Fall is officially upon us. I don’t mean the temperatures have dropped into the 70’s nor the leaves in Waco have turned to a brilliant palette of warm, golden colors. This is Texas, y’all. My yard has looked like a hay field for months due to the heat. I may not get to wear flannel until December. But, Starbucks came out with their Pumpkin Spice Lattes, the kids are back in school, and fall sports and activities fill our afternoons. This is about as Fall as it will get for September.
There is hope for one of the most beautiful seasons in Texas in the coming months. Leaves will change colors, temperatures will drop and we will get our pumpkins. We may not get to wear the cozy cable knit sweaters right now, but we can still bring the look of Fall into our homes. Here are some easy and inexpensive ways to welcome the season.
Bring Nature Indoors
Go on a hike with the kids in the backyard, at the park or a local farm and let them look for natural elements. Dried hydrangeas, magnolia leaves, and cotton stems make beautiful Fall arrangements. Depending on the type, some plants or foliage may need to be dried, first, or spray sealed to preserve them. Kids can find and paint acorns, pinecones or sticks to be used in wreaths, garlands or displayed in repurposed glass jars. String a collection of fall leaves or pine cones with jute for any easy garland to hang across the mantle. Buy a fall colored bouquet of flowers at the grocery store!
Decorate with Pumpkins
Purchase faux pumpkins at the Dollar or craft store and glam them up. Paint the pumpkins to match the colors in your decor. You can add monogram decals, glitter, or ribbons. Spray paint orange plastic pumpkin buckets gold or a metallic finish to hold a pot of Chrysanthemums. Paint Styrofoam pumpkins with layers of silver paint to emulate concrete, cut out the center, glue moss around the top and add faux flowers or succulents for an elegant centerpiece. Most of the craft stores, have online coupons, or bi-monthly sales, so don’t forget to plan your shopping trip accordingly. I love to use cool colors in my Fall decor, so I picked up lots of blue and white flowers at the end of the Summer for 70 percent off.
Repurpose and Reuse
Look around your house for items that can be repurposed into decor or for leftover materials that can be used to make something festive. Use empty glass apple juice jars as vases for your real or faux fall stems. Use fabric scraps, old sweaters or flannel shirts to make fabric pumpkins or tie ribbons on to faux pumpkins. Search Pinterest for things that you can use with items that you already own. For example, if you have several mason jars that you don’t use anymore, just search “fall decor + mason jar” for ideas to DIY or use as seasonal decor. You can use old crates, carts and wagons to hold pumpkins on the porch. Add a flannel blanket and some fall flowers to complete the Fall look. Old gates, ladders and windows make beautiful backdrops to layer wreaths or seasonal signs on your mantle.
Get your craft on. You can find inexpensive wreath forms at the craft store, and create a wreath for your front door or mantle. With a little hot glue, you can make a wreath from folded coffee filters, book pages or magnolia leaves. To spruce up a wreath you already own, just add a little seasonal or holiday decor to one side. Wrap foliage or holiday picks in jute, hot glue seasonal items like pine cones and mini pumpkins on top, and add an alligator clip to the back so you can clip it to the side of a wreath. Use scrap wood and paint pens to make a sign. Again, garlands can be made from anything!
Use Kids Artwork
If you have young kids, you can display their fall inspired artwork in your home. For a more formal look, frame the kids artwork in a gallery wall with matching frames. String jute across the mantle or windows in the playroom and hang artwork with clothespins. Make leaf rubbings with crayons, hand print turkeys, or let the kids paint a pumpkin on canvas from the craft store. Kids can use acrylic paints, paint pens or stickers to decorate real pumpkins for Halloween. When Halloween is over, remove the stickers or wash off the paint to style the pumpkins on your Thanksgiving or Fall front porch.
Most Importantly, Be Creative and Have Fun!
Seasonal decor is about making your house feel like a home. Having traditions that the family looks forward to each year like a nature hike or day to paint or carve pumpkins, is what really matters.
