DIY Nordic Style Plant Wall

Happy new week! After a while it is time to share some DIY inspiration. I was going for a walk when I noticed something interesting in the middle of garbage. Broken shade made of wood or bamboo catch my eye. Instead of waste I thought it as great material. It is a way of thinking to see the material and it's potential. I am very picky and I don't take any crap from garbage. For example if the piece is made of something that is difficult to work with or too dirty to bring home I will leave. But quite often I see wonderful projects. For example last week there was this pretty wooden chair that would have made a pretty stool for flowerpot in the garden. I had no space so I had to leave it. But this shade was pretty simple to clean, pile and store for further use so I took it. I didn't have to store it long though because I had an idea or two how I could use it. When breaking the shade into pieces and cleaning it I thought about all the material in the world that goes to dump or burnt as energy waste. And I also thought all that new stuff produced every day. We have limited amount of resources, global warming and trash filling our (and flora and fauna's) living space at the same time when we feel we need new things.

I would somehow understand it if the stuff we put to garbage was actually trash, something we can't use in any form. But quite often we cast away things that are, in the current form (without manipulation out of our expertise or equipment) ready to be used again. Like this shade, after cutting off the strings and washing the pieces it could have gotten a price tag and put to a shelf in some hardware or craft supply store. Get what I try to say? For example plastic is something we can recycle and it is made new products in the factory. Same with newspapers, glass, cardboard, tin. Then again: An object with wooden pieces can be broken into particles, cleaned and used again at home. Same with for example broken dress that can't work in it's original use. It can be washed, cut into pieces and pieces used as fabric. Or broken coffee mugs can be turned into mosaic material using basic home equipment. I do buy new fabric and wood too. But I try not to waste good materials. Also if you don't make mosaic, sew or do makeovers you can give clean materials to your friend who does or ask in social media groups if someone is interested. My friends and relatives have given me broken mugs, plates, empty tins, fabric etc. for my projects and all those materials have been spared from ending to garbage. In my experience upcycling saves money and gives so much inspiration. When I saw this shade in the garbage my brain started humming, how could I use this, what fun project this could turn out? I would say 40% of my ideas come from an interesting material I have found from garbage or thrift store. And it is always a win to see polished trash as a part of interior decor.

This is in what shape how I found the shade. I took it to my balcony to be broken to pieces and cleaned. It had only some dust on the surface otherwise it was clean.

Beautiful material ready to be used. You see the difference how a trash becomes something with a price tag at store? This pile of great material would be more difficult to cast to garbage than the broken shade, don't you think?

I decided to make a web to a wall where I could twine climbers that are in pots on the table. I measured the middle of two pieces to get an even start. Then I just began to weave working every side evenly.

Sitting on the ground weaving. The material is so beautiful and my head was bursting with more ideas how to use it. One could decorate doors with woven webs or glue pieces side by side to cover boxes. If it would be sawed to small particles it would make good material for mobiles or wind chimes. 

When you weave the web tight enough it will keep it's from without a need to secure the pieces with screws or staples. I attached the ready web to a wall above a table so I could easily put flowers under the web.

I had one Tradescantia albiflora and I bough new Epipremnum pinnatum. Now the plats are still watching the web made for them to climb but I am already dreaming how those will cover the whole wall :)

Wishing you all the most inspiring and creative new week! Please share this post on social media if you liked <3 I am an indie blogger and it means a lot to me that you people visit my blog, get inspired, comment and share :) 

Sannu

Trendy Terracotta

We don't have to take every home decoration trend by heart. If colors currently on trend are not our favorites we don't have to go and paint a living room wall with the latest shade. Most of the trends I just let go. They might be difficult to modify to a small apartment, don't collaborate with my personal style or are just too pricey/ time consuming to produce compared to the time I estimate they will please the eye. Every now and then a trend seems perfect to my home and add's some interesting detail to the entity. For example last year I was hugely inspired by mirror trends and made a contemporary style mirror wall. Mirror wall completed the style I have in my living room and makes it look bigger.

