Halloween Decor

I am stuck at home after having shoulder surgery yesterday so I thought I would post some of my Halloween décor from this year today! You can see some of my past years as well if you click on Halloween on the right hand bar!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Vinyl faces for your Halloween pumpkins!

 How cute are these?!  Use the Halloween vinyl decals for an easy, mess free Jack 'O Lantern face!

Valentine's Day Decor!

This one was so fun and super easy!  As I often do, I was on the hunt for another holiday project.  While in Michael's I found these adorable little baroque frames.  I immediately thought that it would be cute to add them to a wood board and make a cute Valentine's plaque.  The cost of this plaque is under $15 and is a great project to do with the kids!

Here is the tutorial~
Materials-
Wood plaque or board
Off white acrylic paint
Sand Paper
4 small decorative mirrors- ($1.50 @ Michael's)
Scrapbook paper- 3 different designs
Decorative scissors
Hot glue
Medium tack spray adhesive
"LOVE" Vinyl lettering.  Only $3.75!

First you need to get yourself a wood plaque.  I cut and prep these myself.  It is not as hard as you think.  Go down to your local hardware store and purchase a pine board that is about 8" wide.  They usually come in lengths of 6', 8', 10', and such.  If you go to Home Depot they will cut it for you!  Just tell them the length you want and they will cut the board down to create several boards for all of your craft projects!  For this project I used a board that was cut down to 24" long by about 8" Wide.
Be sure to sand the edges and surface of your wood to ensure a smooth finish.  If you have the skills and the tools you can even use a router to give your plaque and decorative edge.

Next, paint the outer edges and a border around the surface of your board.  No need to paint the entire surface because your paper will cover most of it.  As you see below, only about 1/4" of the wood is exposed after the scrapbook paper is applied.

Next, cut your paper to fit your board.  Keep in mind that if you use a board that is longer than 12" you will need to use 2 pieces of paper to cover the length of your board.  My paper measures 6"x 10" each.  This leaves a 1" border around the surface paper.  If you choose a paper with a print, be sure to match up the design at the seam so that the seam is somewhat disguised.  When you apply the frames they will cover a lot of the board so no need to worry about the seems being very noticeable.

Continue to cut a 1" border for the outer edge of your board using scalloped craft scissors to create a cute scalloped border.  Leave one edge straight. It can be tricky to keep your cuts level when using scrapbook scissors.  It makes it much easier to match up your borders if you use your original cut as a template by lightly tracing your original strip onto your paper.  Your will end up with 6 strips- 2 for the side and 4 for the top and bottom.  (See photo below).

Once you have cut all of your paper, do a test run to make sure all of your paper fits the surface the way you want it to.  You will overlap your trim pieces (red) onto your surface paper (pink) so that you cannot see the edge of the pink paper.  Once you are satisfied with the look, use your spray adhesive to adhere your paper to the board.  The adhesive is a great alternative to using Modge Podge and is MUCH less messy!  Just be sure to spray it outside or in a protected area because the over spray of the adhesive will stick to your surfaces and is VERY difficult to clean up.

This is what is should look like-

Now it is time to prepare the frames.  I chose 3 rectangle and one round frame.  Michael's has red, black, blue and cream frames.  I chose red and blue but lightened the blue by painting it. 

Turn the frames over and remove the stand and backing clips. You do not want these on the frames because they are bulky and prevent the frames from lying flat on the board.  No worries about them staying closed because it will be glued shut when you glue it to the board.

Remove the paper inside the frame and replace it with coordinating scrapbook paper.  It makes it easier if you use the original template from the frame to trace your new paper.

Next glue your frames on your board spacing them evenly.  I find it easier to place the first frame and then the last before placing the 2 in the center.  This will ensure better spacing.

Last, place your vinyl letters on the front of the frames and you are done!  (You can order the lettering from me for only $3.75.  Just shoot me an email! designbykelli@gmail.com)

HOW CUTE IS THIS?!

Red and white Christmas. Day 5 of the Chistmas Decorating Ideas Marathon! "RED AND WHITE"

Today's Christmas Decorating Marathon colors are "Red and White!" This one is pretty easy considering red and white are EVERYWHERE this time of year! You can choose to go elegant with soft whites, feather, crystals and velvety reds or you can choose candy canes, dots and stripes. Either way it will look fantastic!

Here are some great entry ways.  Traditional greenery with berries, poinsettias and bows.

Martha Stewart

How fun is this!  They have added woodland animals such as white owls, foxes and cardinals.  I love the snow tipped garland and red berries on the mantle!

