DIY Accessories Projects 2013 Decorating Ideas

Looking for inexpensive ways to spruce up your home? These simple, do it yourself accessories projects   for lamps, pillows, vases, and more - are sure to add style and character to any room.

Chain Reaction 

Various chain necklaces in silver and gold help give new meaning to recycled glass. Use jewelry or glass glue to secure the chains to plain glass bottles, outlining shapes, positioning as letters and numbers, or creating other simple designs. You can also remove the pin from the back of a plastic flower to create a truly three dimensional design. When the glue is dry, prime the bottles and paint with high-gloss paint. White creates a simple look, but other colors like cobalt or yellow are stunning and trendy.

Chevron Vase 

Customize a plain vase by taping off a chevron pattern with painter's tape (it need not be perfect). Spray paint the exposed area with a lighter shade of the vase color. Remove the tape when the paint is dry.

Quick & Easy Memo Board 

This magnetic memo board is as functional as it is stylish. Simply cut decorative paper to fit inside a cookie sheet and glue it to the pan. Add magnets and important papers, notes, or letters, and you?re ready for business. Place it on a desk or hang it in the kitchen to ensure your family always stays on task.

Reading Light 

Use damaged or discarded books and a lamp kit to build this literary light. Drill a hole slightly bigger than the rod in your lamp kit through the center of each book until you get to the height you desire. Thread the rod through the hole and follow instructions in the kit to wire the lamp. Cover a self adhesive lampshade with decorative paper or book pages to complete the look.

To Dye for Colors 

Hot from the runway, ombr? dyeing is a variation on basic tub dyeing. We put the trendy technique to work on these ordinary, store-bought throw pillows. For maximum results, always make sure you take the process slowly and follow through with each step.

Rosette Lampshade 

Embellish a plain lampshade with paper roses. Use a compass to draw an 8 inch diameter circle onto drawing weight paper. Cut the circle into a swirl to create a paper coil about 1/2 inch wide. Roll the paper tightly starting at the outside end of the coil. Release the coil slightly and manipulate it until you have created a flower shape, then hot glue it at the base to retain the shape. Use hot glue to adhere roses to the lampshade.

Cozy Felt Pillows 

Felt pillows are easy to make and boost the comfort quotient of any area. Use scraps of felt to embellish an ordinary store bought pillow, or sew the scraps together to create a multicolor masterpiece.These soft woodland-themed, felt pillows make this sofa a homey relaxation haven.

No-Sew Pillow 

Stoke your wanderlust with a pillow outfitted with a map. Find an image from an old atlas, or score a map of your favorite city or dream travel destination. Scan your image and use image-editing software to create a mirror image of your map, then print it using an ink-jet printer onto iron on transfer paper. Iron the image onto light color linen fabric, following package directions. Peel away the transfer backing to reveal the image. Use heat-set tape to adhere the linen piece to the pillow.

Felted Lamp Base 

This shapely lamp base enjoys a cozy cover. To cover a sphere shape lamp, measure the height and the circumference, then cut a rectangular piece of felted wool to size. Wrap it around the base with the right side in, and pin evenly spaced darts at the top and bottom. Remove, sew the darts, then sew the piece into a tube shape. Turn right side out and slip over the object. Using heavy duty thread, hand stitch a running stitch at the top and bottom and pull to cinch tight, then tie off at the back. Embellish the lamp with fun felt flowers for extra pizzazz.

Twine Light Shades 

Bring blissful color to a blah dining room with handmade light shades. These trendy light shades add a dash of texture and subtle color overhead and are created using twine and small beach balls.

Freehand Floral Vase 

A vase adorned with a hand drawn, floral-inspired design complements the bold orange flowers it holds. Use a white oil based Sharpie marker on ceramic surfaces.

Rosette Throw Pillow 

Bring dimension to a throw pillow with fabric rosettes. To create rosettes on a pillow cover, fold 4 inch wide strips of fabric in half, lengthwise and sew a basting stitch along the edge opposite the fold. Pull the thread tight, allowing the fabric to wrap around itself, and wind to desired sizes. Finish by stitching onto a pillow.

Give 'Em the Slip 

Boost the style of plain glass vessels by slipping them into something more cozy. Stretch a piece of felted sweater around the vessel, right side in. Pin for a snug fit, then remove and sew it where it was pinned. Cut the excess and turn it inside out. Make use of sweater accents such as button plackets, pockets, sleeves, and ribbing. Or add your own embellishments fashioned from scraps of old wool sweaters.

