Fall Mantel-2012

Yesterday I posted about our fall tablescapes. {CLICK HERE IF YOU MISSED IT}  Today I am going to share my fall mantel and a buffet we have in our great room.  I went more simple this year, no leafy garlands like I would normally do.  I like the result.  See what you think:

I love how the floral stems I got at JoAnn's droop to the side. I kept the painting my hubby's aunt did, the green vases,  and the little metal pail with green ball in it from before.  The pinto beans in the base of the candle holder, pumpkins, and flowers are all that I purchased.

I bought this awesome metal basket with burlap liner at Marshall's for $12.99.  The lantern and star were already there.  The old metal truck (which I love) was actually my hubby's father's when he was a boy.  How cool is that?

Here is the buffet we have in our great room that stores card games and my daughter's books.  We have a matching one in our master bathroom.  I posted about bathroom storage in that one {HERE}.    I had everything on this buffet before, all that is new are the pumpkins!

Thanks for taking a look at my fall decorating!  It is definitely getting me in the mood for fall.  What are you doing to get in the mood?

Linking up to:
It's Overflowing
Not Just a Housewife
The Inspired Room

Fall Tablescapes

I have been slowly getting ready for fall around here.  I decided that I didn't want to go overboard, like I sometimes have in the past, and I didn't want to buy many new things since I really didn't need anything.  In my fall decorating this year, I spent 6 bucks on some stems of artificial flowers for the mantel, 9 bucks on real, small orange and small-ish tiger pumpkins, and 3 bucks on pinto beans that I used two different places.  I will let the pictures show you how I spruced up our small dining table in the dining room and the sofa table in there that is in front of our window.

Here is what I already had:

-Large acorns--Hobby Lobby a while back, strip of burlap in bowl leftover from my DIY burlap wreath, you can see that post {HERE}
-Large wooden bowl/trough on sofa table--Pottery Barn Outlet
-2 straw floral arrangements on sofa table-Jo Ann's a few years ago
-Paper banner-made with leftover scrapbooking paper I had--I made one for my daughter's beach-themed birthday party this summer, you can see that post {HERE}
-Bird candle holders-Meijer a few years ago, these are normally behind my kitchen sink
-Fabric on table-leftover from my Fall-ish Pillows-you can see that post {HERE}

Tomorrow I will be posting about some fall changes in our great room, including on our mantel.  I hope you will stop back and take a peek!

Linking up to:

One Creative Mommy
Western Warmth: Weekend Warmth
It's Overflowing
Not Just a Housewife

Progress in Great Room=Fall-ish Pillows

We have lots still going on here at our house lately...projects that are 80% done, new projects waiting to be started, all the while I'm back at school and the 3 youngest are all in sports.  That is why it is taking us so long to get the other 20% of the projects done.  My hubby also had 2,000 pavers/bricks delivered yesterday.  Hmmm.  Says he's going to build a (huge) patio out back by our little pond he created.  Not sure when that is going to happen, but will be sure to fill you in along the way...

Meanwhile, I recently purchased some amazing fabric at my local Jo Ann's.  Oh how I love fabric.  Print and patterns make me a happy girl.  Since I am super picky when it comes to fabric, I was thrilled to find a new line made by Waverly that is fresh, colorful, and goes with our more rustic great room.  It's a little 70's if you ask me, but I'm okay with that.  I think it looks like the epitome of a fall palette.  Here are my purchases still on the bolts:

I love all three prints, but particularly the blue and the colorful chevron-looking one.   I am a novice sewer, but managed to use pillow forms to create a pile this pile of happiness:

I am loving these prints together!  They go wonderfully with our dark brown furniture and new floors and they are perfect colors for fall!

The only problem with having all of these pillows is our furry friend, Cole, will think he has the right to  sneak one off and out the doggy door for his personal chew toy.  I'm still working on how to prevent that.  Remember my {Pillow Trick} post this summer?   That has worked like a charm, but I tied those pillows with ribbon and there is no way to do that to these new pillows.

I have lots more to show you in our great room this month that we have been working on including our finished floors and trim, the bookcases back up, and some fall decorating.  Have a great weekend!

Linking Up To:
Western Warmth
At the Picket Fence

Fall is Soon Coming...How Do You Decorate for Fall?

Don't worry, I am NOT decorating for fall yet.  It's the end of July for goodness sake!  I have seen some great link-ups talking about fall decor already and if you have been in Hobby Lobby or other craft stores lately, you surely have seen the aisles of orange, brown, and gold seasonal goodies.  Fall is my favorite time of year.  I love football weather, getting out my sweatshirts and jeans, and decorating for fall.

I wanted to post a couple pics of how I decorated my mantle and sofa table for fall last year.   This year I am going to try to go a different route with my decor, but I really do love the items I already have.  Hmmm...I am going to have to figure out how to use what I already have and make it look different.  I love a decorating challenge!

Here are the pics from last year:

This year I want to keep my pumpkins and "wheat stalks" but put a fall wreath or something else large above the mantle.  I didn't realize then what a huge space I left empty up there!  In the top picture, the acorns are keepers--I love them!    I also love the real mini pumpkins and funky-looking fall gourds.  I don't plan on using the silk leaves.

So what about you?  Have you thought about Fall yet or are you too busy still soaking by the pool?  I know I should enjoy the time I have left of sweet summer.  Soon it will be dark far too early and I will be complaining that I am cold.  :)

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