DIY Spring Flower Box

I know it's no where near Springtime, but oh how much I miss color in my home! I enjoy the coziness of Winter, but it has come to that time in the season when I become desperate to see flowers blooming and trees budding. My first project for Spring focuses on my flower trough. I will link my tutorial on how I made my flower trough for **ONLY $2** if you're interested HERE >> http://jessicarosehomedecor.blogspot.com/2015/07/diy-wood-flower-trough-box-under-2.html  For a few weeks now, I have envisioned recreating a mini-flower box that incorporates cascading vines, a mixture of wild flowers, and succulent-looking leaves. This is what I came up with :)

You will need the following materials:

Pink & Yellow flowers - Michael's - Full Price: $3.99 each - On sale: $2.39 each  |  Vines - Hobby Lobby - Full Price: $3.99 each - On Sale: $1.99 each  |  Lilacs - Michael's - Full Price: $1.79 - On Sale: $1.07

Left - Michael's - Full Price: $4.99 - On Sale: $2.99  |  Right - Hobby Lobby - Full Price: $3.99 - On Sale: $1.99

Flower trough  |  Flower foam  |  Moss  |  Glue  |  Sponge  |  Wire Cutters

 First, apply glue to the top of your foam - spread evenly across with a sponge brush. Add moss atop the glue and cover as much of the exposed foam as possible. Don't worry if you can't get everything - the flowers will cover up the rest.

Let dry for an hour. Turn over and shake off the excess moss. Place your flower trough over it. Then, begin adding the vine pieces one by one. Insert in the space between the foam and the wood box. Cascade them down the sides of the box for a natural effect.

 Finally, insert the rest of the flowers into the foam. Make sure the flower placement is random in order to keep with the "wild flower box" theme. Adding a lot of greenery gives off the appearance of weeds, which is one of the main characteristic of wild flowers - so don't underestimate their influence! Also avoid making all the flowers the same height in order to add depth and dimension.

DIY Christmas Staircase Garland for $25!

 There's nothing that makes a house more cozy than the Christmas season. With so many decor options at hand, it can sometimes be overwhelming to decide which areas of the house to decorate while leaving other areas on the back-burner, especially if you're on a budget like me. It goes without saying that the living room is always the epicenter of everything Christmas. Thus, choose focal points in this room that you & your guests will notice first. My staircase is the most focal part of my living room. If the same goes for you & you have $25 to spare, then this DIY will definitely interest you! Why buy those overpriced, overrated, boring looking garlands in store when you can blow those out of the water with this one? ;)

You will need the following materials:

Garland $2.99 - Michael's

Poinsettias $2.50: Michael's has the best ones!

Garland Ties $2.50 - Wal*Mart

Ornament Balls $4.98 - Wal*Mart

Mini Lights $2.99 - Target

Ribbon $2.47 - Wal*Mart

Glitter Stems $0.74 each - Michael's
Pine Cone bag - $2.50 each - Michael's

*Note: sale + coupon price shown above*

Measure your staircase in order to determine how long of a garland you should purchase. My staircase measured 5 feet long & I purchased a 7 foot long garland. Take the garland and weave it in between the railings. Secure it with the garland ties. I did one on each end & two in the middle. Secure your ornament balls with the ornament wire and place them as shown below. Alternate colors & finishes (glitter, matte, shiny) throughout. Don't forget the backside!

Taking the poinsettias, detach them from their stems.

 Then, taking your ornament wire, slide it in-between the bottom of the flower & plastic stem, as shown:

Proceed to secure each poinsettia to the garland with the ornament wire. The cream poinsettias add warmth to this piece. In my opinion it is what makes it unique & cozy.

Next, take the individual glitter stem pieces and simply slide them into the garland - alternate colors throughout. You can secure them with ornament wire if you like, but it is not necessary.

Take your string of lights, plug them in, and place it to your liking. I suggest having them lit while you weave them onto the garland so that you can maximize the amount of surface area to be covered in lights & to ensure you do not miss any spots.

Add your ribbon of choice (I suggest a sheer ribbon - it makes the lights pop more!) & some pine cones and you are done! So simple & inexpensive, but it most certainly doesn't look that way ;)

 

 Here are some close-up shots for more detailed placement.

It's also a great place to add your stockings!

