Sweet Sweater Santa hat tutorial

along with our homes, i think WE deserve some 'decorative' touches for the holiday season!

my original Sweet Sweater Santa hats have been my go-to December accessory for a decade now,

and wherever i wear them they garner smiles.

so i thought i'd share my SUPER easy method for making them!

continue reading for my easy NO SEW tutorial - 

PLUS some ideas for using them in other ways!

Sweet Sweater Nativity

i've made a lot of things this year,
and this project ended up being my very favorite one.

i've selected it as my very first 'official' holiday decor post
because for me, this is the 'reason for the season' -
observing and celebrating the birth of Jesus.
it is at the foundation of my faith, and fills my soul with joy.

this project began with the beautiful blown glass art of artist Helle Mardahl...
i was so inspired by the luminous colors and soft forms of her art in photos on Instagram
and they immediately made me think of human forms.
i turned a few small ceramic vessels and some tiny tree ornaments
into a charmingly sweet and simple nativity scene that reflects her art.

after i added sweater scraps to the mix, i HAD to call this a 'Sweet Sweater Nativity'!

continue reading for the very easy details...

it's a 'Sweet Sweater Season' holiday!

well, here we are, friends.... the holiday season is upon us!

i've been giving this year's theme a great deal of thought over the past months,

and have come up with something that isn't what you might expect to see.

i've decided to COMBINE holiday decor with winter decor!

combining two seasons into one ('holinter'??!)

means simplifying and focusing on creating decor that isn't specifically 'holiday'...

the goal is to S T R E T C H the decor impact from December all the way into February
so that i don't have to spend two weeks at the start of a new year
dealing with taking down the holiday stuff and putting out all-new winter stuff.

i really don't need more stuff.
i want less not more work after the holiday season!
i want more time for fun days on my brand new calendar,
and more time for reading and long winters' naps by the fire. or pool. whatever!
and this season, i'm making it happen.

are you in?! 

...continue reading for some sweet sneak peeks!

Thanksgiving tablescape

for my Thanksgiving table decor this year,

i've rounded up most of the newest pumpkins i created

along with my new Sweet Sweater 'Shrooms and scrap paper leaves.

together, they created a table with a warm golden glow that is perfect for fall

and i didn't have to buy a thing. LOVE that.

ps: at the end of this post, i've linked ALL of my Thanksgiving tablescape ideas

that you've seen here on the blog since i began in 2012!

continue reading to see the easy details...

fall paper leaf arrangement

i've had to get creative to bring a fall feel into my home

(there's not a fall leaf in sight outside and it's still in the 90's... sigh)

but i've managed to find a way! it's PAPER!

some of the leaves from the wreath in my last post joined with new ones

along with faux florals + leaves and a branch from my backyard tree

to create this lovely fall arrangement.

it's easy-peasy AND it won't fall apart! (hah. pun not intended)

continue reading for more details...

honeycomb paper mushrooms!

surprise!

this project and post wasn't planned -

 i was recently inspired by a cute creation on Insta, and had to try it for myself.

it worked so well that i wanted to share it here...

so i'm popping it into my late fall content before i switch to holiday!

continue reading to see what inspired me and how EASY this project is!

fall wreath with scrap paper leaves

here in Southern California, we don't get 'fall leaves'. 

not at my elevation, anyway. up in the mountains it's a bit different.

the leaves down here in the flat desert turn from green to brown in July when the heat hits.

if they aren't blown off of the trees by the Santa Ana winds in September,

they hang on until January when the new leaf buds push them off.

it's harder yet when you've lived somewhere else that actually has a fall season.

i really miss being able to forage the forest for glowing red, orange, and yellow leaves.

since that possibility no longer exists for me,

i had to find another way to express a fall feeling in my home this time of year...

and i found the solution in my recycling bin!

continue reading for a quick tutorial on turning scrap paper into fall leaves - and more!

NEW! Sweet Sweater 'Shrooms!

happy November, friends!
no, i am not done with fall yet!
there are so many beautiful things in nature in fall that inspire me...
and when i saw mushrooms of all types and materials going crazy online,

 i came up with my newest Sweet Sweater creation:

 Sweet Sweater 'Shrooms!

these are a fast, fun, easy craft / diy decor project perfect for fall and Thanksgiving
that i had a lot of fun making - i hope you will, too!

continue reading for my newest no-sew sweater decor tutorial...