Fall Mantel Decor

I finally got my mantel decorated today.  I LOVE it!! (And so do my little ones, which could mean trouble!!)
I didn’t have a chance to buy anything new this year, because I refuse to spend the time I need to bargain shop when I have the kiddos with me.  Their patience doesn’t last nearly as long as mine for such things.  These are the same pieces I’ve been using for years, but I completely rearranged how I usually decorate with them so it feels new to me.  I also shopped the house and added a few pieces like my pickle crock and my old watering can.


 












I also pulled out my cake dome for a cloche and scattered nuts around my candles on a serving platter.



 


























I can already hear the many times I will have to tell the kids not to take the nuts and leave them all over the house.







Their favorite is, of course, the scarecrow.  He gets a special place up high.  My son is convinced the house is now safe from birds.  Little does he realize that he and his sister have probably already scared all the birds away for MILES!   :o)



There are still a number of things at lower levels.  Let’s see if my two year old will listen when I tell her not to touch.  I hope I get to leave this up for longer than it takes me to get the pictures.

How do you decorate when you have little ones in the house?

Rebecca

Out par-TAY-ing at:

Fall Decor Fillers

I’m so excited autumn is here and the cooler weather is starting to hit.  While spring is actually my favorite season, fall is my favorite season for decorating.  I usually have my fall decorations up by early to mid-August, but really got behind this year.

If you’re looking for some cute but cheap fillers for your jars, bowls, and baskets, try some of these ideas.
Most of the fillers I used are natural things I found on our farm (I’m sure you could find stuff on the sides of roads or in your yard.  I did make these little vine balls out of covered wire.  I bought it for a different project, so I consider it free for this one.  :)  Just pretend you’re making a yarn ball and wrap until it is as big as you want it.  Simple!




Here I have them mixed with nuts in a thrift store jar.  In the other jar are some dried lemon eucalyptus leaves from a tree I used to have.  When it died I saved the leaves and use them for decorating.  After many years they still have a nice fragrance and a great autumn color.



I cut tall pampas grass for the pitcher.  I went outside looking for something to give the table height and remembered these beauties on the far fence-line.  I swear there was an unidentified animal rustling in the plant when I went to cut them. *Shivers at the thought that it may have been a snake*



The bowl has a layer of cheap potpourri with large pine cones, cinnamon sticks, and decorative apples on top.  The apples were from wally-world, but years ago.  I don’t know if they still carry them.



Using the Pottery Barn catalog for inspiration, I tried to fill under the table with a few more things.  I didn’t have any large pieces like I would have preferred to use, but I also didn’t want to go spend $$$ to replicate the look.

Clustered on one side is a few fall harvest decorations I got from Hobby Lobby last year during the 70% off after-season sale.



On the other side is an old picnic basket that’s been in the family for years.


 
Doesn’t this weather make you want to go have a picnic?

Rebecca

Joining the fun at:

Birthday Castle

It’s been a while since I last posted.  I’ve been working on an appliqué quilt for my nephew, but I don’t have any pics to show you.  My sister is only giving me pieces of it at a time to work on.  We’ll put them all together later.

   
But we did have a double birthday here recently and I wanted to show you the fun cake I did.  My son turned 4 and my daughter turned 2.  Their birthday’s are one day apart and we have been celebrating them together… at least until they’re old enough to want their own day and theme.  Last year I did a train cake from Wilton’s puzzle cupcake forms.





This year I thought surely I’d have to do two different cakes.  Something pink and girly for my daughter and ??? for my son.  So when my son came to me with a book about a farmer who had a birthday and told me he wanted a PINK cake just like the farmer, I figured I’d lucked out.  :)

Here’s his their pink cake that he and his 2 year old sister love!



I’m not the greatest cake decorator.  I’m certainly not a professional, but I love that I can create something myself and give from my heart.  Happy Birthday to my little ones!

Rebecca