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Showing posts with label sweaters. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sweaters. Show all posts

3.01.2024

NEW! 'Sweet Sweater Nest' for Spring

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springtime is time for a NEW 'Sweet Sweater' Original creation!

 i've created various versions of nests over the years
from all different kinds of material (posts linked below) - 
this year, i hatched an idea for one made from sweater scraps!
(does that surprise anyone at all? i bet not!)

i love the more natural, rustic look that resulted from my new method,
and have created a tutorial to help you get the same results...

...continue reading for my 'Sweet Sweater Nest' tutorial

10.31.2023

painted 'chocolate' pumpkins on a sweet sweater cake

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a fitting conclusion to my recent faux food project posts,
this one really takes the cake....

this project came about because i had some tiny styro pumpkins,
which made me start thinking about making a very REAL cake
like my Mom used to make every fall when i was a kid.
it was always a round two-layer chocolate cake with chocolate icing
and adorned with tiny orange candy pumpkins all along the top edge.
i loved that cake.
we took them to school fall celebrations and church harvest festivals.
we took mini versions - cupcakes - to friend's houses.
we never brought any of it home, either!!! everyone loved it.

instead, i decided to make a fall 'cake' in my own style...
because deb does NOT need more calories!

continue reading for the before and after...

9.05.2023

a NEW LOOK for my Original Sweet Sweater Pumpkins!

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september is here, and you know what THAT means...
it's time for sweater weather AND sweater pumpkins!!!

i've been making + selling my Original Sweet Sweater Pumpkins TM since 2007,
and while i haven't sold any since i had my little hwf shop in 2017,
i occasionally still make new versions!
in 2021 i made a batch of new yellow 'sweeties' for myself, 
and this year after creating a huge new multicolor batch for my daughter Bethany,
i've made a revision to the way i finish them...

continue reading for a quick addition to my original tutorial...

6.14.2023

NEW! sweet sweater 'sandy' cake

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a question i am often asked is 'where do you get your ideas from?'
i'm honestly inspired by everything! 
from the color combinations i see in nature to memories of my childhood
to objects i see that make me ask "can i make that out of a sweater?!"
i am never without ideas to investigate (which is why deb doesn't sleep....)

one of my long-time online friends from the 'way back' blogging days (early 90's)
is the most incredible cake decorator and baker i have ever seen.
Sasha (@saucybakes on IG) has a wild imagination and wicked talent,
and her creations never fail to make me
 A. hungry and B. intrigued about replicating them in my own style.

back in 2022 i was inspired by Sasha to create a cake
using sweaters, as my own 'birthday cake',
which then led to creating a faux holiday cake and a faux frosty wintery cake.

a recent post on her IG account showed a 'Little Mermaid' themed cake
with shells and sprinkle 'sand'...
so i started thinking about making a summery 'sand cake'
with a sweater and seashells and a few other elements. 

continue reading to see how i interpreted a beachy theme faux cake!

4.12.2023

NEW! Sweet Sweater Potz!

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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!

2.27.2023

thrifted knit beanie mushrooms

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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!

2.13.2023

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...

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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!

2.11.2023

use heart-shaped cake tins as decor!

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just in case you need a very last-minute Valentine's Day decorating idea,
here's a cute idea using heart-shaped baking pans and cookie cutters!

i mean, why NOT use what you have on hand to decorate?!

continue reading to see the details in this bonus post!

1.23.2023

make a cozy pillow cover!

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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

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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...

1.09.2023

cozy yarn-wrapped candles

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you may have spied these in my last post...
they're a new take on one of my fave early projects:
sweater-wrapped vases. only these are yarn-wrapped vases!

they are a fun way to cozy up your home decor in wintertime.
this material has the effect of fluffy white powder snow that is perfect for the season.

continue reading for the easy how-to AND an important safety tip...

12.26.2022

NEW! sweet sweater 'gingerbread' cakes!

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deb used to bake. uh huh. but now if deb bakes, deb eats.
getting older with a slowing metabolism sucks!
so now my approach to 'holiday treats' takes a different form...

i just make sweet things out of other things... like SWEATERS!

for the finishing touch on my Gingerbread Holiday theme this year,
i've created two all-new Sweet SweaterTM originals to inspire you:


an oh-so-trendy 'tall cake' and a lil' mini 'cake buddy'
all trimmed out with gingerbread houses, men, candy canes, snowflakes,
and some 'frosting' that couldn't be easier!

continue reading to see how these sweet treats came together - 
without a calorie in sight ;) 

4.21.2022

a new sweet sweater 'shroom for spring!

