Fall Decor - Porch & Mantel

I'm so far behind on showing off my front door all decorated for fall. The weatherman is already threatening snow around here. Though to be honest, it's only been 3 weeks since the gorgeous Thanksgiving weekend when I decorated. Not much time at all.

I started with the wreath that I showed you here. Simple burlap and some leaves and mini pumpkins.

I love how the ribbon subtly coordinates with the burlap instead of shouting, "Look at me! I'm holding this whole thing together!"

The problem with waiting until October to decorate was that the stores were moving out the fall decor and trucking in the Halloween. My local dollar store had about 3 feet of space allocated to fall. And most of that was scarecrows. I lucked out at Walmart - they were started to get rid of everything but at least it was on sale.

I used some leaf garland to outline the front door, adding in bunches of berries to give it some colour. I waited until after I was done to tell Tom that I used staples to hang it all up there.

I made some dryer vent pumpkins that I saw on A Diamond in the Stuff.  Check it out to see all the variations Courtney came up with.  I couldn't believe how many you can make from one length of vent. I have 12 of these things.  Anyone need a pumpkin?

I used Krylon "Cinnamon" to paint them. I also tried out "Paprika" but it was a little too red for my taste. I glued on some moss and stuck in a cinnamon stick for a stem, added a leaf and called it done.

Note: Do not leave your spraypainted pumpkins in the direct sun to dry. The heat will melt your glue and they will pop apart. Experience - I have it.

We were at the Newmarket Farmers Market that weekend and bought two gigantic mums for $8 each.

I love the colour so much. The plants were so big I really only needed one for the bucket so I'm still moving the other one around trying to find the perfect place. I have to get around to painting a monogram on that bucket some day.

So there it is. We have a very small porch so it can't get too extravagant. And it has been so rainy and windy that hay and cornstalks would be gone in a day.  I've already had to go hunting a couple of times for those small pumpkins on the chair because they've been blown across the lawn.

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I got so caught up in the decorating that it made its way inside and I decorated the mantel too.

I hot glued some more leaf garland to the edge and sprinkled loose leaves and acorns across the top.

I tied small pieces of burlap around each candle with hemp twine for a rustic, country look.

The orange and yellow pumpkins are from Walmart ($1.50 each!)

I then just wandered around the house looking for things to add. A candle (cinnamon pecan swirl of course) with some raffia and a pinecone.

A vase with some more raffia and some twigs (potpourri in the bottom).

And then I needed one more thing to fill the space beside the vase.

Just a few minutes on the computer playing with font styles, an old frame that wasn't being used, and I was done.  I used a burlap background because burlap is my "jam".

We don't have a hearth but I did put a couple of small pumpkins on oversized candlesticks to finish off the area.

Do you see the mason jar leaf candles sneaking into the background?

And isn't it nice that the walls are suitably autumnal? I really want to paint them, but for now they work.

I'm linking to these great link parties this week!