Oh the  challenges of decorating a large wall!  Well, if  you do not have large artwork—-consider grouping like sized accessories and wall art to create your own personal style in a big way!   This is my family room cathedral wall and believe it or not— the artwork is original (made by me!)  To create this vignette,  I gathered flea market finds and thrift store frames for a casual look.  Each frame was painted black and the photo mats were painted white (yes you can paint the mats!)   This gave me the ultimate opportunity to finally frame some vintage fabrics I found at a yard sale in New Hampshire years ago.  The road sign has sentimental value to me as it was one of the original signs in the neighborhood where I grew up.

The vase was a great steal at $2.00 from a church flea market and the two white bowls I found when I was featured on HGTV’s Longest Yard Sale a few years ago (another steal deal).  And the cow creamer was given to me over 20 years ago from one of my best friends.   What I like best about this decorating idea is that I got to go on a treasure hunt in my own home PLUS  it didn’t cost a fortune!

Stay inspired!  www.KathyPeterson.com

Here’s a pretty table top idea using yellow and grey for a charming Valentine setting.  Yellow roses are an ideal symbol for joy and friendship so spread the love with someone your courting.  The yellow stenciled cloth uses both my Lattice and Fleur stencil collections in several sizes and I love the contrast of the black and white animal print.

Stay inspired!  www.KathyPeterson.com

Here’s another idea for setting your tabletops.  By layering your plates and colors you will  instantly inspire your table plus add a lot of depth.  In this place setting I used 5 colors including pink, black, white, silver and grey.  I stenciled the tablecloth using my Kathy Peterson Inspired Vine Stencil.  I also added a stenciled backdrop using my Fleur inspired stencil just to give you another idea for serving horderves or drinks.  Notice how the black and silver fleur stenciled background really adds even more depth.  The flower I made using Faber-Castell Gelato’s on circles of canvas which becomes the guest party favor.

Stay inspired!   www.KathyPeterson.com

Grab a can of spray paint by Krylon and makeover your old dingy and wornout accessories.  You can paint just about anything from cups, candle holders, orbs, and more!

For a fun and unexpected look this Christmas, gather up some old frames and a can of spray paint and while your at it paint a few more orbs and let them dangle from the frames!

Stay inspired!  www.KathyPeterson.com  

Christmas will be here before you know it and it’s my favorite time of the year to decorate my home.  So for this Faber-Castel Design Memory Craft Mix & Match design team project, I decided to make this easy holiday table runner using some scrap fabric and Pitt artist pens!

 Supply List:

• Quilted muslin fabric (32″ or more)  finished project measures 13″ x 32″ however you can make yours smaller or larger
• fabric glue & scissors
• Pitt artist pen fine point (Dark Sema 175*** ) 
• Pitt Artist Pen big brush Stampers pen (Nougat 178*** , Deep Scarlet Red 219*** & May Green 170***)
• Gellato® (Coconut)
• Paint brush 
• Red or multi color red, black, green, white RicRac  64″
• NOTE:  use photo as a guide

Step 1:    Cut fabric to desired size and randomly sketch out tree limbs using the Nougat Stampers pen,  leafs and pine needles using the May Green Stampers pen.

Step 2:  Using the May Green Stampers pen, fill in the leafs making some area lighter and darker than others.  Next, sketch in berries and pine cones suing the Deep Scarlet Red and Nougat Stampers pens

Step 4:  Once you have all the elements colored in,  outline the leaf veins (and a few of the pine needles)  with the Nougat Stampers pen.   Next outline the berries and pine needles with the fine point artist pen in Dark Sema.   Lightly add in some Gelato® Coconut over the pine cones for a snowy look and blend with water and paint brush.

Step 5:  Once you have finished coloring and outlining the design, glue the RicRac onto the edges of the fabric.

Stay inspired and be sure to check out more holiday craft projects next month!  www.KathyPeterson.com

A few months ago I launched a designer series of stencils.  I have found that stenciling is one of my new favorite things to design with!  What’s so fun about it is that you can stencil just about anything from fabric, walls, furniture, place-mats, lampshades and even create a new look for your kitchen backsplash!   Below is a pic that just might inspire you to redecorate your kitchen in less than an hour! 