Wrap It Up 

Wood grain radiates warmth and character in any space. Using veneer ? thin, flexible sheets of wood available at home centers and woodworking shops ? is an easy way to incorporate wood grains into your home. Cherry and maple veneer wrapped around apothecary jars and stitched with silver embroidery floss make a sweet centerpiece or mantel display. Cut leaf shapes from veneer and stitch onto jar wraps for a nature-inspired look.

Grass-Motif Pillow 

A few fabric scraps are all you need to create this three dimensional effect. The grassy design is a fanciful layering of felt and cotton scraps cut into grass blade shapes. The first two layers are secured with fabric glue, but a single line of stitching down the middle of the top layer of blades gives them a breezy texture.

Easy Weekend Home Decorating Projects Summer 2013 Ideas

Want to give your home a mini makeover in a weekend? Check out these simple decorating projects for inspiration. I hope that you will find it useful for you ... Enjoy it !!

While a fresh coat of colorful paint can revive a piece of furniture, you can take it a step further by adding pattern, too. Use paint pens to draw designs on drawer fronts, tabletops, and more.

Craft a simple entryway table from logs. Simply prop table height sections of logs against a wall. Apply a clear coat to the logs to seal the wood.

Secondhand stores and flea markets are often chock full of artwork. While the art may not be up your style alley, if the frames catch your eye, you have the makings of an art display you'll love. Simply discard the art and paint the frames fun colors that match your decor. Arrange the ensemble on a blank wall.

Give a plain lampshade a watercolor makeover. Moisten a large paintbrush with water, and sweep a wavelike pattern around the bottom of the shade. Tap wet paint into the pattern with a soft, round watercolor brush. (Use watercolor paint for paper lampshades and fabric paint for fabric shades.) The paint will bleed to the edges of the moistened area. After the paint dries, dot the wave with more paint in alternating colors. For dots that blend, paint them with edges touching.

Go global with your planters. Carefully cut an old globe in half with a utility knife. (Ours was coming apart at the equator, which made it easier to split.) Lift the base with plastic, and fill with soil and plants. Rest the globe on a plant stand or in a drainage dish to keep it upright.

Marbleizing is hot, and it's an easy DIY technique. For these canvases, we marbleized paper, then scanned it and sent the designs to a print center to be printed on canvases.

Rescue thrift store frames with white paint and punchy paper. Paint the frames white and showcase pretty papers inside the frames. Choose coordinating patterns in different scales (small prints and large prints) to create a balanced look. Let the paper be the star, or top it with a wooden letter, a photo, or any object you love.

Add extra seating or a footrest to any room with a pretty pouf. Poufs can be pricey in stores, but this DIY version can be made for about $50 with our step by step instructions and free pattern.

Give a favorite photo prime placement in a room. Enlarge the photo and place it in an oversize frame. Surrounded by a crisp white mat and striking black frame, this textural photo of peonies commands attention.

Give a lamp a one two punch of shine with ribbon and spray paint. Coat the base in a metallic-finish spray paint, and wrap shiny satin ribbon around the shade, securing in place with hot glue or pins.

Look at everyday items as potential masterpieces. Take photographs of a few interesting objects, and adjust the exposure, saturation, and color with a photo editing program. Order large prints, and frame them on black mats in white frames. A black-and-white display like this looks sleek against a white wall but would also look chic hanging on a wall painted with a saturated hue.

Rethink how you use curtain rods and plates to create a pretty wall display. Mount a curtain rod on a wall, and hang plates with ribbons woven through the pierced designs on the edges.

Dress a dresser with a large poster to give a plain piece punch. Prep the dresser front with a coat of primer and let dry. Measure the width and height of the chest, including the legs. Trim the artwork to size, making sure the design falls where you want it to. Cut out the pieces that will go on the legs (you'll apply them separately). Remove drawers and adhere the artwork to the dresser front using spray adhesive. Press the artwork to the dresser, starting at one edge and working your way across the piece. Let dry. Trim the paper along the drawer openings. Spray the drawers with adhesive, and apply the artwork to the drawer fronts. Trim and place the leg pieces on the dresser. Use a nail to poke the knob holes through the paper, and add decorative knobs.

Accent plain roller shades with fabric. Have a retailer cut the shades to fit your windows. For each shade, remove the weight from the bottom pocket. Cut fusible web to fit the width of the shade, and iron it onto the back of fabric. Cut out the fabric and iron it into place on the shade. Spray-paint a cafe curtain rod, and insert it into the bottom pocket.

Add unique flair to a basic arrangement of photos with a tree motif. Achieve the silhouette with a wall decal, a stencil, or freehand painting. Hang family pictures in the "branches" for a whimsical look.