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Showing posts with label crafting. Show all posts
Showing posts with label crafting. Show all posts

3.08.2024

faux spring leaves made from ribbon

spring,re-purposing,trash to treasure,natural elements,DIY,decorating,inspired by nature,tutorial,diy decorating,up-cycling,crafting,DIY leafy spring branches,faux leaves,fabric leaves.
my last post included these leafy branches
that aren't leafy branches at all!

the trees in my yard haven't yet put on spring buds or leaves,
so i had to find a way to turn some bare branches into props for photos...
i've done that before with paper flowers and paper leaves,
but this time i used a different material to make the leaves:
thick satin ribbon saved from gift baskets.

they turned out SO much more realistic than i had anticipated,
and i'm thrilled to share this idea with you!

continue reading for the easy tutorial...

2.23.2024

ease into spring with a faux moss wreath

spring,winter,wreaths,decorating,diy decorating,DIY,wall art,seasonal,transitional,winter to spring decor,home decor,tutorial,white,crafting,dollar store crafts,re-purposing,up-cycling,.

spring's arrival is just around the corner!
here's an easy way to ease into it...

i'm pairing my white fabric wreath that i created this winter
with a new element for spring - along with a few other items -
and i love how it bridges this 'winter into spring' time of year. 

even the smallest changes can reflect nature
and refresh your home decor in just minutes.
big changes are good - but they don't ALL have to be big.

continue reading for an easy wreath + decor tutorial!

9.12.2023

repurposed crochet hat pumpkin

pumpkins,Sweet Sweater Pumpkins,fall,tutorial,DIY,diy decorating,up-cycling,re-purposing,crafting,thrifted,boho style,colorful home,decorating,granny squares,crochet hat pumpkin,fabric pumpkins,fall home decor, diy fall home decor, diy home decor, diy pumpkins.
i'm a hat girl. always have been. i love wearing them
and have a pretty big collection of hats for every season.
i have thick straight hair and on the many days when it won't cooperate,
i just pop a ballcap or sunhat or cloche on my head and fuhgeddaboutit.

the only hats i don't like on my head are beanies. my forehead's too big.
but when i found THIS beanie, i fell in love with it and had to buy it...
because the moment i saw it, i KNEW it had to become a pumpkin!
here i am using things in ways they weren't intended to be used again LOL

continue reading for my tutorial (which is much like my sweet sweater pumpkin tute)...

8.29.2023

NEW: beach towel pumpkins!

fall,summer,tropical style,vintage style,coastal style,pumpkins,beach towel pumpkins,DIY,diy decorating,re-purposed,up-cycling,beach style,colorful home,decorating,crafting,original designs,pumpkin decorating,fabric pumpkins,tutorial.
as August comes to a close in the weirdest way possible
(a hurricane in Southern California? AND an earthquake? okay....)
i am still stretching 'summer' to the very last moment
with this new original pumpkin design...
dare i say 'it's time for beach blanket bingo'??!!

i've noodled the idea of creating pumpkins using colorful beach towels for awhile... 
first i tried to make them the same way i do my famous sweater pumpkins
but towels just don't *squish* like sweaters do - even thin ones.
 i tried a kind of 'gathered' approach - nope. still too bulky.

then one day i was scrolling Instagram,
and right there in front of me was a fantastical, incredible, creative,
 ORIGINAL and colorful new form of art that just blew my mind -
AND solved my pumpkin problem!

continue reading to see what i saw, and how i translated that into pumpkins!

8.15.2023

easy raffia-wrapped TROPI-fall pumpkins

fall,pumpkins,tropical style,beach style,boho style,DIY,diy decorating,decorating,home decor,re-purposed,up-cycling,dollar store crafts,crafting,tutorial,pumpkins decorating,fall pumpkins,diy pumpkins,raffia pumpkins,dollar tree raffia hula skirt. 
yes, i'm creating a few new 'tropical' style pumpkins this month!
these work together with my previous creations -
and since the summer heat is still in full force right now,
it's the ONLY way i can succumb to the siren call of autumn.

the pumpkins up above are SO easy to make,
(i think they'd look just as cute nestled into galvanized buckets
for some fall farmhouse style vibes!)
and just wait until you see what they're made of!

continue reading to find out my secret... 

