Front Door, Frye Boots and Fall in the Hall

Honey said he was tired of almost getting hit in the head with the basket that I had hanging on the door for spring, summer and early fall. So, I grabbed this one from storage and hung it on the door.

It has those beautiful, fall colors that I really love.

I made it for over our mantel in 2013

our-fall-mantel-in-our-carolina-home 

This owl was on the door before...it seemed appropo for it to stay.

Now, this is the little baby.

Here's a peek at the foyer inside....my old Frye boots are temporary props, until I want to wear them!

This is the end of my posts for fall. I'm pulling out my Christmas boxes later on today!

Just a reminder....don't forget to turn back your clock!

  Love, Hugs and Kisses,
JP

and Gucci, too!

Can you see him? He's playing "peek-a-boo!

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Our Fall Mantel in Our Carolina Home

Fall decorating is not what I'd thought I'd be into, this early, here in North Carolina. But, with all the decor that's been out in the stores and appearing all around blogland, I just had to tackle our mantel today.

Want to take a peek? Then...Welcome, Come on in!

Rich fall colors, wood, burlap, crystals, pearls and brass.

Saving money and re-cycling last year's stash meant going with traditional fall colors again this year. They work really well, anyway, with the colors in our valances....they're not my fav....but, since we're in a rental they're working for us for now!

 My camera skills are still in need of improving....the low light in our living room forced me to use our overhead lighting, today, which is why the beautiful, buttercream walls look sickly in these pics to me :(

I keep switching from brown to white candles...brown is just so rich for fall and white just seems to balance my white pumpkins down below.

A chippy, old shutter is a backdrop off to the left.

I do like this mantel but, I must admit I loved our white fireplace, from up north, even more :(  
You can see another example of that one here, too!

Here's the full view and "Gucci", too!

 I love my antique melon basket filled with fall picks.  I used them on last year's mantel and tablescape, too!

To the left of the hearth is "Grandma's" old chair with my Favorite Fall Scarf!

I upscaled my wreath from last year...that post is here.

Pumpkins, pearls and burlap in my antique, bushel basket on the hearth.

 A burlap banner, that I whipped up last minute, was a late addition to the fireplace decor....it didn't make it into my earlier photo shoot and already edited pics for this post!

Another full view with the banner added.

 Now, just sharing a few more things from around the room.
This is my, very special, 1800's, hand painted washstand...the very first gift that my honey bought me for our home!

 A simple touch of fall on my favorite, Shabby Glam Washstand.

 

It's my most viewed post!

A white washed ladder fills an awkward corner.

And here's a makeshift end table for my "honeyman's" side of his couch.

I'll be painting more furniture over the weekend, adding a vignette to our kitchen decor and doing a wee bit of outside decorating, too. I'll be back again to share more of those with you, soon!

Love, Hugs and Kisses,
JP


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An Autumn Mailbox

This is our, very first, fall in N.C....it's mid Sept. and the only signs, that I can see, are that the summer blooming, crepe myrtles have finished their glorious show! 
It's a bit milder, but still in the high 80's and with a lot less humidity. I know I'm going to miss the incredible views of our beautiful Hudson Valley in autumn, but it's the trade we were ready to sacrifice for a milder winter.

A few weeks ago, I actually had the desire to start some outside changes. I started with our, country, red mailbox.

 

  Rustic burlap was my choice for the great big bow.

Cream colored, silk flowers and fall picks from last years decor create the mailbox swag.

  Fuzzy, lambs ears, burgandy mums and dahlias are sunk in a pot below.

 It all looks like this to passers by....the 1st in the neighborhood to welcome the change of season's!

I added a few fall flowers to the existing chippy wreath....take a look here!

Now, onto finishing my fall mantel post, when it's done I'll invite you back and you'll get a look inside!

Love, Hugs and Kisses,
JP


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My Upscaled Autumn Wreath & Tiny Corn Husk Owl

Last year's wreath was our centerpiece for the entire fall.  
It's been around for a few years decked out with different trimmings for the season. 

   This is how it started out today....it really needed a boost!

So, I added more acorns, a pheasant feather and some dollar store flowers first. Then I made a tiny canvas banner and added the fall pick and the cute little, corn husk, owl.

Here's my sweet little owl.

 He's a mini version of my "Two Southern Owls"....you can see them here!

  I used the old one as a centerpiece last year... you can see that one here.
and then another one...here

and even one more version here!
 

The new one is hanging over our mantel and I'll share that with you, soon!

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Love, Hugs and Kisses,
JP

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My Favorite Fall Scarf Uses

Since I've been busy with my fall decorating and switching things up to create some new posts I've been finding an awful lot of uses for my favorite scarf. The colors just happen to work, so perfectly, with our decor!

This is me.....wearing it as it was intended and indulging in a birthday cheer.

  It was my big "six oh" celebration last winter. I'm at Radio City (see the  goodie bags?) waiting to see "my present" Lenny Kravitz!  

Yes, I still love rock and roll and my favorite scarf gets a lot of use!!!

Here it is "inside my fireplace!"

See the full decor here... 
http://sweetinspirationsbyjpdesigns.blogspot.com/2012/09/our-fall-fireplace-and-mantle-display.html

  Hanging in the entry.

With some switched out  accents...just can't make up my mind!!!

And where it usually is... hiding a fan switch and Gucci's red leash.

Accenting a basket.

Adding something extra to the front door wreath.

This was the wreath before.

Around the centerpiece in the living room.

Then I moved the front door wreath and draped the scarf over the mirror.

I love the wreath here!"

Another wreath close-up...I'm still practicing!

Draped in the kitchen chandelier.

And surrounding the kitchen centerpiece.

 Deckin' out my old black chair!

 Well, not quite sure where it's gonna stay, when I don't need it...I'm thinkin' I kinda like it on the chair, at least for now!

Now, I've got some planning to do. Company's coming and I need to make my Carmel Apple Muffin Pie. I'm gonna "wing it"....thank God they're family, I need my "taste testers" opinions before I can share the recipe with you!

Love, Hugs and Kisses,
JP

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