Real Decorating for Real People
Spring is a great time to try something fresh and new and one of these valance ideas just might be the one for you. Window toppers, while simple to create, can add color and interest to your décor and some of the easiest toppers require no sewing at all. A shelf mounted above a window is…
One area that a lot of people forget is the details for their exterior. We have learned to accessorize our interiors, but we don’t really think about it too much outside, and it’s time to change all that! It’s only been in the last decade or so that exterior rooms became the big thing. You…
These painted rocks could be colorful paperweights, adorable little reminders on your desk, or painted with cute words to place inside luch boxes and briefcases. On our show about a colorful exterior we briefly showed you some cute little painted rocks. Well, those were returned to their owner and I didn’t get a good photo of them so…
This is the perfect party dip because you are forced to share it and not eat it all up on your own! No one person needs all these tasty calories. When you are taking drugs to help keep your arteries clean, it’s tough to justify making dips like this! However, once in a great while, I indulge. …
This unusual combination of both red and green grapes, cream cheese, brown sugar and more is so delicious you’ll have to give the recipe out to everyone who tastes it! I know, it sounds weird. And when you see the ingredients, some of them sound like a strange mix, but my Mom swore that it…
This is a great cool weather dish because when chicken and vegetables are cooked together in a roaster, it’s real home cooking and we all know how that warms you on a chilly day! The nice thing about this meal, for my family, is that meat eaters, vegetarians and vegans alike can enjoy a meal from one…
See how five different paint colors selected from a printed bedspread make a bedroom look bright, calm, cool, dramatic and warm! Painting a room is one of the easiest and least expensive ways to make a change in the way your home looks. But, the selection process takes time and patience. In fact, it’s an art…
Take some time this year to craft a few gifts and make some awesome Valentine decor for your home without spending too much cash. Valentine’s Day is the day we celebrate those that we love. Although it is most often associated with romantic love, why not make this Valentine’s Day extra special for your entire…
Coffee cup candles are a unique way to make that collection of pretty tea or coffee cups useful. For a long time I collected pretty cups and saucers and then found that I lost my interest because they just sat there taking up space. Well, by turning them into candles, I can bring one out…
Perfect for all the summer holidays, this flag T-shirt can be worn with pride. Pride in the good ol’ U.S.A. and pride in yourself for making it! Of all the summer red, white and blue T-shirts we’ve made, this one is the most challenging because the pieces are so small. I used the tiny sized…
Learn to embroider and make a great fireworks designed T-shirt for 4th of July at the same time! This red, white and blue T is perfect for the big day and the kid’s can even help you make it. The fireworks do take a bit of patience, but it’s only one embroidery stitch to master, and…
Kid’s will love these star T-shirts to wear for the summer holidays, but change out the design, and they can be used for all sorts of celebrations…or just for fun! I love the three summer holidays for more reasons than the weather that goes with them. I love them because when you make a craft…
Don’t let this plain Jane green T-shirt fool you. With the use of the six fabric paint pens you see, this T-shirt became a masterpiece at the hands of my 11 year old son! That’s right, I let him loose on the T-shirts and he did marvelous things. My family was visiting friends for a week…
Embellishing objects is a good way for you to skip right over the boring part of a project (like making a flat panel drapery), and go directly to making it beautiful. For instance, I went out a found a couple of plain drapes, a neutral woven drapery and a sheer. (By the way, they were…
It’s the artichokes that give this dish it’s interesting flavor and the orzo and tofu give it wonderful texture. So, I’ve been a vegetarian over a year now and I’m finally putting recipes together myself. You know, adding the ingredients that I like versus the ingredients that are in the recipes. This combination of flavors…
This simple window valance is made up of five separate pieces that are sewn individually and then stapled to a valance board. The design along the bottom, the “V” shape in this case, could be more elaborate, curved or simply flat. Have fun with your fabrics like I did with the tabs where the stripes…
When it came time to select colors for the studio set for “around the house with Matt and Shari”, I went directly to one of our biggest supporters, ProVia Door and asked them what they would recommend. Without hesitation, they suggested we install one of their inspirations art glass windows in the studio. All I…
Wraps can be personalized by putting in just the ingredients that you prefer, so set up a wrap buffet full of fillings and go crazy! Wraps are one of the easiest sandwiches to pull together and because you are using either flatbread or tortillas, you can usually count on a few less carbohydrates than making…
Kids love to play with letters writing their names, favorite words, or even just their initials. These fabric covered foam letters can be placed on bookshelves or hung on the wall! Well, here’s something new, I don’t like this project!! Hahaha! I am writing it because we showed fabric wrapped Styrofoam letters in our wrap…
Fabric is one of the great recyclables. Once you’ve created something out of large quantities of fabric, you always have leftovers, and it’s the leftovers that can make for the best recycled projects. One of the oldest recycled fabric projects is a quilt, and I have a couple photos of some of the quilts I’ve…