5.10.2023

giant paper flowers

spring, Mother's Day, flowers, DIY, crafting, decorating, dollar store crafts, tutorial, garden style, diy decorating, paper crafts, paper, vintage paper, paper flowers, diy paper flowers.
sometimes it's just best to go BIG, you know?
i've been a retail visual merchandiser + display designer / stylist for over 45 years,
and have made a LOT of props in my lifetime...
and i learned that whether you're creating a window display
or an event display or a photo backdrop, large scale has the most impact.

making big things can get costly, tho - unless you use inexpensive materials
like paper, tissue, and repurposed/upcycled elements.

the flowers you see up above were created for use in an event entry display,
and are made from new cardstock paper -
but i've made similar ones from vintage book pages, too.
can't you just imagine flowers made out of repurposed MAPS?
old newspapers? magazine pages? gift wrapping paper?
yep, so can i!

i can also see them decorating a lovely Mother's Day brunch setting,
or as decor in a nursery or girls' room.

continue reading for a quick tutorial and loads of inspo...

5.03.2023

grandma's button flowers

spring, mothers day, just for fun, flowers, DIY, crafting, decorating, dollar store crafts, tutorial, garden style, diy decorating, grandmas buttons, button flowers
did your grandma have a button box?
mine did, and i spent many hours playing with the colorful contents as a child.
 when my Grandma Ward passed, i was given her button box.
to this day just looking at it makes me smile...

 i decided to start collecting buttons of my own to add to her tin,
so i grabbed them at garage sales and thrift stores
and sometimes even bought some from craft stores.

when i began using the buttons in home decor projects.
one of the projects i undertook was to make button flowers:
spring, mothers day, just for fun, flowers, DIY, crafting, decorating, dollar store crafts, tutorial, garden style, diy decorating, grandmas buttons, button flowers
those were made back in the early 2000's!
it's such an easy project that kids can do it, too.

continue reading for my easy tutorial... 

4.29.2023

faux food flower 'cupcakes'

spring, flowers, garden style, foofoo Faux Food, DIY, diy decorating, decorating, just for fun, dollar store crafts, crafting, styling a spring tiered tray, tiered tray decor, faux cupcakes, faux cupcake decor .
continuing with my floral theme for this month,
i whipped up these fanciful floral 'faux food' cupcakes...
which i did not make with butter, eggs, sugar, and flour.

my friend Sasha ('Saucy') decorates very real cakes and cupcakes
with the most fantastical elements - like frosting flowers.
her delightful creations inspired these flower-decorated cupcakes,
and also inspired my faux gingerbread cake last December.

some projects have a lot of prep, a lot of elements, a lot of steps.
this isn't one of those. this is a one-and-done decor project. easy-peasy. 
i can't even call this a 'tutorial' because it's SO easy.

don't believe me? continue reading!

4.26.2023

'flower power' coasters

spring ,just for fun, flowers, DIY, crafting, decorating, dollar store crafts, garden style, diy decorating, entertaining, outdoors, coasters, floral wine glass coasters, spring table decor.
a perfect way to add a spring touch to your entertaining,
these easy to make 'flower power' coasters can be created in any color -
and are really simple to assemble. after you disassemble, that is.

oh, wait, i'm getting ahead of myself...

continue reading for my easy tutorial...

4.19.2023

junky bloomz!

spring, flowers, garden, garden art, garden style, diy decorating, DIY, decorating, trash to treasure, re-purposed, up-cycling, crafting, junking, junk flowers, junk blooms, plastic plate flowers, tutorial
'reduce reuse recycle' is the leitmotif of my design & decor approach...
i'd much rather use what i already have on hand here at home
than 'buy more, store more, discard more'.
by using what i have, i'm challenging my own creativity
and making my life easier by not having to wrangle more storage bins! 

as i was cleaning out a cabinet in my studio recently,
i stacked miscellaneous items on my worktable and floor.
as i turned to grab something to put it back in the cabinet,
i saw that some of the elements stacked together created a 'flower' of sorts...

and deb was off on a creative adventure!
(yes, i KNOW it's actually procrastination but just go with me here, ok?!!!)

continue reading to see how many different flowers i created with 'junk'!

