You can create fun, whimsical, home decor for St. Patrick's Day for pennies. And it's quick and easy, too! I've been having the most fun transforming this wall and cast-off table for the different seasons and holidays. All on a super small budget. You're going to love all these super easy ideas that you can duplicate, too. Let's start with the items on the table top. Books are a great way to frame objects that would otherwise seem to be floating in space. They serve two purposes. One... to give some additional height and two... to give substance or weight to the … [Read more...]
It all started with some branches from a flowering tree in our yard. One of the most lovely surprises you can have in a new-to-you home is the discovery of flowering trees and bushes. We had no idea what this white blooming beauty was, but the branches were many and heavy laden with blossoms, so I decided to cut a few and bring them inside. I will have to say, the blossoms did not have the most pleasing fragrance. But, their beauty was spectacular. Today I want to give you a little inspiration, so you too, can create a vignette with flowering branches. My … [Read more...]
One of my sweet online friends who lives in Arkansas just went through a horrible hail storm. It decimated all the fresh green leaves and plants in her area. My heart goes out to her and others who will have trees without lush green canopies overhead this summer. It's truly a gardener's nightmare. You know the saying... when life hands you lemons, make lemonade. If you're like Betty and all the blooms have been stripped from your trees and shrubbery... make paper blooms. I know it won't be quite the same... but when I did this a few years ago... they turned out wonderfully. Grab a few sticks from the … [Read more...]
Do you decorate for Valentine's Day? Every year I look forward to adding an unexpected bit of whimsy to my decor in red and white for Valentine's Day. After the Christmas decor is stashed away for the season, our homes are usually re-organized and pared back a bit. I think that's why I love to bring out some red for February. I'm ready for a pop of color and the extra bit of life it gives my home decor in the midst of the loooong winter. Today I'm sharing an easy craft that will make your heart sing.... Beaded 3-D Hanging Paper Hearts Tutorial This fun project requires just a few … [Read more...]
With Sweetest Day coming up this weekend, I thought it would be fun to share a little vignette I recently put together at my friend's home. You might have seen her jewel-toned dining room here. Or her amazing tree-lined entryway here. Or her screened porch here. Today we're back in her entryway. She has the sweetest desk there and it made a perfect spot to create this vignette. Here's how it all started. Around Valentine's Day, I created a box disguised as a stack of letters filled with words of affirmation. (You can find the tutorial … [Read more...]
It's true! I've been at it again..creating home decor with book pages. Today, I'm going to show you how to make pumpkins made from paperback books and create realistic pumpkin stems, too. Right now, pumpkins and gourds are overflowing at every farm stand along the road. They're beautiful and colorful and expensive. So...what'a gal to do when her pocketbook isn't filled with extra pennies for a plethora of pumpkins? Create them from book pages, of course! A nice tall book page pumpkin is easy to make. Crafting skills not required! And those amazing pumpkin … [Read more...]
If you've been following here for any length of time, you know how much I love book page projects. Creating everything from Christmas trees to medallion wreaths, to spring-flowering branches with book pages makes my heart sing. As summer rolled into fall, I got the itch to create another book page project. Any guesses as to what I might have tried my hand at? Yup! You guessed it! Pumpkins and gourds. Please "pin" and share this image. You really can create pumpkins and gourds from paperback books! Especially if you have a great … [Read more...]
St. Patrick's Day. It's all about the green....and this saint that seems to have spoken out against slavery, valued women, and influenced Ireland with Christianity. All good things, wouldn't you say? So why not splash a few shamrocks around the house. Flash some green. And listen to some toe-tappin' music. When it comes to seasonal home decor, I'm all about simple and using what you have on hand. And...because I love all things book page, I decided to use book pages and hand-cut shamrocks in decorating the mantel for St. Patrick's Day. This little project was … [Read more...]
How do you celebrate Valentine's Day? Usually my husband and I choose to make a lovely dinner together and I decorate the table in a way fitting for the day. We have been doing this for several years. It really is more fun than going out. And more economical, even if we splurge for special menu items or ingredients. This time of year we are inundated by offers from jewelers and florists and chocolate shops. At our house, we don't place any pressure on exchanging gifts and cards, but if we choose to give a gift, it probably will be in an unexpected kind of way. One year my … [Read more...]
