Goodbye Summer....Hello Fall

Well summer is almost over, not sure where the time has gone. This year our summer weather wasn't all that great but we did have a fairly nice July and August. I have a feeling our fall weather is going to be really nice, giving us a few more months of sunshine. I love the fall, it is my most favorite season. I also love to decorate for the fall. There are so many colors to choose from ......yellow, orange, green, tan and brown are all inspiring colors for fall decorating.  Country Living magazine on-line  http://www.countryliving.com/homes/how-to-get-the-look/decorating-for-fall-1005  recommends extending the excitement and pleasure you feel at this change of season by creating a cozy fall-inspired setting to enjoy outdoors.

Photo courtesy "Country Living"

Indigenous materials available now--leaves, rose hips, and some flowers, such as hydrangea (my favorite flower) -will last well after they are gathered. And most of them are probably in your backyard. In autumn, plant colors often peak, yielding the perfect materials for stunning, one-of-a-kind displays. So get outside, look around, and bring some of the beauty home, where you can continue enjoying it for many days to come.

Photo courtesy "Country Living"

Brightly hued autumn leaves offer a season-appropriate alternative to a floral bouquet this time of year. Start with a pretty vintage container in which you've placed a water-soaked oasis block as your foundation. Arrange your autumn leaves, alternating with rugosa rose hips--or even roses, if yours are still in bloom. With the cooler weather, colors are likely to be at their most dramatic.

Create this wreath using a grapevine wreath as your foundation. Adorn with any greenery that you like, such as hydrangea blossoms and rugosa rose hips (above) for a pretty combination. For best results, keep materials in proportion to the size of the wreath. Apply cuttings while fresh, making them easier to work with. Use florist's wire (or a hot-glue gun, if stems are very "woody") to affix cuttings, tucking in stems as you go, until wreath is covered on its front and sides. Using florist's wire, attach a loop to the back top of wreath, for hanging. Display away from direct sunlight. 

Photo Courtesy "Country Living"

I love this idea of displaying winter squash under a glass cloche, elevated on a cake plate. For a vertical display, invert the cloche to add the squash, then cover the opening with a plate or cake stand and turn it right side up.

What ever your decorating style, draw on the colors from Mother Nature, use what's in your garden and have fun decorating for fall!