Furniture Feet Pumpkins.....?

Yesterday I shared my fall mantel here on the blog with a little teaser that I had a confession to make.

I've said in the past that nothing in my house is that valuable; therefore nothing is really sacred.  So, when I noticed that the feet of the ottoman I am currently reupholstering would make great pumpkins - well, off they came.

They are just perfect with these candlesticks.  I get bored decorating with candles, so these feet made me happy - and they gave Edward a good laugh when he realized what they were.

Luckily, I had a spare set of feet in the garage, so the poor ottoman can still stand tall.  Don't you just love them as pumpkins, though?  They're such a great color.

Fall Mantel

Yesterday, I shared how I'm trying to simplify my decorating as the seasons change.  I don't want to spend days decorating for a particular season, because there are so many other things I want to do instead.

Except for the mantel! 

This is my fun space.  

My let's-get-creative-and-do-something-totally-new space.

My favorite thing in the world with decorating is to take something that is totally junk, and make it at home with lovely, pleasant little things.  

(I have some rusty furniture springs I really, really wanted to incorporate - but they just weren't working.....at least not yet.)

Our home is pretty formal by nature, but we are not.  I guess adding a little junk is my way of not taking this house, or decorating, or myself too seriously.

I can't say my dear husband is as enthusiastic about the cast-offs as I am, but it has become a source of intrigue and humor for him.

I bought this picture for the frame, but the painting is so perfect  for this time of year.  Isn't it pretty?

In the 2nd picture above if you look at the bottom of the large frame, it is damaged and most of the ornamentation is missing.  However, it is quite old - and I love its character!

I have a crazy little confession about this vignette.  If you come back tomorrow, I'll tell you what it is!

Simplified Decorating With Glass Displays

I Looooove to decorate.  I do!  

Especially for all the different seasons.  

  

However, I'm learning that my decorating style is simplifying and changing.  I find that I'm not as interested in spending an entire week getting out the new season's decor and packing up the previous season to stack in the garage.  I seem to be migrating towards things I can change up in short time that still look fantastic for the season.  

One reason I've been posting about apothecary jars/cloches of late, see here, here, and here, is because it's a great way to pull off this simplified approach.

By gathering and making a very eclectic collection of glass displays, I can update my decor for the season just by changing what's inside.

It's fun, too, because if I don't have enough variety for all the different displays, I can just walk around my yard and pull a bit of what's happening outside - inside.

I think it keeps the decorating a little fresher as I'm not just getting out all the same stuff I've used year after year.

Of course I have favorite pieces I want to hang on to and continue to use, but it does force some new and interesting combinations.

And should I decide to have some friends over for a little tea, I can replace a few decor items with some cookies or cupcakes, keep some of the decor in place - and have a special little dessert buffet.

If you decorate for the different holidays, do you like a simplified approach, or is part of the enjoyment spending several days getting your house all pretty?

 

Goodbye, Autumn

I think autumn gets shortchanged a bit, for as soon as the dishes dirtied for Thanksgiving are tidied up - the Christmas season begins!  This is sad because winter is still a month away.

 Perhaps that is why I couldn't resist snapping just a few more pictures before I put all of the autumn decor away.  I was about to take apart the autumnal display on the entry table when this view caught my eye:

It was as if the crape myrtles that grace the west side of our front porch were saying, "Are you sure an artificial Christmas tree is really what would delight your senses today?"

It was all I needed to hang on to fall and put off the Christmas tree a couple days more.  With that thought, I poured a glass from a fresh pitcher of iced tea and made my way to the porch swing to listen to the beautiful rustling melody of the crape myrtles.

 

Thanks for stopping by the tub today,

Ellie

Burlap Harvest Framing

I've shared with you before that I love to take just about anything, and try to discover a new purpose for it.  In fact, I have to be careful not to take perfectly lovely things and tear them apart to see what else I can make.  This really is kind of a sickness for me.......really!  really

Woops, sorry, getting a little side-tracked.  Actually, we say Star-Trekked in our house.  My daughter said that for side-tracked when she was younger........and it stuck.  Anyway, I found this easel frame at Goodwill a couple of months ago, and although I wasn't exactly sure what I would do with it - it was too solid and well-made to pass up.  At the time, the frame held two pieces of glass that sandwiched a piece of wood with several circles cut out of it - I think to display coins?????