Quite often it is possible to apply trends in small scale. I browse magazines, blogs and social media and think, now that thing looks great, how could I take part to this? Maybe I could use a trend as an inspiration for table setting, small arrangement on top of a drawer or in a new pillow pattern. Just few people have money to put away all decor and furniture and start from the beginning every season. It is not even something to go for in my opinion. Home is home and built little by little with things that please us and we think are pretty and worth having. It should be a place we can rest in comfortable and aesthetically pleasing environment. Plus it is not ecologically clever to get bored to home decor that often.

When I find a trend inspiring I evaluate on witch scale I will take a part. Will I paint my walls or one furniture? Or is it few small objects that communicate that I am aware of a current style? I go through my cabinets and collect objects that could fit the style. I love this year's terracotta trend because it is warm, earthy and inviting color. At least at the moment I don't feel I need to apply it to my home in large scale but small items fit quite nicely with my bohemian style and deep colors. I changed some winter survivor plants to terracotta pots I bought from thrift store two weeks ago. Then I examined my cupboards to collect everyday items that are in terracotta color or near that. I don't keep every set of plates, vases and candles on show. Most of the everyday stuff is in a cabinet and used when needed. It would be unpractical to have all on show even though every set of plates/ mugs/ vases would be pretty. Trends come handy in choosing what items to have on display at the moment and which ones to put inside a closet to wait for next season.

Now terracotta trend is present in my small home in two arrangements. One on top of a writing cabinet where I have my green plants waiting for spring and light. The other arrangement is inside a turquoise cabinet that has glass windows. The inside of the cabinet is painted with okra and goes perfectly to the burnt and sunny terracotta palette. Items on show are all from my own cupboards, nothing new. I also took candles out from a drawer so I would remember to burn them before light summer days.

What trend would you like to bring in this season? Do you find terracotta inspiring color?

Happy and Inspiring Week My Dear Friends!

Sannu

21.12. Christmas Flower

Flowers are essential in every festive season. Because Christmas is in the middle of winter flowers feel even more luxurious than usual. Amaryllis and hyacinth are my top two flowers at Christmas. I put hyacinths all over the apartment to get the lovely Christmassy scent everywhere. Amaryllis is more like centerpiece and today I show you nature inspired way to style amaryllis.

You will need:

Amaryllis and soil

Flowerpot that has patina

Lichen (from flower or crafts store)

Drift wood

How to:

Step 1. Put soil to the pot and place the amaryllis firmly to it.

Step 2. Cover the soil with lichen and place the driftwood piece to it like it would be in the forest.

Arrangement will be ready when the flower opens. Amaryllis usually blooms long so you can enjoy the arrangement for the entire holiday season. 

Tip: You could make more arrangements like this to for example terracotta pots that have patina and use hyacinths in some of the pots. These arrangements would look stylish in a long dinner table at Christmas and New Year's Eve.

Are You a Thrift Shop Explorer?

I admit that I am. My home looks like I have traveled the world. I have got lots of global influences and peculiar bohemian objects in my home. When I see someones old souvenirs at the local thrift shop I begin to wonder where those are from and what kind of place it has been. Especially retro and vintage souvenirs boost my imagination because travelling used to have a bit more excitement in the old times when it was not such a common thing. Somehow those objects take me to another place and time. I also like to find things that are related to travelling and gathering knowledge like old books and maps. Old encyclopedias and map books open a world that does not exist anymore. Even though that world is not always a better one it gives a place to travel with your imagination and picture it more romantic.

Nowadays global bohemian style seems to be very popular and there are specialized shops that sell items to go with that style. Some businesses support local craftsmanship some just focus on creating products that look like they are from certain, currently popular, area. I buy new home decor items quite rarely because trends go so rapidly and new begins to look old too soon. Things that I buy second hand hold more time because they are not so easily marked by the season. There is also the money issue. It makes a difference whether the object costs 1€ or  10-30€. It is accessible to make a whole new look using thrifted items compared to buying all new.

