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1.12.2024

time for a change... a new 'mantel'!

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in November 2020, i created something i had wanted for a long while:
a faux fireplace and mantel, as a photo backdrop.

using some spare lumber and white paint
i cobbled together a simple 'fireplace' and attached it to
the old wood gate that hangs on my studio wall
(my dad built it in the 80's and i swiped it when he built a new one in 2013!)

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this backdrop has been in constant use since then, and has worked pretty well.
there have been a few times when it has not worked well -
usually when photographing a wreath or wall art
that was too big in scale to fit in the space above the mantel.
(and those sharp dark shadows from the 'firebox' drove me mad!)

in mid-December of '23, i decided it was time for a change
and tore that faux mantel and firebox enclosure apart!
the result is very satisfying.

continue reading for more details...

1.05.2024

welcome, winter...

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my personal word for this next year is light 
along with the many meanings that word encompasses.

 i often hear people talk about how dark winters are -
yet after we remove the holiday decor, our homes feel lighter. cleaner.
(and yes, some say emptier.) 
but do we really want to fill them up again with a lot of stuff? 
why not welcome the new year with the lightness of a refreshed home?

i'm embracing the aesthetic of lightness and simplicity this year,
as well as a renewed focus on the beauty of nature in every season.
that's going to affect the way i approach my own home decor
and by extension the content i share here to inspire you.

as i plan and create new projects for the upcoming season,
i'm asking myself questions about how i want my home to feel,
how i want to feel IN my home, and how i can inspire you
to create a home you love to live in.

continue reading to see where i'm heading...

12.29.2023

winter inspiration

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the new year beckons with possibilities...
if you're looking for winter home decor tutorials and projects
to inspire you to create a home you love to live in,

new winter content posts begin in january!


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12.22.2023

wishing you the happiest holidays

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Christmas arrives in just a few days,
with a New Year on the horizon...

as we wrap up 2023,
i want to express my deep gratitude for your visits, likes, and comments
on my seasonal home decor content across social media platforms,
as well as to the generous bloggers and home publications
who have featured my projects over the past year.

i love the creative community we have all built together,
and truly appreciate your support & encouragement. it means the world to me.
and i really LOVE it when you tell me that i inspired you to make something new!

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i so enjoyed your happy responses to my 'terra cotta Christmas' themed posts,
and you can imagine my smile when i spied these items on the Terrain website:
apparently i wasn't the only one obsessed with terra cotta pots this holiday season!

i'd love to hear from you what your favorite homewardFOUND post was this year,
and what you hope to see from me in 2024...
some fun project images are already sent off for publication,
with ideas for new winter-into-spring decor projects percolating in my brain.

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i'm currently enjoying the end of this year and the dawning of the new one
while embracing some quiet time and 'artist dates'
to refresh and refuel my creativity as i plan for 2024 projects + content.

i hope you find time to do the same - 
disconnect, rest, renew, and revive yourself
in whatever ways you need to.

wishing you the merriest of Christmases
and happiness in the new year!

creatively, deb

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12.15.2023

terra cotta Christmas: a simply natural table

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i'm gonna' be honest, i got stuck on this one.
just how do you incorporate terra cotta pots into a tablescape?

keep it simple.

as always, i used what i had on hand,
combined some varied colors and textures and elements,
and didn't try to do anything that YOU can't do in your home, too.

continue reading for a few easy ideas...

12.08.2023

terra cotta Christmas: 2 nativity scenes

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when i was thinking about ideas for a terra cotta pot nativity,
i looked online - and every rendition i saw was 'cute'. and painted.
not what i wanted, which is good -
it means what i've created is different than what other people have done!
(always my goal)

i wanted the same kind of simple, modern/contemporary style i've done before
that would coordinate with the other terra cotta decor elements i've made this year.

then i grabbed a traditional nativity scene
and shzooshed it up a bit with paint ;) 

continue reading to see how easy it is to transform something
into something ELSE ...

12.01.2023

terra cotta Christmas: faux painted tree ornaments

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while i'm having fun finding all kinds of ways
to use terra cotta flower pots in my theme this holiday season,
i needed to expand the scope... enter my favorite tool: PAINT!

i rounded up some unused ornaments from my stash
and transformed them using my faux terra cotta paint technique.
it's easy, cheap, and a great way to revive unused items!

continue reading for the details and some of my top tree decorating tips...

11.24.2023

terra cotta Christmas: clay pot wreaths

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we've all seen beautiful wreaths made from terra cotta pots,
filled with herbs or succulents or flowers - in springtime.
i wanted to create a wreath made of pots
that fit this year's terra cotta Christmas theme...
simple, subtle, natural. and 'wintery' in feel.

the result is two wreaths that include terra cotta pots - 
one is a wreath of greens embellished with 'bells' made from pots,
the other a wreath made entirely of pots.
(and when i did a Google search, i didn't see any that looked like mine!)

they represent two different styles that can be made in varied sizes
for a variety of uses in your holiday decor!

continue reading to see tutorials for two variations of holiday wreaths...