A gorgeous new Pier 1 Imports store opened a few weeks ago and I was thrilled to participate in the Grand Opening Event by demonstrating some creative and outside-the-box ways to entertain with Pier 1 products! Amber and Alyssa came with me, and we had a great time chatting with guests about entertaining ideas and teaching them how to make different types of DIY paper flowers. Another fun piece of “grand opening” news: Pier 1 JUST launched a brand new website complete with ONLINE shopping!

ENTERTAINING OUTSIDE THE BOX

From rustic coffee mugs used as dessert pedestals to a colorful tube wine rack reinvented as a table centerpiece, I’m excited to share a recap of the event’s entertaining tips & highlights with you today! The best thing about all of these tips is that they can be utilized with ANY sort of theme or occasion you have in mind.

KEY TIPS TO LOOK OUT FOR:

– DIY Paper Flowers (4 different styles)
– Theme & Color Palette Inspiration
– DIY Cake & Dessert Stands made from dishes, bottles, and candle holders
– Repurposing & Reinventing (necklaces as mini garlands, napkin rings as bottle accents, etc)

DIY PAPER FLOWERS

We showcased a few different types of paper flowers, but the easiest variation (pictured above) was probably my favorite style, due to both the “quick & easy” factor AND the fun whimsical vibe they gave when attached to floral wire! I displayed some individually in mini glass bottles used as “bud vases”, and combined a whole bunch of them with fresh flowers for the table centerpiece:

*Note: A tutorial on the whimsical paper flowers will be posted separately.

VINTAGE BOTTLE DESSERT STAND

I also used a trio of the mini glass bottles ($14/set of 4) to create the playful dessert stand below. Despite what you may be thinking, this was actually very sturdy! The bottles are secured to the plates using 3D craft glue dots.

Winner Update 12/15/11: This giveaway is now closed. We know that all of you would have loved to win a $250 shopping spree to Lux Archive but we had to randomly pick just one winner. Can I get a drum roll please?!…. and the winner is… Melissa, who said, “I liked them!! And I love Frozen Life!!” Congratulations Melissa! We know you will enjoy new printed art work!

We have a fun & different kind of SURPRISE GIVEAWAY for our fine art and photography-loving readers today! Lux Archive is a really cool company founded by Brooklyn-based artist/entrepreneur – and award winning photographer – Zack Seckler. They curate limited edition contemporary photography, hand-selected from artists all around the world, with the goal being “to bring museum quality artwork to anyone from the seasoned collector to the emerging art lover“.

Each print from Lux Archive comes with a certificate of authenticity individually signed by the artist…and even though the prints are limited edition to ensure that the collector owns a unique piece of art, they are also affordable – with most images starting around $100. New images are introduced often, and each one is available in multiple sizes. Once a print sells out, it will never be printed again.

One of my favorite aspects of this company is how supportive they are of the talent – the majority of the proceeds actually go to the artists that create the works! And that makes sense since the founder is an established artist himself. You can learn more about Lux Archive and the reasons Zack founded this company right here.

AND NOW FOR THE GIVEAWAY… we have a $250 GIFT CERTIFICATE to Lux Archive up for grabs today! If you’d like to own a piece of limited edition fine art photography – or gift one to a loved one for the holidays – now’s your chance! Scroll down for details on how to enter at the bottom of the post.

Looking for a creative fall-themed project? These pretty VELVET FABRIC PUMPKINS from floral design guru Kim Foren make for such pretty fall/Thanksgiving decor, and there’s no sewing machine required – just a needle/thread and your trusty glue gun!

I also love that you can customize this project with your favorite colors and fabrics. The velvet and silk used here looks pretty and glam for Thanksgiving, but Kim also included red and warm earth tones here that can be carried on into Christmas! Read on for the full step by step tutorial, as told by Kim…

Winner Update 3/18: This giveaway is now closed. Thanks so much to everyone that entered! And the lucky random winner is… Commenter #450 – Tiffiney. Congrats, Tiffiney!

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This new Surprise Giveaway is a whole new level of “ridiculously cute”! These wonderfully modern & cheery graphics are actually oversize fabric wall decals from Pop and Lolli, an adorable company that’s the brainchild of a talented designer & former Disney Imagineer. The decals are removeable, reusable, and repositionable – and guaranteed to add a huge dose of whimsy & color to any nursery, kids room, or party space!

This week at HWTM, Pop and Lolli is offering up a $150 GIFT CERTIFICATE to a lucky reader to use towards any of their favorite Pop and Lolli products! And from Cutesy Characters to Where the Wild Things Grow, there are seriously so many cute designs to choose from… I felt like the most indecisive person ever while putting together this post, because it was even hard to narrow down which designs & images to feature!

A few personal favorites are pictured above (including The Fashion Farm Gang and Noah’s African Circus). Read on to check out even more fabulous eye candy + details on how to enter the giveaway…