I am always after interesting home decor and fabrics. I mix these finds with domestic decor to find the exotic side that is not always easy to see in more familiar objects. For example current Nordic style is minimalist but old Finnish folklore patterns used in handicrafts are as decorative and colorful as anywhere else. It is interesting how same kind of patterns appear all over the world but just in a slightly different form and color. It is sometimes just easier to see how beautiful fashionable foreign home decorations look than the old and ordinary near to you.

Can you spot the Finnish items in this picture?

Last week I found hanging baskets from a thrift shop. On Pinterest there has been a lot of inspiration on how to decorate with plants. The more the better seems to be the guideline. I fell in love with how the plants had been lifted near the ceiling creating a jungle like look. The moment I saw the basket hangers I knew I had to try that style in my own home. These two hangers then changed the whole home decor! Because this year spring and summer seem to come late (it has been snowing!!) I needed to create a corner that would bring in the summer in advance. I gathered all my plants to one place to have a green spot. I placed my working table to the same place to have more natural light when writing. I also collected objects that connote to summer in my mind like shells and stones. I took two old maps that have been inclusions of a book. I had framed the black and white map before on a smaller frames but now as I wanted it to go with the bigger map I framed it with wider passepartout. The other day I visited a small charity shop in case there would be any objects to complete the style. There is always a basket where you can take things for free and I found lots of interesting objects like two wooden bowls  (see below). I would still need more mini size baskets to put in the six loops in the bigger basket hanger. Well, one has to have projects! It would be horrible to get all projects finished, right? :D

Have fun for the last 4 days of April, soon it is May!

Sannu

Christmas Trends 2016

Space shuttle is heading towards the planet Christmas! Are you a bohemian and slightly vintage like Doctor Who or more of a minimalist ultra modern space traveler? In either way this Christmas will be Earth loving, adventurous and full of magic.

Hot Rio summer has turned into fall and winter is coming soon. In these levels snow might be on the ground any day soon. Stores have already put Christmas ornaments to the shelves and it is the best time to dream about Christmas 2016 while digging your nose into the new glittery collections. What will we do with our indoor jungles and baskets when the new season is on the doorstep? This year´s big trends have been dark grey paired with petrol blue, old rose and gold, hotel  style minimalism, indoor jungles, rattan and bamboo, bright colors, recycling and vegetarian eating. These trends will continue to the Christmas season with small variations and some addings.

Don´t take pressure to have the best Christmas ever. Pictures about countryside Christmas with the whole family and relatives makes us long after something quite rare in our modern urban world. I have spent all my Christmases at the urban scene and learned to love it. An urban apartment is as much a loved home and though deserves just as many decorations as a countryside house in the middle of fields. What would be more beautiful than huge house of blocks when it glitters in the dark December night with different fairy lights and chandeliers on the window sills and balconies? We DIYers start our Christmas a bit earlier that others as the best part is to make decorations and gifts. I have surfed through the internet and got inspired by the popular culture and as a result I will reveal the Christmas Trends 2016 as I see them. You can apply these trends to your home whether you live in the small town, big city or countryside. I hope you get inspired to design and make your own projects as well as relax in the candle light watching movies and listening to Christmas songs.

Futuristic boho. This trend gets inspiration form the past centuries as well as from the current pop culture. Fairy tales, vintage decorations and space & time travel novels give a lot of inspiration to create the Christmas magic that lets us fly away from the everyday. Fill your holidays with best series, books and dreaming on the window watching stars and aurora borealis. Decorate with toys, glitter, heavy curtains, trims, exotic plants, fruits, stars, planets and hang fairy lights to the ceiling. Get inspired by the Victorian era post cards, Doctor Who Christmas specials, Cloud Atlas -movie and misty forests.

