Ready for Fall!

For the past three weeks now I've been craving everything 'fall', how about you? Its official arrival date may still be two days away but it cannot come quickly enough! Maybe it's because of all the fun fall fashion I see in the store windows, the scent of cinnamon brooms that catch my attention every time I go to the grocery store or perhaps it's because Florida has had one long, one very hot summer and I'm just ready for a change, any change that doesn't involve hot, sticky weather. Nothing would make me happier than being able to open every window in our house again after 6 months for a fresh breeze.

Growing up in the north, fall has always been my favorite time of year. It's not quite cold enough to require being bundled up but it has cozy written all over it. I love long walks in the country and seeing all of the stunning colorful leaves changing, hearing dried leaves crunching under my feet as I walked hot cocoa in hand. I love the smell of freshly mulled apple cider on the stove and pumpkin pie in the oven. The very thought of curling up in comfy pajamas with tea and a good book sheltered from the evening's crisp air makes me giddy inside. I'm a sucker for a roaring fire be it a bonfire or campfire at the cottage or via a fireplace on the chillier evenings. I really enjoy picking apples at the orchard and hunting down just the right pumpkins to display on our porch. These things speak fall to me.

The fall temps here will come in about 2 months so until then I'll just keep wearing dresses, shorts, flip flops and sporting white because in Florida it's not a faux-pas. ;)

The colors, the coziness, the warmth and of course the seasonal sweet treats! These images embody fall for me.

I've made the mini pumpkin candles before, going to try these next!

Pumpkin Tarts. Um, yes please!!!

I love beautiful, natural wreaths and this barn door reminds me of my country walks.

This outfit has ME written all over it, blazers are a must for my wardrobe. I've always been a huge fan of them and have a growing collection. I love the classic and polished look that a blazer brings to jeans and a crisp shirt or tee pulling everything together. They are a practical staple for any classy woman!

What would fall be without pumpkins and colorful  mums?

If these don't say harvest treat, I don't know what does! I love the rustic twigs!!

I've always been fascinated by the beauty that is indian corn.

Boots, boots, boots! Oh, how my feet have missed you!

I've slowly begun decorating for fall even though it's 90 degrees most days. Oh, and THIS simple decor arrangement is set up on my table right now. You might remember it from last year's fall decorating. 

What are YOUR favorite things about fall?

*all images {via}

What Are YOU Doing For Thanksgiving?

Image Source

My husband and I just solidified our plans for Thanksgiving. We're heading to my inlaws home where there will be about 12 people. My mother-in-law loves to entertain and cook so it only seemed fitting that she would be hosting yet another holiday gathering. In fact, she hosts almost every year, but really enjoys showing off her skills and she is a natural.

I typically bring a special homemade pie, usually pumpkin, and some other appetizers or treats for everyone. Once we have children or we move into a larger more open concept home, I can almost guarantee that I'll be hosting at some point, but in the meantime I'm enjoying not having a mess in my kitchen and lists full of things to prepare.

I love to decorate and host small dinner parties but my husband and I aren't the kind of couple that enjoy having more than about 8 people (including ourselves) for a dinner or hosting large parties in our home. I guess you could say we are a bit more private when it comes to our homestead and we enjoy more intimate gatherings. 

We have a smaller kitchen that is not very open which can be frustrating because all of the fun and conversation is behind my kitchen wall (in the living room) and after preparing several courses I feel like I've missed out on the whole point, which is to catch up with family and friends. Because of this, I usually try to do most of my prep work beforehand to make dinner gatherings as seamless as possible and my crockpot is one of my favorite tools in the kitchen. The first year we were married our oven broke down right before family arrived for the holidays and I wound up making an entire Christmas dinner for five with my handy crockpot and it turned out great!

With this wonderful holiday being just 2 weeks away, I got to wondering what you all had planned for Thanksgiving day. Do you host a dinner in your home? Are you like me and bring goodies to a family's home or do you alternate year after year taking turns with other family members? What are your favorite dishes to bring or cook?

If you're hosting this year and you want some great Thanksgiving or Fall decorating ideas, click HERE for some beautiful indoor and tablescape ideas and HERE for some gorgeous outdoor decor. If you want to bake something other than the traditional pumpkin pie for dessert, take a peek at this heavenly caramel apple pie recipe that will leave everyone wanting more!

