What better way to celebrate the start of summer than with a backyard fiesta party? We love inviting our neighbors over a couple times a year for an informal get-together. Rather than get cramped inside, we all head out to the backyard, so the kids can play and the adults can hang out on the […]
Camp Fun is back for another year! I partnered with Oriental Trading to develop an at-home summer camp program back in 2016, and since then it has grown into 13 weeks of summer camp themes to help you keep the kids busy, creative and having fun while at home this summer. This year we added […]
Did you know you can make a wreath from napkins? Yes, it is possible to make a cute wreath from just about anything! I’ve tried everything from straws, to pinwheels, to egg cartons to make wreaths before, but this is my first time making a napkin wreath. It was actually incredibly easy and can be […]
Once in awhile its fun to add a little something new to your walls, and this floral mason jar wall decor is so easy to make. It adds an instant dose of color and coziness to your kitchen or a family room gallery wall. I love any type of wall art that mixes up the […]
How cute is this paper plate butterfly craft for Oriental Trading? When I saw these beautiful floral paper plates I knew I wanted to make a spring craft with them, and I thought the flowers and addition of sparkly pom-poms was a fun spin on paper plate butterflies. It’s a simple kids craft that is […]
Welcome to Day 4 of Mom Week. Today, we’re celebrating our favorite super hero – MOM! These trading cards are a fun DIY Mother’s Day card idea and a creative alternative to the traditional greeting card. To make these, I partnered with Kid Made Modern to use their new DIY Trading Card Kit. At only […]
It’s Day 3 of Mom Week and I have the prettiest egg carton flower wreath you can make for mom. You may have seen egg carton flowers before, but this one is jam-packed with color and pattern using Kid Made Modern supplies. I love when I can incorporate recycled materials into my craft projects, especially […]
Welcome to Day 2 of Mom Week! Today we’re crafting a special embroidered journal for mom with a fun product from Kid Made Modern. As you may know, I have been working with this awesome brand for the past year to create projects using their one-of-a-kind craft kits. Their Go Make Stuff blog is full […]
Welcome to Day 1 of Mom Week! This week on Design Improvised, we are spending each day celebrating mom! I have some fun kids craft projects that are perfect for Mother’s Day, whether they are for mom, grandmas, aunts, or any special woman you want to celebrate on May 12! We’re kicking off the week […]
You may not have heard of the word “Otomi”, but I bet you’ve seen this gorgeous pattern lately! The Otomi pattern is named after the Otomi people of Mexico who typically hand embroider the pattern onto textiles or paint it by hand. This beautiful pattern full of animal and plant silhouettes has become oh-so-trendy and […]
It’s hard to believe that the website launch party for the new Design Improvised was already two weeks ago! The days following have been filled with project deadlines, ongoing website fixes and a workshop and TV appearance thrown into the mix. Needless to say, the launch party will go down as the highlight of the […]
It’s almost Fiesta time in San Antonio, and given that it is my 5th year celebrating this unique San Antonio tradition, I thought I was due for a new Fiesta wreath idea! I partnered with Amols’, a family-owned party business that has been serving San Antonio for the past 70 years and the headquarters for […]
This spring bird wreath is dedicated to my grandmother, Marian Rose Terry. She was a bird lover who taught me to love birds. I have many memories of watching birds from her kitchen window or while sitting on the back patio at her home in Nebraska, where my sister and I spent our summers and […]
Next week is spring break at my daughters’ school. It doesn’t seem possible, especially since it is currently 28 degrees outside in Texas while I write this! Rather than traveling somewhere during the week off, we are staying home this year. If you too will have some downtime with the kids over spring break, these […]
It might not feel like it, but spring is on the way! You can help hurry it along with this pretty wood welcome sign that you can make yourself. It is my latest project in partnership with Oriental Trading, and it uses some of their fun DIY wood signs and metal decor. It would look […]
Just when I thought I was done with Valentine’s Day crafts, I’ve come up with one more idea. 🙂 Yesterday, I hung this giant floral heart on our front door, and what an impact it makes! It came together in minutes with just a piece of foam core and a variety of faux flowers that […]
I hope you all enjoyed LOVE Week last week! I have one more Valentine’s Day craft for you. This sweet card display that I made using a chicken wire frame from Oriental Trading would be a sweet way to show off the Valentines your kids bring home from school, or the Design Improvised Valentine you […]
When it comes to Valentine’s Day, my husband Ross and I always like to have a special dinner at home rather than go out. No having to book a babysitter, secure a reservation, or pay for an expensive pre fixe menu. We just get the kids to bed early, light some candles, and enjoy a […]