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last fall, i created some Sweet Sweater 'Shrooms,
using ceramic bowls and vases covered with sweater scraps.

then i found something that caused me to create a new 'take' on the 'shroom idea,
with a nod to spring...
i am really happy with the results, and the process isn't hard at all.
I hope it inspires you to give it a try!


continue reading to see how it started, and how it ends up!

3.01.2022

my sweet sweater birthday cake!

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hello, friends!
i've been enjoying my sabbatical over the past month and a half,
and have made a MAJOR dent in my very long and very overlooked 'To Do' list!
(such as: get my truck running again  get some appliance repairs done   
get some yard work done  buy a new mattress to help my back pain )

since it's March 1st, the beginning of my birthday month,
it seems a perfect time to return to the blog and share a recent project with you!

* this post was created in mid-February and scheduled for March 1.
given the world events that transpired in the last week of February,
 i actually thought very seriously about not publishing it, 
 seeming too frivolous a subject to focus on in light of reality.

 i have decided to publish it, in the hope that anyone who sees it
will be reminded that there are still things to celebrate in this world
even in the midst of darkness and conflict. *

as much as i love to bake (and eat) sweet things,
i decided that my birthday cake this year needed to be a bit different...
you know it wouldn't be a birthday cake for ME unless it was made of sweaters, right?!
(my waistline and thighs appreciate the total lack of calories in this one ;) ) 

continue reading to find out the unusual way this fun decor came to be...

12.27.2021

NEW! Sweet Sweater Sips!

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oh, did you think i was DONE??? LOL. never!
i'll never run out of ideas for turning sweaters into decor...
and this one, well, it's just the perfect whimsical accent for winter!

this one actually isn't made from sweaters... it's something else.
but you certainly COULD use sweaters to create something similar.
(and don't miss the 'links to previous related content' below this post for even MORE ideas!)

so, grab a cuppa' something sippable, and
continue reading to see my newest original Sweet Sweater creations!

12.23.2021

NEW! Sweet Sweater Candles

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Merry Christmas Eve!
today i'm sharing a craft project that came to mind LAST year -
i just didn't make them until this year!
this decor element is a fun way to use scraps of sweaters - and even some TRASH! -
but is also meaningful to me.

for me, Christmas is about Jesus' birth,
and celebrating the light that He brought into a world mired in darkness.


i love adding extra twinkle lights to my home in the dark days of winter,
lighting candles, and having a fire in the fireplace (it's faux, but that's ok!).
adding extra warm light sources feels cozy, and also enhances my mood.

continue reading to see just how easy making these faux candles is...

12.20.2021

sweater-wrapped gifts

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when i choose a theme, my mind runs rampant with ideas
to incorporate that theme in every possible part of my decor.
case in point: the presents shown above.

it's not enough for me to deck the halls and mantels and doors and tree
in my preferred colors and materials...
i have to make the gift wrap match, too! LOL

this year i found three different ways to incorporate sweaters into my gift wrapping,
to coordinate with my Sweet Sweater Season theme...

continue reading for more inspo & info!

12.17.2021

a sneaky stocking makeover

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when i can find a short-cut, i take it. no shame in that.
so when i saw some knit stockings at Target for a mere $3 each, i grabbed one!

by adding a one-step simple embellishment (NO SEW!),
i was able to change the look of the stocking so it fit my decor theme this year.

so if you see something out there that just isn't quite what you need,
get it anyway - and then MAKE it what you need!

continue reading for my EASY makeover!

12.13.2021

sweater-wrapped + painted ornaments

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handpainted ornaments are trending this year,
so i wanted to somehow incorporate that into my sweet sweater season theme...
by using a soft yellow cable knit sweater as my inspiration,
i was able to replicate the tones and pattern onto plain white ornaments
and create decor that is unique to my own style.

along with those, i wrapped a few ornaments with sweater fabrics,
finding a way to put actual sweater pieces into the mix.

continue reading for the easy how-to's!

12.10.2021

sweater-wrapped vases

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on a cold rainy fall day waaaaaay back in 2007,
i visited designer Danny Seo's blog...
and when i saw a photograph of something Danny had created, i was smitten.
the guy took old sweater sleeves and put them on clear glass vases!

i jumped up and grabbed an ivory cashmere sweater of mine
that had recently become to small for me to wear.
(i did not become too big to wear the sweater - that's my story and i'm stickin' to it!)
i cut the sleeves off of the sweater, popped them into some clear vases
then added candles and bare branches to them...
the result was a cozy grouping that warmed up my dining table.

(when i added some small pumpkins to the grouping and looked at them side by side,
 i thought up the very first Original Sweet Sweater Pumpkins!)

i've made a few different versions of sweater-wrapped vases over the years,
and this year i had fun combining a few ideas.

continue reading to see how vases and ornaments and sweaters are a perfect match...