six decor bloggers share their favourite easy do-it-yourself ideas to add quick festive cheer to your stay-at-home celebrations
Deck up the walls, make that toran, bring out the tea lights, take a whiff of the scented candles and do up the pooja thali—festive decor is easy, especially with plenty of heartwarming and sustainable ideas making the rounds of the net, to help you spruce up your space.
Thali of Love
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Swati Bora, decor enthusiast and visual artist
@kumaoni_soul, Instagram
The idea behind this DIY is to get into festive preparations because we are missing out
on a lot of fun due to the pandemic. It is something that you upcycle, so it makes you feel good about it. And it's lovely that after the festival, you can use the thali as a mirror.
You need: Mirror, cookie tin lid, glue and brush, artificial flowers, jam bottle lid, pearls.
Method
1 Make sure your mirror is smaller than the cookie lid. Apply glue to the mirror and paste it on the lid or plate gently with the help of tissue. Ensure you don't put the glue on the reflecting side as it would be difficult to remove it from the surface.
2 Apply glue to the artificial flower and stick it on the thali in circular motion.
3 Apply pearl beads on the corner edge of the surface and wait for few minutes to let it dry.
4 Next, on an old jam bottle lid, apply glue and dust powder gold glitter on it. Line it with pearls, too.
Drops of Gold
Rati Chaudhary, home stylist and décor blogger
@ratichaudhary, Instagram
I am not a big DIYer, but I found this idea too attractive to not try. I have been thinking of creating wall art for a while now and this seemed perfect for my walls. I love the simplicity of the idea and the effect it creates in few easy steps.
You need: Plain paper, double-sided tape, scissors, glue and embellishments.
Method:
1 Make paper fans (just like you used to as a kid) and join the edges to make a circle. Secure with glue or use a double sided tape. Create as many in varying sizes.
2 Spray paint them in festive colours. Add embellishments.
3 Paste on the wall or hang them on a string and place them near the window.
Bohemian Marigold
By Ankita S Rai, decor blogger and DIY enthusiast
@ankita.s.rai, Instagram
Every year at this time, I get nostalgic about my childhood of making bandhanwar (toran) with marigold and mango leaves. In fact, Diwali for me is all about decorating the house with marigold and candles. This time, I thought of giving the traditional bandhanwar a boho touch and made this hanging that can double up as outdoor bandhanwar, too.
You need: Fresh marigold flowers, mango leaves, red mouli thread, strings, bells and embroidery hoop.
Method
1 Wrap the embroidery hoop with red mouli thread.
2 String in the marigold on the thread (as per the desired length) and tie the bells at one end.
3 Tie a mango leaf with every bell.
4 Tie these flower and bell strings on the hoop.
5 Make a ball of marigold flowers and attach a bunch of baby's breath flowers to it. Tie this ball in the centre of hoop.
6 Hang this on the wall or suspend on a hook with the help of mouli thread.
Vintage Glow
Rukmini Ray Kadam,
Space and decor blogger @trumatter, Instagram
I love the romantic flicker of candles, which goes well with my favourite French country-meets-shabby-chic vibe. I wanted to add a bit of understated charm to my home this Diwali and what better than vintage enamelware to do the job? This candle has a seasonal appeal that cuts across festivals.
You need: Any container, wicks, soy or paraffin wax, essential oil (of your choice).
Method
1 Begin by choosing any container of your choice. Clean it thoroughly.
2 Heat the wax on a gas on a very low flame.
3 Meanwhile, insert three wicks in the container and tie the top of the wick to a pencil to position it erect.
4 When the wax melts, pour it gently in the container half way through.
5 Add a few drops of essential oil of your choice. Wait for the layer to settle, then pour another layer of wax. Repeat with essential oil. This way, the candle releases the aroma right till the end. Also, essential oils are better than synthetic perfumes because they last longer and are good for health.
6 Wait for an hour. The inside of the container may be hollow. Melt some more wax and pour it till it levels out.
Demure Diyas
Disha Mishra Dubey, décor blogger
@designdecoranddisha, Instagram
This festive season, I wanted to DIY something unique, which can be done easily without using a lot of supplies. These papercut wraps are just perfect to make the season merry and bright. They make great gifts, too.
You need: Card stock and scissors.
Method
1 Take a card stock of 18.5 and 6 cm dimension. Leave 0.5 cm margin on all sides. Make a tab of 4 cm in the centre on one end and 4 cm slit on the opposite end of the card stock.
2 Draw a pattern of your choice on the card. Cut out the pattern and remove the pieces of paper as you cut them out. The cardstock will look like a stencil.
3 Once done, paste embellishments of your choice.
4 Pick up the card stock and insert the tab in the slit so that it takes a cylindrical form and place an LED tea light inside. Done.
Yarn of Light
Meenakshi Kapoor, interior designer and décor content creator
@behind_that_house, Instagram
Those who know me understand my love for celebrating everything in life. When it comes to home styling for little joys and achievements and some special festival and occasions, I feel adding that little touch of DIY is very liberating. So, here's how you can oomph up that mundane corner in your house this Diwali with a yarn ball. You could add it to tops of floor candle stands to create drama or just have them placed on your table in various sizes, and layer them with florals.
You need: Balloons in various sizes, jute yarn or coloured yarn, white glue and water, fairy lights.
Method
1 Blow up balloons to different sizes and hang them.
2 In a mixing bowl, add adhesive and water to make a fine, smooth paste.
3 Dip the yarn in the paste and begin to wrap the balloon in all directions: top to bottom, side to side. The more you wrap, the denser the ball will become. Repeat with all balloons.
4 Allow to dry completely till the yarn is stiff and dry. It usually takes up to 24 hours.
5 Pop the balloon and gently remove it from the yarn.
6 Wrap battery-operated fairy lights around it.
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