Home and Garden

Ideas For DIY

How to Get Featured in Home and Garden

by

As you might imagine, the editors here at Craft Gossip receive a lot of suggestions for project features. While I would love to feature everything that is submitted to the Home & Garden channel, there’s only so much time in a day, AND only one of me! 🙂 However, I did want you to know that I do save the suggestions and go through them regularly.

Have you ever wondered what it takes to get featured on Craft Gossip? Well, we’ve recently updated our submission guidelines and I invite you to read them here.

Things that I specifically look for in the Home & Garden channel are:

1) Good photographs – they don’t have to be professional, but natural light is always better than a flash and sharp, focused photos are a must. If your photos are blurred or washed out, even a great project can look bad. 🙁

2) Tutorials – I realize that not everyone posts tutorials, especially if you are in the business of selling your items. Tutorials are excellent, especially those with good step by step instructions and photos, but I also look for projects that will inspire others. So if you don’t post tutes, be sure you describe how you created your project in a way that will allow others to draw from your talents.

3) Unique ideas – I am always looking for creative inspiration. Chances are if you followed a tutorial from someone else I’ve already featured, I might not be inclined to feature yours. :-/ Nothing personal! But if I’ve already featured something, I’m on to the next thing. If you’ve made something you feel is unique, by all means submit it.

4)  Popular areas – Some of the most popular posts are crafts made for the kitchen, unique photo displays, furniture makeovers with a twist, and organizing projects. Wreaths are pretty popular too, especially when they are holiday or season specific. But don’t discount the other areas. Just check the side bar on the left and you’ll see the sections of the Home & Garden channel.

Because I have soooo many suggestions sitting in wait, I’ve decided to try and randomly grab one or two each day and feature them. I may use them in a round up or individually, but I will always post a comment on your blog letting you know when I do.

So watch for your project and be sure to share the Craft Gossip love with your readers when you are featured!

Related Posts:

Have you read?

Make This Rustic Patriotic Flag Wreath for Your Front Door

There are plenty of shiny red, white, and blue decorations out there, but every now and then a patriotic project comes along that feels a little more heartfelt. This 4th of July Patriotic Flag Wreath from CraftBits is one of those projects.

Instead of being overly fussy or store-bought looking, this wreath has that lovely rustic Americana feel — a grapevine wreath base, a flag draped diagonally, and a large star layered over the top. It is simple, bold, and just handmade enough to feel special without turning into an all-weekend project.

You can find the full tutorial here: 4th Of July Patriotic Flag Wreath on CraftBits.

What I really like about this wreath is the story behind it. The original CraftBits tutorial explains that the project was made using a damaged flag brought home by a veteran, and his wife, Marsha, turned it into this beautiful wreath for her family to enjoy. That gives the project a little more meaning than a standard seasonal door decoration.

The supplies are very simple: a grapevine wreath, an American flag, a large metal star, and glue. The flag is folded lengthwise to create a sash, then secured diagonally across the wreath. The star is layered on the side to cover the gathered section and give the whole piece a finished focal point.

This would look beautiful on a covered front porch, garden gate, entryway wall, mantel, or even as part of a Memorial Day or Veterans Day display. It is not just for the 4th of July either — with the right styling, this is the kind of patriotic wreath you could bring out for several red, white, and blue occasions throughout the year.

If you’re planning more handmade patriotic decorating, you might also like our 10 DIY 4th of July wreaths to dress up your front door roundup, where this CraftBits wreath is already included as a classic front-door option. For a bigger porch refresh, pair it with our 15 DIY 4th of July porch decor ideas and add planters, lanterns, bunting, or painted rocks for a full summer entryway look.

One helpful note from the tutorial is that you can glue the flag in place, or stitch it to the back of the wreath if you want the option of removing it later. That is especially worth considering if you are using a sentimental flag, a vintage flag, or one with family meaning. Stitching gives you a bit more flexibility and avoids permanently attaching something you may want to preserve.

You could also soften the look with a few extra details. Add raffia for a farmhouse feel, tuck in cream or red faux roses, use denim ribbon, or add smaller stars around the grapevine base. I’d keep the extras fairly restrained though, because the flag and star are already doing the heavy lifting. This is one of those projects where too much “more” can tip it from rustic to crowded very quickly.

For supplies, Amazon is a handy option for grapevine wreath forms, metal star accents, glue, and mini flags. Etsy can also be useful if you want a handmade metal star, rustic Americana embellishments, or vintage-style patriotic trim, but I’d keep it simple so the wreath still feels meaningful rather than overly decorated.

This is a lovely beginner-friendly patriotic craft because there is no complicated measuring, no sewing machine required, and no special tools beyond basic craft supplies. It is also a good project for using a flag that may not be suitable to fly outdoors anymore but still holds meaning. As always, if you’re using an actual American flag with sentimental or ceremonial value, take care with how it is handled and displayed.

The finished wreath has that warm front-porch welcome feel — festive enough for the 4th of July, but classic enough to suit a farmhouse, cottage, or rustic summer decorating style.