EASY DIY FALL FELT GARLANDS

I recently had a chance to do a little guest blogging over at Thriving Home, my friends Rachel & Polly’s blog.  You can read more about my entry way and DIY Spooky Spider Yarn Tassel Garlands pictured below here.   Working on that blog post inspired me to share a little bit more of my own house with you. 

We are so blessed to have our home.  I really love it.  My one complaint is we don’t have a fireplace and therefore, no mantle that I can change out with all the cute seasonal garlands and trimmings I see on Pinterest.  I’ve had to get creative and build other focal points around the house.  Here’s one area where I use a vintage inspired industrial cart as my “mantle”.  

I recently scored these large antique shutters at Helmi’s Gardens, one of my favorite local places in Columbia to hunt for treasures.   The shutters provided the perfect backdrop I needed for ever changing seasonal displays atop the cart.  I also grabbed the white owl at Helmi’s along with these black birds (I had to have three, one for each of my littles).  Helmi’s is kind of like Plume; you never know what you might find there.

I got this fuzzy ivory pom pom wreath at Joann’s last Christmas and liked it so much I left it out, but since Christmas it hasn’t really felt right in the space.  Yet, there it still sat all year long.   When I added the little black birds and the owl it just felt perfect!   As you get to know me, you’ll find that I love just a touch of unexpected quirk in many of my spaces.

Once I had the cart & shutters in place I just started digging through my other fall decor and found these black glittered pumpkins (which don’t stand out much in this pic) and an old black glittery paper Halloween garland from years past.  My Vintage Royal Typewriter (a treasure from Patty’s Place ) always sits on that cart.

About the same time I was working on this I had just added new maker Tami Pfeil from St. Louis based Handbehg Felts to Plume who creates functional decor & jewelry out of her own line of 100% Wool Handmade Felt Balls.  We sell Tami’s original creations along with her felt balls at Plume so  I  grabbed some fall colored balls and my girls (ages 5 & 8) quickly worked together with needle and thread to string together this cute felt ball garland (of course I didn’t get any pics of the girls in action…but I’m sending you that image telepathically right now…aren’t they cute?)

The girls and I used thick thread for the one you see displayed at my house.  In the step-by-step above I’ve used hemp cord.  When I have time, I will probably redo the one at the house with hemp.  I like that look better.

 

Plume is the exclusive retailer in Mid-Missouri for Handbehg Felts and we couldn’t be more excited!   You can order online at their website…but wouldn’t it be more fun to pop into Plume this week?  I’ll give you your very own in-person tutorial and retail prices are the same…but we’ll save you the shipping!   Grab a bag of felt balls and a large felting needle (also at Plume) and use just about any string or cord you have on hand at home to string them up.

Every time I walk past this area in my house, I just love it.  It’s festive, cozy & personal. And isn’t that what home is supposed to feel like?

Hope to see  you folks soon!