Late Fall Mantel with Woodland Friends

I did a little tweaking in the Hearth Room for late Fall by bringing out my two Fall Friends to hang out on the mantel. My chippy concrete owl and the old squirrel bank took their spot of honor. Our weather has finally changed to the cooler temps that should come with the last week of October, so some darker and heavier textiles will be feeling at home in here.

Fall Leaf Wreath on the Mantel

We finally made it to Fall and I'm so excited! I've been looking forward to this season for a while now. I love each season, but decorating for Fall is just my favorite time of year!

Orange Buffalo Check Pillows and a Ticking Quilt for Fall

Sometimes all it takes to start the transition to another season can be as quick and easy as changing up a few well placed pillows, and pillows are usually the first thing I change up for the season. Late last month I posted 10 Tips to Transition to Fall where I share how I have an easy plan to move into the upcoming season. I know I just shared the Hearth Room in August, but these new pillows and quilt brought a different look and feel to the space.

Sunflowers in the Late Summer Hearth Room

August is all about Sunflowers around here...

 Late Summer into Fall is their time to show their happy faces,

mingle with some hydrangeas, and wait for some fall leaves to show up.

Sunflower Botanical on the Mantel

When August rolls around I'm starting to think about Fall decor, and sunflowers always signal that it's about time to make that transition. The flowers are changing color and growth, a few dry leaves are starting to fall off the trees, and the light is showing that soon the days will start to get shorter.

Summertime Snippets from the Cookbook Cupboard

Hello my friends, now that we're past the July 4th holiday I think we can safely say we're in to mid-summer. That's when I bring out a few tried and true vintage pieces that I just associate with "summer". One of my fun spots to decorate with seasonal vintage pieces is on top of the "Cookbook Cupboard" that's here in the hearth room. It's easy to reach and even though my large scroll-y blackboard and monogram is a fixture here, it gives a fun background to show off some larger vintage elements.

I've had this little twiggy summertime wreath for quite a few years, and usually end up tweaking it each year. It's loaded with summertime florals in bright color. Lillies, roses, raniculus, and zinnias all work together with some faux Creeping Charlie to make it a summertime favorite. It's a little fragile, so it's not something I want to use outdoors. Plus, the birds love to break off the twigs and fly off with nest fodder.

Lovely Lemony Daisy Arrangement on the Sideboard

Hi Friends. A few weeks ago I wanted to update and give a summer refresh to the sideboard here in the Hearth Room. I'd had a tabletop wooden wheelbarrow filled with my Garden Pot/Seed Packet Wreath and some vintage garden-y things, but it was a little too spring-y for mid-June. It was time for some early summer flowers to make an appearance.

Seed Packet Garden Wreath on the Sideboard

Back in 2013 after seeing a few versions of flower pot garden wreaths, I put together my own take using a grapevine wreath as the base with small whitewashed flower pots and French seed labels attached to paper tags. Since I'm such a fan of vintage garden goods and ephemera, I've loved using this each year during the Spring and Summer seasons. I just needed to figure out a place to put it here at this house.

The After-Easter French Country Mantel

Hi Friends, I hope you had a wonderful Easter. 

Were you able to be with family and friends?

We were on our own still, 

but we did have a lovely day.

There's a Bunny in That Basket!

Hi Friends, I thought I'd share a few last minute Easter snaps with you all.

In my decor book, the only thing better than "a bunny", 

is a bunny in a basket...

or on a tray, or drawer, or in a crate.

You know, some kind of cute vintage container

to keep it corralled and surrounded by flowers, eggs, moss, or veggies.

(It's a little hard to make out, but that's a brass rabbit mold on the shelf)

Not Quite Spring in the Hearth Room

Most times, I go from Valentine's Day directly into Early Spring decorating. But this year we've all had a strong blast of winter that just sidelined me (you guys too) With temps below 0 for about a week in a row and several good rounds of snow I just wasn't up to getting out the spring-y stuff. As I said, I'm sure next week when it hits 50 I'll be more in the mood, but for now it's still "February" and the tail end of winter.

Not Quite Spring Mantel and Hearth Room

I want to be transitioning to "all things Spring", but I'm finding it difficult when the temp outside is 5 degrees and there's 8 inches of snow. It's too cold to go into the garage and search thru the spring flower tubs, so I'm making do and sharing what I'm living with this last couple of weeks in February. 

Little Houses on the Sideboard and Cookbook Cupboard

So, now it's Christmas week and I still have a few spots around the house to share. I've decided I'm going to have to start a few Christmas posts before Thanksgiving, because the Christmas season is just not long enough! I'll just blame it on more fun spots to decorate.

Woodsy Christmas Mantel in the Hearth Room

I love a cozy, vintage, "woodsy" look in decor, and Christmas seems as good a time as any to make that happen. I'm a person who loves to snuggle up by the fire with a hot cup of something and relax. Lots of blankets and pillows, cushy furniture; basically a place where you feel comfortable putting your feet up and watching a movie or reading a book... not to mention finding a cat crawl up in your lap to enjoy it all with you.

Thanksgiving to Christmas in the Hearth Room

Seems like the last 10 years or so, I've been putting up the Christmas trees a few weeks before Thanksgiving to get a little jump on decorating for Christmas; at least since I've been blogging. Once they're up then it's much easier for me to get some inspiration on how I want to decorate, whether that's colors, or theme, or to try something new. By blogging standards, I'm late to the game, but behind the scenes I've secretly been thinking "Christmas!". 

Cozy Early Fall Hearth Room

Last week I shared my Late Summer mantel here in the Hearth Room.

So now that the calendar says September,

 I'm ready to bring out the cozy factor for Fall!

Transitional Late Summer Mantel

Time to bring out the wreath for this small sliver of time known as Late Summer. Nature doesn't just wake up one morning and say, "OK everyone, it's Fall!" Trees, weather, the light, and all the growing things are reaching that extended moment where they begin to wane. Summer is winding down. All you have to do is look at my yard, scattered with green walnuts and yellow leaves to know it's that time of year. (I was going to take a pic, but it's so dry and looks too sad)

August in the Cookbook Cupboard

I don't change up the "cookbook nook" cupboard as much as some of my other spots, but I do like to keep it seasonal. Lately I've been sharing some of my vintage chick-a-doodles that are meandering around the house. Last year they liked this spot, so I thought I'd bring a few back and share it's late-summer look.

Easy July 4th Decorating

Spring Thing in the Hearth Room

Hello everyone, hope you're well and keeping your sanity. (I'll get back to you all on that one...)

I took a lot of pics several weeks ago when I was decorating for Spring and Easter. The Hearth Room didn't get Easter decor; no bunnies or things, but more of a Spring theme. Actually it hasn't changed too much since early March. Lambs and sheep are a favorite of mine, so the little bench in front of the sofa has one of my sheep and a twiggy basket of Paperwhites.