 Hi again everyone! Are you ready for another Celtic drawing tutorial? This one is more complex than the border knots we’ve previously done. If you haven’t seen those tutorials, I suggest you click on the “Related blogs you may want to read” links at the end of this blog before attempting this circular Celtic knot tutorial. This tutorial is more advanced, and it will be beneficial to learn some basics first! Having said that, anyone can do this! I broke the process down into easy-to-digest bite-size snippets so that even a Celtic knot newbie can follow along! There are a lot of steps, so let’s jump right in…
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Get into the Halloween spirit with these 11 home accents from Amazon!  Images from Amazon.com. Click the links below to view or purchase. October is upon us, and if you haven’t started your Halloween decorating yet…well…what are you waiting for?!
Maybe you just need a bit of inspiration…So here are some unique indoor Halloween decor items to infuse the Halloween spirit into those tables, mantles, counters, and other interior spaces. Whether you are just looking for a few simple pieces of decor or you’re one of those who go full-on Halloween in your home, this list has something for everyone! Surround yourself with these 12 dark and cozy items from Amazon this fall!  Images from Amazon.com. Click the links below to view or purchase. What is this Dark Academia decor style that is all the rage right now? It’s certainly not a new aesthetic, having been around since Victorian times. This dark and broody decor style has now been “rediscovered” by a new generation looking for a mature design style that feels like an escape from our hectic modern world. The look can be achieved with dark woods, Victorian furniture, antique ornate frames, and bookshelves full of collegiate material and old books. Decorate the space with accents that harken back to the age of discovery, such as botanical prints, species of butterflies in picture frames, scientific equipment like scales, a world atlas or globe, and a few exotic items from around the world. If you’d like to make the space look more Gothic, use black, grey, and deep red colors. Add spookier accents like skeletons, skulls, candelabras, black crows, and books by Edgar Allen Poe. Now you’re all set for Halloween! I scoured Amazon to find a few decorative accents you could use in a Dark Academia space or serve as inspiration for recreating the style in your own home. Let me know in the comments whether you tried any of these! What do you think of this design aesthetic? Is it your cup of tea? I’d love to hear your thoughts!  This drawing tutorial is the fourth in a short series of lessons to teach you how to draw a few variations of Celtic border knots. In the previous lesson, we added vertical breaks to a basic braid pattern to create a different knot style. In this tutorial, we will add horizontal breaks to the basic braid pattern to create yet another knot style with a different look. Below is a list of supplies you may want on hand (Amazon affiliate links are included), but you certainly don’t have to have all of these supplies to do this tutorial. Just find yourself a piece of paper, a pencil, and an eraser, and let’s get to drawing!  This drawing tutorial is the third in a short series of lessons to teach you how to draw a few variations of Celtic border knots. In lesson one, we learned how to draw a simple twist. In lesson two, we used a grid system to draw a basic braid pattern. In this third tutorial, we will build on what we have learned to create a variation using vertical breaks. Breaks introduce a level of complexity to the design that adds visual interest. There are many ways to add breaks to a border pattern, but today’s lesson will show you how to add two simple vertical breaks to the braid we have previously drawn. Below is a list of supplies you may want on hand (Amazon affiliate links are included), but you certainly don’t have to have all of these supplies to do this tutorial. Just find yourself a piece of paper, a pencil, and an eraser, and let’s get to drawing!  This drawing tutorial is the second in a short series of lessons to teach you how to draw a few variations of Celtic border knots. In the first tutorial, we used a grid system to draw a simple twist. In this blog, we will build on what we have learned in that lesson to create a braid pattern. The braid forms the building block for many Celtic-style borders. Below is a list of supplies you may want on hand (Amazon affiliate links are included), but you certainly don’t have to have all of these supplies to do this tutorial. Just find yourself a piece of paper, a pencil, and an eraser, and let’s get to drawing!  This drawing tutorial is the first in a short series of lessons to teach you how to draw a few variations of Celtic border knots. This first tutorial will show you how to draw a simple twist. The twist is not a Celtic style, but the tutorial series will build on this simple pattern, creating more complex weave patterns as we go. Twist borders can be found in many ancient art forms, such as Roman mosaics, and are easy to draw. If you use grid paper—or draw out a grid with guidelines—you will get a perfectly symmetrical twist every time! Below is a list of supplies you may want on hand (Amazon affiliate links are included), but you certainly don’t have to have all of these supplies to do this tutorial. Just find yourself a piece of paper, a pencil, and an eraser, and let’s get to drawing! Check out these 10 decor items from Amazon for inspiration!  Images from Amazon.com. Click the links below to view or purchase. Fall is the perfect time to bring a little hygge into your home! This decorating season can be an opportunity to create a warm, cozy interior space that lasts through the fall and winter months. Neutral earthy colors—like camel, cream, khaki, off-white, tan, taupe, beige, and white—create an interior space that is relaxed and understated for a place to unwind and retreat from the hectic rush of life.
