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Showing posts with label Pinterest. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Pinterest. Show all posts

10.01.2018

creatively speaking...

.
for the past few months, i have posted a quote on social media every Sunday.
the quotes are always about creativity, 
these words of wisdom have been helpful to me while wrestling with some facets of my own creativity...

you see, a while back, i lost my joy in creating. 

oh there was still the undertaking of projects and posting about them online, 
but really it was pretty much just a lot of going through the motions 
and hoping that my mojo would return.
nothing about my creative process was easy or flowing or remotely satisfying.
add in the pressure of keeping up with what's happening on social media,
and the result was complete overwhelm and a shutdown of the creative cycle.

something had to change.
i began to journal and read and spend time in nature, getting away from screens 
that were filled with the results of other people's imagination and creativity, 
taking time to consider what my aching heart was trying to teach me.

and then... an epiphany....
(continue reading)

6.01.2018

beach in a jar

summer, original designs, diy decorating, DIY, decorating, seashells, Pinterest, beach style, beach in a jar, homewardFOUND
it's JUNE! that puts me in a summery mood, how about you?

way back in 2013, i shared '5 ways to decorate with seashells' in a post...
while they were all good ideas, i can say that based on pins, re-pins, and blog post visits, 
THIS ONE has been the overwhelming fave every summer since then.

it's a perfect time to revisit this easy summer decor project!

continue reading to see how simple it is to create variations of your own...

3.16.2016

Plan B. No, Really.....

...welcome back to the continuing story (saga?!) of 'project HOMEWARD' !

You've seen this image of the plot plan, site plan, and floor plan of our new house in a past post:
I have an image file that's been filling up with photos of the build in progress,
from bare dirt to complete house and everything in between
(I'll create a slideshow and share it when it's all done!)
but with our walk through and delivery date just TWO WEEKS AWAY,
I thought I'd share a bit of the detail about our new house...
 This is our floor plan...
'Plan B', according to the builder's schematic: Lot 101. Plan 1-B.

(some of the options are noted there; more about them in the future...
and let me tell ya', selecting all of those options is daunting - but FUN!)

The house is wonderful and spacious,
 and there's one particular thing we love most: NO STAIRS!
There are days when we literally drag our poor selves up three levels to the bedrooms in the current house, groaning and wincing in pain, and we don't like that reminder that we are old. Not one bit.
So this one-level house is a dream! 

The layout of the house is more than perfect for the two of us and our lifestyle...
it's the SECOND reason we both fell in love with it.

(along with the 'no stairs' thing!)

There are two bedrooms located at the front of the house, 
and two more bedrooms (including the Master) located at the back.
This gives us both privacy and space for our own activities, offices, etc.
in addition to the main living spaces that we'll share.
The rooms at the front of the house will be my bedroom and 'sitting room/office'
where I run my business (and BLOG!), 
while Mom gets the luxurious master suite at the back.
The room is so huge that she plans to put her desk/office in there, as well.

The 'guest room' is also going to serve as our craft room...
We'll set up the sewing machine there, have the closet for storage, 
and I am going to build at least one work table on wheels
that can fit over the bed, but easily move out of the way for guests.
That way, it's not a room that is used only once a month... it's used a LOT!

We thought about making the laundry room 'multi purpose' and putting the craft table there,
but there's already gonna' be enough going on in that room on a daily basis.
The guest room is a more workable plan.
(We also have a workbench for the garage for heavy-duty projects.)

For us, this use of the space just makes sense.
We're re-thinking not just how our existing  furnishings and decor  will be re-used,
but also how the house's square footage can best be utilized for our every day life.

Even if you've lived in your house for YEARS, you can do this...

look at the space with a fresh eye and stop letting past use determine future use.


Is your big dining room a catch-all for junk, but never used as an eating space - 

while your tiny den is the gathering place during meals to watch TV?
Switch 'Em! 

Move the comfy sofas and the TV into the bigger room,
add a huge coffee table at a higher height, and eat in comfort while you watch the game.
Put the dining room table and chairs in the tiny den for homework or games.

Why NOT? There are no 'room police' who will report you.
There are no 'home decor rules' which CAN'T be broken
(even though hundreds of internet articles SAY there are)...

it's YOUR house. Use the space the way YOU want to!
Make your OWN Plan B!


Our other Fave Features in the new house?