This is darling!  A mixture of Christmas ornaments adorn the the mantle.  Just add a few sprigs of red and white to your evergreens and Voila! 

Raz Christmas

This is so simple and very chic!  Crisp white tree with a sparse arrangement or red Christmas ornaments.  Display red and white dishes and stick to simple wrapping.  It looks like a dishcloth is wrapped around the base of the tree...:)

Cafemom.com

This tree is filled with all things red, white and SWEET!

Barefootfloor.com

All I can say is LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this gorgeous wreath.  You could use this with any color combination!

Stacy Bradford

I love this!  Two evergreen wreaths create a Christmas chandelier of sorts!

Martha Stewart

This is beautiful!  Candy canes, and clear marbles create a fun base for the flower arrangement.

Wrap your candles in red and white ribbon.  Notice the little bells attached to the ribbon.

This is gorgeous!  Simple frosted greenery, red berries and faux candy canes create this beautiful Christmas centerpiece! 

Raz Chistmas

This is as about as simple as it gets!  Just add fresh cranberries to your vase and your simple white candle become very festive!

Love this for the bathroom!

Pottery Barn

Any color combination can be enhanced with the right pillows and throws.  They do not need to have a holiday theme, just choose the proper colors!

Homeinspiring.com

Do the same with dishes! Of course, if  you need some decorative vinyl to decorate your dishes, I can help you with that!

BHG

This is a fun and unique way to add color to your room.  Dress up everyday items that you have in your room!

Country Living

Think outside the box!  Wreaths don't just belong on doors!

Vintage Christmas~ Christmas Decorating Marathon Part 4

This was fun!  I must say that I have a special place in my heart for everything vintage!  So many wonderful things.  Mix the old with the new.  You can achieve a vintage feel with just a few key items~

Where do I start?  How about the front door~  Take a look at this cute wreath!  It is made up of vintage ornaments, toys and village pieces.  If you want to recreate this wreath but do not have any vintage ornaments, it's easy.  Notice the colors, PASTELS, (with a little bit of red and green!)  That is the key to creating a vintage look.  You can now purchase shatter proof ornaments at most of your local Targets, Wal-marts, etc.  Look for different shapes and sizes.  Paint stripes on them, glitter them and use as many different patterns as you can.  Visit your local antique store and purchase just one toy or staple item to add to the wreath to complete the look.

retrorenovation.com

The tree!  Aluminum is the word but can sometimes be hard to find.  Use a white tree as an alternative.  Once again use pastels with bits of traditional reds and greens.  I love the vintage inspired village that is set up around the base.  Very cute!

thehouseofwhimsy.blogspot

thehouseofwhimsy.blogspot

Of course, if you can't get a white tree, you can still create a vintage look with a traditional green tree.  Just keep the color pallet of the ornaments in check.

moxiegirlflickr

moxiegirlflickr

everydayhoushold.blogspot

I love the tin at the  bottom of this tree!  It is an elegant tree but the little deer add a bit of whimsy to it!

Here are some examples of vintage ornaments.  A great inspiration point when recreating your own!  If you want to go all the way and use vintage ornaments, check you local antique stores, ebay and ask around!  You never know what might be hiding in your Grandmas attic!  

There are many sites that offer tutorials free printables for vintage inspired ornaments!  This is a great one: Printable Vintage Postcards.  Print out vintage images, postcards and photos. Add ribbon, glitter and tinsel to them to create an authentic look.  Here are just a couple examples~

 Janet Coon Christmas

lindaalbrecht.typepad.com

Dress your windows by hanging your vintage ornaments with ribbon~

BHG

I love these Christmas displays!  Add things you have around the house!  The scale is perfect and the tiered platters showcase the ornaments perfectly!  Look at the sleigh...hey, I have that book in my attic!

chippyshabby.blogspot.com

Look for bristle trees and little village houses.  These are actually quite easy to find.  Check out your local craft stores, Target, Wal-Mart and even Dollar Tree.  The trees can be spray painted and glittered to whatever color you desire!  I have seen reproductions of the little houses at TJ Maxx and Marshalls.  Your best chance of gettting one is to visit the store the day they receive deliveries!

poetichome.com

pamgarrison.typepad

How cute is this!  A small chest has been turned into an advent calendar using vintage inspired paper.

pamgarrison.typepad.com

These are my favorite!  Vintage reproductions are so fun.  I have mentioned Bethany Lowe Designs before. She has so many cute items.

smphotoson-flickr

Another great line is offered by Johanna Parker Design.  Look at these designs~  They are adorable and I can't get enough of them!

Merry treasure hunting!