No need for four different wreaths when one wreath base can be reaccessorized each season. Sometimes it takes a dilemma for me to come up with a new idea. So, here was my dilemma. I have a double front door and that means two wreaths for every season or holiday and I have just run…
Selecting exterior house colors is a difficult job, but if you follow these important steps I can assure you the process will be much easier. When it comes time to select exterior house colors, whether you are building and making all of the selections at once or just replacing one of the key features of your…
We believe everyone should enjoy the holidays, even the hostess, and these 10 steps will help that dream come true! Do you remember in school when your name was called you would call out, “present”? In other words, you were there, you were attending the class; you were available to participate in the activities of…
Tis the season for cookies! And, if you put together a holiday cookie exchange, you can enjoy a dozen different varieties of cookies without all the work! Sure, you have to make a lot of the cookie you decide to make for the party, but it’s so much easier to make dozens of just one…
Sometimes it takes the simplest of materials to create something very nice, and this Star of David garland is a good example of that. I think it is wonderful that the end of the year is full of celebration. With celebrations come decorations and with decorations come hand- made projects! Hand- made projects allow more than…
Create a folded greeting card perfect for a special someone at Hanukkah, Kwanzaa or any holiday you wish. This is a lovely project for you and your children. It may not be the type of card you make to send to all your family and friends, in fact, you might just keep it yourself! However,…
Making frayed flowers uses up scrap fabrics, is a fun past time, and makes everything you pin or glue them too look better! Frayed flowers are a nice way to use up leftover fabric pieces. Once you have your flowers made you can add them to sweaters, coats, aprons, bags, pillows, draperies, and more! Well I…
Inexpensive felt and beads come together to give your holiday table setting a special touch. Add embroidered names and they double as place cards. Go ahead and say it – I’m a crazy woman. I adore making holiday napkin rings as you’ve seen from the variety I have shown you over the years. Well, this is…
That’s exactly what this is, a wreath within another wreath and you could create all kids of combinations if you just let your imagination go! I love to take what is thought of as the traditional way to do things, and just mix it up a bit! Why not? Sometimes the results are a bit more…
Tassels are a fun accessory to add to lamps, dresser drawer knobs, armoires, etc., but they can be so expensive. Solve that by making them yourself! Many years ago, when we were just getting started in television, Matt and I did a segment called Coffee Break Crafts. Basically, the segment was about me teaching Matt how to…
For those of you who enjoy working with fabric and also entertaining, I think making no-sew placemats and napkins is the perfect project. This might be something you’d like to get your kids involved with as well since it is easy and you can talk about replacing paper napkins with fabric ones so we aren’t…
You’ve heard that one man’s trash is another’s treasure, well the same goes for recycling, and having a party brings out all the best stuff! There is something really rewarding about fixing something old up to look new again or just finding a new way to use something that may have been tossed out by…
Learn how to save time and money by making one large meal and turning it into three different meals for the week. One of the toughest never ending jobs for any parent, aside from laundry, is making dinner! At least that’s how I feel around my house. And, if there is anything I can do…
Accessories come in all shapes and sizes from huge pieces of artwork and area rugs to tiny decorative boxes and porcelain. They can each be gorgeous in their own right, but it’s the way you put them together or “display” them that really helps them to stand out and make a statement. When you do…
We’ve talked about interior style many times, but what about the style of the exterior of your home? Well, I’m going to walk you through a brief history of home styles and while I’m explaining the different looks and details, see if you can figure out what style home you live in! Well, between the…
Accessories tell a story about you, so what items would you choose to add to your rooms that tell the world, or at least anyone who visits you, who you are? The topic of accessorizing is huge. We can talk about artwork, pillows, area rugs, books, baskets, boxes, floral arrangements, and the list goes on and…
If you are tired of just hanging another framed piece of art on your walls, then wall decals are something you should look into. Please visit our friend, Shelley’s website, she has fantastic wall decals to offer you. www.singlestonestudios.com Often times I struggle with what to do with walls. Sure, there’s every color of the…
The lighting you choose can make or break a room because it adds function to spaces as well as ambiance that can’t be created any other way. Lighting is the last step in getting your room to function well for you before all the decorating begins. It should be selected for the functions of a…
If you don’t know the three different types of lighting that you need in every room of your home, then you need to check out this article! Lighting is the last step in getting your room to function well for you before all the decorating begins. It should be selected for the functions of a…
These lighting alternatives aren’t necessarily for functional needs, they are ways to bring light to your home that add ambiance, interest, or intrigue. What do you suppose alternative lighting means? Well, it’s just a fun umbrella term for anything other than an ordinary table or floor lamp – even chandelier or ceiling fixture. Alternative lighting…