*The laundry room is IN THE HOUSE, not the garage!
After 36 years of schlepping laundry to and from the garage, my Mom is THRILLED about this! 
*Speaking of garages.... it's a 3 car garage! BOTH of our cars will fit inside
(which is something that hasn't happened at either of our homes.... EVER....)
plus a one-car garage space that will house shelving for storage of all the party stuff. 
*There is a covered loggia / patio off the dining room,
which expands our entertaining space. Did I mention we LOVE throwing parties?!
*The main living spaces are big, wide, and open with lots of sunlight.
No more tiny kitchen shut off from the party!
*The kitchen has more than THREE TIMES the counter space and storage
as the one my Mom has had for the past 36 years (which was built in 1972).
She's excited about her 'Party-Planning Headquarters'!
*Off the kitchen, there's a hallway. In the hallway, there's a spot for a WINE BAR!
(We will be located in wine country, after all...
and having lots of parties. Did I mention that?)

There's a lot more to love, and you'll be hearing about that in my upcoming posts.
Next Post? Our choices for the surfaces!
(They are installing the flooring right now, as I type this, and we hope to see it TOMORROW!)

12.02.2014

Unplanned Break...

My friends, I am just not up to finishing the post I had in progress for Wednesday morning...
my Dad is in the hospital, fighting cancer,
with developments today that have overwhelmed our family.

My mind is just not on decorating or the holidays right now.
Hopefully I will get back to blogging for a post on Saturday, 
but depending on how things progress over the next few days,
that may or may not happen.
My family is my first priority, and I know you understand that.
I'll be back when I can.

In the meantime,
I am offering this 'commercial break':
You'll find loads of holiday cheer, inspiration, tutorials, and projects
on my December: Everything Holiday! Pinterest board.

And if you are so inclined, 
your healing thoughts and prayers would be very much appreciated
by this girl who just wants her Daddy around for a long time to come...

4.17.2014

Fix It Up: FAB Folding Chairs!

You may have to break out the folding tables and chairs for Easter guests, 
but here's an option for doing it in STYLE:

 Give them a shot of color with a fresh paint job and new upholstery!

Take the upholstered back and seat cushions off of your chairs,
spray paint the metal chairs a bright, happy color,
cover the upholstered cushions with fresh new fabric and re-attach with screws.
Protect the fabric with Scotchguard spray - or use oilcloth fabric!


My Mom was inspired by this idea when she saw it on Pinterest
[ she loves a good project as much as I do! ]
and now several of her 'drab' folding chairs have been transformed into FAB decor accents - 
ones that most likely won't be going back into storage
because they match her colorful tropical decor out on the patio!

[ Have you seen my Weekend Makeover of her patio? Check it out HERE ]

8.22.2013

DIY Gold!

I'm all about sharing 'Fast, Cheap & Easy'TM ideas 
that make use of the 'everyday stuff' you have on hand...
giving things a little boost or using them in a new way 
to help you attain Seasonal Style at Home.

Well, when I saw THIS idea on a friend's blog, it was just SO easy and SO perfect

for our seasonal transition from summer to fall
that I contacted him to ask if I could share it here on HOMEWARDfound...
and he said yes!

Michael of Inspired by Charm was inspired by Jan of Poppycock 
who pinned this fun idea for painting kids' magnetic letters with paint -  
and he re-created the idea using very trendy gold paint.
Now if that's not a case of 'making do' with STYLE, I don't know what is!

Head over to Inspired by Charm to see Michael's post 
and follow his tips for adding a little gleam to your fridge!




Click 'Read More' on the left to find out what ELSE Michael is up to!

3.25.2013

Be a Good Egg!

so many fabulous egg-related decor ideas are floating around the internets right now:
literally hundreds of ideas for coloring Easter eggs and making patterned Easter eggs 
and ideas for making wreaths and topiaries from plastic Easter eggs. 
LOVE the creativity i see out there!

but.... what if you don't celebrate Easter
or what if you just want a more subdued palette?

you're in luck! 
(and good company, to be honest... pastel eggs are NOT my thing. 
the closest i got to them was when i brought home 
two dozen brightly-colored 'Cascarones' from a visit to Texas one spring.)

so today, i offer up some inspiration 
for creating spring decor with un-decorated eggs!
some are real, and some aren't.... use papier mache', clay, wood, or ceramic eggs.
first up, an ostrich egg (HUGE) embellished with a strip of vintage sheet music.
[the title 'Song of the Bird' was a perfect fit!]
i nestled the finished egg into a handmade birdsnest, 
then sat the nest on a 'pedestal' of an upside-down milk glass lamp shade (with the narrow end up).

here's a photo of the same egg standing UP in the nest, without the glass base:

another idea is to create a small vignette inside a glass jar...
and this works perfectly when you are using real (blown) eggs, because they are protected.
[note: do not - under any circumstances - 
forget to blow the eggs, and then seal them in a jar. 
BAAAAAAAD side effects :( ]

a little nest of grass is placed in the jar and an egg nestled into it.
a scrap of vintage sheet music or a poem with a Spring theme might be inserted as a 'backdrop',
and a strip with an appropriately 'Spring-y' title is glued onto the jar as a label.
i also covered the jar tops with a scrap of burlap, tied with twine.

