Dressed for Autumn in the Dining Room

Today I wanted to share the rest of my Autumn Dining Room with you. I always think the house is the happiest in the Fall. The warm Fall hues are my favorite, and when the house is decked out in all it's Autumnal Glory, it's like slipping in to a new comfy sweater.

The one thing I wanted to do new this Fall 

was to wrap my heavy chandelier in vines and twigs.

(I also just need to straighten up those little lampshades!)

I fell in love with Kimberly's rustic burlap and vine wrapped chandy from last year at Serendipity Refined. And while mine isn't nearly as involved with the burlap and moss, I DID want it to have that same "feel" of "rustic and woodsy".

Kimberly's wonderful dining room transformation.

I just started out with 3 of these preserved twig garlands. These happen to have small red berries, so I can leave them for Christmas and winter.

Then to add some "Fall",

 I added in just a few preserved leaves for some color.

My chippy white window box centerpiece didn't change much from last year, I just used a mix of real and faux hydrangeas, and white faux pumpkins. I found a stash of faux hydrangea bushes at Michael's in the clearance bin so I went crazy. I think I bought about 10 bushes, at about 6 dollars each. They were a little off color being a greeny-brown, so I just took them outside and lightly spray painted them in antique white. It gave a softer, more "dried" look to them. Then I added some orange-y berries for some more Fall color.

I've found that if I crumple up brown paper bags and put them in the window box first, then add the flowers and pumpkins my pumpkins don't "disappear". This is a super big windowbox and needs a lot of "stuff" to look full and lush.

You can see the paint and wallpaper have a creamy "glow" to them;

that's one reason this room is perfect for Fall.

This is the wonderful ironstone tureen

 I found at Leola's Fall Open House a couple of weeks ago.

I just can't pass up a beautiful tureen, especially at a great price.

My cupcake pedestals made from vintage transferware plates

from last month's sideboard are in here for now.
(I put together a fun Halloween Sideboard that I'll show you soon.)

I'm thinking the deeper it gets into Fall

that more leaves, vines, berries and pumpkins will be added.

Click Here to see part 1 of my Dressed for Autumn Dining Room.

So what new things are you trying this Fall?

Be sure and come join in the Fall Fun, 

here each Thursday and Friday.

I'll be joining these great weekly parties:

Wow Us Wednesday at Savvy Southern Style

It's a Party at DIY by Design

Inspiration Gallery at Ella Claire

Homework at the Everyday Home

Blissful Whites at Timewashed

Treasure Hunt at From My Front Porch to Yours

TTT at Stone Gable

Share Your Cup at Mrs. Olson's

House Party at No Minimalist Here

Fall Nesting at The Inspired Room

The Charm of Home

French Country Cottage

Inspiration Gallery at Craftberry Bush

Jennifer Rizzo

Shabby Art Boutique

Fall Home Tour at White Lace Cottage

xoxo,

Decor therapy...

I always feel like my brain needs a little jump start this first week of January. After all the busy-ness from before Thanksgiving until New Year's, once January 2 hits, I tend to "coast" a little. Putting my house back together and doing some much needed cleaning has kept me busy. I had a Hoover bag full of glitter, half chewed faux berries, and cat hair...don't ask.

After looking at my Dining Room for this last week, I realized I needed a change. One day things look fine, the next day you want to totally start over. So first, down came the honkin' window box...now what? Whatever is on this table needs to be substantial, at least I feel like it does. So I grabbed the old basket from under the buffet, white poinsettias and all. OK, so maybe all the mental energy I had was directed at finding a new centerpiece.

I think I'll keep the grain sack runner here until after Valentine's Day.

It does have a red stripe, after all.

And I'm keeping the redwork tablecloth on the buffet, 

I just decluttered a little from this photo.

I looked at it closely and realized

 that there were little hearts woven into the design.

Why hadn't I noticed that before?

And the faux chalkboard above the sideboard in the Hall 

got it's new message, compliments of my sweet sis, 

Happy New Year!

Other than that, I just removed the white feather tree 

and replaced it with the iron urn of faux paperwhites.

OK, so that wasn't all that drastic.

A few simple changes were all that I needed...

this week.

How about you...

does your brain need a vacation?

Thank goodness I have all of you out there

that are on top of your game.

Now, I'll be moving on to the Living Room...

my mantel needs some h.e.l.p.

Great turnout for the first 

Be Inspired Friday!

thanks guys!

(I really needed it;

the inspiration that is.)

joining in with these parties:

The Dedicated House

Between Naps on the Porch

Coastal Charm

A Stroll Thru Life

Cozy Little House

Cedar Hill Ranch

Knick of Time 

Savvy Southern Style

DIY By Design

From My Front Porch to Yours

A Daily Cup of Mrs. Olson

Stone Gable

Shabby Art Boutique

The Charm of Home

French Country Cottage

Craftberry Bush

Jennifer Rizzo

My Romantic Home

xoxo,

me

A little Grain Sack Inspiration

If you're like me you need a jumping off point; something that inspires you, and gives you direction. I had it in my head this year that I wanted to do something less fussy, maybe a little more "Winter-ish" than an all out Christmas blow-out. I've seen some amazing "all out" Christmas decor, but for me, I just wanted something simpler that could maybe make it at least through part of January.

During the late Summer and early Fall I used a table runner made of dark grain sack fabric with a black stripe. I loved it, and started looking for a runner in a red stripe with a light background early. Chalk one up for me... I'm usually late on making decisions. I waited too long and now the infamous BOXWOOD wreath has eluded my grasp this year...grrrrrr.

I knew I wanted to use this white wooden lantern that I've had for awhile, so it had to nest in the old windowbox. Now, back to the tablerunner issue...soooo....I couldn't find the fabric, but actually did one better by finding this amazing antique grain sack on Etsy from a wonderful gal named Christina from Austria. (From The Etsy Store Grain Sack) I ordered early in October, so it was here just in time for the Thanksgiving change over.

I took out the binding that held the sides together, so I would have one long piece in a single layer. Then centered it on my off white burlap. I want to cover up as much of the B-R-O-W-N table top as I can...

Perfect.

Christina's Photo

It's really beautiful and immaculate with no damage or age showing at all. I highly recommend her shop.

Then, I started digging in my linen stash and came up with this vintage "Turkey Red" tablecloth for the buffet.

I just folded it lengthwise.

A little more "grainsack" with the ribbon.

And a grapevine wreath with a red transferware cup. The more I look at that wreath, the more I know it must have lost an apple or two since last year. Sorry, it's now on my "to-do" list!

Had to have some plaid, ya'll!!

My sister made these adorable pillows for me for Christmas last year.

more red stripes

(and birdies)

big pillow was a Pottery Barn must have last year!

I changed out the bittersweet on my little Fall Nature Tree for some festive winterberry garland. I put the snow owls to bed and added in some glitter birds in their place.

I have an old friend that's making an appearance in the Dining Room this year. I'll share him this weekend! (If you look closely you'll see a peek of him.)

I'll be joining in these great Holiday Parties this week:

Wow Us Wednesday at Savvy Southern Style
Blissful Whites at Timewashed
Open House Party at No Minimalist Here
TTT at Stone Gable
Home Sweet Home at The Charm of Home
Shabby Art Boutique
 French Country Cottage
Inspiration Friday at The Picket Fence

Hope you're having a fun week,

be sure and check out 

It's live all week.

xoxo,