Home Decor Archives - Page 7 of 42

accessories, art, arts and craft, autumn fall decor, Ballard Design Pears, Crafts, decor, Decorating, faux painting brick, Home Decor, Paintbrushes, painting, Painting & Antiquing Techniques, pumpkin, ReNew, Tutorial, Upcycling, vignettes

How to Fake a Fake Pumpkin (Faux Painting Tutorial)

How to Fake a Fake Pumpkin

Have you seen those neon orange fake pumpkins and nearly vomited because you wouldn’t dream of decorating with them. I mean—get real—everyone would know they were fake. Ah ha, but have you seen the price tags? $1 – $6? For that price you might just be willing to take a leap of faith with me, wouldn’t you? Awesome, because I’m going to show you how to faux paint a fake pumpkin so you can decorate with them year after year and fool your friends.

Materials:

(I’ve included affiliate links for your convenience. I earn a small percentage from a purchase using these links. There is no additional cost to you. You can read more about affiliate links here.)

Fake pumpkins
Chalky Paint (Folk Art colors: Cottage White, Parisian Grey, Cascade, Spanish Moss)
Acrylic craft paint – Brown and Green
Sea sponge
Stencil brush
Medium round brush
Fan brush
Palette knife for mixing
Container or palette for mixing

Instructions:

Start by painting all the pumpkins with Chalk Paint (use gray, white, green and blue paint.) Allow the pumpkins to dry.

Painting Realistic White Pumpkins:

It helps to look up some pictures of real pumpkins to refer to.

Using the stencil brush, paint a mixture of grey and white on one of the pumpkins.

Before the paint dries, dab some of it off with the sea sponge. (Keep your sea sponge dry, not wet during the process.)

Dip the stencil brush into the white paint and add paint on the outer most bumps on the pumpkins. This is adding highlights.

Dab the highlights gently with the sea sponge to blend.

Use the fan brush dipped in a small amount of green paint inside the pumpkin ridges. Dab the ridges with the sea sponge to blend.

Have you ever seen a truly unblemished pumpkin? I think not. It’s time to add some spots or marks on the pumpkin to truly fool your friends. Dip the end of the paint brush into brown paint and dot it onto the pumpkin. Blot the spot with a sea sponge and maybe even transfer a few new spots with the sponge.

Paint grey around the base of the stem and into the grooves with the round paint brush.

Paint brown and green paint onto the pumpkin stem. Blend slightly with the sea sponge.

Can you spot my fake white pumpkin? Well, of course you can because I just showed you how to paint it. But, it will definitely fool your friends!

Painting Realistic Blue Pumpkins:

Painting blue pumpkins uses the same technique as painting the white pumpkins, only using a few different colors.

Use the stencil brush to paint blue onto another pumpkin. Dab the blue paint while it’s still wet with the sea sponge.

Use the fan brush dipped in gray and brown craft paint to fill in the ridges.

Dab the paint with the dry sea sponge to blend.

Add some highlights with a mixture of grey and white. This serves two purposes. 1) It adds dimension. 2) It tones down the excess blue on the pumpkin.

Paint the stem the same way you learned above.

To truly fool people, set up your fake pumpkins with some real pumpkins and real gourds. Sooo, can you spot the fakes?

How many did you get right? The metallic gourd is simply spray-painted with copper spray paint. But, I did try my hand at faking a green and yellow gourd using the same technique as the pumpkins, but adding green to the top and yellow to the bottom.

Okay, I’ll give you a second shot. Guess the fakes:

How did you do this time? Ha, you can now apply for a job as an art forgery detective ;-).

Now seriously, how many people will be viewing your pumpkins that close? Umm, next to no one. Normally they’ll view them from afar.

Get your paints and palette out and go fake some fakes! It will be our little secret.

Did you like this painting post? Ahhh, then I know you’ll like this Ballard Pear painting tutorial:

Or if you’re feeling like taking on a larger scale project…how about Faux painted bricks!

Or perhaps you’d like to perform some faux zinc painting magic:

You can do it! I know you can.

September 20, 2019/17 Comments/by Brittany Bailey

arts and craft, Chalkboard paint, DIY, Do It Yourself, Home Decor

30+ Creative Projects using Chalkboard Paint

Chalkboard paint is such a fun addition to many different types of projects. You can turn anything into an ever-changeable work of art, or use it to label different items throughout your home. Here is a collection of 32 Creative Projects using Chalkboard Paint that you could create for your home or as a fun and personalized gift! Check them out and let me know what you think in the comments below.

