We were blessed with beautiful weather for the first week of Fall.  We decided to take advantage of the few nice days we have left by taking a hike in the mountains.  The leaves were just starting to change colors.

My two youngest had no patience for merely looking at the surrounding beauty.  They had to touch and examine, and chase everything.  It was so magical watching them explore.  It was the perfect pause before the rush and chaos of the holidays take hold.

Fall Mantel 

Fall Mantel

Fall Front Porch 

Fall Front Porch

Simple and Natural  Fall Decorations

      I know this is not the best quality picture.  It was taken with my old phone.  I cleaned it up as much as I could in Photoshop but it still is not quite there but, I still love it and can’t stop thinking about it.  Isn’t life kinda like that though?  Sometimes no matter how much you try you can’t come close to ideal,  and you know what?  That’s okay. 

     Our heat wave has finally broken.  Yesterday we ran the air conditioner and today we are running the heater.  Yesterday I sent the kids to school in shorts and today jackets.  You just have to love this time of the year!  At least I am finally in the mood to welcome Fall.  For today’s tablescape, I brought out some dishes that have been waiting patiently in the china hutch for almost a year now.

     I picked up the leaf plates at Walmart last year,  I bought a few of the green background and a few of the white background.

 I bought the gold and green chargers at Target last Christmas.  I love mixing and matching. 

These golden goblets are from Walmart, also purchased last Fall.

     For the centerpiece, I used my thrifted Crate and Barrel bowls to hold some squash(?) I picked up at the grocery store.

I added a serving bowl and platter from my Fiestaware collection.

     I made the table runner from the leftover fabric I used for my new kitchen drapes.  The white tablecloth is really a drop cloth I bought at Home Depot for $10.00.  And I have had the napkins for years now.  I am linking up with Susan at Between Naps on the Porch for Tablescape Thursday.  Please stop by and join us.  Happy Fall Everyone!

This is the first fall mantle I have ever done.  Although I was blogging this time last year, this mantle in my family room was not yet installed (click here for that story).  True, I have a fireplace with a mantle in my living room but I don’t like to change it out.

I had almost everything I needed for this mantle on hand.  However, I did go out and buy some ribbon, a leaf-shaped candle and some silk leaves from Hobby Lobby.  I got a bag containing about a dozen or so leaves for $5.99.   For the leaf bouquet above, I twisted the wire stems around a ruler until I achieved the effect I wanted and then I anchored in a vase filled with pinecones.  I repurposed the gold fruit from an old Christmas wreath.

I usually have these green bottles displayed on the windowsill in my Craft/Laundry/Office space.  I am currently changing my gold frames for black ones.  I will keep a few around for props like this and donate the rest (well, I will probably keep a few of my favorites and spray paint them).  The garland is ribbon tied with raffia.  The letters are cardboard cutouts wrapped with raffia.  These four letters took almost my whole bag of raffia and about half a dozen glue sticks.

Thank you for taking the time to stop by.  I hope you come back soon.  Happy weekend everyone!