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Wednesday, October 7, 2020

Simple Found Fall Decor

My goal for the past few years has been to reduce the number of holiday decor bins I have--last year I reduced my fall decor to one plastic tote (plus one for costumes), and I got rid of four Christmas bins.
Fall Centerpiece with Found Items
 I knew this year that I wanted to keep things simple and sparse in my new home, and after putting out the fall decor I wanted to use, my bin is still two-thirds full.
Welcome Home Book
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 And then while listening to The Nester on The Creative Exponent pod-cast (highly recommend this pod cast), I learned about Myquillyn's latest book, Welcome Home and I decided to order it (YOU CAN GET IT HERE). The book starts out talking about "the bins" and how we have become attached to and weighed down by the bins. I was reading and saying, "YES!". I have been feeling this for a few years and to hear that it is "okay" to keep our seasonal decor to a minimum is freeing. Now, if you love all the stuff, if the totes all labeled and stored on shelves make you giddy, then by all means fallify your home. But, if enough is enough, if you feel overwhelmed and tired of feeling like you have to rush to the dollar spot at Target, get yourself the book and in the meantime, sit back and enjoy my simple autumn touches.
Antique Picture For Fall
I switched out the blue, floral, paint by number picture (see my summer mantel HEREon my mantel for an antique picture/print that belonged to my husband's grandma. I refound this picture with the amazing frame while moving and brought it with us. I looked for a fall paint by number for the mantel in the local thrift shops and when I didn't find one, I remembered this vintage print with the fabulous fall colors and decided it would be perfect. I did use poster putty to secure the framed picture to the wood card table. 
Simple Fall Mantel
A fall garland I made years ago from old book pages and silk, fall leaves was the other fall touch I added to the mantel.
Fall Centerpiece
I put together a centerpiece a month or so ago. It includes a tarnished, silver tray with an antique oak hand mirror sitting on it, and an old ginger beer stoneware bottle. For late summer I set a few pears on the tray and mirror and some flower in the bottle. In the Welcome Home book, the reader is encouraged to get outside for both color inspiration and for clippings and items from nature to use in your decorating. I did just that and found some leaves turning yellow and a scrub brush growing in a corner of my yard and maple seed pods falling from my neighbor's tree. 
Fall decor from your yard
The dried, fluffy grasses I got at a vintage store. I asked if they were for sale and the vendor, who happened to be there, said they were for display and that they were quite fragile, but I was welcome to have some. I offered to pay, but she said no. Since getting them I have seen some of the same dried grasses in the area. Look around where you live for natural items to bring into your home.
dried grasses for a fall centerpeice
I removed a jar of sand and a jar of shells and some blue books from this spot. I added a rattan pumpkin to the candlestick and some old children's books.
Simple Found Fall Decor
Having been an elementary teacher, I love old children's books and I have to stop myself from buying them every time I find them. I keep a few for seasonal decorations.
Simple Found Fall Decor
 This Brimful book with its orange cover and with a witchy looking Mother Goose is perfect. I also am using an old reader with a fall green and brown and Pilgrim looking children on the cover. 
vintage childrens books
On an end table in the family room I set a block I stenciled with Funky Junk Interiors Old Sign Stencils. Simple and an EASY DIY. Get the stencils HERE!
stencil a wood block with old sign stencils
On my kitchen windowsill I set an orange, glass bottle with some curly willow branches from my Montana yard and few fake, fall berries.
Simple Found Fall Decor
 I also set out the cutest, vintage, metal birdseed can that is orange. 
Vintage Birdseed Canister
And that is, the extent of my interior fall decor-- simple, easy, and can fit in a shoebox to store. Let me tell you, if you want more decor, I get it. I see online and in stores ALL of the lovely fall decorations and my heart goes pitter-patter. But my heart and my head now say, ahh, peace, quiet, simplicity and I prefer that to a rapid heartbeat. 
Simple, Found Fall Decor
And I know some of you are saying, I decorate for my kids because I have said that. How about we teach our kids that less is more, that consumerism isn't a way of life? Teach them to look to nature for both inspiration and as a source. When I was a kid one of my favorite Halloween traditions was making construction paper decorations that mom let us plaster all over the front windows. I would cut out pumpkins, and black cats, and witches. Make some simple decorations with your kids.

I also know that some of us sell holiday decor and we want the people to buy all of the things. I am all for buying something handmade and local for your seasonal home, but let's not make it our mission to buy up all of the newest, latest, and greatest made in China "stuff".  Go through what you do have, what can you edit? Get rid of the stuff you use just because you have it, keep only those items that speak to you, that you love. If you have already decorated for fall, look around and see if there are some things you can get rid of, items that are really just in the way, that don't bring you happiness. I would love to hear your comments on your decorating, can you get rid of some it? How does that feel?

1 comment:

  1. Oh my...the bins, the bins, the bins!!! I have a love/hate relationship with mine! But like you in the last 2-3 years I have paired down and really do want to pair down some more. I pretty much have narrowed things EXCEPT for Christmas! My hubby and grandkids adore all the Christmas decorations so it seems I have bin after bin after bin. I did get rid of some stuff but still would like to reduce to even less bins. That books sounds interesting...I will check it out. Your fall decorations look lovely...you have a way of taking the simplest things and making them look "right"...I don't think I have that talent!!!

    ReplyDelete

Thanks so much for taking the time to comment, I really appreciate your kind words!