Perfect, Pretty Pillows

Throw pillows are such a great way to change the look of a space. Color, pattern and texture can really add a lot to a sofa, chair or bed. It is a great way to keep up with the seasons too. Linens and light, airy fabrics are best for spring and summer but warmer, richer colors along with heavier fabrics like burlap; velvet, and thick cotton are wonderful this time of year. Take a look at some of this season's prettiest pillows.

Fall-Inspired Pillows

1. Kirindy Pillow

2.  Chocolate Blue Mirage Pillow

3.  Seville Ribbon Pillows

4. Nature Sentiment Boudoir Pillow

5. Cafe Stripe Pillow

6. Felt Roses Pillow

7. Green Berries Pillow

8. Normandy Ciel Blue Pillow

Do you switch out your pillows with the seasons or use the same ones year round? Which one here evokes your sense of style?


 

Outdoor Fall Display Ideas

Image by ThriftyDecorChick

I can't believe that we're already into the middle of October! All week I've been collecting inspirational fall decor photos to refresh the look and feel of our home. With the weather finally starting to cool down a tad here, I'm now ready to entertain the idea of porch display.
If you haven't had the time yet to decorate your home, here are some inspirational ideas that will hopefully get your creative juices flowing for a stunning outdoor arrangement!

Image from MarthaStewart.com

Leave it to Martha Stewart to create a stunning fall porch display! I love how beautiful this staircase is leading to this home. It's comprised of just two things: potted mums and pumpkins of varying sizes and shades. The wreath on the door is so simplistic, letting the beautiful porch display steal the spotlight! For those on a budget, you can use a smaller arrangement and get the same effect. Use multiple colors of potted mums for a vibrant porch or use a monochromatic scheme such as this one for a more streamlined look.

image from www.bhg.com

For those with a heart for all things country, this is a charming little display. It's small, simple and to the point.

How is this for outdoor fall decor? Using a backyard table, the chandelier was hung above created with leaves, mini pumpkin gourds and tea lights. Using more colorful and shapely gourds as well as a large pumpkin and an assortment of leaves, this rustic look is complete.

Mums the word with this display. Colorful mum bouquets tucked inside orange and white pumpkins. These fun vases can add life to any step or staircase! These work best in climates with cool fall temps, as to preserve the freshness of the mums.

                            Image from www.bhg.com

Don't forget your windows! This planter box is a bit country-inspired as it is filled with wheat sheaths. Simple, yet so symbolic of harvest time. Use a constrasting color such as black or red for the planter box to really give it some 'pop'.

              Image from www.bhg.com

To make these cute 'Mumkins' cut a lid and remove the seeds and pulp. Using a drill or nail, make holes just wide enough for the flower stems to poke through and insert the flowers.

Image from www.LivingwithLindsay.com

If you love the customization of monogams, add your family's surname initial to your wreath. Using pressed cardboard, you can paint the letter any color you like that will contrast from the color of the wreath so it will stand out. Using a little ribbon, you can adhere the initial to the wreath and hang it from an over-the-door hook.

Image from www.myhomeideas.com

Why not try something a little different this year and personalize your pumpkin? Add your house address or a fun pattern to your gourd with some inexpensive nail heads. They come in all shapes, sized and colors. you can also spraypaint them to get the exact color you want.

                      Image from www.Centsationalfirl.com

I'm a huge fan of urns, especially those that you an place on either side of your front door, like these. Mine are black and I love placing bright mums inside for a festive look. I thought these pumpkin urns were also super cute. Place a gorgeous new welcome mat and a few more pumplins on the porch or bench and you're set!

Image from www.CountryLiving.com

Using a ladder shelf you can re-create this look with multipe shapes and sizes of pumpkins. Get out some paint and get a little crazy with gold, silver, black, reds and create spider webs, polka dots, stripes and the like. Use a little bit of leaves or garland as filler between various gourds to complete the look.


I'm dreaming of mulling some hot apple cider, burning some cinnamon-scented candles, bringng the outside acorns inside and curling up in a warm blanket with a book as the windows are cracked open with a fresh, crisp breeze. Ahh, fall. It's here for some and on it's way for others. I can hardly wait!