4.12.2023

NEW! Sweet Sweater Potz!

spring, garden style, flowers, DIY, diy decorating, Sweet Sweater Originals, Sweet Sweater Potz, sweaters, crafting, decorating, re-purposing, up-cycling, trash to treasure, flower pots, plant pots, tutorial
spring has sprung! 
one of my favorite passages in the Bible speaks of spring the way i think of it:

"For now the winter is past; the rain is over and gone.
The flowers appear on the earth, the time of singing birds has come,
and the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land.
The fig tree forms its early fruit; the blossoming vines spread their fragrance."
Song of Solomon 2:11-13

watching nature come back to life after a long cold winter revives me.
especially in a weird weather year like this one
(endless rain. snowing at DISNEYLAND! tornado near Los Angeles!),
i am always happy when spring finally arrives...
and if it doesn't arrive soon enough for me, i just create my own kind of spring vibe!

my newest Sweet Sweater Original TM creation is a nod to springtime
that i'll be enjoying for the next few months...

continue reading to see how simply you can create my Sweet Sweater Potz!

3.29.2023

garden light mushrooms

spring,DIY,diy decorating,home decor,colorful home,garden,garden art,garden style,crafting,dollar store crafts,up-cycling,re-purposing,spring home decor,spring garden decor,tutorial,garden lights,mushrooms,garden light mushrooms.
this month i have shared a bunch of ideas for creating and decorating with mushrooms.
this last one is kinda' sneaked into the blog lineup...
perfect for your yard OR indoors, these mushrooms lamps
are whimsical ways to repurpose household items
while you light up your summer evenings.

continue reading to see what inspired them and my easy tutorial...

3.18.2023

she made mushrooms from WHAT??!!!

spring,DIY,diy decorating,home decor,colorful home,crafting,up-cycling,re-purposing,garden style,just for fun,tutorial,spring home decor,mushrooms,spring crafts.
it's my birthday month - and when you combine that with my crazy theme of 

March Mushroom Madness  

you come up with this festive creation!
since my bday is this week, i decided this is the right time to share them!

have you figured out what i used to make them yet?

continue reading to see the details...

3.11.2023

pom pom mushrooms

spring,crafting,home decor,colorful home,DIY,diy decorating,dollar store crafts,up-cycling,re-purposing,just for fun,spring home decor,spring mushrooms,mushrooms,pom pom crafts, pom pom mushrooms,pom pom projects,tutorial.
pom poms are having a MOMENT, my friends...
showing up in the fashion world, in huge art installations, and home decor.
while most of them are WILD expressions of texture and color,
i wanted to incorporate pom poms in a more limited palette
(yesssss, i DO mean yellow! - because why not?!)

and since my recent mushroom-creating kick has led to

March Mushroom Madness

i found a way to make pom pom 'shroomies!

...continue reading to see how EASY they are!

2.27.2023

thrifted knit beanie mushrooms

sweaters, re-purposing, just for fun, DIY, crafting, home decor, thrifted, winter, colorful home, diy decorating, up-cycling, knitting, knit beanie caps, beanies, toques, knit mushrooms, mushrooms, winter, spring, mantel decor, Dollar Tree, thrift stores, mushroom decor.
you've heard of March Madness, yes? 
i may be pushing that description by embarking on my own twist:

March Mushroom Madness!

i've had some new 'shroom ideas rolling around in my noggin' for awhile now,
and i decided that since March is my birthday month,
i can do whatever i want. so mushrooms it is!
yep, all month long, you'll see the things that have been growing
in my super-charged imagination. 
(hold on tight, and keep your hands and arms inside the vehicle at all times!)

up first, my easy-peasy tutorial for making these happy mushrooms
using thrifted knit beanies and cheap ceramic vases!

continue reading for all of the details!

