these embroidered logs are inspired by the charming lino prints of hugo guinness. i wanted my father’s christmas gift a “portrait-through-objects” (he loves gardening and he always loses his glasses). do not be dissuaded by the power drill; these are super easy to make. they are fast and enjoyable, a good movie time or rainy day project. have fun!! – kate

CLICK HERE for the full how-to after the jump!

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a few months ago when the amys and i went to brimfield, i was surprised to learn that those pretty linen chairs with the printed numbers on them were actually stamped. i had always assumed they were upholstered with some sort of fabric, or vintage bags, that already had markings on them. while some of them are, the vendor we spoke to (who had tons of these things) said that most of the ones you see these days are actually stamped. so when i heard from d*s reader deepa, i knew just how to answer her “how do i get one of these chairs?” question: make one!

so i was thrilled to hear back from deepa yesterday to see the final result. deepa created a stamp and worked with an existing chair and added a french linen fabric (a lucky score at a local fleamarket). the finished product looks so much like the vintage pieces you see in antique stores that i couldn’t resist sharing her basic how- to here. whether you’re working with an elegant french chair, or looking to staple gun a simple dining chair or stool with burlap/linen, the look is remarkably easy to create- all you need is fabric paint, a stencil and a little elbow grease. thanks so much to deepa for sharing! *click here to learn how to make the paper wreath above deepa’s chair!*

CLICK HERE for the full how-to after the jump!

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i’ve seen so many beautiful rustic wreath ideas this year, that i thought it would be fun to switch it up a bit and share this fun project from emily at thirty-eight 20. emily sent over her “technicolor ornament wreath” project and i couldn’t resist. it’s a great way to make use of inexpensive ornaments (the kind that always seem to be on sale at drug stores this time of year), and create something that you won’t have to worry about keeping misted or fresh. thanks so much for emily for sharing her project!

CLICK HERE for emily’s project steps after the jump!

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This column is not about the cozy little cottages that dot the English countryside. Instead we’re focusing on those grand English country homes that were the power houses for the country. When I was younger, in addition to devouring Jane Austen novels, I spent an absurd amount of time pouring through my parents’ copy of the 1978 book, Life in a Medieval Castle. But the ultimate was I Capture the Castle – a childhood favorite of my mom’s – written in 1948 by Dodie Smith about a young girl who lives in a rundown castle and dreams of being a writer (It was also adapted into a movie in 2003). I thought it would be fun to take a look at the history behind these grand homes!  After all, the custom of afternoon tea? Developed in an English country house. The American love affair with a green lawn? Imported from the English country house, of course!

great chalfield manor completed in 1480 has a moat, a gatehouse, oriel windows and a great hall. the manor is part of the national trust.

For centuries, the ownership of land was the only means to power. These ambitious land-owners were not farmers, but secured power and wealth as the ultimate landlords. Not only did they collect rent from their tenants, but they could also call on those tenants to, in the early days of the country house, fight for them, and to vote for them in the latter days. From the Middle Ages until the 19th century, anyone who acquired wealth built a country house to insure their power. The kind of house built was the absolute advertisement of that power and ambition.

As a nod to the tea drinking English, I have a mini tutorial on creating a rubberized tea set! Yep, those pretty pink handles have been rubberized!

CLICK HERE for the full post complete with a “books to read” and “facts to know”(and the rubberizing diy project!)

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today i’m thrilled to welcome nicole of well worn to the d*s guest blog! this will be our final guest blog stint until the new year so i’m happy to end with nicole’s theme: organization. after the initial break of the holiday, it’s always nice to use that extra time off to clean up and organize your home (it’s always a new year’s resolution of mine) so this week nicole will take you through your home, room-by-room, with great design-oriented tips for keeping your space organized. click here to check out her first post on bedroom organization.

i also wanted to share this fun wreath idea (above) from susie at rock scissor paper. susie’s crafty hubby used leftover wood scraps from a project to create a surprise wreath for their home’s mantle. i love the earthy meets industrial feel and the way the paper ornaments compliment the color scheme. great work you guys! click here for more info on their mantle project!

yesterday we posted four great holiday craft projects and today blair is keeping the diy fun going with a great sweater wreath project that lets you make good use of any old sweaters that are headed for the trash. CLICK HERE to see the full how-to on the d*s guest blog!

in non craft-project news, i’m really loving these homespun initialed linens at chestnuts & papaya. i grew up with a mother (hi mom!) that had a great appreciation for vintage linens so things like this always really hit home for me. her taste was a bit more towards traditional white linens, but i always love these heartier looking french-looking styles. click here to check out chesnuts & papaya’s full selection.

My love for plants growing under glass knows no bounds and I was extra excited to find a way to incorporate a little terrarium love into my holiday repertoire this year. These ornaments are actually fake terrariums, by using dried sheet moss or reindeer moss , the ornament isn’t technically growing so it requires no care. Perfect for those of us who are excel at forgetting to water things. Plus, I’m tempted hang them in my kitchen once the holidays are through. -amy m.

CLICK HERE for the full how-to after the jump!

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i purchased these miniature birdhouses from the craft store about six months ago, because they were so adorable and i knew i would eventually come up with a use for them. voila! a miniature wooden village for my mantel during the holiday season. i already had some lights lying around, so i went and purchased some fresh cedar garland to complete the vignette. this takes mere minutes to set up, and the best part is that you can decorate these birdhouses in a million different ways: paint, wood stain, markers, paper, glitter, decoupage, stamps, stickers, moss, to name a few… i like the simple scandinavian feel of the plain wood for now, but i will definitely be trying out some different decorations on my little village in the future. have fun!!! – kate

CLICK HERE for kate’s full how-to after the jump!

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continuing with the fluffy holiday craft theme is this beautiful wreath project from the talented blogger behind domestifluff (i love that name), kristen. inspired by a rosette pillow tutorial on etsy, kristen decided to create her own version for a wreath. though there was “much felt circle cutting involved” kristen loved the outcome, and the fact that it can be used year round. of course, if you want to make it more holiday specific you can choose alternate colors to use- but i love kristen’s snowy white version. if you’ve got a cold “stuck inside” day on your hands, this will be a great one to with friends or family. thanks so much to kristen for sharing!

CLICK HERE for the full how-to after the jump!

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jaime from prudent baby and prudent advice sent over this fun hanukkah garland tutorial that i thought would make for a great afternoon craft activity. all you need is some fleece (wool and felt would work nicely, too), scissors and a little thread and you’re good to go! thanks to jaime for sharing!

CLICK HERE for the full how-to after the jump!

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