Check out this Message Board for the Mudroom! It’s a great place to drop things on your way in or leave letters to go out to the mailbox.

Chalkboard Paint Projects - Spice Jar Rack Paint a Dated Thrift Store Spice Rack to make your spices easy to find.

chalkboard painted projects - candy jar lids Label your cookie or candy jars with chalkboard paint to keep them cute and modern.

Create these amazing Gift Wrap chalkboard paint tags to customize your gift-giving.

chalkboard paint projects - customizable bin tags Make Customizable chalkboard paint tags for whatever you need to organize.

How fun if you painted your coffee table with chalkboard paint. Then you can write personalized messages on your coffee table.

Planning a chair makeover? Add some chalkboard paint to the back for personalization.

Paint a simple bucket and change the message to match any seasonal decor.

chalkboard paint with doodle curl white paint pen Christmas ornaments coated in chalkboard paint can be decorated with chalk pens.

Create amazing hostess gifts by adding chalkboard paint to metal buckets.

chalkboard paint projects create a smooth wall Learn how to make a Smooth Chalkboard Wall anywhere in your house with this tutorial.

chalkboard paint vertical wall mounted desk Cover a desk with chalkboard paint for a great note-taking surface.

chalkboard paint projects - create a fireplace draft stopper Make a fireplace draft stopper with insulation and chalkboard paint.

Make a Marble Toss Game with a Chalkboard Paint Scoreboard.

chalkboard paint projects - chalkboard mugs Create Chalkboard Painted Mugs for a favor at your next party.

chalkboard projects - diy rustic chalkboard Add a huge DIY Chalkboard for your home and decorate it for all seasons.

This DIY Clock Sign is a fun way to use some chalkboard paint.

chalkboard paint projects for christmas sign Use green chalkboard paint to make a count down sign.

chalkboard paint projects - upcycle frame into magnetic chalkboard art Make a magnetic chalkboard frame from an upcycled wooden frame.

chalkboard paint project - upcycled cabinet door to chalkboard art Upcycle a cabinet door into quote art by following this tutorial.

chalkboard paint projects - decorated chalkboard washi clipboard Create Decorated Chalkboard Clipboards using chalkboard paint and washi tape.

Makeover a bookshelf so kids can leave each other book reviews.

chalkboard paint projects - pantry drawer labels Build pull out drawers for your pantry and use chalkboard paint to label them.

Create this amazing Wooden Party Banner with wood and chalkboard paint for your next party.

chalkboard paint project - chalkboard seasonal art Add some seasonal Chalkboard Art to decorate your home this fall.

Learn how to make Colored Chalkboard Paint.

chalkboard paint projects - chalkboard calendar for refrigerator Create a Chalkboard Calendar for your refrigerator and stay super organized all year.

Turn a metal chest into a Faux Zinc Chalkboard File Cabinet and customize with chalk art.

Make a quick Cutting Board Makeover with blue chalkboard paint.

Build an awesome Rustic Chalkboard Wall Organizer.

Build a Wall Chalkboard with a chalk ledge for the whole family to use.

Create a DIY Wall Calendar with chalkboard paint and stay on task daily.

Thanks for reading! If you like this collection of ideas, please Pin this image on Pinterest to share with your friends and save for later!

Hi, I’m Sheri from Hazel + Gold Designs. Here are a few fun stats about me: I ~~like~~ love chocolate and peanut butter (together of course.) If you like stats, I have been crocheting for about 16 years, crafting for 20, and woodworking for about 4 years. I found a passion in making and being creative and began documenting my projects online at Hazel + Gold Designs.

When not working on projects, I enjoy spending time with my husband, four children, perfect dog, and ornery cat. You can find me on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram and Twitter.

Read all of Sheri’s tutorials.

~Find more of Sheri’s projects here ~

August 5, 2019/1 Comment/by Sheri

decor, Decorating, DIY, fabric, Home Decor, pottery barn inspiration, Sewing, Tutorial

Simple and Stylish DIY Fabric Tissue Box Cover

Hey Guys, happy Summer! I’m back today with another easy home project for you – a simple stylish DIY Fabric Tissue Box Cover.

