Almost an Afterthought!

I think I have mentioned before that the sun room is usually an afterthought when it comes to decorating. I think this happens so often because this is the room where I stack all that is coming down from the previous decor and by the time I get all of that out of there and packed back up I am:1. too TIRED to come up with something wonderful and 2. I have already used up all of the really nice stuff in the rest of the house.

That being said, this is the room that the kids use most frequently when they are here. All of their movies and craft supplies and lots of the games are stored out here. It also holds the table they most enjoy eating at because they can watch the birds come to the feeders and the squirrels running around the yard. So, it is O.K. if this room takes on a bit more of a "cutesy" design and has things the kids will like.

My Pumpkin Man once again hangs in the doorway between the dining room and sun room. I wish I had somewhere else to hang him but he is much wider than even I realized when I bought him and doesn't work just anywhere. I saw him in one store once hanging from the ceiling and I liked him like that but it would require 3 fairly sturdy hooks and I just don't want to do that to my ceilings. I don't like that there is the saying on the wall behind him. I tried to cover it a few ways last year and it just looked worse, so I try not to obsess! The kids love running through him so he is in the best spot for now.

It is impossible to see in this picture but the fireplace has a string of flicker lights, a flicker chandelier and color changing and musical skulls. The little ones gave me the set of skulls and it is always one of the first things they hunt for when they come over-along with most of the other things that make noise and light up like the cackling witch and the luminaria by the front door that is motion activated and scares my husband no matter how many times he sets it off!

I stole borrowed this idea from Pinterest last year. I would love to have it in the family room fireplace because it is so unique but since we light real fires in there, I figured that may not be the best idea. It is really cool at night when this room is only lit with holiday lighting!

Caitlin and Olivia gave me this a few years ago and I love hanging it every year. I really do love when the kids all come back and go all over the house remembering the things they have made and given me as well as all of the things we have crafted together on Nana and Papa weekends. And, you can only imagine how long it takes to look at all of the pictures of Halloweens past!

Many years ago (when we obviously only had 5 grand children), the kids made these wooden garlands as gifts for their family. Each child designed a face and then drew it 5 or 6 times. We drilled small holes and wired them together and added the ribbon for hanging. I still love the different faces and remember who made which each time I look at it!

I know everyone seems to like the chevron pattern these days but I am not one of them. I actually bought 2 down pillows in these covers simply because they were on sale and I wanted the inserts for other pillows. I was going to give them to my daughter but I am always on an "orange" alert knowing I can use that color in many of my seasonal designs. Any way, I shoved them away and didn't think of them until I was pulling something else out. I went ahead and stuck some other pillows in them and threw them on the couch just because I needed a bit more orange and lo and behold, I like them!
 

And, since I have finally gotten almost all of the autumn put away, I did a bit of tweaking in the living room.

I had these black branches and birds and no where to put them, so I added them to the top of the mirror. My grand daughter tells me it is "too much" but it IS the raven room so I am O.K. with that!

And, I just made this pillow so my witch can be a bit more comfortable as she oversees things in this room!

And, last but not least, I just put together this crystal ball. I had seen a tutorial on Pinterest and had all of the stuff already so I gave it a try. My fish bowl isn't quite large enough, but it is what I had so I went with it. Simply printed a picture of Madame Leota and nestled her face in the bowl with some black tulle. I'm still on the fence as to whether she will make the cut for next year.

Only a few more rooms to go. Stay tuned.