Fall Mantel

Sept 2, 2010 ... Otherwise known as 90210 (hehe)

means..... Time for FALL!   :)   At least in our household.  I couldn't hold out any longer.

I spent today pulling out the black and orange rubbermaids from the garage.

Don't tell me I'm the only one who uses color coordinated storage totes!

Our new Fall Mantel:

Over the Summer, it looked more like this:

It was actually pretty simple with only a hint of Summer.

I added some ceramic pumpkins..

Some scrap decorator fabric in Fall-ish colors..

Some sticks for a little organic element..

And a cheery Happy Fall Sign.

And with that, I'm callin' it done.. at least for another month.  :)

When October hits I'll be adding in a little spooky to the mix.

Have you guys started decorating for Fall yet??

Linking up to:

Transformation Thursday @ http://www.theshabbychiccottage.net/

Picnic table... In a dining space??

While googling images tagged "decorator table" and "dropcloth"  I somehow stumbled upon this fabulous photo.    A little odd, since it doesn't include a decorator round, or a dropcloth.


Are you as in love with this as I am???

A PICNIC TABLE????   IN A DINING ROOM???    I am LOVING this.  I'm quite jealous that I never thought of this on my own.  Especially when searching frantically for an affordable breakfast table a few months ago.

Oh.. and with end chairs.  SO cute.

Can I completely steal this idea even though I have two tables already???  Would it be completely wacko to sell a perfectly good farmhouse dining table (it is counter height which I'm not too crazy about anymore) and pick up a picnic table for my formal dining room??   It certainly isn't that formal is it?

Oh, but it is charming.

And donchaknow (Texan girl here pulling out the midwestern accent LOL) they just had to use pumpkins to completely and fully win my heart over.   SIGH.  

What do you think?  Completely wacko, picnic tables are outdoor items only?  Or undeniably charming??

By the way, these photos are from CountryLiving.  Found HERE

Walk Down Memory Lane...

So, this post is completely self indulgent, is filled with photos of my sweet babies, and has absolutely nothing to do with Home. 

It does have EVERYTHING to do with this upcoming fall season, which I am beyond ready for!  Psst... I even did a little pumpkin display in our family room yesterday.  It's okay though, right? Because no one who comes to the front door can actually see it.  So, if a pumpkin display happens in a forest and no one is there to see it, it doesn't really happen,..  right?   LOL.

Awww Sweetness.  The photo qualities on these are horrible, but nothing is better than babies and pumpkins.. especially TOGETHER!  :)

So thinking about fall has gotten me thinking about Halloween.  I love dressing my boys up and coming up with cool costumes for them.  The first few years I just bought something off the rack, but the last 2 years I've tried to make them myself. 

Halloween 2005

A Lion- Roar!

We're skipping Halloween 2006 because apparently I don't have a photo on this computer. (They were Elmo and Dorothy the goldfish, but if Rylan asks, Dorothy is a boy.  LOL) 

Halloween 2007

Dallas Cowboys

Halloween 2008

Ignore me in my black and orange Halloween goodness.  haha!

Pair of Dice

And finally, my favorite so far- Halloween 2009

Thomas the Train and an Owl.  (they picked their own costume ideas)

I was so enamored with them, I made them do a photo shoot.  Yes,... that's right.  All they wanted was candy and mommy made them pose for photos.  Over and over again.  LOL.  At MANY locations all over the small town where their Nana and PawPaw live. 

Psycho?  Yeah, probably.  But hey, they're only little once.  And I can be psycho now, and maybe they won't remember when they grow up.  :)  hehe.

And because I had JUST stopped working, and JUST sold a house.. I had way too much time on my hands and made them little coordinating goody bags to trick or treat with too.   

PSYCHO.... yeah, I know.  LOL.

So who is excited about not just fall, but about Halloween???   A few weeks ago my youngest told me he wants to be Toast this year.  The crazy person in me is hoping he hasn't changed his mind to something boring and super hero-ish.  I could really rock out a toast costume.    :)

...is slowly becoming obsessed with the Holidays

AND, they aren't even close to being here yet. Over the past few days I've been googling images, "Fall Porch Decor," "Pumpkin Decor" and anything else Fall related. 

Isn't this just to die for?  If only I had those steps...  the mums, the baskets, the hay bales... the PUMPKINS...

This morning I've found myself searching for Christmas tree images on Houzz.com.    Gosh, I am in such a mood to decorate for the Holidays already!!

Come on FALL!!!  And DECEMBER!!

I'm thinking Burlap tree skirt and spray painted pinecones... Heaven knows we have a whole yard full already!

Southern Living

What about this adorable pinecone tree?  Wouldn't that be amazing right outside the front door?? Perhaps with a beautiful ribbon tied around the base??  .....sigh....

Country Living

And what about these wonderful chair wraps???  What a simple way to make a big impact!

The Hip Hostess

The more I think about it, the more I'm pretty sure that it's not healthy to be THIS obessed with the Holidays.  Especially in August.  haha!

Happy Not even there yet Holiday Season!!  :p