The Softer Side of Outdoor Decor

"Mom. Look at this picture."

"Oh! Look how cute you all are! Where is this? Santa Cruz?"

"Yeah. We were walking down to the beach."

"You have such a beautiful smile. I wish you'd stand up straight though."

"Mom. Stop it. Didn't you notice the tree?"

"What? Oh! Why is that there?"

"Somebody just did it. Isn't it cool? It's called 'urban knitting'. Here, look at these..."

"Wow. That's, um, very interesting. They do that without permission? Like tagging? I guess it's better than spray-painted graffitti. Will it hurt the trees?"

"Oh my god, Mom. No, I don't think so. It's just supposed to be pretty."

"Well, it is that. Where did you find these?"

"Here. And here."

"Can I blog this? Can I use your picture?"

"Sure."

A Banner Day

I love party banners! What's not to love? Color and pattern and fun shapes—some of my favorite things! Fabric banners make great do-it-yourself decorations for a child's room. If you have a box of leftover fabric scraps like I do, and even the most basic sewing skills, you can whip up one of these yourself. Pretty flag banners are also fitting for many special occassions—baby and wedding showers, holidays and special days of all sorts— but are most commonly seen at birthday parties.


Once upon a time, Pottery Barn Kids had this one, above, for sale but I'm not sure it's still available. The colors and lower case letters make it very sweet and soft—perfect for a little girl or a baby's first. This banner is also stitched together from pretty patterned fabrics and the letters are embroidered.

This cute banner, above, for a little girl's birthday, was made using layered scrapbook papers and letter stickers strung onto a grassy green ribbon. (A brief aside: Isn't that the best, craziest mantelscape?! This looks like a FUN household!)

Here's another example, above, of the kind of fabric banner you could make yourself if you were so inclined. Applique the letters either by machine or with iron-on bonding. Don't possess the crafty/sewing gene or have the time to use it if you do have it? Click on the photo and buy this one!

This etsy crafter makes banners and all kinds of fun things. Click on the photo, above, to visit her shop and find out how to order a completely custom banner made just for you.

Owen and Mason's crafty mom made this cute banner, above, to go along with their pirate-themed second birthday. Strung up on the mantel with an assortment of ribbons, it's a party all by itself!

I've had this photo, above, from countryliving.com in my files for a while now. I don't remember what the occassion is—summer holiday or birthday or shower—but it looks like a lot of fun is about to happen! Imagine this photo without the banners. The space wouldn't look nearly as festive, would it?

The photo above was borrowed from an online company that makes wedding and party favors and this is a serve-yourself candy buffet. The flags are a perfect mix of sweet colors. This space is so pretty (not to mention full of candy) that I want one for myself right here in my own house. Excuse me while I go make room...

Five years ago, for my daughter's fourteenth birthday party, I put together a banner to hang in the house. There was another banner, larger and older (from her third birthday), outside—plus games and music and ping pong and a bouncy house of all things that these great big girls had so much fun with!—but this little banner was for the (relatively) quieter area where we sang and ate cake. I swagged it from a long valance rod.

The banner was crafted in a very quick, easy way. First, I chose five or six different colors and patterns of 8 1/2 x 11 scrapbook papers. My finished banner required 18 flags, that's 9 whole sheets. All of the patterns are small and simple so the letters will stand out against them. I cut the papers in half so that the finished flag size was 8 1/2 x 5 1/2. Next, I cut 9 sheets of standard white copy paper in half. On each white sheet, I drew a single block letter, first in pencil to get it the way I liked it, then with a fat black magic marker.

I cut out each letter, around the outside of the marker line, and used a glue stick to attach it to a colored flag. The outlining helps the white letters pop against the colored paper. Finally, I punched holes in the top corners of each flag and strung them onto a long ribbon. (If you place a strip of scotch tape over the ribbon where it runs across the back of the flag, you can space the letters to your liking and know that they will stay put.) We have used my daughter's banner for every birthday of hers since her fourteenth and occasionally even for my husband and myself—with her name taken off the end, of course!

Today, my daughter turns nineteen. For the first time, she won't wake up here in my home on her big day. Will her roommates think to put up a banner and balloons while she's sleeping? And sing to her when she wakes? Will she miss any of it if they don't? Like all the well-intentioned, empty-nested, ever so slightly intrusive moms who came before me, I have taken matters into my own crafty hands. I made a new banner. And packaged it up with some balloons and birthday candles. I know she'll love it. And I hope she'll use this new one again and again too. To celebrate the birthdays of friends as much as her own. She's a very generous young woman. She likes to make things fun and nice for other people. She already bakes a better cake than I ever have! She's taken on a lot of responsibility at a very young age and is growing every day. She's creative and smart and thoughtful and curious. She wants to know everything. She wants to see everything. She's well on her way to becoming an even more remarkable, extraordinary person than she already is.

Happy Birthday, Katey! XO

Click on any of the photos above, except for my own three at the bottom, and you'll be taken to the source of the banner pictured. Try your hand at making your own banner. They're easy and fun and personal. Make one for your own birthday! Send one to a friend! Use another message or none at all. Hang one somewhere that only you will see. It will be like having your own private party every day!

Warm Your Welcome

One of the best ways, and my favorite way, to make a home welcoming and ready for the fall holidays and visitors, is to add a seasonal wreath to the front door. The warmth and cozy comfort it conveys is worth the effort and, quite often, costs next to nothing at all if you take the time to use things you already have or natural elements from your own yard.

The wreath you see above on the gorgeous red door was created by crafter, editor, blogger, designer and proprietress of vintage goods Heather Bullard. She blogged about the serendipitous way this beautiful wreath came to be last fall, not on her own site but on HomeGoods' Openhouse blog. As she tells it, Heather purchased two garlands to hang on her fireplace mantel but decided they were too much for that space. So she devised a new way to use them. Wired together, the garland of berries and another of pine cones and fall leaves became a lovely wreath. A few strands of raffia complement the loose natural look and a pretty bow adds the finishing touch. Of all the images I collected for this post, I like this one best, and may just try it myself. On purpose, thanks to Heather's happy accident. You can read her HomeGoods post by clicking on the wreath. To learn more about her great vintage style, click here to go to her blog.

Following, are a dozen more ideas. I hope there's at least one here that will work for you!



Another pretty berry wreath, above, is fashioned from branches gathered on the homeowner's property. You may have something similar growing in or around your own yard. Go take a look. Gather some vines and branches, twist them into a circle, secure with twine or wire and voila!—your new fall wreath.


If you have twigs and berries, it's entirely possible that you might also have dried flowers or seed pods and rose hips on hand. If not, they're easy to find at craft stores and florist suppliers. Wire your finds in bunches to a grapevine wreath. When designing or choosing a wreath to purchase, you should also consider where it will hang. Don't these fiery fall colors look great against a jade green door?

And on a sunny yellow door, pheasant feathers and chocolate brown satin ribbon add warmth and depth and beautiful textures.


A very traditional wreath of leaves and wheat and berries even has tiny pumpkins wired to it. Gourds or small ears of Indian corn would have the same effect. Against the creamy white door, the fall colors really stand out.


I love this fat little wreath, above, stuffed full with leaves and dried florals and wheat. The twigs sticking out all around soften the look and add a bit of whimsy to an otherwise very traditional look.

A very rustic wreath hung on an equally rustic gate is crafted from seed pods glued to a styrofoam base. Berries and vines are tucked in all around to add color and even more crunchy texture.

This simple yet stunning wreath, above, is made from a single element—leafy twigs full of turning leaves snipped from neighborhood trees.


Square wreaths make a more contemporary statement than the usual round. Modern in shape but made with traditional materials, this example, above, offers the best of both worlds. And I'm not entirely sure, but it looks like the brown leaves could be metal. Rusty metal garlands can be found in country decor stores.


If fall at your house feels more like summer, you may want a lighter, brighter look like the wreath above. Frothy with dried summer flowers, vibrant green leaves and just a few fall berries, it bridges the seasons beautifully.


Another wreath suited for both late summer and fall is this square wreath of dried herbs available at Williams-Sonoma. Perfect for cooks and foodies, it would also look great in your kitchen.


Choose a wreath like this one, above, and you can enjoy it during the fall and and on into winter. The graying, cool shades of oak leaves look especially beautiful against this stripped and faded wooden door.


Another fall to winter wreath features evergreen branches and citrus fruits. The striped wired ribbon adds a crisp finish.

One last wreath caught my eye and I just had to include it. Does your college-age son resist your attempts to decorate his apartment? Does the "man cave" in your own home lack holiday charm? Is Oktoberfest the number one holiday in your man's life? Craft a wreath with dude appeal using pub coasters! Go on, I dare you!

Beginning after Heather's wreath: #1, #2 and #12 found at bhg.com, #4 at 1-800-flowers.com, #5 at driedfloralshop.com, #6 at southernliving.com, #7 at sunset.com, # 9 and #11 at countryliving.com, and #10 at williams-sonoma.com. #3 and #8 sources are unknown. And I wish I could give its clever creator credit, but the colorful pub coaster wreath (love that blue door!) is an image I've had in my file for some time now. Please don't ask me why.