"Le" Fall Mantel ...

Happy Tuesday!  One day closer to the weekend .... yay!  It's still so dreary here (even though we *really* need the rain)!  This icky weather has *forced* me to stay inside and work some more on my Fall decor.  Darn!

Well, I thought I'd share our great room mantel (or mantle) today.  Here it is, all decked out for the Fall season (feel free to click on pictures to enlarge).  I'm still so happy with its *new* look:

You see, pictured below is what it looked like last year (and, please excuse the metallic background behind the mirror ... that was RL Metallics Paint/Golden Candlesticks, and whenever a flash bounced off of it from a camera, it would "light up."  Crazy).  While we thought our fireplace surround was "nice," it looked like every other mantel in our neighborhood (with the arched cutout above).  I really wanted to "beef it up," and set apart from everyone else's. 

So, I found a few inspirational pictures ... drew up a sloppy sketch, and a friend of ours (who has an amazing talent when it comes to woodworking) brought my chicken scratch drawing to life.  We love it!  It's so much more fun to decorate, as the mantel is not only wider, it's also deeper, so it can hold more of my "stuff" ... yippee!

I was determined to hang beaded garland this year, but I couldn't find any.  So, I bit the bullet and decided to make it myself (yikes).  I found pretty wooden beads at Michael's and simply strung them onto picture frame wire.  Voila ... super easy, coming from a NON-talented crafter!  (lol) 

I shared my pumpkin/guord filled hurricanes last week, but here they are again:

Love the muted pumpkin/leaf garland I found at Hobby Lobby! 

I tucked some feathers in for fun:

As for the floral arrangement ... nothing fancy ... I just threw some sprigs with tiny leaves and tiny rust colored flowers into a vase I wasn't using ... tried to keep it simple:

Of course, I just *had* to add feathers and tucked some leftover burlap garland around the base of the florals.  It looks like the arrangement is wearing a burlap scarf ... lol:

And, I gotta give a little shout out to the *oh-so-pretty* coppery/bronze-y container that I found at, none other than, Home Goods!  And, even though we have a gas fireplace, I decided to fill the bucket up with logs ... just thought it might add to the rustic feel I'm going after this year:

Before I go, I leave you with how the mantel looks at night, all lit up:

Oh, and, *speaking* of all lit up, I can't wait to share my Fall tree with you!  Yes, that's right folks ... I said Fall *ter-ee!*  I've.gone.mad!

Thanks for stopping by,

I'm linking up with:

The Nester's Fall Mantel Party

Hooked on Houses for the Fall Open House Party

Falling Up for the Fall Linky Party

DebbieDoos for the Before and After Partay

Funky Junk Interiors for SNS

Southern Hospitality

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Dinner's Ready ...

Sunday, already?!  Where did the weekend go?  We're getting *much* needed rain ... it's been a lovely, lazy day (or as we here in our household like to call it ... a "Lifetime" day). 

Thank you all so much for your kind comments about my humble abode!  I sincerely appreciate your visits and thoughtful notes ... they make my day and are so encouraging!  I've learned so much from all of you, and love that I get to share my passion for decorating with such talented folks as all of you!  Thank you!

Soooo, my dining room (which used to look like this):

... has taken on a new look (imagine that), which I can't wait to share with you.  A little peek:

For now, I thought I'd at least share my dining room table, all dressed up for Fall!

I chose to keep with the more muted tones like I did in the breakfast room:

The lovely stemware is from Marshall's ... the leaf bordered chargers are from Wal-Mart, the cream plates and the green leaf plates are both from Home Goods (last year), and the cream bowls are a recent purchase from Wal-Mart (only $3 a bowl ... score)!!  The soft gold napkins (as well as the avocados) are courtesy of Pier One.

I shared my hurricane filled with acorns/pinecones during the recent "cloche party," but here it is again.  I'm loving the white pumpkins:

This pretty little fella was a score from my fave, Home Goods (last year).  It fits perfectly on the candlestick to give it a little height.  I placed the cool antlers from Pottery Barn at the base of the candlestick ... all of which is resting on a rustic, sisal table runner (also from Pottery Barn):

And, yes, folks ... another CariKraft framed card:

I'm really having fun with this new look.  I've always been so strong into lots of bold colors ... this is a fun change for me.  Wonder how long it will last?  LOL

I'm linking up with:

Metamorphosis Monday

Make it 4 Monday

Table Top Tuesday

My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia

Toot Your Horn Tuesday

Thanks for stopping by,

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Fall Tour Continued ....

Happy Monday ... hope everyone had a great weekend!  My husband, son and I enjoyed a fun, busy weekend with my stepdaughter and her boyfriend, who drove up from Georgia.  Our visit went by *way* too quickly.  This morning, after they left (and I was able to get a bit of work done), I continued playing around a bit with my Fall decor (feel free to click on any pic to enlarge it) ....

We're hanging out in the breakfast room today.  The last time I posted pics of this area, my color scheme included reds, greens, golds and blacks.  It looked like this:

Now, it looks like this:

As you can see, we did quite a few things in here ... painted the entire kitchen SW Ivoire; took down the cornice boards and apple green roman shades and added 108" checked panels (the *mis*treatments I made) and Origami bamboo roman shades in their place; replaced the laminate on the dry bar; traded out the rug and lightened up the accessories. I gotta say, I'm lovin' the new color scheme!  Don't get me wrong ... I love red, but this is a nice change. 

Here's how my centerpiece looks to-DAY (it'll probably look different tomorrow as I'm still "futzing" with it). 

