Sometimes the Grass Really Is Greener on the Other Side

A while back I set up a little cozy, fall  'scape out on the porch.

A few weeks before creating that little tablescape, I had purchased some real acorns on Amazon.  They were reasonably priced  and perfect for  fall.  (You'll find more pics of this fall tablescape HERE.)

The funny thing is, I have a HUGE oak tree in my front yard.
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Autumn Comes to the Porch

I've been playing outside today, bringing a little fall to the porch.  During the summer it looks something like this. (View this tablescape summer table setting HERE)

Because the porch is all white (for the most part) it's a blank slate for anything you can dream up.  For the 4th of July, it looked like this. (4th of July porch, HERE)

It was time to add a little fall  to the porch.
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Warming Up on the Porch: Welcome to the 163rd Tablescape Thursday!

Cool fall nights are perfect for hot chocolate out on the porch.

Where would you like to sit?

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Playing in the Office

For last week's Metamorphosis Monday, I shared a couple of ideas I had for this big ole blank wall above the seating area in the office.  (If you're new to reading BNOTP, you can follow the evolution of this room from a child's bedroom to an office in THIS post.)

I've decided to keep the mirror that's a wee bit too big (for now) as well as the clock.

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A Fall Mantel for the Family Room

While we're enjoying all the wonderful "before and afters" from yesterday's Met Monday, I thought I'd share another little metamorphosis I've been working on this week in my family room.

BEFORE:

The coffee table looks so bare now since I "stole" all the books for the office library. lol

This is how the mantel looks year round.  It's decorated simply with a mantel clock, Staffordshire doggies and a few books.

Time to add a touch of fall.

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A Fall Door Basket

My Fall Basket:

Well, I took everyone's combined advice and I:

1. Decided to keep the fall basket on the door since most of you liked it. I made it taller and skinner so I think it looks much better...less wide and overwhelming on the door.

And

2. I cut the whiter flowers off the bunch of sunflowers they were attached to. I dispersed them throughout the arrangement. For some reason, they looked a lot whiter in the photos I shared with you guys then they come across in person. In person, the centers of the white flowers are sort of creamy yellow. They look a lot better dispersed throughout the arrangement (now that I cut them off) instead of clustered along the bottom which is where they had somehow ended up since they are part of the sunflower bunch of flowers.

Sorry these pics were taken after dark...but hopefully you can see the changes I made...










I'm still looking for something viney and trailing to add along the bottom...

At the end of the fall season, I'm going to take this baby apart and buy some chicken wire to poke down in the basket...see if that will make arranging the flowers a little easier...that was another suggestion you guys had. Thank you to everyone!

Welcome Fall With an Autumn Basket for Your Front Door! Welcome to the 89th Metamorphosis Monday!

I need your help today...I can't see the forest for the trees...so tell me what you think. I have a pretty fall wreath I sometimes place on my door...but this year I thought I'd try a basket instead. Here's how my front door has looked all summer. (Joining in Rhoda's Fall Door party HERE!)




Nice, but time to put this look away and welcome in the fall season...




I found this large basket recently while out antiquing and I loved the warm, rich color of the basket...it just said autumn leaves, cozy fires in the fireplace, and warm, woolly mittens. Yep...that's what it said...so I couldn't leave it there...it had to come home with me.




I bought a bunch of fall silk flowers...more than I figured I would need...because it's a HUGE basket. I knew it would take a lot to fill it. I even bought a few pumpkins/squash thingies in case I wanted to work them into the arrangement.




I stuffed newspapers into the very bottom...and added styrofoam on top. I stuck the stems of the silk flowers into the styrofoam. I left the tags on...just in case I didn't like the look. I can cut them off later if I decide to keep them all. Silk flowers are soooo expensive, so I have to make sure.




Next, I put newspaper in around the stems to help hold them...and wedged in more styrofoam. These plants were pretty heavy and needed a lot of support.




I added floral moss from Dollar Tree on top.




Ready for the reveal? Be honest...tell me if it just looks too big.









Someone mentioned about removing the white flowers...I tend to agree. But they are part of the whole sunflower bunch...connected together. So maybe I'll return that bunch for a different bunch. The white flowers do tend to stand out a bit against all the fall colors....not sure I like that. What do you think?

Update: I took a look at them and in person they don't seem so white. I'm not sure why they look so white in the pics. I may leave them since they aren't as white in person. :)
















Here's another alternative...a basket I used last year on one of the doors going out to the screened-in porch.




Nah...not crazy about that green basket against the red door. I think I'll use this back on the screened-in porch again this year.




So, is the basket too large? Should I return all the silk flowers and go back to my fall wreath from last year?




Or will this work?




Addition: I just reworked it some...made it taller and less wide. Ann...a reader of BNOTP, just emailed and said a trick is to use chicken wire down inside the basket...I like that idea!

Oh, I should have mentioned...I'm going to try to make pumpkin topiaries this next week. Wish me luck. Anyone know how to get those babies to all stand up interconnected? I want them to last at least until Halloween so I'm kind of reluctant to go poking holes in them...to attach them with wire or dowels. I'd love to pull out the existing topiaries (temporarily) and reuse the urns I already have...but I can't remove the topiaries from the pots...see THIS disaster post :( and you'll know why. So, I'll need to buy new urns/pots for my pumpkin topiaries. Home Depot or Lowes...here I come.




This post has been linked to Sarah, Outdoor Spaces Party at Thrifty Decor Chick.  Thanks, Sarah!







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