Raise your hand if you have decorated your valentine mantel or some area of your house only to have members of your household tell you it's pretty ordinary? Did you see my hand go up? Yup. It did. That's what they said in not so many words. It's not a good thing when your blog name includes the word, "extraordinary." Remember my winter birch branch mantel with the hand cut book page snowflakes? I liked that "mantelscape." It was different. And it seems that since it's being featured a few places, some of you like it too. Why not tweak it just a bit for Valentine's … [Read more...]
I've been hearing this question a lot lately, "Is there enough snow for you?" Having lived in West Michigan and in the Buffalo area, I am familiar with snow. Lots of it. Record snowfalls. This year, it snows or seems to snow every day. Regardless of the amount, it's enough! Prior to this year's white avalanche, I shared my winter mantel and asked if anyone wanted me to create a tutorial for making pretty snowflakes. It seems that I am not the only one who did not know that there was a paper-folding technique that would make all the difference in the world. So, today, just in case … [Read more...]
You asked for it!! You got it!! A tutorial for creating your own Mason jar pleated collars from book pages. I confess to having fun dreaming up this one. You can click to see how I used these sweet pleated collars for a simple snowball viburnum table vignette and for my book page party tablescape. It all came about as I was creating the book page tablescape and though I wanted the Mason jars to hold flowers...they just looked 'naked.' The book page collars dressed them up in high fashion. And besides....I love pleats. Do you, too? Are you ready to create your own Mason Jar Pleated … [Read more...]
Are smitten with creating book page crafts, or is it just me? I was going through some old photos and discovered my first effort in book page crafting. A Book Page Medallion Wreath When I decided to make this wreath I watched videos and read all kinds of how-to's. It seemed pretty complicated to me. And really, it was a piece of cake. Kind of. Don't laugh, but rolling the pages into mini horns was not as easy as it looked. I think I needed a third hand. You know how it is....some things come very easily for a few and the rest of us we have to work it. The wreath looks … [Read more...]
Do you have a framed print that you like, but the mat needs to be refreshed? Several people have commented about this wall art which makes an appearance whenever I share a new vignette on my piano. This is the latest iteration. Today I'm going to show you an Easy DIY Book Page Mat Tutorial. Last year I picked up a typical pink floral print with a mauve mat in a gold frame from the thrift store. It screamed early 90's and I had no idea what I was going to do with it. So it sat in my studio whispering my name. By now, you must know that I am smitten with book pages. Is it because … [Read more...]
Spring! Where art thou? How would you like to bring a bit of spring into your home without it breaking the bank? Yes, please!! Patience, please. I'll get there in a minute. If you've been a reader for a while you may remember that I stuck branches up in my sunroom this winter for Christmas and hung red snowflakes from them. It was part of transforming my sunroom into a Swedish Christmas room. I loved those snowflakes and left them up all winter. After I cut the snowflakes down I was left with these bare branches. Oh my...they couldn't stay like that. I had a choice...either take … [Read more...]
Welcome to.... Decorative Paper {Pennant, Garland, Flag, Bunting} Banner-Making 101* By the time you complete this easy DIY tutorial, you should have a lovely pennant banner to grace your wall or mantel. Are you ready? Let's start! For way too long I have been admiring the lovely pennant banners that grace walls, mantels, porches, windows, and more. I wanted a lovely flag garland to drape somewhere in my home, but I needed a pattern, a how-to. One day the desire overcame the need for a how-to and I created my own lovely pennant flag banner. Keep in mind that beauty is in the eye … [Read more...]
Remember how I said I was embracing Winter? Not anymore! Today I flung open the doors and welcomed Spring with open arms. Well not literally...it's only 27 degrees! Instead, I exercised my decorating creativity and paper crafting skills to make a fun pennant banner embellished with colorful birds and music pages from vintage hymnals. My vintage window has now undergone its third transformation since I received it as a gift on Thanksgiving. Take a peek at it as a Christmas Window and later as a Valentine Window. Who knew that an old window would make such a fabulous … [Read more...]
