DIY holiday Archives - Darling Darleen | A Lifestyle Design Blog

Pampas DIY Chandelier

Fall Decor Pampas DIY Chandelier for your Next Party

Fall Decor Pampas Grass DIY chandelier for your Thanksgiving party || Darling Darleen

Pampas grass is everywhere right now in floral arrangements, wreaths and and wedding bouquets. You’ll probably be seeing pampas grass in some of my holiday decorations! A little sneak peek. With Thanksgiving right around the corner, it’s always focused on the feasting table. Since I’ve posted so many great Thanksgiving centerpieces and tablespaces, why not add a visual element that is unexpected yet works perfectly with the natural, fall decor. The pampas DIY chandelier is so easy to make and is dramatic and elegant! I would of make a huge one right over my dining table, but the chandelier was in the way. This pampas DIY chandelier works over the drink bar cart.

You can find pampas grass usually in landscaping. They work great as a buffer and privacy bush. I found my pampas grass at the beach. So many there! If you don’t have pampas grass in a public place or in your yard, then they are available at a specialty florist or online.

Pampas DIY Chandelier Supplies:

Floral Wire Wreath

Floral Wire

Pampas Grass —Colored Pampas Grass

Floral shears

Jute Twine

hairspray

Take your cut pampas grass and spray the flower pods with hairspray. Let it dry. This will help keep the flower pods put and from falling off the pampas stock.
Cut the pampas grass down to assemble on the wire wreath. You will lay one row clockwise one on top of the other covering the wire wreath. Wrap with floral wire in a zigzag pattern.
Then lay another row of pampas grass counterclockwise fully covering the wire.
You can repeat until you are satisfied with the outcome.
Then using your jute twine, tie 4 strings on each side of the wreath. Make sure the string is long enough to hang the wreath. I used a square knot so it would be secure and stay in place.
Hang your wreath from your ceiling.
Then take another batch of pampas grass (maybe a different color) and secure to the jute strings that are hanging the wreath in place. Use floral wire. Repeat on all 4 sides.
Add additional pampas grass, securing the base to the wire wreath and the top to the jute string. Repeat until you are satisfied with the results.

Fall Decor Pampas Grass DIY chandelier for your Thanksgiving party || Darling DarleenFall Decor Pampas Grass DIY chandelier for your Thanksgiving party || Darling Darleen

Pumpkin Succulent Flower Centerpiece

Pumpkin Succulent Flower Centerpiece for your Thanksgiving Table

Do you still have Halloween pumpkins laying around? No worries; good chance there are still some available at your local grocery store! I bought so many for my Fall Porch decor that I thought I could spare a few to make a Thanksgiving Pumpkin succulent Flower centerpiece. This DIY is very similar to my top Pinterest post that I did for my Easter table a few years ago: Tulip Cabbage Centerpiece. I love using natural resources to make something so beautiful! This is a very budget-friendly centerpiece using
“porcelain doll” pink pumpkins. You could also use the cinderella blue pumpkins or the white pumpkins!

Supplies:

porcelain doll pumpkin

2 succulents

Mix of dried flowers, fresh flowers and faux flowers

Flower foam

pumpkin cutting knife (look in your halloween supply box!)

floral scissors

gold foil supplies (DIY here)

gilding glue

gilding brush

First thing when carving a pumpkin? Yup. Cut the top off and clean the insides out. If you need your pumpkin to last long, rub petroleum jelly all around the inside to keep the mold away and maintain the moisture.

Next grab your floral foam and cut to the size of you pumpkin opening. If you are using dried or faux flowers, then you can use a dry foam. I used a wet foam because the succulents are placed on top and keeps their roots wet. But I also used a mixture of real, dried and faux flowers.

Then I placed two succulents on top of the foam and arranged a variety of flowers around the succulents.

If you have wheat, berries or branches, spray with gold spray paint for a touch of gold in your arrangement.

Now the final touch of your pumpkin succulent flower centerpiece is adding gold foil to the edges! My favorite part of the whole centerpiece. The gold foil (or gold gilding) will make your pumpkin look elegant and dress up your Thanksgiving table. I share all about how to use gold foil or gold gilding in this post.

