I’ve been wanting to do some fresh holiday decor for our new house, and knew I wanted to go with something a bit more modern as our new house has a more modern architectural feel. And it had to be magenta. I wanted a pair of shiny ornament wreaths and looked for ones in magenta, and couldn’t find them anywhere. So what’s a creative girl to do? Make my own of course!
The “ingredients” were pretty inexpensive. I bought everything on Amazon. The plastic ornaments come in large quantities, 60 count for the larger ones and 90 count for the smaller ones. The wreath forms are simple wire ( I used 18” ones), and the ribbon is a 1” wired satin. And of course, lots of good ol’ hot glue.
Putting it all together took about 1 1/2 hours and was pretty simple. I started by wrapping the wreath form with the satin ribbon and attaching it to itself with a bead of hot glue on the back (flat) side, tying it off with a long loop at the top for hanging. Next step was attaching the plastic ornaments with hot glue. For the first layer I spaced the larger balls somewhat randomly about 1-2” apart around the ribbon covered form, then started filling in with both the larger and smaller balls. Be generous with the hot glue and attach the ornaments to each other as well as the wreath form. Be sure and do this on a flat surface so the wreath will hang flat on your door.
I had a few extra ornaments and a lot of extra ribbon left. I used the ornaments, along with a couple really big ones and some fake greenery (well, “pinkery” ) to fill the pots that flank the entryway. I’ll be adding a lot more next year, but at least we have a little holiday cheer for this strange season 🙂 Happy Holidays!
Poor overgrown devils. I’m sure the will all be much happier now. I’ve been struggling with keeping annuals happy in the big black pots as it gets hot sun all summer. I’m sure these succulents will be easier to deal with in there.
I love succulents more and more…so easy to deal with, such happy little things 🙂 I made up a little patio area outside of 
First I created a base by wrapping the book with the brown paper. I used ModgePodge mixed with 50% water (white glue in the same proportion would work fine). I brushed it on the book to help hold the paper, then wrapped the paper and taped on the inside.
For the next layer I soaked the brown paper in the 50/50 solution, crunched it up to wrinkle it and give it texture, then added it to the front cover. I wrinkled it up around the edges to give it the right look.
Next I mixed up the Celluclay. It is basically paper pulp used for sculpting. It is easy to use, mixes with water and dries hard and ready to sand, paint, or add to. In this case I used the 50/50 solution, as I had extra, and it worked great.
I formed the chunky bits with my fingers and spread the Celluclay on the cover, looking at my reference photo for guidance. I used a chopstick and flat screwdriver to press and gouge.
At this point I let it dry till the next day when it was ready to paint. I could have sanded it a bit to smooth it out but this was good enough for me 🙂 I let it dry overnight.
I used acrylic paints, starting with a dark layer to give depth in the deeper areas.
I used it watery then dabbed off the excess with a rag.
Next came the more flesh-toned layer. I mixed my own but you could easily just buy an appropriate flesh-tone paint. This is brushed on a bit more lightly, and watery. I again dabbed up the excess with a rag.
The final paint layer is light highlights. I used white mixed with the flesh-tone, fairly watery, and lightly brushed it across the highest parts, again dabbing off with a rag to blend and get up the excess.
My very own Necronomicon! Ashy Slashy would be proud 🙂
The table, center of it all, is where I usually put the most attention. This year I added a 
I kept the kitchen bar counter more simple and elegant this year, to go with the table decor.
I still love these little monster portraits I added a plastic spider to cover the pin in the wall. (Artwork by 
I love these creepy little ceramic 
Our old black skeleton has seen better days, but is still having a ball sitting on top of our antique wood stove. He’s sitting in a bit of a forest thanks to an early freeze here in Salt Lake (I had to bring the plants in early this year). (Link to the garland DIY 
Even my desk gets a bit of spirit.
These shiny paper 
The garden window in the kitchen gets a little touch of Halloween.
My beloved Victorian Halloween collection (all reproductions collected over the years) adorn the side table in the dining room with a couple of framed Monster prints (art by 
I still love my skeleton howling dogs, snagged at 75% off at Big Lots a couple years ago. The human skeleton was a dumpster find.
I really like the way my planters turned out this year. It’s a combination of mums, ornamental kale and cabbage, ornamental peppers, black pansies and the only surviving plants from the Summer plantings, Creeping Jenny and purple petunias. I added a little dried Spanish moss to cover the edges. This will transition nicely into thanksgiving as well.
This fun scene was my husband’s idea, the crows feasting on the skeleton. The dog skeleton looking at the dead guy was a gift from a Burning Man camp-mate this year.
The Crows! I’ve had these plastic crow decoys for well over a decade. I admittedly stole this idea from the amazingly talented owner of
A couple more crows flank the entry gate. The sign on the gate is another old dumpster find.
I kept it more simple around the door this year, a bit more elegant. All my fancy pumpkins and the mums came from Trader Joe’s, the big orange one from Costco. I made the Victorian-looking banner years ago, here’s a
the Kitchen, BEFORE
the Year of Living Fabulously 