Diwali is almost around the corner. This year’s Diwali will be different in terms of enjoying with friends and having big get-togethers. But this shouldn’t stop us from decorating our house. Home decoration or home makeover is never subject to whether we are having guests or not. In general, small changes in decoration bring a big difference in our mood. You get the festival into the picture, and our excitement level reaches the next level. Talking about makeover ideas, you get plenty of options online. They offer good discounts as well. But when you add your handmade items into the list of home makeover ideas then it adds a special touch.

Every year, if I start buying tons of decorations, then a) where will I store them. There will be a point when I may feel to give away a few pieces because I will start having a shortage of space. b) what about the decoration for the non-festive season?

I prefer having such pieces which I can use later too, like for parties, gathering. I like to mix match things and keep rotating them. Every time, they give a different look when combined with matching pieces. 

So, here I am sharing two of my makeover ideas. These are my latest projects. I felt so good while doing some DIY after so long. I will be using them for my Diwali decoration this year. If you do not have much time in hand and have these things at home then these home makeover ideas will definitely come handy.

A) Table runner from table napkins

B) Hand painted canvas

Table runner from table napkins

I got these napkins during my first India trip after marriage, which was in 2007. Yes. They are that old. It came with table mats and a table cover. I never used the napkins, but I liked the print. This was one of the reasons for buying these. I like handicrafts and mostly cotton stuff. This I got from Bhopal Haat. These napkins were of the right width for a table runner. So I decided to make a table runner out of it.

1. Arrange all the napkins. 

2. Try to align the designs when over-lapping.

3. If you are comfortable sewing, then you can directly sew it straight. But if you are seasonal like me, then I would recommend you to first-hand stitch it. Once you are happy with the look and the length, then sew it on the machine. 

4. Iron them to remove creases.

5. Flaunt your handmade table runner. Place a flower vase or diyas. 

Coming to the second Diwali decor project: 

Hand painted canvas

I am a big Tribal Art fan. They have an earthy feel. Since I didn’t have a lot of time to work on a big canvas, I decided to go for a small size. In my local craft store, I found these cute small square canvas. 

1. First, I drew the design with a pencil, then colored the background. I used acrylic colors for this entire project.

2. Once the background was dry, I traced on the pencil design with the help of puffy paint. I think 3D outliner would have been a better choice due to the fine tip. With puffy paint, getting a fine tip was hard. For the fishes outlining, I used black sharpie.

These two projects were very relaxing and were ready in no time. My next project is going to be Mandala Art. If you have any table napkins that you are not using, but you don’t want to throw them, think of making a table runner. You can also use them for wall décor. 

1.  Get some wooden embroidery hoops and turn them into wall hanging. Place the fabric and hand on the wall with some other matching hangings. If you want to give your room bohemian look then this is a perfect option. It looks beautiful. I will be doing it pretty soon.

2.  You can also frame it with some solid color frames. Sometimes, unconventional designs look attractive compared to typical artwork. 

These were a few of DIYs that you can do. Now, obviously when we are working, our kids also want to join us. How about engaging them in some cool diys which are suitable for kids? So, this was all about my Diwali decoration for this year. I will be adding few last minute touch ups with Rangoli, fairy lights, glass jars, floating candles, and flowers. Look out for my Instagram feed. What did you do for Diwali decoration?

Additional reading: Festivals calls for family get-together, meeting grandparents and creating long-lasting memories. But in current scenario, that is not possible. Thanks to innovative digital concepts/apps which help us stay connected. Recently I came across one such platform MaPa Story app.