(ARA) - An amazing ritual is once again underway. The days are getting shorter;
leaves are turning brilliant shades of yellow, orange and red; and flocks of
birds are making their way south. Inspired by the changes brought on by Mother
Nature, people across the country are initiating changes of their own, giving
their home d?cor a new lease on life.
According to the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID), fall is one
of the busiest times of year for people who work in the home decorating business.
"The calls just pour in from people who want to spiff things up before
the holidays," says B.J. Peterson of the Peterson-Arce Design Group in
Los Angeles. "They're getting in the mood for entertaining, or have people
coming in from out of town and want to make an impression."
Fall isn't only a busy time of year for interior decorators, but for arts
and crafts stores as well. Do-it-yourselfers flock to stores like Michaels,
the nation's largest specialty retailer of arts and crafts materials, not only
for materials but for ideas. "It doesn't matter if you're a novice or an
experienced crafter. Home decorating is so easy, anyone can do it, and you can
find everything you need to complete a project at one of our stores," says
Laura Byrne, Director of Marketing at Michaels Arts & Crafts stores. Among
the most popular do-it-yourself projects this time of year, wreaths, candlescaping,
seasonal decorating and decorative painting.
* Wreaths and Floral Arrangements
Creating a wreath is one of the more popular and easy crafting projects you
can do this time of year. Wreaths can be round, square, or any shape you desire
to complement your style. Hung from a door or a wall or placed on a tabletop,
wreaths are a wonderful way to add the elements of the season to your home.
Items that can be used to decorate a wreath are as limitless as your imagination.
They include silk or dried flowers, fruits, vegetables, berries, ribbons, and
bows.
You can find everything you need to create a wreath at your local arts and
crafts stores, which have a wide selection of decorative tools and embellishments.
For novice wreath makers, many websites now provide step by step instructions
to help you create your very own wreath. One of the newest additions to Michaels.com
even includes interactive visuals to guide you through the wreath making process:
www.michaels.com/easywreaths.
Peterson says one of the easiest ways to set a mood in a room is with a floral
arrangement. "You can really let your imagination run wild when you create
one of these," she says. "For fall, you can use pinecones, seasonal
fruit, evergreen branches, dried flowers, or even reeds to fill a vase, decorate
a table or fill a corner of the room. The idea is to bring a piece of the outdoors
inside."
* Candlescaping
Another popular and easy way to bring the look of fall inside is through
candlescaping.
At its most basic, multiple candles can be displayed on a large platter.
Taken to the extreme, it can be an entire room filled with decorative candles
of varying heights, sizes and shapes, filling the space with soft, warm light,
creating a cozy environment for your family.
"Candlescaping is more than just scattering a few pillars around; it's
creating a mood or telling a story using texture, scent, color and light. The
candle aisles of your local Michaels store are filled with beautiful pillars,
tapers and tea lights in every imaginable size, shape, color and scent, allowing
you to develop a look that fits your own personal style," says Byrne.
To create a more unique look with candles, some people use stencils and paint
to decorate the candles with seasonal motifs. Fall leaves, English ivy and pumpkins
make great accents this time of year.
* Texture Magic
An easy way to add accents to candles, and many other surfaces, including
walls, vases, fabrics, and more, is with the use of Texture Magic, a pre-colored
dimensional paint packaged in an easy-to-use tube.
If you have ever frosted a cake, you are already an expert at applying Texture
Magic. Spread the paint on the surface you want to decorate then add your accents,
such as glass beads, metal pieces or ceramic tile. Simply apply a coat of any
color Texture Magic to the surface and press objects in the wet paint. This
process allows you to capture the look of high-end mosaics at a great price.
You can also use the paint to create an impression. Simply spread a thick
layer of Texture Magic on the surface you want to decorate, let it set a bit,
then press the object -- a foam stamp, leaf, or flower petal -- into the wet
paint. Remove immediately, leaving the image pressed into the surface. Arts
and crafts stores offer all the tools you will need for a home d?cor project
as well as larger sizes of paint.
Carvable Pumpkins
And what crafter's fall d?cor wouldn't be complete without a bunch of pumpkins
on the front doorstep. You can find realistic carvable pumpkins in all shapes
and sizes at craft stores along with all the tools you need to bring them to
life. These pumpkins add a seasonal touch for fall that can last on your porch
or table the entire season. Use them traditionally or get imaginative by creating
topiaries or carving whimsical characters and seasonal images. If you've struggled
with carving the real things before, you'll be amazed how easy it is to accomplish
results with carvable foam pumpkins.
Courtesy of ARA Content
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