I don’t know about you, but I think most tissue boxes are tacky. They stick out like a sore thumb in our house! Unfortunately, it’s not the type of thing I can just put away in a closet (believe me, I’ve tried!) Our family has allergies and young kids—needless to say—the tissues must remain out.

Until the tissue manufacturers come out with some better patterns, I’ll be covering mine up! These fabric tissue covers do just the trick. You don’t need too much fabric to make them. They blend in nicely with your decor, and you can wash them if needed!

Of course you could buy tissue box covers. But, these are customizable and you can make them with a $2 piece of fabric (or less.) So, go ahead and save some money by doing this yourself. I’ve seen some tissue box covers selling for almost $40! Yikes.

I wanted to make the process as simple as possible for you. You’ll be happy to know, I did this project over and over and over again until I found the perfect method for making them. Yes – I have over 5 tissue box covers now. Ha!

Ok, let’s get started.

Materials:

(I’ve included affiliate links for your convenience. I earn a small percentage from a purchase using these links. There is no additional cost to you. You can read more about affiliate links here.)

Fabric – 16 inches x 24 inches (A sturdier canvas material works best.)
Scissors
Sewing Machine
Thread
Pencil
Rectangle Tissue Box

Instructions:

Follow these steps to make your stylish tissue box covers.

Step 1: Cut out your Rectangle.

I’m assuming most tissue boxes are generally the same dimensions. But, measure your box to double check. For a standard rectangular tissue box, I started with a rectangle of fabric sized 16 inches by 24 inches.

Now cut your fabric to size.

Step 2: Cut a Center Hole.

Make a hole where the tissues will be dispensed. Here’s an easy way to do this. Take your rectangle of fabric and fold it in half lengthwise, then fold it in half again. Snip a little piece of the corner section – this will create a small hole perfectly centered in your fabric.

Step 3: Measure and Mark your Corners.

Place your tissue box in the center of your fabric. Hold the tissue box in place with one hand. With your other hand, use your pencil to mark a square at the corner of the tissue box. Repeat for all four corners.

It should look like this …

Step 4: Cut Out the Corners.

To make nice mitered corners, cut out the squares marked above. But, to allow for your seam, subtract about 1/4 – 1/2″ from the marked lines. Essentially, you’re cutting slightly outside where you made the pencil lines as shown below.

Step 5: Sew Your Tissue Box Hole.

Remember the little hole we cut out of the center earlier? Now you can cut it slightly bigger to accommodate your tissues. Cut, a skinny rectangle and fold flaps toward the inside of the fabric tissue cover. Iron them to keep them from folding back. It doesn’t have to be super neat. The tissues will help cover it up!

Step 6: Sew your Corners.

Take your piece of fabric and fold it so the corner pieces line up as shown below. You want to make sure you sew the pencil mark side on the underside so they don’t show. When you fold the fabric, the pencil marks should be facing out. Stitch along the pencil line.

Repeat and sew all four corners the same way.

Step 7: Trim the Bottom.

Woot! Your little tissue box cover is taking shape now. Turn your cover right side out and place it over your tissue box.

The ends are long, huh? Well, we can easily just cut those down and sew a clean seam all the way around! You may be wondering why I started with a larger piece of fabric only to have excess at the end.

Trust me – I did this five times over! Having excess fabric ensures all your ends meet nicely and cover the tissue box entirely.

Let’s finish up by cutting away all the excess fabric minus 1/2″ to create a nice seam.

Fold over the excess. Iron the seams. Now stitch along the edge of the folded seam.

Step 8: Flip your Tissue Box cover Right Side Out.

You are all done! Flip your tissue box right sides out and place it over your tissue box.

Soooooooo much better. Right?

These fabric tissue box covers look great everywhere and you can customize them with fabric of your choice. Place one in your bathroom, in your bedroom, and in your living room. Anywhere you want!

No more ugly tissues boxes. And my husband doesn’t have to ask – “where are the tissues, now?” LOL.

Even though I prefer a sturdier canvas or heavy cotton fabric for this project, you can make these tissue box covers with any fabric. Add some embroidery for a personalized touch! Or get out some fabric markers and create a Scandi design on plain canvas. This is a fun project allowing you to get creative with different looks.