Space the final frontier. Minimalistic and ultra modern Christmas. Play a mind game: How would Christmas look at the Starship Enterprize? Get inspired by the thought and combine futuristic Christmas to your modern home decoration. Flowers in test tubes, minimalistic plants in square planting pots, pale colors, layered food servings that allow the eaters to see what the portions include, metallic geometric decorations placed in lines instead of organic shapes and decorative settings in terrariums. Get inspired by Finnish functional era architecture and Japanese design. Instead of futuristic bohemians, who watch other universes from the Earth, ultra modern minimalists will book a flight to moon.

Forest undergrowth. Flower arrangements are essential part of festive home decoration. Instead of looking up to the palm trees we are tuning our view towards the undergrowth. Christmas time flowers and plants will be moist thick leaved plants, moss, and deep colored flowers. Decorate arrangements with pine cones and branches.  Indoor pond might also be a good idea; maybe a vase with water and floating candles would do that?

Closed system design. This year recycled materials have become an even bigger hit than before. Beautiful products made of recycled material are nowadays  a luxury. We have to do with what we have and learn to use the massive amount of material we have already produced . This Christmas we will go even bolder and decorate with absolute trash and DIY statement pieces. Flea market finds are also a thing: instead of decorating according to the latest trends and casting away last season pieces we hunt for unstylishness like paper angels, old plastic baubles etc.  

Golden glamour. If copper was so 2015, gold is so 2016. Best thing is that you can add a golden layer into almost every style. With golden elements you can get ultra modern, vintage or luxurious style. What comes to recycled elements or a quick Christmas decoration update, just add some gold and you will be in the season 2016.

Feel good Christmas. A Christmas jog and sauna have been my tradition for the past years. Lots of people spend time at the gym during Christmas holidays or load batteries in nature. In Finnish traditions Christmas has been all about food and eating. Many people prepare and buy traditional Christmas food even though it would´t be such a treat anymore. Why not to choose the favorites from the traditional menu and mix with new treats? Remember that you do not have to load all your favorites to one dinner. You can make a smaller portion of food every day and that way get fresh festive treats.

What do you think about these trends? What kind of Christmas are you planning to create this year?

A very inspirational weekend to you all!

-Sannu

Sleeping Spaces Vol.2: Boho DIY Ideas

Bohemian home decoration elements can be pricey if you buy them straight from a specialized boutique. This does not mean that you should forget your dreams of a well collected and stylish home. Flea markets, second hand shops, bargain stores and sometimes even garbage bins can give excellent material for a keen DIYer. Most of the pieces don´t demand a lot, just some finishing touches to turn their personality. Following ideas are low budget DIYs that I made for my sleeping corner to make it a good place to wake up to a new day and read a book before sleeping. 

1. A wooden bead curtain with color

 This wooden bead curtain was a 3€ flea market find. As it was not `good as new ´ I washed it and took the beads apart.

I painted the beads with all kinds of left over paints. The beads do not consume huge amount of paint if the paints your are using have a good pigment. 

These beads have been painted just once and the color is this intensive. After painting I put the beads together with cotton yarn.

2. Decorate a plain basket with left over yarn

This DIY is for a very economical DIYer :D  If you are one of those persons who save everything and  you got yarn left overs that do not make even the smallest of pom poms or granny squares, use them to make tiny knots to decorate a basket. I used 5€ basket that I found from a sale and colorful woolen yarn. Easy 30 min DIY!

3. Pom poms for a wall hanging

I wanted to add some more bohemian feeling for the colorful wall hanging with pom poms. I made six big pom poms using cardboard circles and smaller ones with fork. I also used felted balls. I sew pom poms to the same color order as the stripes of the wall hanging, this way it doesn´t look too messy with all the colors and decorations. You could also use buttons, beads, tassels etc. to decorate a plain wall hanging. The one I decorated was from flea market (10€). You could also use a thin colorful carpet.

Before and after

This week will be a quilting week as my bed needs a new blanket. It is not so long ago that I made a quilted blanket, but it looked so good on the old wooden bed in the living room that now I need to make an another one. As I have put the TV to rest ( I was watching too much telly and movies from DVD) I have got plenty of time at the evenings :) 

With these pink night clouds I wish you a good start for the week!

Sannu