Winter Candle Jars
In our home we try to upcycle and reuse items as often as possible. Before you toss glass jars into the recycling bin – try making these easy candle holders. Start by soaking off labels and cleaning jars thoroughly. Wrap jars in paper doilies, tie with jute and drop in a white votive candle…
A Mossy Jingle Bell Wreath & My China Closet
A honeysuckle vine wreath is covered with moss and silver jingle bells. This wreath took me about 20 minutes to make. Hot glue moss to wreath – wrap with jute and tie on jingle bells. All of my supplies were purchased at a craft store and totaled less than $20.00…
Menswear Wreath
I’ve always loved preppy looking ties – crisp, bright stripes and paisley patterns are my favorites. I tied 3 silk ties together -end to end- and wrapped them around an evergreen wreath…
Dressing Up A Bottle Of Wine To Give As A Gift
I cut the sleeve off of a thrift store sweater and sewed the bottom closed to create a gift bag to hold wine…
Small Burlap Tree Bags
Burlap is inexpensive and can be purchased at most fabric stores. A 7″x14″ strip of burlap is folded in half, sewn along each side and turned inside out to create a small rustic bag…
Scarf Garland
5 tartan scarves, picked up at a resale shop, are tied and draped around my banister to create an easy holiday look…
Lunch Bag Bowls
When I entertain during the holiday season, I use every tray, platter and serving bowl I own. So – sometimes I come up short and have to think fast. Here’s a trick that transforms a boring bowl into something a little more interesting. Give it a try…
Sweater Vase
I cut off the cuff of an old sweater, felted it and slipped it over a jar to create a more interesting vase.
Doily Table Cover
Silver and white paper doilies of varying sizes are stapled together to create a lace-like tabletop cover for a winter dinner.
Set The Table and The Mood With Small Surprises
Take a good look around your house and find second uses for ordinary things – your table will have more character and you won’t spend a penny…
Using Afghans & Blankets To Recover Seat Cushions
I chose a brightly covered afghan to cover the seat of this chair. The drab green paint against the vibrant colors of the afghan create a nice contrast.
Halloween Around The House
The top of our china closet – decorated with pumpkins, gourds, branches, newspaper garland and silver.
Blackened Silver…
Inspired by Dutch still life paintings, I created my own tableaux with a monochromatic palette perfect for Halloween…
Ghoulish Drinks For Little Ones
Blue Gatorade in stylish goblets that are sugared with green cake crystals are a huge hit with kids.
For Halloween fun, try making an egg carton candy tray.
This candy tray was made from an egg carton. I cut off the top and the side flap and spray painted it black. Each compartment holds a surprise of candy or a small toy…
Decorating For Halloween (first in a series)
At this time of year, I keep an eye out for decorative objects that help me visually capture the drama of Halloween. I look for anything that can hold pumpkins, fall flowers, candy, found objects that grab my eye…
Decorating With Frames
Frames of varying styles and sizes are united once painted the same color. I chose frames with substantial detail and thickness in order to make this look work. To bring the theme further into the room, I painted the coffee table the same color…
Rip Off This Skirt Idea
I found this great skirt in a thrift store. I loved the pattern and the fabric, but the length was too long. Making a cut at my desired length, I gently pulled the threads to create a rough fringe along the bottom. In an instant, I had the look I wanted…
With children in the house, a painted dining room floor is the perfect alternative to a rug.
Having a rug under a dining table isn’t the easiest thing to keep clean, so I decided to paint our floor instead. By using an epoxy paint (traditionally used on garage floors) tinted to the shade I desired, I was able to accent my dining room floor surface with the most durable paint I know of – it never stains…