All I have to say is…..I LOVE FALL!! After a long hot summer, it’s so refreshing to open up the windows again and let the breeze cool off the house. When my 4 kids were little, I concentrated my time on helping them experience Fall. We went to pumpkin farms, raked leaves and jumped into them, drank hot chocolate, etc. Decorating my home for Fall never even crossed my radar because I had no time for it. Yes, I envied my neighbor who would change her indoor AND outdoor decor according to the season–I could never figure out how she raised kids, kept a clean house, was a good wife and friend, and could keep up with such a rigorous schedule of decorating! At least I felt good about the carved pumpkins that were sitting on the porch…they were festive!!
Now that all of my kids are in school and I’m at home during the day, I have decided to try to decorate….just a little. (Babysteps, right??) With the popularity of Pinterest, it’s easy to find inspirational design for just about anything….and Fall decorating is no exception! Honestly, I would LOVE to have a beautifully decorated home like this……
* photo source www.bhg.com
or this…..
* photo source www.bhg.com
but that just isn’t going to happen with my skill set!! So here is my meager attempt at Fall decorating….the INSIDE edition….
Welcome to my HOME, grab a hot beverage and come with me on a quick tour…
Welcome to my dining room….
Last year, it looked very similar –except THIS YEAR I decided to add place mats to the table. Doesn’t it look nice and neat??? Oh, I assure you, it IS neat……because we almost never eat in there!! hahaha! And just to keep it real, don’t pass by that ficus tree too quickly or a dust bunny may fall out and chase you!!!
On to the Kitchen …….this is the hub of our home. It is conveniently placed right smack dab in the middle of our house..perfect for us!! My perfectionist tendencies were starting to rare their ugly head when I looked through the camera lens while taking this picture. I immediately saw that the mail was sitting there, right in the middle of my kitchen!! and after a huge night of crafting and homework at this kitchen island, a pencil had rolled under my beautiful floral arrangement!! I noticed the small ball bearing that was on the tray too…. This would NEVER pass in a Better Homes and Gardens photo shoot! How dare anyone see that things aren’t perfect and WE ACTUALLY LIVE HERE!!! So, there ya go….As hard as I try to keep things “just right,” the reality is…things get messed up and life happens!! So instead of cleaning things up for you and making me feel better, I left them as they were… Did you notice that the towels on the oven are crooked???? EEEEK!!
OK, so I straightened these babies out…. hehehe
Here are a couple of other little decorations scattered throughout my kitchen. I just replaced the existing candle with an orange one…that’s an easy fix!! Hey, guess what color I will change it to at Christmas??? Here’s the deal with the picture frame/photo–I was just too lazy to take it off the counter…and it makes me smile when I see it, so it stayed.
You can’t go wrong with a pumpkin decoration and a smelly Fall candle…(that I haven’t burned-and I probably won’t)
Speaking of smelly candles, I found a candle that I am LOVING….it’s from Yankee Candle…..Obviously, I’ve been burning it too much, just look at the top…it’s filthy, but the smell is AMAZING!!!
Welcome to our Family Room… and our fireplace Mantel….
I like the simplicity of the mantel with just a pop of color……next year though, I think I will ad some leaf garland on the base to add even more color!!
A closer look……
The last thing I want to show you is a large bulletin board that holds a bunch of my favorite Fall pictures from the past. My friend, Wendy encouraged me to do this….it truly makes me smile each time I walk by it!! The kids enjoy it too, remembering all of the good times that we’ve had as a family!! Next year, I plan on adding festive paper behind the pictures to give the board some color, but for this year, it’s good enough!
Hope you enjoyed my quick tour…..thanks for stopping by!!
Loved the tour! The bulletin board looks great, all you need are a few “happy things” from the scrapbook store : )
Wen — you are a role model for me!!! If only I were half as organized and creative as you are, I would be doing well!!! XOXO
I loved it all. Are you sure you are my daughter???? Just kidding! You are! Everything looks good. Now come to my house and see the pumpkin on the dining table with the artificial yellow, gold and brown leaves. Oh, and the scarecrow that I always set out….And that is my decorating flare for this year, Thanks for sharing your beautiful fall decor. Your house always looks like Better Homes and Gardens!!
Thanks for the love, Mom! I feel it…!!! Love you!