 For more information and some great how-to videos on stenciling visit http://www.cuttingedgestencils.com/kathy-peterson-inspired.html  

Stay inspired!  www.KathyPeterson.com

This week I created a fast and fun paper flower to set the perfect table as part of the the Faber-Castel Design Memory Craft Mix & Match design team.  Now if you’ve ever been intimidated by paint or combining colors,  Faber-Castel makes it really simple for any level of crafting!

 Supply List:

• White scrapbook paper
• scissors
• paint brush
• thick white glue
• Chenille stems (red )
• Gellato TM (redcherry & coconut)
• Pitt artist pen fine point (Deep Scarlet Red 219***)
• Pitt Artist Pen big brush Stampers pen (Nougat 178***)
• Stick pins with white or yellow pin heads

Step 1:    Randomly cover most of the paper with the red Gellato TM ( however leave some white space unpainted). Next sprits with water then  blend the paint with a paint brush.  Allow to dry.

Step 2:  Cut out 9 large poinsettia petals and 2 or 3 smaller petals to desired size.  Using the Stampers Pen, randomly color the edges and surface of the leaf cut-outs.  Using the fine pen, draw the leaf veins.   If necessary, apply some white Gelato onto areas of the leaf and blend with your finger tip.

Step 3:  Cut a small hole at the base of the each leaf.  Using a chenille stem, bend the stem in half and insert both ends of the stem into the leaf.  Bend the stem to the shape of the leaf .  Assemble all the leafs with stems in a bunch and adjust to shape of a poinsettia flower.  Secure stems by twisting the stems together.   Add a dab of thick glue to the stick pins and insert into the middle of the flower.  Use as a table or gift ornament. 

Stay inspired!  www.KathyPeterson.com

It’s that time of year when the Ghouls and Ghosts start to come out for Halloween.   Here’s a great idea from Krylon Spray paint using classic black and lime green to decorate your Halloween party tables!  And it’s so simple to recycle odds and ends around the house.   Find an  old frame, birdhouse, teapot, candle sticks, margarita glass and other odds and ends and revamp them with some fresh paint!

A little dry ice will also set the scene.  Here’s the recycled Margareta glasses made to look like a compote.  I think the crow is really intrigued don’t you?  LOL.

Stat inspired and have a “boo”tiful Halloween!   www.KathyPeterson.com

Every time I work on a home makeover, I do it with love.   But this makeover was especially heartfelt because it was the house I grew up in.  It was a lot of work covering 2,100 square feet and 50 years of accumulation, yet it was so much fun even though it took me about 6 months of going back in forth over the last 16 months—and worth every ounce of cuts, bruises, backaches and lots of paint in my hair!

THE KITCHEN MAKEOVER

•  Above is the AFTER of the kitchen makeover and here’s what I did.
• Clear the clutter!
• Repair the floor from water damage due to a leak in the plumbing 
• Prep and paint the cabinets and drawer pulls
• Paint the fridge with Krylon Appliance spray paint (follow directions on can).
• Sew new curtains
• Replace the floor with faux vinyl tile (although this photo does not do the floor color justice)

THE KITCHEN BEFORE

Are you digging this 1966 cabinetry and floors?  Well not me!   However, the cabinets were in great shape and the appliances still worked even though they had been updated about 15 years prior.   With the new look in the previous photo, this room now looks bright and clean —and lean and mean!  Come back again with another view of this kitchen makeover as well as the rest of the house re-do!  Stay inspired—you can do it!  www.KathyPeterson.com         TOTAL COST FOR THIS MAKEOVER:  Paint, Materials, and Labor — Less than $1,900 ($1,000 was replacing the damage floor).   Stay inspired! 

It’s finally here! My new Kathy Peterson Inspired Home Decor Stencil Collection. Today I’m featuring my “LATTICE” stencil and I love the look. It works well in any decor and appeals both the guys and girls. Not too frilly and not too masculine!

Because the stencil is large (about 2ftx2ft) you can cover a lot of space in no time. This wall makeover would take less than an hour using a roller and a tad longer if you used a stencil brush.

Stay inspired! www.KathyPeterson.com