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial for a DIY fabric tissue box cover. For more fun sewing projects for your home, check out these sewing posts from Pretty Handy Girl. Or these 21 Sew Easy Gift Ideas:

Or learn how to make some of my popular projects from Decor Hint:

I’ll see you right back here next month! Enjoy the start of Summer!

~ See More of Karen’s Tutorials ~

Hello! I’m Karen, the creator of the Home Decor and DIY Blog: Decor Hint . I’m a Native of the East Coast, but I currently live in beautiful Seattle with my hubby, our two wonderful children and our spunky wheaten terrier.

You can usually find me with some sort of craft in one hand and a coffee in the other. And I’m always rearranging furniture or moving lamps from room to room. I have a passion (read: obsession) for decorating, DIY, and gardening. In short, I love making my house into a home.

Like many, I’m inspired by what I see in home decor magazines, but I’m not so inspired by the price tags. Consequently, I love finding and creating beautiful budget-friendly home decor items. In a head to head competition, I bet you’d never know the difference between the designer items and my DIY creations! Many of my DIY projects focus on sewing, crafting, upcycling and organizing. Some of my favorite projects have been making pretty wreaths , sewing my own tassel hand towels, and crafting these trendy wood bead garlands . I can’t wait to inspire you and spark your creativity through my DIY projects.

You can always connect with me on Pinterest , Twitter or Instagram.

July 24, 2019/0 Comments/by Karen Decor Hint

bathroom, Home Decor, Saving Etta

Saving Etta: Downstairs Shared Bathroom Reveal

The downstairs shared bathroom in the Saving Etta house was designed to function as an en suite bathroom to one of the bedrooms, but also to have a second door opening to the main hallway for guests or for anyone to use. I can’t take credit for the architectural plans in the Saving Etta house, but I can take credit for the fun design choices I made when putting in the finishing touches on the house. (All product sources are listed at the end of this post.) The downstairs bathroom was one small room where I had lots of fun with the floor tile.

Stripes! From the beginning I knew I wanted to use classic tiles in the bathrooms. And possibly tile a border in one bathroom. If you’ve seen Mandi’s daughter’s bathroom in The Merc you’ll appreciate why I wanted to add a border to the floor.

But, if you’ve ever tried to design a border using little hex tiles, you’ll quickly learn that you can achieve a straight line from left to right, but when you try to create a straight line 90 degrees from the first stripe, it looks like a squiggly line. Bummer. However, sometimes it takes road blocks in your path to help you find a more creative solution you like even better.

I used Jeffrey Court mosaic tiles (available at Home Depot) in white and black to create this unique look. And my tile setter did a phenomenal job with the installation.

Before I take you further into the bathroom, I want to thank all the Saving Etta sponsors. As you all know, I’m very particular about the brands I work with and I can honestly say my sponsors are the cream of the crop when it comes to selling products for your home and lifestyle.

Bathroom Before:

As you learned the other day, the original house only had one bathroom and it was definitely not anything pretty.

After the back of the house was removed, we began to build back in the same footprint. As you can see in the photo below, the wall on the left was the original back wall of the 1900 portion of the Saving Etta house.

After framing, I had my drywall contractor install Purple drywall throughout the bathroom. If you don’t know why it’s important to use purple drywall in kitchens and bathrooms, you’ll want to read this post.

The transom window over the tub lets in a ton of natural light, but no peeping eyes! It’s obscure glass from Plygem’s Mira window line.

The Downstairs Shared Bathroom Reveal:

You’ve already seen the mosaic hex tile floor. Continuing with the black and white striped theme, I made sure to stage the bathroom with a striped shower curtain (could you ask for a more perfect match?) Of course, who can deny the beauty of the glass door knob. These Schlage Hobson knobs were used throughout the house and they are undeniably gorgeous and equally amazing to touch.

The vanity I chose for this bathroom was a wonderful surprise. The price was a steal compared to the master bathroom vanity. When it arrived, I expected a cheap quality vanity, but was relieved to find it had strong construction, adjustable hinges, and came complete with a quartz (marble look-a-like) countertop and integrated sink. In contrast, the vanity in the master bathroom didn’t come with a top or sink. You can read more about that vanity and my opinion of it here.