[i use pickle or olive jars from thrift stores. 
they come in medium and large sizes, are wider than mason jars, and have no embossing on the sides to blur the contents]

this LARGE handmade nest sits atop an aged garden urn.
[i used ivy and hops vines from the yard to make it]
moss from a corner of the yard fills the center of the nest,  providing a soft resting place for a few eggs.
a glass garden cloche finishes off the look perfectly.
[you could also tuck in some gardener's gloves, hand tools, and some bulbs 
for a perfect Spring gift!]

then again, you don't really have to have a nest...
a simple egg presentation:
a glass salt cellar or napkin ring can hold an egg,
and a clear stemless wineglass as a 'dome' will finish it off with style.
if you write each guests' name on the egg, these are perfect place cards!
_________________________________

those last two shots are a bit of a sneak-peek - 
they are part of a garden-theme project and photoshoot last winter in Seattle
that i'll be sharing here on the HOMEWARDfound blog later this week.

i am delighted that photos from that shoot are featured
in the Spring issue of Creating Vintage Charm magazine!

2.15.2013

Heartfelt Thanks


thank you all for playing along for the past month,
visiting the HOMEWARDfound blog, facebook page, pinterest boards, and HOMEtalk posts!
the countdown is over...
but you can still catch up on all 31 posts - just click here!


[ and stay tuned.... SPRING IS COMING! ]

2.12.2013

tout de suite


Welcome to Day 29!

imagine if the shelves shown in yesterday's post were in a kitchen, instead of in my office.
 you could create a quick little display tout de suite*
just by raiding the kitchen cabinets & drawers:


 cake pans, cupcake wrappers & box, cookie cutters, and a few edible goodies
become decor items! easy. or, rather...

[*tout de suite ]
which is one of the most common expressions in the French language,
and is just one of several ways to say "right away, immediately."

now what if you grabbed a little bit more from the kitchen,
and pulled together a candy bar beneath those shelves?

it might look a lil' something like this:


the best part? 
the candy AND darling 'cookies on a stick' ALL came from the dollar store
and the glass vases & candleholders came from thrift shops!

This is a simple, easy idea for a family-time Valentine's Day dessert
that your kids are sure to love

* leftover Christmas candycanes fit the color scheme and fill up a huge vase
* smaller lidded jars hold cheap but cute dollar store candies,
and a tiny butter dome holds some jellied fruits wrapped in red & white wrappers
 * decorated cookies-on-a-stick stand in a cup lined with doilies
* dotted wrapping paper forms the base of the decor


* an overturned custard dish acts as a pedestal for a cupcake
[and a flattened cupcake paper forms a colorful 'saucer' beneath it]
* small red glass heart plates stand inside raised candleholders, secured with hard wrapped candies

several other ideas from HOMEWARDfound are shown above:

wrapped glass vases [view post here]

bakers' twine tags [view tutorial here]

shared online:
2016: one project closer | creativity unleashed link party
 

1.23.2013

Creating Vintage Charm


Welcome to Day 9! 

 today I'd like to share an inspiring resource with you:
Creating Vintage Charm Magazine


this is an absolutely beautiful publication released bi-monthly
from the creative soul of writer, photographer, stylist, and editor Sonia Crouse.
Sonia has assembled a group of creative regular contributors for her magazine
that embody the many styles and moods of romantic decor with a feminine voice...

* photographer & stylist Janet Coons of Shabbyfufu
* photographer & designer Victoria Hayden of Whimsy by Victoria
* photographer Anne Christian Lorys of Fiona & Twig
* artist & stylist Sonia Crouse of Creating Vintage Charm
* designer & decorator Siobhan Volkanovski of The Vintage Dormer
 * designer & artisan Heather Anderson of Post Road Vintage
 and me,
* designer & stylist Debi Ward Kennedy of HOMEWARDfound Decor

each issue also features lovely guest features by and about women
who are traveling, cooking, creating, building businesses, decorating their homes -
all living with vintage charm...
women like Karen Hillman, who hosts the Queens of Art event


the magazine is available in print via MagCloud,
in single copies or an annual subscription.

 these photos are just a petite taste of the content inside each issue...

and NOW,

you can find the same beautiful kinds of inspiring images that appear in the magazine
on a new Pinterest board:"Creative Vintage Contributors"
features images of the original projects, work, creations, homes, and styling
pinned by the contributors to the magazine
 follow by clicking here for sneak peeks of upcoming issues! 
 
Creating Vintage Charm Links
website
 

 stay tuned for the next post in our daily countdown, coming up tomorrow
here on the blog or on ONE of these social networking sites: