Finishing Up

Just a bit more to go. Let's start with the family room. I love this room this time of year. I would love it even more if there was a fire in the fire place but even I know that's pushing the limits a bit too much when it is still 90 degrees outside!

I wish I could get a good picture of this room when all of the candles are lit at night. It is just so peaceful and calming. The soft orange glow is beautiful and it doesn't hurt that most of the candles give off the beautiful scents of autumn!

This year I have added this pumpkin painting to my mantle. It was done by an old friend of mine who has recently started painting after a long career in education. Her work is bright and colorful and she has become quite well known in the local art world.

I have just a few more pictures to show you and those are of the guest bath. I kept it kind of simple this year but it still speaks of the season.

I'm trying hard to get some Halloween ideas going but somehow life keeps getting in the way. I still haven't found a craft that I want to do. I think I've just been around too long. Everything I like, I have already done. And, now that we really don't have any little kids around, the cutesy stuff doesn't hold the same appeal...is "elegant Halloween" an oxymoron? But, I'm not giving up. I know there is an idea out there just waiting for me to find it. Stay tuned.

Moving On

The next room is the dining room and I will admit that I am still having trouble decorating this room. I still have trouble with the niche and I still have trouble with the shelves over the "fireplace". I wanted shelves added to the niche so badly but now that I have them-and they add lots of merchandising space that I would normally love-I have the hardest time finding anything to put on them that I like. And, because the shelves over the fireplace are so shallow, they make decorating a bit of a chore as well. Maybe it's time to call in one of my decorator daughters and get some suggestions?!

I love that I can use my old sugar mold candle holder again. It is so long that there aren't all that many places that it actually fits.

 

This is so my problem area. I really wanted to use the dough bowl on the table but, as you just saw, the sugar mold is currently holding center court in that spot. I have actually tweaked this display since I took the picture. I was tossing out some of my glittery pumpkins-going more with just the natural look from here on-and I had a silver pumpkin that looked pretty much "real"-except, of course, that it was silver! I did a bit of dry brushing with off white and taupe and it now looks like one of the new varieties of pumpkins available. I put it in the dough bowl and it kind of breaks up the "darkness" of it. I am going to make a quick run to Pier 1 tomorrow and look at some that they have this year as well-I'll let you know what I find.

And here, of course, is the other thorn in my side. I still don't like this but as soon as life settles down a bit, I will be looking at tweaking this area as well. Any suggestions will be gratefully accepted!

I must admit that I do love the sunroom this time of year!

And, look at where the second place mat ended up!

This spot is looking mighty lonely right about now. My brother and sister-in-law are coming for the weekend. I have promised to make them an anniversary dinner so I think I will nestle in here right now and do some menu planning. More to come. Stay tuned.

Take Time to Smell the "Pumpkins"

Let's head into the kitchen. Even though I love to cook, I don't do a whole lot of heavy duty cooking these days with just the two of us eating. But, this is the time of the year that if I am going to cook, I get the most enjoyment out of it!

I love to make casseroles, big pots of homemade soups and anything pumpkin flavored! And so, I have to make sure that the kitchen meets the "decor" test as well! 

I love that I could keep this vignette pretty much the same-only swapped leaves for sunflowers and the scent of the candle. Oh, and I added that big pumpkin candle. I think daughter #1 gave it to me when she was cleaning out stuff. It is from PB or Illuminations many years ago. I have always just used it in my decor but I decided this was the year to use it as it was meant and I am enjoying the flicker every time I walk by it!

I can't wait to get this beauty cranked up this year. I found this last year at WalMart. It is from the Prairie Woman collection. I think it was around $50 (but if I remember correctly, I had a gift card so "free to me") so not inexpensive but so much less than it's kissing cousin at Williams Sonoma or Sur la Table! I'm sure it isn't made as well but for the amount of times I will use it, I know this one will be just fine!! And, even if I don't use it, I love the way it looks sitting on the stove top.

Still loving the ease of grabbing dishes from the baker's rack. Why didn't I use it this way all of these years? Guess some of us (me) are just slow learners!

I still love my Fitz and Floyd. I just realized that it has been so long since I have been to one of their stores that I had to Google to see if they were still in existence-they are! Plus, I love my two grandchild produced autumn trees!!

If you are a true reader of this blog, you might remember a few posts ago when I showed you the table runner I bought at HL. Well, I need to learn to read the small print. I thought this was a table runner and I had planned to use it on the dining room table. But, when I snipped apart the wrapping, two place mats fell out instead. Wasn't in the game plan but I went with them and put one under the leaf bowls. Somehow I like the soft colors on both and I'm good with it.

I am one lucky lady! Not only do I have my pumpkin painting from an "old" friend but I have this beautiful framed autumn print from another dear friend. Daughter #1 bought it for us as a Christmas gift and it has been in one of the guest rooms since then. That particular room lends itself more to the autumn colors all year long and me being the seasonal obsessive that I am, I can't have autumn out with winter, spring or summer in the rest of the house. I have been eagerly awaiting my chance and it will now stay with us until Christmas comes out! I absolutely love the print but I love more the fact that she now gets to live amongst this beauty all the time since she has moved to Tennessee!

So that's the kitchen for this year. Talking about cooking and pumpkin flavors got me to thinking....I think I'm going to go through my recipes right now and see if I have what I need to whip up some of my pumpkin donut holes. We shall see. Stay tuned.

Where the "Livin' " is Easy!

Now that you have been officially welcomed, let's head into the living room. I ended up leaving the new wood pumpkin here...for now. There are truly so many others places it could go and look nice but I just haven't had time to "tweak" yet.

I must say, I do love the way the rust of the urn is repeated in the pumpkin leaves and the gray of the wood is almost a perfect match to the chest...serendipity? And then the two copper vases? Ahhhh!

I almost recently threw out these velvet pumpkins. I remember a few years back when they were the rage and I went to every pumpkin patch asking if I could pick up their broken stems. I loved these things. But now, not so much. Except that I did want to use the large, wooden box that I made and the pumpkins fit the bill. Now I'm glad I kept them!

I don't think I've changed this table display in a few years. I love the rusty candle-holder, the old glass jug with wooden holder and the candelabra with glass beads that I got at Z Gallerie many years ago. It looks black in this picture but it too is a rusty brown with iridescent amber leaves and beads twisted all through it.

And look where the tin pumpkin ended up. I really thought it would sit next to a tin pitcher or jug but the book just cried out for something else and when I sat the pumpkin down there, I loved it.

So that is the living room for now. I had company yesterday and we started our "catch-up" session in this room. I had the pumpkin lights lit and the Yankee candles-Autumn Leaves scent-burning. It feels so cool and inviting even though the air outside is still stifling. When the kids are back to school, it is autumn in MY house...that's my story and I'm sticking to it!! Stay tuned,

Oh Yes I Did!

You just knew I couldn't wait another minute! Once all of the stores started bringing in autumn scents and colors, I gave myself permission to do the same. And, I think my blood pressure has already dropped 20 points! I love everything there is to love about this season. Once the leaves and pumpkins return to our home, I could literally stay here and never leave!

So just for starters, I'll show you the front porch. My camera lens kept fogging up because it was so hot and humid-sorry the pictures aren't great but I think you will feel welcomed if you should stop by!! I am patiently waiting for the mums to arrive so I can swap out all of the planters!

Expecting an old friend any minute, so I will sign off but there is much more to come. Stay tuned.