Check out these items from my mood board for inspiration! 11 Rustic yet bright decor items for this fall season from Amazon!  Images from Amazon.com. Click the links below to view or purchase. When August rolls into September, that is the cue for most of us to pull out those fall decorations to make our homes look festive for the season. Some of us love decorating our homes with bold red, orange, and yellow hues that embody the essence of this glorious season of the year. But if that’s a bit much for you, you can still achieve the look and feel of fall with a slightly less bold—but still bright—color palette. The key is to choose muted rustic tones of the typical vibrant fall decor colors to soften the look.
Here are a few ideas below to get you started! Keep things soft and understated this fall season with these 10 home decor items from Amazon!  Images from Amazon.com. Click the links below to view or purchase. If experimenting with a softer color palette this fall is on your agenda, this blog article is for you! Most fall home decor and accents in stores and advertising come in the typical vibrant oranges, reds, and yellows or the Farmhouse style that pairs white with black or orange. And there’s nothing wrong with that if that color scheme inspires you or works well with your existing decor. But there are other options… Pastel decor is usually associated with spring and Easter, but Pinterest has opened my eyes to a different way of thinking about seasonal decor. You can absolutely use pastel colors in the fall! I combed through selections on Amazon to put together an inspirational mood board to help you brainstorm a look for your own space. The key is to bring in accent pieces that speak to the season, such as pumpkins, fall leaves, and a few rustic elements that add a touch of coziness to the look. Here are a few items you may want to consider... We've all experienced the frustration of cleaning windows and mirrors, only to be left with stubborn streaks or cloudy surfaces. In this blog post, we'll walk you through some simple yet effective tips to help you achieve streak-free windows and mirrors. Your windows and mirrors probably have residue from cleaning products you may have used prior. This means the cleaner and materials you use have to cut through residue to reveal streak-free surfaces. So here are some tips to help you get those windows and mirrors clear and shiny! 11 items from Amazon to get you started!  Images from Amazon.com. Click the links below to view or purchase. When we speak of Boho (short for Bohemian) certain words come to mind—artistic, eccentric, casual, eclectic, gypsy, hippie, carefree, and creative. And if you ask me fall is the perfect time of year to let your inner gypsy shine!
The boho look is an incredibly simple look to pull off with its mix of earthy (or jewel tones if you’re not afraid of color), textural, and slightly exotic design elements. To help inspire you to embrace this design style this season I combed through Amazon to find a few interesting items that might help get you started! Here are 10 items from Amazon to inspire you!  Images from Amazon.com. Click the links below to view or purchase. Fall is one of my favorite times of year to decorate. Once September rolls around, that is my cue to start getting creative with festive decor for the next few months. But lately, I’ve been finding the traditional colors a little…well…stale! I’m not knocking the vibrant orange, red, and yellow color palette, but sometimes you just need to shake things up a little bit. I guess you could say I’m searching for inspiration, a way to expand my horizons. I’ve always wanted to try using blue in my fall and winter decor, and one day—when the budget allows—I will gather the courage and take the plunge!