Love the new fleur-de-lis vase that I ordered from a recent Willow House par-tay.  Of course, I had to *cram* it with muted Fall greenery and sprigs that I found at Michaels and Hobby Lobby:

A simple apothecary jar holds fall potpourri and a candle:

I picked up this pretty, cream bowl from Wal-Mart (along with the matching plates ... part of their Fall line), placed a piece of burlap in there, threw in some green apples and called it a day:

Below the table is a new, neutral "soft" jute rug from Pottery Barn.  Love it:

Looking up, you'll see that we replaced our red chandie shades with cream ones and, just for fun, added some fancy crystals.  Again, I love mixing fancy with casual.  You'll also spy a fun "Fall Harvest" sign from HomeGoods lurking in the background:

Beside the table is a deep red 3-tiered buffet that I picked up at Kirkland's last year.  I'd love to paint it a cream color and perhaps distress it a bit, but then I remember who I am, and that I canNOT paint like you creative folks, so it'll probably stay just the way it is:

I recently snatched up Mr. Rooster from Pottery Barn.  I love how he sits perched on top of the buffet, ready to wake up the house at the crack o' dawn. 

Of course, I had to place a strand of garland around the base and throw in some pinecones for color:

I found a cute set of acrylic leaves at Kirkland's and decided to thread them through tassels and hang them around my lamp bases:

Beyond the window is our screened porch, which I'm not quite done decorating yet.  I'm on the prowl for a set of old whitewashed shutters to put behind the big ol' barn star: 

Back to the buffet ... I shared my cloche filled with goodies last week.  I bought the wooden crate from Pottery Barn to house a few wine bottles:

Guess what?  I spy yet another festive card from KariCraft!

On the other side of the table is the dry bar.  A year ago, it looked like this.  Toooooo dark:

I'm so glad we "retired" the red wall, along with the bronze backsplash and dark countertop.  This is such a fresh change!  I also added the "Wine Tasting" wall words and a few other fun accessories: 

Of course, you gotta throw in a few blocks of *faux* cheese to mix with the *faux* grapes and wine corks:

I thought I'd pull out the wine that I received as hostess gifts last year at our Fall party ... love the bottles of Vampire and chocolate wine:

I found this cute "Give Thanks" book at Cracker Barrel: 

And I'm enjoying this new wooden mini *table* server from Pottery Barn:

Well, once again, I've gotten a bit carried away with pics.  Sorry!  I hope you enjoyed your visit ... come back soon!

Thought I'd link up with:

Between Naps on the Porch for Metamorphosis Monday

Making the World Cuter Monday

Motivate Me Monday

Link Party at The Twice Remembered Cottage

Inspiration Friday at Southern in My Heart

Color Outside the Lines for Vignette Fridays

Thanks so much for stopping by,

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It's a Fall Cloche Par-tay!

Happy Friday!  There are lots of Fall gatherings going on in blogland this week!  I'm joining the fun at A Stroll Thru Life, Southern in My Heart, Color Outside the Lines, Style Feature Saturday, The DIY Showoff Fall Festival, Tatertots and Jello, Funky Junk Interiors, Under the Table and Dreaming and Kozaks' Closet and It's So Very Cheri  ... I thought I'd join the fun.  Here are a few of the cloches (and other glass containers) that are scattered throughout our home, showing off the season's colors.  (Feel free to click on the pics to enlarge them).

In our breakfast area, this cloche sits on a red-tiered buffet table from Kirkland's.  The cloche actually belongs on a different, dark brown base, but I though I'd pair it with the white dessert stand instead to allow the pine cone, pear, red pomegranate, leaves and berries to pop against it: 

On the other side of the breakfast table, I placed wine corks, along with a few acorns, in this glass hurricane that is on our wine bar:

The hurricane sits on what used to be the base for a glass fruit bowl (that is, until I broke the bowl ... ooooops):

Over in our great room, the coffee table has a simple tray filled with books and this candle holder, which I chose to fill with *rustic* potpourri:

Also in the great room, these glass hurricanes are filled with all things Fall and are displayed on the mantle.

On the buffet table, I decided to pair the candle in the glass lantern with just a couple of leaves and pinecone:

In the sitting room, you'll find this cloche that I placed on a fun and fancy gold cake stand from Home Goods.  I placed folded up book pages, a pinecone, pumpkin, leaves and a little shell (from our nearby beach) inside of it.  I topped it with a raffia bow and called it a day:

I like mixing casual with fancy:

Walking across the way to the dining room, the floral centerpiece is flanked by large hurricanes (Cindy Crawford line at JCPenney's).  Like the hurricane on the coffee table in the great room, I stuck with a more muted, simple filler of acorns and pine cones (found at Pier One and Kohls).  Something is missing though.  Oh, wait, I know(!) ... it's needs some raffia!  Can you tell I'm overdosing on those bows this season?  Pretty soon, I'll be wearing one in my hair!  LOL.

Outside on the screened porch, I placed these large lanterns (from my fave Home Goods) on the fireplace mantle.  I filled them with a large candle, along with leaves, pumpkins, acorns and guords (a mix that I found at Michaels):

Lastly, I filled this votive with a few large pumpkins (from Michaels) and set it beside one of the rocking chairs on the porch as well.  I'd like to raise it up a bit though by sitting it on a few books ... that's *if* I can find them.  Hmmmm ....

Well, folks, that's all for now.  I'm off to look at everyone else's fun Fall projects! 

Thanks for stopping by!

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