Did any of these images inspire you to try something different this year-tell us about it. What are your favorite aspects of fall? Do you love to decorate, or bake pumpkin pie? We'd love to hear what you have to say!

Warmly,

Fall Decor Inspiration

Image from http://www.bhg.com/

While the Florida heat continues to blaze into the middle of October with no relief in sight, I decided to hunt down some fall decor images to inspire me to start decorating. With all this sticky humid weather, I started to think about how pumpkins might rot on my porch. So, I'm holding off on any type of outdoor display for another week or so.

In the meantime, I'm going to pull the gorgeous fall wreath (that I purchased at Costco 2 years ago) down from my attic and today's classy ideas will specifically focus on the indoors and are more elegant than themed.

WALL ART

Image from Verosimile.com

What a great way to incorporate some of the outdoors inside your home this fall. Whether it be a bedroom, living room or hallway this soft artwork could blend into many decor schemes. You can switch it out come springtime for something different.

CENTERPIECES

Image from http://www.marthastewart.com/

This would make for such an elegant centerpiece for Thanksgiving Day, particularly if you're hosting the dinner. I loved this image because it incorporates beautiful, colorful flowers, candles and bright pumpkins.  The trick here is to cut the top of the pumpkin large enough to fit a small glass vase inside for the stems to sit in.

These little cornhusk votives are a great way to inexpensively add a little fall flair to your table. Simply wrap the dry cornhusks around the votive (you can use some doublesided tape) and then wrap either some ribbon or some raffia around the bottom or middle of the votive. Just pop in some tealights or votives candles and you're ready to go! I aslo love the gorgeous purple roses placed in the center of the table. This would be a great casual tablescape to add for guests dining with you or simply to add some spice to your dining table for everyday use.

Image from MarthaStewart.com

This looked super easy and quick to put together. Simply gather a few smaller platters or one long platter as shown above to create an elegant look with some pumpkins, or acorns and candles, add whatever you like. to add a touch of elegance, add some real flower clippings before guests arrive or use artificial ones so you're centerpiece will last longer.

This is a perfect example of how you can keep your decor very neutal, using mainly earthtones and browns without feeling the need to add a lot of orange if you don't want to. Add some little pumpkins with name tags as place cards and an ultra-simple centerpiece of pillar candles in tall or hurricane vases with some acorns beneath.

SIDEBOARD & CONSOLE TABLE DISPLAYS

I found this image last fall and have been wanting to create these glittery, glamorous little pumpkins. You  can use either real or artificial pumpkins and then add very fine glitter in multiple fall colors to each pumpkin or you can mix some of the colors together. You can either prop them up on large candlestick holders as shown or place them atop cake plates, and even add the domed lid too for a fun kitchen countertop display.

Image from wwwPotterybarn.com

Potterybarn has a lot of great vase fillers and I particularly like their faux acorns. Of course you can use the real deal too, if you have an oak tree on your property. Add some real or faux leaves and a pillar candle and you have a great piece that can be used on a kitchen table, on a coffee table or a sideboard or console. The best part is many have a large glass vase and neutral candles already so there is little to invest.

Image from www.HGTV.com

This is one of the most simple things you can do to add some color in your home. Use candles that you have already or pick some up at the dollar store that you don't mine altering and glue some lentils and beans to th side of some pillar candles or even orange and white pumpkins. The process of gluing might take some time but it is a fun project and if you decide it's not for you, you can peel off the beans and glue for it's natural state once again.

I love glass cloches, cake stands and apothecary jars, so this particular idea is one of my favorites and one that I'll likely be adding into our decor soon. By adding a few gourds, you can really add some great color for a wonderful display. You can keep the glass cloches and reuse them for christmas too by simply switching out the contents.

Image from www.bhg.com

This super easy dried corn vase filler is such a fun idea. You simply pop a candle in and it's done. To update for Christmas, you could replace the corn with dried cranberries.

If you love monograms like I do, you can add the names of everyone in your family or use the pumpkins to spell something specific like harvest or fall. For more information on how to create these visit the martha stewart website.

What are your favorite fall decorating ideas? What have you done so far to add the feeling of autumn in your home? Do you have a favorite display or centerpiece you use or create every year? We'd love to hear all about it, feel free to link us to some images too!