 

 And for impromptu Christmas card pictures ;)

I had such a fun time creating this & I hope you do as well! If you re-create this DIY, please leave a photo in the comment section below - I'd love to see them! Share this with your family & friends!

How To: *Rustic Window* Using Dollar Store Picture Frames!

I was shopping at my local antique flea markets last week and I kept stumbling across old windows. I loved how they looked. Thoughts of serenity in my dream cottage away from it all kept coming to mind. I felt a timeless comfort whenever I looked at one. I knew I had to have one, but they were so pricey!  I couldn't justify spending that much. Not to mention they were so incredibly heavy - talk about a fear of a "you break it, you buy it!" situation. In today's tutorial I present to you my cost-effective solution to the aforementioned home decor dilemma...And did I mention I found all my materials at the Dollar Store??! $60-200 dollars for the original OR $4 for something that looks just as good? I'll let you be the judge ;)

You will need the following materials:

4 - 5x7 picture frames from the Dollar Store

duck tape

super glue

white acrylic paint
sponge brush
light grit sandpaper

 

Take your frames & discard the backings. You can also place the glass frames off to the side.

Connect your frames together on the back with duck tape. Make sure the tape is not visible from the front. (**I did three across here because initially I thought I was going to do a 3x2 window. I later changed my mind and did a 2x2 window instead.)

Flip over and apply super glue to the places you applied duck tape, as shown.

Now time to paint it. When the superglue has completely dried, apply 1-2 coats of white acrylic paint. Distress with sandpaper for more of a tattered, worn look.

Return the glass pieces back to each frame and Voilà! - you now have your makeshift rustic window!

I placed mine behind these refinished, antique glass bottles I found at a flea market. As you can see, the window adds depth & dimension to the glass bottles.

vs.

What I love about this tutorial is that you can customize it to whatever your vision is - bigger, smaller, taller, different paint finishes/colors - and it won't break the bank! :)

How-To: Hydrangea Wreath Tutorial

I can't believe I'm saying this, but with Memorial Day coming up in less than 2 weeks (WHAT?!), it is now that time of the year to begin thinking about all things Summer! And what better way than with a front door wreath (big surprise coming from me, ha)! Artificial summer flowers can sometimes be hard to work with. Most of the ones in various crafting stores are too saturated. To me, that actually makes it look too fake & can come off a bit tacky if not styled properly. So I focused on cool (temperature, NOT state of self) colors to avoid this dilemma & this inadvertently makes the room seem cooler (temp again) - a future necessity in the weeks to come :( In addition to twine, wire cutters, and ornament wire, you will need the following matertials:

Light bulbs(Hobby Lobby) - $1 each, originally $2 each; Baby's Breath(Hobby Lobby) - $2, originally $4; Hydrangea(Michaels) - $6, originally $16; Bouquet(Michaels) - $10, originally $20.

 I have had this obsession with hydrangeas for too long - I mean who doesn't?! They are so luxurious & tranquil-looking. So when I purchased this one a year ago (talk about delayed gratification), I knew I had to make it the focal point/inspiration of a Summer decor project..and here we are :)

Cut the stem leaving 1/2 an inch to 1 inch with your wire cutters.

If you find that the proportion of the flower to the bouquet doesn't mesh well to the eye, simply trim the branches at the bottom in order to size-down the circumference of the hydrangea.

Place hydrangea as shown:

Secure by looping twine around the branches surrounding the stem of the flower, as shown. (You can also use a glue gun in addition to the twine.)

Next up, bulbs. Trim 12 baby's breath pieces, as shown.

Carefully insert three stems into each bulb. I used a chop stick, but you can use a pen, etc.

 Seal.

Take your twine & wrap around the top of each bulb, knot at the base to secure.

How much twine you should use depends on how low you want them to hang from the bouquet. Once you determine this, knot at the top.

Secure to the bouquet with ornament wire. Placing the wire right under the knot helps it from sliding down, but feel free to use 2 pieces of wire if needed.

Place, THEN secure. 

1...

...2...

 ...3...

DONE!

This piece is so unique & something you definitely won't find in any craft store. The mixture of soft whites with cool turquoise adds the perfect pop of Summer color into any room...

...inside...

...or outside!

 

Share with me your Summer home decor projects in the comments below!