This vanity is heavy, so I was thrilled that the delivery from Wayfair included placing it in the room of your choice at delivery.

One lesson I learned from this bathroom was to double check measurements during framing. My plumber was the first to point out that the bathroom width was 6″ wider than the tub. After some creative brainstorming, I decided to take the easy route and add some framing on either side of the tub to make up the difference.

Obviously the tub surround turned out okay, but it wasn’t without challenges. Especially because I made the mistake of paying my drywallers to install the cement board. I learned after they left what a sloppy job they did. My tile installer had to perform some miracles to plumb and straighten the walls. I’ll definitely leave that task to the tile setter next time (and save money not paying for the same project twice.)

Time to talk dirty. Well, not exactly, but I want to share with you another inexpensive fixture that surprised me. The toilet!

It is a very modestly priced ProFlo toilet that really performs well. In fact, I’ll probably get the same toilet for our master bathroom. It doesn’t have any fancy features or look special, but frankly I just want it to work well under pressure (if you know what I mean.)

Speaking of things I will use in my own bathroom, I must install another Broan Exhaust Fan and Light. This low profile recessed light doubles as the exhaust fan! Talk about hard working.

Want to hear something funny? After my drywall installers finished the job, I discovered they had sealed the junction box for the vanity light into the wall. My electrician and I were able to find it and cut a hole. Then I realized I had forgotten to purchase the light fixture for this spot. Luckily he had enough work to keep him busy while I ran to purchase a light fixture for over the sink.

I’m so happy with how this bathroom turned out. It’s the perfect bathroom for the homeowners and their guests.

What are your favorite features? Would you change anything? Is there anything you learned while renovating your own bathroom? Please share!

Sources:

(I’ve included affiliate links for your convenience. I earn a small percentage from a purchase using these links. There is no additional cost to you. You can read more about affiliate links here.)

Black Hex Tiles by Jeffrey Court

White Hex Tiles by Jeffrey Court

Transom Window by Plygem

Burholme 49″ Black Vanity Set

Faucet by Moen

Toilet by ProFlo

Bronze Cage Vanity Lights

Schlage Hobson Door Knobs

Shower Head & Tub Spout Set

Shower Curtain Rod

Black Striped Shower Curtain

Shower Curtain Rolling Rings

Recessed Light Exhaust Fan by Broan

Mirror

Wall Color: Emmie’s Room by Magnolia Home Paint

Door Color: Cupola by Magnolia Home Paint

Disclosure: I received materials and/or compensation from the sponsors of the Saving Etta project. These were the bathroom sponsors: Ask for Purple, Plygem, Broan-Nutone, Schlage, Magnolia Home Paint, KILZ, Jeffrey Court Tile. I was not told what to write. All opinions and words are my own. As always, I will notify you if you are reading as sponsored post or if I was compensated. Rest assured I am very particular about the brands I work with. Only brands I use in my own home or that I’ve had a positive experience with will be showcased on this blog.

May 3, 2019/0 Comments/by Brittany Bailey

decor, Decorating, dining room, DIY, fabric, Gift Ideas, Home Decor, July 4th, party, Sewing, Summer, tablescape, Tutorial

DIY Oilcloth Drink Coasters

DIY Oilcloth Drink Coasters

Hi there! I’m so thrilled to be back today with this super quick and easy project. The weather in Seattle has been totally amazing lately and it’s got me thinking about summer. And, summer entertaining is on the brain! This project will look great on your patios and outdoor spaces. Bonus, it’s totally water resistant too. Let’s take a mini-break and learn how to make these adorable DIY oilcloth drink coasters for gifting or entertaining.

What in the world is Oilcloth?

Oilcloth is a type of fabric. It has vinyl on one side and kind of a soft mesh of cotton on the other side. Vinyl has a slippery and plastic-like feel to it. The best part about vinyl is you can wipe it clean and it’s water resistant! This makes oilcloth a perfect fabric choice for outdoor items like tablecloths, COASTERS, beach bags etc.

The other great thing about oilcloth is that it just happens to be made in a multitude of funky patterns and bright colors. This fabric was made for Summer! When you get a minute – run a google search for ‘oilcloth fabric’ and you’ll see what I mean. Such pretty patterns!

So this is the perfect little accessory for all those Summer fiestas and BBQ’ s you have in the works. Or even for gifting away as little favors. Tie a cute burlap string around them and presto! You have a lovely handmade housewarming gift.