Blue can be an extremely versatile color, fitting into any season of the year, but can feel a little cold. I discovered that if you pair blue with warm creams and gold, the result can be an exciting color scheme! Blue and yellow are complimentary colors on the color wheel and go well together, creating a pleasing contrast that feels light and airy. Exchanging the yellow for gold gives your decor an upscale yet inviting appeal. As I combed through Amazon for inspiration, I found a few interesting items that could be used to create an elegant yet modern look. In my mood board below—titled Autumn Blues—you will see a collection of pieces that include a range of blues paired with gold and cream accents. The selections reflect the vibrant mood of autumn yet feel refreshingly clean and uncluttered. And the best part…All of these items together cost less than $300! Not bad in today’s economy!  Image by Lukas on Pexels. Floral arrangements uplift our spirits, brighten a room, and create a touch of natural beauty in our interior spaces. Flowers come in a wide range of shapes, sizes, colors, and textures, each with its unique character. Some popular flowers used in arrangements include roses, lilies, tulips, daisies, sunflowers, and orchids, but don't be afraid to play with any of your favorite flowers and greenery. Creating a balanced floral arrangement is all about channeling your creativity while following (more or less) the principles of floral design. In this blog post, we'll explore the art of floral design and share some valuable tips on creating balanced and visually appealing flower arrangements for your home. So let's get started!  Hey there, fellow cat lovers! We all know how much our feline friends adore their scratching posts. Over time, though, these scratching posts can begin to look ragged. In this blog post, we'll walk you through rewrapping your cat's scratching post, giving it a fresh lease on life. So grab your materials, and let's dive right in!
 Image by Maryna on Adobe Stock. If you enjoyed one of my latest articles, “8 Flowers that Attract Fairies to Your Fairy Garden”, here are six more fairy flowers for your garden! Interest in fairy gardens has been growing for quite a while now, and the trend shows no sign of stopping any time soon! The act of creating a fairy garden awakens the inner child, providing an escape from the problems of the mundane and sometimes stressful world around us. And it’s a gift that keeps on giving! Once you create the garden, it becomes a refuge where you can escape from it all and let your imagination out of the box. I have been experimenting with my fairy gardens, and—being a lifelong lover of fairy tales—it got me thinking about the types of flowers fairies might like in their garden. I’m sharing some of my research with you to help you on your way to creating a fairy-friendly garden!  Image by Lauriekay Wirestock on Adobe Stock. Bringing flowers into your home is one of the easiest ways to add beauty, color, and texture to an interior space. Flowers can make a statement all their own or complement existing decor, and many have an amazing fragrance that can be a natural room deodorizer. But if you have cats (or other pets) or even small children in your home, you must be selective about which flowers you use and purposeful about where those plants are placed. In some cases, it could mean the difference between life and death!  Image by Zarina Lukash on Adobe Stock. If you have houseplants AND pets, this information is for you! For most of my life, there has always been a cat or two in the home, and I can’t imagine life without them! Houseplants, on the other hand, are a far more recent phenomenon. A few years back (after our 14-year-old fur baby passed away), our household was blessed with two beautiful munchkin kittens. It’s been five years, and they have grown into such sweet cats! Suddenly, I’ve become aware that the house is full of luscious green plant babies that may not get along with my fur babies.  Bluebells image by Andy Evans on Adobe Stock. Even if you don’t believe in fairies, a beautiful garden full of fragrant flowers bursting with vibrant blooms feels enchanting--don’t you think? To my mind, fairies are more than tiny winged or magical creatures. They represent the idea that the natural world is brimming with wonders, wonders we miss while living our busy lives. But take the time to go deeper, and you'll find magic all around you. Fairies and flowers have long had a close association, as this poem by Robert Louis Stevenson beautifully illustrates: The Flowers
“All the names I know from nurse: Gardener's garters, Shepherd's purse, Bachelor's buttons, Lady's smock, And the Lady Hollyhock. Fairy places, fairy things, Fairy woods where the wild bee wings, Tiny trees for tiny dames-- These must all be fairy names! Tiny woods below whose boughs Shady fairies weave a house; Tiny tree-tops, rose or thyme, Where the braver fairies climb! Fair are grown-up people's trees, But the fairest woods are these; Where, if I were not so tall, I should live for good and all” Robert Louis Stevenson  Freshly baked mulberry muffins. Photo by Diane M. Lilly, 2023. There is simply nothing like harvesting your own food for tasty recipes! My backyard garden has become one grand experiment to see what I can grow and how to use the plants in homemade recipes. But I never even realized there was a berry tree in my yard (planted by previous owners) until a couple of years ago when the branches started hanging down low around the raised garden. It was then that I noticed the purple berry mess covering the ground. After investigating, I discovered that this “annoying” tree was mulberry! |
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