2.20.2023

cozy yarn winter flowers

diydecorating,seasonal,crafting,home decor,winter,tutorial,white,flowers,DIY,re-purposed,up-cycling,winter floral arrangment,winter flowers,winter home decor,yarn crafts,yarn,yarn flowers.
it's still winter, and i'm staying warm in my studio
while working on some new spring decor projects for future posts...
but in the meantime,
i'd love to share one last winter project to finish off February!

i'm calling these 'yarn flowers', made by combining winter elements
with a few stems of faux flowers to create this fun bouquet. 
(and yes, my new favorite loopy white yarn IS in there!)
it's an easy, creative way to add some whimsy to these cold days...

continue reading to see the details...

2.13.2023

NEW sweet sweater SNOcakes!

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after i posted my gingerbread sweater cake at the end of December,
i began seeing all kinds of 'sweater cakes' online...

winter,sweaters,Sweet Sweater Originals,Sweet Sweater SNOcakes,foofoo Faux Food,DIY,diy decorating,crafting,just for fun,white,sweater crafts,sweater weather,winter crafts, winter decor,winter decorating,diy winter decorating,faux cakes,faux food.
this gorgeous image from Lion Brand Yarn came up in my IG feed 
and MANY others are popping up on Pinterest -
utterly gorgeous real cakes that are frosted to look like cable knit sweaters.

i was particularly drawn to the white winter-y ones and knew i could replicate the look.
since i had everything i needed to create a faux cake,
i got busy creating my own 'Sweet Sweater' version.
and since it's still decidedly winter, i thought i'd share it here on the blog...
it's too late for more Valentine's Day decor, anyway!

continue reading to see the details - plus a few surprises!

1.30.2023

'gilded' hearts

Valentine's Day,hearts,winter,painting,tutorial,DIY,diy decorating,crafting,dollar store crafts,re-purposed,makeover,faux finish,home decor,winter home decor, Valentine's decorating,diy Valentine's Day decor,paint tricks,faux finish paint tutorial.
i guess i'm just different.
while the majority of people i see on social media are rushing to Target
for the release of new items every season and holiday,
i'm over here digging thru bins in my garage and studio
to find things i can revitalize and reuse to decorate my home.

case in point: these painted hearts.

i had an idea rolling around in my head to try to replicate gold leaf,
so i pulled these out and found two ways to try out my idea.
it cost me nothing at all! i had everything i needed on hand already.
and i didn't need any more storage space to keep a new project in!
(can you imagine if i kept every.last.project. i have ever made???
i'd have far more bins and boxes and shelves filled than i already do.
i'd have spent a lot more money, too!)

continue reading to see how i got these effects...

1.23.2023

make a cozy pillow cover!

white,DIY,diy decorating,home decor,seasonal,sweaters,crafting,yarn crafts,winter home decor,winter decorating,winter whites,yarn crafting,tutorial,diy bath mat pillow cover.
when i started this blog waaaay back in 2012,
i used the tagline 'fast, cheap & easy' - a LOT.
it's a big part of how my projects evolve -
based on my 45+ year career as a retail display designer & stylist.

in my profession, things aren't made to last forever - just a season.
that's a big part of why i use and RE-use elements & materials in my projects!
by doing that, i can avoid having even more stuff in storage bins than i already do
and i can have fun finding new ways to use everything i have on hand.

THIS 'fast, cheap & easy' project came about in the funniest way - 
continue reading to find out what i used and how easy it is to make!

1.16.2023

cozy yarn-wrapped winter wreath

white,DIY,diy decorating,home decor,seasonal,sweaters,crafting,yarn crafts,yarn-wrapped wreath,winter home decor,winter decorating,winter whites,wreaths,yarn crafting,tutorial
yes, Deb's gone a *bit* 'loopy' lately!
this soft chenille loopy yarn is finding its way into several projects around here
because it's so FUN - and makes me think of snow. (okay, and frosting! LOL)

i've found another way to use it for a winter home decor accent,
and i hope this easy tutorial inspires you to give it a try!

continue reading for my easy tutorial...