Lovely Living: Decorating for Autumn 2012

Decorative Velvet Pumpkins, at Gump's

Right now, stores are filled with beautiful autumn decor. Orange, brown, green, purple, and dark red adorns bedding, candles, table linens, kitchen towels, and dishes. Target, Pier 1, Cost Plus World Market, Michael's and Joann's crafts stores are particularly tempting right now - yikes!

I'm trying to stay strong and only decorate my home with my existing decor - things I've enjoyed shopping for and displaying all these years. The only new things for autumn I should be buying are things I can use up or wear out - candles, kitchen towels, home fragrance sprays, and food. That way I'm budgeting money carefully, and not adding any clutter to my home.

QUICK THINGS TO DO TODAY:

Amber Owl Votive Holder, at Pier 1

• Sanitize or clean pet water and food bowls, if needed. Refill with fresh food and water.
  
• Look over your budget for fall decorating (if any!) Plan ahead, don't just go to a store and impulse shop.
  
• Have you read a newspaper, visited a major news website, or watched an evening hour-long newscast in the last week so you can stay informed about what's going on?
  
• Need to empty out your purse or wallet and tidy them? Remove receipts from your wallet, unused lipsticks from your purse? Need to refill your purse with a Kleenex packet?
  
• Have you brought home any delicious apple cider yet?
  
• Need to do any mid-week laundry, or fold, sort and put away clean laundry from yesterday?
  
• Make time tonight for your book club reading, journaling, or enjoying the book you keep right by your bed.
  

TODAY'S PROJECT: Beginning Fall Decorating

Mouth-Blown Glass Pumpkins, at Pier 1 Imports

I'm not quite ready to admit summer is over. It was 82 degrees here yesterday, and we were eating popsicles in the yard, drying some laundry outdoors, and sleeping with fans running. So it seems a bit strange to be hauling out the three storage bins of my fall decor supplies.

I want to look everything over before I give myself permission to buy any more decorations or household items. I probably don't need any more, to be honest. I should stay firm and not add to my household clutter. Hopefully I will control myself, and only buy a couple candles (which get used up) and fresh squash/pumpkins to use for ornamentation. Instead of another fake wreath or glass tealight holder, I'll buy fresh potted mums instead.

If you want to do some shopping for decor, look over your budget for fall decorating. How much money can you spend on new decor, if any? Can you buy a couple new fun, lovely items, without cutting into your holiday gift budget (not to mention rent, food, savings, and entertainment?) Perhaps you already have enough items from shopping sprees in years past. I have TWO autumn-themed wreaths I alternate on my front door (one for everyday, and a black one one I use for the week before and after Halloween). I'll never need to buy another fall front door wreath, as long as I take good care of the two I have. None of us probably *need* new decor, but it gives us a nice pick-me-up and can make us feel like our home is lovely and cozy.

Also, how is your STORAGE budget for fall decorating? Can you make your home cozy and homey for autumn without making it cluttered and overly kitschy? Where do you put and store your decorations once fall and the holidays are over?

I'm exchanging the door mats and throw rugs by my doors; swapping out curtains; replacing the lavender placemats and tablerunners with autumn colored ones; putting away summery candleholders and getting out fall ones. I'm burning the last of my summer lavender candles, and will replace those in a couple days with pumpkin ones.

Spend some time tonight decorating your house for autumn in a way that will please you and your family members. Enjoy the process - turn on fun music, burn fall-scented candles or spray pumpkin home fragrance spray. Pour yourself a glass of wine, a glass of ice cold cider, or a mug of hot tea. And whatever you do, don't do any cleaning! This is a decorating day!

LOVELY BEVERAGES: Hot Apple Cider Tea

Never so much have I regretted my ginger and cinnamon food allergies as now, when this amazing sounding herbal tea just hit shelves for Autumn. I'll probably grab a box just to have something lovely to offer guests at my dinner parties.

Hot Apple Cider Tea, from Republic of Tea

LOVELY BLOGS: Kitchen Meets Girl

"Successes from the kitchen of a reluctant cook." Ashley is a working mom who initially struggled to enjoy cooking. Now she not only enjoys it but writes a food blog. Visit her blog to find out How to Host a Low-Stress Birthday Party; how to make chocolate caramel marshmallow cookies; view her Apple Brickle Dip recipe and the recipe I'm going to attempt this weekend: Jalapeno Popper Pretzel Bites.

http://www.kitchenmeetsgirl.com/

LOVELY LINKS FOR TODAY:

Broadway's New Season: 10 Shows to See (Time)

Build Your Own Pin-Up Girl Fun (Chronically Vintage)

Homemade Pumpkin Spice Bagels (Ambitious Kitchen)

Home Security: Tips, Ideas and DIY Projects (Apartment Therapy)

How To Get Your Kids Interested in Current Events (South Florida Sun Sentinel)

Keeping Things Tidy: Bookend Roundup (Design Sponge)

A Passion for Pavlova (San Jose Mercury News)

Pumpkin Coconut Cream Tartlets (Definitely Not Martha)

Recipes for Your Cast Iron Skillet (Fine Cooking)

Soft Frosted Pumpkin Spice Cookies (The Baker Chick)

Sweet Olive Oil Cornbread (Baking Bites)

Source: http://www.lovely-living.com/2012/09/decorating-for-autumn-2012.html

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