4 Easy Black and White Stripe Costume Ideas

Grab Your Favorite Black and White Stripe Shirt for These 4 Easy Costume Ideas

Do you plan your Halloween costume at the last minute? Like the night before or day of? Yup that is me. I always think–I’ll just find something in my closet and add some scary makeup. But often times, it’s not enough and I am scrabbling and then end up just wearing black. Boo-hoo! So, I was thinking what is one article of clothing that most people have besides all black? The first thought that came into my mind was a black and white stripe shirt. It’s so easy to create costumes around a black and white stripe shirt. In fact, I’m sharing 4 easy black and white stripe costume ideas for you. Most likely you’ve seen all of them around Pinterest, but it’s nice to have a collection of costume ideas with the same outfit but different accessories. If you don’t have a black and white stripe shirt, now is your time to pick one up!

4 Easy Black and White Stripe Costume Ideas

Mime–Was a Mime the first thought you had when thinking of a black and white striped shirt costume? It’s one of the most easiest, and you probably have all the accessories. All you need is a black beret hat, suspenders, white glove and a scarf. You can get creative with the makeup with a tear-shaped eyes, white face and heart-shaped lips. Then you can also bring silly props like fake flowers.

2. Robber/ Burglar/ Theft Costume— This is another fun silly costume. You can get really creative and add fake dollar bills everywhere. All you need is a black mask, beanie, and a dollar-sign bag. I actually just used a sharpie and wrote the dollar sign on the white bag.

Grab Your Favorite Black and White Stripe Shirt for These 4 Easy Black and White Stripe Costume Ideas, mime costume, robber burglar costume, pirate costume || Darling Darleen

3. Pirate–A little scary and a little cute, you instantly become a pirate with an eye patch! Add a skull bandana and gold hoop earrings to play up the part.

4. Retro 50’s Lady–Grab your black leather jacket and add a pink scarf around your neck to get the retro 50’s lady look. Such a cool look! Some other accessories you can add are pearl earrings. If you have a pink jacket, you’ll instantly look like a pink lady. Or wear your chuck Taylor all-star shoes.

Shop other Black and White Stripe Shirts:

Heart Shape Flower Box

DIY Heart-Shape Flower Box

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, and you know roses are the way to a girl’s heart and a sign of love and friendship. I’m such a sucker for flowers and always love receiving and giving them! So I was looking for something extra special to make to give to my love ones for Valentine’s Day. This DIY heart-shape flower box is just the one that I know my girls will love or even a friend who needs a little cheering up over the love holiday. If you are planning a Galentine’s breakfast or even just a romantic evening with your lover, these heart-shape flower box would also make a perfect centerpiece. So many fun ideas.

Supplies:

Heart Shape Box or Paper Mache box (spray paint for desired color)

floral wet foam

wax paper

fresh flowers

scissors

knife

Take your foam block, using your knife cut it about 1.5″ thick. Then use the bottom of the heart box to cut the foam in the shape of the heart. I had to use two 1.5″ foam blocks to get the entire shape of the heart. Don’t worry if it is not perfect. You just need a general heart shape.

2. Put your foam blocks in water and let it soak for a bit. While it is soaking, take wax paper and cut the width of the box. Gradually push it down to fully cover the bottom and the sides of the heart shape box, while making sure the paper doesn’t tear or rip. You may have some extra paper hanging over the sides. I just cut the paper with scissors around the shape.

3. Gently place the wet floral foam blocks in the heart-shape box, making sure the bottom is fully covered. You can add additional water in the box at this time.

4. Next is the fun part, adding the flowers. Simply trim and push the stems in the wet foam block. Start on the edge and work your way to the middle of the box. My boxes used about 10 stem roses. If you’d like put the top on the box, then make sure to cut the stems short so the flower heads are below the top of the box. I kept my longer because I am using them more for display and wanted the flower heads peeking out. If you are planning to give them away, add a ribbon around the box and flowers!

SHOP more Valentine’s Gift Ideas:

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Pampas DIY Chandelier

Fall Decor Pampas DIY Chandelier for your Next Party

Pumpkin Succulent Flower Centerpiece

Pumpkin Succulent Flower Centerpiece for your Thanksgiving Table

4 Easy Black and White Stripe Costume Ideas

Grab Your Favorite Black and White Stripe Shirt for These 4 Easy Costume Ideas

4 Easy Black and White Stripe Costume Ideas

Heart Shape Flower Box

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