Perhaps you own a pool or live near the beach? Or know someone who does? These coasters make a fantastic DIY gift idea for them.

Here’s the best part: these stylish oilcloth coasters took me 10 minutes to make – start to finish.

Materials:

(I’ve included affiliate links for your convenience. I earn a small percentage from a purchase using these links. There is no additional cost to you. You can read more about affiliate links here.)

Oilcloth Fabric – I chose these hot pink stripes from Fabric.com
Sewing Machine
Pinking Shears – these are simply scissors with a serrated edge. They are used to cut a zig zag pattern in fabric to prevent fraying.
Tape Measure (for measuring your coasters to a perfect square)

Instructions:

Start by folding your oilcloth in half. We need two exact squares to make one coaster (both front and back will be the vinyl, water-resistant side).

Step 1: Measure out a perfect square on your oilcloth fabric.

I measured approximately a 4 inch square coaster. (It’s totally up to you on sizing. Most drink coasters are between 3-5 inches square. For fun you can also cut circles instead of squares. Use a bowl or circle template to make a perfect circle.)

Step 2 : Use your pinking shears to cut out your measured square.

Since your fabric is folded in half – you can pretty much cut two squares at once. You can also use regular scissors here and even them with pinking shears after sewing.

Step 3: Line up your two squares and sew them together vinyl sides out.

Use use small binder clips (another little sewing trick I use a TON) to hold your two pieces of fabric together while sewing. I wouldn’t suggest using pins because the holes will be visible even after removing them.

A straight stitch is fine, but feel free to try something fun like a zig zag stitch.

Tips for sewing and working with oilcloth fabric :

Because oilcloth is vinyl and kind of plastic feeling, it will stick under your presser foot. To combat this, use two hands to feed the coaster through.
An alternative is to purchase a Teflon presser foot – they are fairly inexpensive and won’t stick to the vinyl fabric as easily.
DO NOT IRON OILCLOTH. It will melt and the mess won’t be pretty. If your oil cloth is wrinkled, lay it out and throw some heavy books on top for a few days. This usually presses the wrinkles out. Oilcloth also “releases” more wrinkles when warmed up a bit. Therefore you can try laying it by a sunny window. Don’t microwave your oilcoth. 🙂

Step 4: Use your pinking shears to clean up the edges of your coasters

Simply snip along the edge without cutting through the seam to straighten and clean up the ends.

Guess what? All done! See how fast it was making these DIY oilcloth drink coasters?

These coasters look so cute and are perfect for Summer! Pin this image to share with a friend:

I don’t know about you, but I may need to mix up a batch of margaritas tonight. I hope you guys enjoyed this tutorial!

If you enjoyed this tutorial, you might want to check out my tutorial on DIY frayed napkins. They also make a nice gift and pretty setting for your tables. And for even more inspiration – be sure to check out Brittany’s amazing backyard and patio reveal, what a beautiful space!

You may also like this tutorial for making mosaic tile coasters…

…or DIY personalized wood slice coasters.

I’ll be back here next month and I’m looking forward to connecting with you all again soon.

~ See More of Karen’s Tutorials ~

Hello! I’m Karen, the creator of the Home Decor and DIY Blog: Decor Hint . I’m a Native of the East Coast, but I currently live in beautiful Seattle with my hubby, our two wonderful children and our spunky wheaten terrier.

You can usually find me with some sort of craft in one hand and a coffee in the other. And I’m always rearranging furniture or moving lamps from room to room. I have a passion (read: obsession) for decorating, DIY, and gardening. In short, I love making my house into a home.

Like many, I’m inspired by what I see in home decor magazines, but I’m not so inspired by the price tags. Consequently, I love finding and creating beautiful budget-friendly home decor items. In a head to head competition, I bet you’d never know the difference between the designer items and my DIY creations! Many of my DIY projects focus on sewing, crafting, upcycling and organizing. Some of my favorite projects have been making pretty wreaths , sewing my own tassel hand towels, and crafting these trendy wood bead garlands . I can’t wait to inspire you and spark your creativity through my DIY projects.

You can always connect with me on Pinterest , Twitter or Instagram.

April 17, 2019/2 Comments/by Karen Decor Hint