front porch...
it shocked the neighbors, but delighted me! i thought Mom was a genius! (i still do)

she's basically had a crush on orange for most of her life - it's a happy color! - so it works for us.

there's a secondary hallway in our home, and it's dark. even with a window at the end, it's just dreary.
it has needed a touch of warmth and light and color. of course, i figured that it would be orange!
and when i saw THIS on Pinterest, i knew it was the solution...

continue reading to find out what inspired me!

Mother, May I?

ok, friends, Mother's Day is this coming Sunday!
here are some easy and creative last-minute ideas for your celebrations...

continue reading to see all of my Mother's Day posts!

decorating makeover tips

i think you might be convinced that doing your own makeovers is hard. 
and expensive. and that perhaps it's just tooooooo much for you to try. 

i really want to dispel those doubts, and show you how to get started -

because it's all about USING WHAT YOU ALREADY HAVE!

and you've made my room makeover posts some of the most popular here on homewardFOUND -
so let's revisit them and get some fresh inspiration!

continue reading for my 'how to' tips for your OWN free makeover...

When In Doubt, Paint It!

when in doubt, paint it! that mantra has served me well for most of my life.

when something doesn't *quite* fit the plan or the design scheme,
paint sweeps in to save the day - and MONEY!
this project is a perfect example of how a quick change of color can make all the difference
between the dreaded 'keep or toss' decision.

continue reading to see how paint transformed and saved a leftover...

May Day 'Posie Pails'

here's a simple tutorial for a May Day flower holder - from a tin can!
it's time to go back to the days when we left flowers on our neighbors' doorknobs
on May Day, don't you think?

this project, my friends, is a real 'blast from the past'...
not only did i paint hundreds and hundreds of my tin can pails for years,
but i also created this idea using seed packets as artwork for a simple DIY version...
and shared it here on homewardFOUND waaaaaaay back in 2013! yes, FIVE years ago!

...continue reading for my easy tutorial to make what i am now calling 'Posie Pails'!

Wrap a Vase in Lace for Mom!

Dollar Store Crafts. we ALL do it! hey, if i can find cheap supplies for home decor, i'll use 'em.

the thing is, decor doesn't have to LOOK cheap... 

adding a simple flourish to an inexpensive element raises your decor from 'basic' to EXTRA.

case in point - these simple clear glass vases from the Dollar Tree. 

paired with a lace doily or section of a lace tablecloth, they look positively elegant for spring!

continue reading for more details...