Easy-Peasy Ways to Decorate a Pumpkin

Not all of us have the artistic skill to do intricately carved pumpkins for Halloween, so here are some easy (really!) ways to decorate pumpkins that will still wow the neighbors.  Try painting or drawing with a black Sharpee on white pumpkins to make cool designs like these.

Black and White Pumpkins by Liz Demos Easy Peasy Ways to Decorate a Pumpkin Martha Stewart

 

You can punch little holes with a drill bit to create an outline you like.  Cut a hole in the bottom of the pumpkin, rather than the top.  Stick a string of twinkle lights inside and poke the lights through the holes like a Lite-Brite.

Crescent Moon Country Living Easy Peasy Ways to Decorate a Pumpkin Country Living

 

Bigger drill bit and creepy critters.   Mouse motel!

Mouse Motel Pumpkin via Martha Easy Peasy Ways to Decorate a Pumpkin

 Martha Stewart

 
Have you ever seen a pumpkin tree before?  Be the first in your neighborhood to grow one!   Use those plastic pumpkins (Funkins) from a craft store - they are very light.   Hang a few lanterns and perch a few black crows.  Very spooky.

Pumpkin Tree via Country Living Easy Peasy Ways to Decorate a Pumpkin Country Living

 

 
Forget all that carving.  Why not just adorn your pumpkins with masks and hats?  What a great idea!

Masked Pumpkins via Country Living Easy Peasy Ways to Decorate a Pumpkin

Country Living

 

 Look at these beautiful gilded pumpkins.  Make your own sophisticated display using stickers and gold spray paint.

 Gilded Pumpkins Country Living Easy Peasy Ways to Decorate a Pumpkin

 Country Living

 

Squirt some spray mount on small pumpkins or gourds, then sprinkle with colored glitter.  Create a sweet display with silver candlestands or a cake pedestal.

Glitter Pumpkins via martha Easy Peasy Ways to Decorate a Pumpkin

 Martha Stewart

 

 If you have lots of pumpkins, why not spell out a spooky message?  Just have a few?  Spell “boo.”

Spelling Pumpkins via Country Living Easy Peasy Ways to Decorate a Pumpkin

 Country Living

 

 I love these gourd people!  You don’t even have to do the faces, just artfully stack some colorful gourds on your porch.

Stacked Pumpkins and Gourds via martha Easy Peasy Ways to Decorate a Pumpkin

Martha Stewart

 

Look how GORGEOUS this is!  Just stick to one color in an assortment of shapes and sizes.  The spider pumpkins are just the right touch.  And that cool moss doesn’t hurt, either.

Spider Squash Pumpkins via martha Easy Peasy Ways to Decorate a Pumpkin

 Martha Stewart

 

How about using gourds or mini-pumpkins as placecards at your dinner party?  This could work now all the way to Thanksgiving.  Use a stencil or freehand  an initial with paint or a Sharpee pen.

Placecard Pumpkin country living Easy Peasy Ways to Decorate a Pumpkin Country Living

 

 Hollow out a place for a votive candle.  Line your mantel with these or scatter across your tablescape.

Pumpkin Votive via country living Easy Peasy Ways to Decorate a Pumpkin

Country Living

 

I saved the best for last.   These enchanted toadstools made of gourds are my favorite!  My daughters were a gnome and a toadstool last Halloween – click here if you want to see how hilariously cute their costumes were.

Toadstool Pumpkins via Martha Stewart Easy Peasy Ways to Decorate a Pumpkin Martha Stewart

 

I’m spending a bit of time here in Phoenix doing some great architectural tours – can’t wait to share that with you when I return home!

 

Fun Alternative to Your Average Bar Stool

What do you think about this as an alternative to the predictable wood counter or bar stool?

 lyon industrial stool Fun Alternative to Your Average Bar Stool

Lyon Industrial Stool

 

It’s Dove Gray and comes in heights from 18 to 30 inches.  Great for a contemporory space, a farmhouse kitchen, or even one with a retro vibe, don’t you think?  I read that Martha Stewart herself uses these very stools at her kitchen island at her Bedford home!