In the future, I'd like to frame our last name or some other cutout between the pieces of glass to look like it's floating, but for now I thought I'd see what it would look like with some burlap.

I fit burlap to the frame, and then cut out the word "Harvest" with a silhouette machine.  It's almost too simple, but it created just the right backdrop for this pair of pears.

I know it's not really that crafty, but I thought someone - like my friend, Meisha, who bought the same frame that day - might like to see it anyway.  And now, I'd better get back to the kitchen.......it is a holiday tomorrow, after all.

Thanks for stopping by the tub, and have a most lovely Thanksgiving!

Ellie

Parties I Will Be Linking To:

Sunday - The Sunday Showcase Party at Under The Table and Dreaming, DIY Project Parade at The DIY Showoff   

Monday - Metamorphosis Monday at Between Naps on the Porch

Tuesday - Show Me What Ya Got at Not Just a Housewife,  

Wednesday - Wow Us Wednesday at Savvy Southern Style, 

Thursday - Open House Party at No Minimalist Here,   Catch As Catch Can at My Repurposed Life

Friday - Furniture Feature Friday at Miss Mustard Seed, Feathered Nest Friday at French Country Cottage, Show and Tell Friday at My Romantic Home, Weekend Wrap up Party at Tatertots and Jello  

Autumn Mantel

I think Autumn decorations are my very favorite.  Since they'll be coming down next week to make room for Christmas, I thought I'd post a few more pictures - if only to have a place to enjoy them a little longer.......

Ahhh.......to breathe the crisp air, smell the earthy scents of Autumn, and linger in grateful thought for so many rich blessings.......my heart is full.

Thanks for stopping by the Tub!

Ellie

Parties I Will Be Linking To:

Sunday - The Sunday Showcase Party at Under The Table and Dreaming, DIY Project Parade at The DIY Showoff   

Monday - Metamorphosis Monday at Between Naps on the Porch

Tuesday - Show Me What Ya Got at Not Just a Housewife,  

Wednesday - Wow Us Wednesday at Savvy Southern Style, 

Thursday - Open House Party at No Minimalist Here,   Catch As Catch Can at My Repurposed Life

Friday - Furniture Feature Friday at Miss Mustard Seed, Feathered Nest Friday at French Country Cottage, Show and Tell Friday at My Romantic Home, Weekend Wrap up Party at Tatertots and Jello  

Fall Decorations

Today on Pinterest I noticed that some of the fall 

decorations from my post on our Dining Room found 

here were being pinned.  In case anyone would like 

a closer look, I thought I'd share a few more pictures.

 I didn't have time to fuss with them much, and almost 

everything is from my fall stash.  The pumpkins on the 

pedestals were picked up at a yard sale this summer 

and one even has a chip.

  The only new items are the candles.

 Here is a view of the tray 

(which is actually a mirror) 

from the front.

 I pulled together ornamental corn, wheat, broom corn 

(the dark beady stuff), dried okra pods, pine cones, 

fake leaves, a smaller garage sale pumpkin, and some 

mercury glass acorn ornaments from Walmart's clearance.

 Some recycled flowers, dollar store pumpkins, 

and a few more mercury glass acorns 

completed the decorations.

Ssshhh, I didn't even buy any real pumpkins this year.  

My boys weren't interested in carving any, so I decided 

to skip them.  It did make me a little sad to think 

they didn't want to do that anymore.

Oh well, less mess I guess.

Thanks for visiting the tub!

Ellie

Parties I Will Be Linking To:

Sunday - The Sunday Showcase Party at Under The Table and Dreaming, DIY Project Parade at The DIY Showoff   

Monday - Metamorphosis Monday at Between Naps on the Porch

Tuesday - Show Me What Ya Got at Not Just a Housewife,  

Wednesday - Wow Us Wednesday at Savvy Southern Style, 

Thursday - Open House Party at No Minimalist Here,   Catch As Catch Can at My Repurposed Life

Friday - Furniture Feature Friday at Miss Mustard Seed, Feathered Nest Friday at French Country Cottage, Show and Tell Friday at My Romantic Home, Weekend Wrap up Party at Tatertots and Jello