Make Your Own Snow Globes

snow globes via martha stewart Make Your Own Snow Globes I love vintage snow globes, but few keep all their liquid over the years.  I thought maybe this year I may try to make my own!  Martha Stewart and a few other people in blogland have tutorials, so I’ll relay the skinny on this project.

 

You’ll need a small jar – baby jar, olive jar, pimento jar, etc.  Using epoxy, adhere a small plastic or ceramic figurine, animal, or tree onto the inside of the lid.  Some crafters suggest mineral oil in the jar, but Martha says distilled water and a dash of glycerin.  Sprinkle in a little glitter.  Either screw that lid on tight, or put some epoxy on the threads of the lid first to keep it sealed up.  Flip it and shake! diy snowglobes via martha stewart Make Your Own Snow Globes

 

bell jar snow dome via fullofbliss photostream on flickr Make Your Own Snow Globes Pretty simple, huh?  How about an idea that’s even easier, but yields a greater effect?  You could use a glass bell jar or apothecary jar to create a snow dome – all you need is the container, some items to go inside, and faux snow.  A modern presentation of the classic snow globe!

 

Photo Credits:  Martha Stewart, Flickr (fullofbliss’ photostream).

Decorative Ideas for Seashells


Who doesn’t have at least a few seashells saved from a favorite beach vacation?  Recently, my beautiful friend Leif came over for dinner and brought me these:

DSC 4472 1 Decorative Ideas for Seashells


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Woodgrain Decor

You can call it fake woodgrain or you can call it faux bois (that’s French for false wood).  Whatever you call it,  it’s a fun decorating trend. kevin obrien woodgrain pillows via apartmenttherapy Woodgrain Decor


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Decorating for Easter

 

Easter is probably my favorite holiday for decorating my home.  Maybe it’s because I love colors like robin’s egg blue, butter yellow, grass green, and petal pink.   Maybe it’s because I love decorating with nests and birds.  Maybe it’s because I love daffodils and forsythia.  Or maybe it’s because it means that winter really is over and spring has finally sprung!  Let Christ arise!



eggs in jars via milliemux Decorating for Easter

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Martha’s Bench Bookcase

martha stewarts bookcase bench Marthas Bench Bookcase Leave it to Martha to come up with this crafty bookcase.  Stack multiple identical benches, screw them together, and paint them the color you want.  Just don’t stack more than 3 or 4 to make sure they are stable. 

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Valentine’s Truffles

I’m not much of a cook, but food gifts are always appreciated at Valentine’s.  Especially if they are chocolate!  I thought I’d share a yummy and easy recipe I’ve used for Valentine’s gifting in the past.  Wish I had time to make some this year, but maybe you do! truffles via morganmoore typepad com 300x225 Valentines Truffles

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Halloween, Martha-Style


It’s October 1st, so you know what that means?  It means Halloween decorating!  With the days getting shorter and the temperature dropping, it just makes sense to start spooking the house up as I mourn the dying of Summer.

Over the last several years, my Halloween decorating has been inspired by two people:  Martha Stewart and Andrea Ferrell.   Both ladies enjoy Halloween decorating that leans towards the “natural macabre.”  Today I highlight Martha, I hope soon to highlight the lesser-known but equally fab Andrea Ferrell.

I’m so excited to try this bleeding candles trick!  Take some white candles, stick them in a bucket of sand, light a red candle, and let the wax drip down the white candles.  Genius.

bleeding halloween candles Halloween, Martha Style

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Vintage Chairs

If you know me at all, you know I am a sucker for estate sales and yard sales.  If you know me really well, you know I am a sucker for vintage chairs of all kinds.  My husband thinks my chair obsession is excessive, but I use them all!  Now, I’m not talking Aunt Agatha’s matched Victorian set.  I love mismatched dining room chairs, funky original upholstery, and painted finishes.  I love the juxtaposition of a gathering of unrelated furniture that creates a new and original look.  Check out some of my favorite finds below. 


DSC 8959 199x300 Vintage Chairs This is a very comfortable and sturdy vintage chair I found in one of those never-used formal living rooms at an estate sale.  It was actually bought by an antiques dealer before I could snag it – I chased him down the driveway and asked him if he was willing to resell it.  Got it for $60.  It has original upholstery, not a spot on it.



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pixel Vintage Chairs