Last fall my kids and I made some pretty radical fall decorations for our home. Now, as it’s been a year and I can sincerely laugh at it, I will tell you that Andy threw them away! Because he didn’t know what they were. Actually I believe he said, “Babe, Sorry. It’s just that it looked like nothing. I had no idea what they were.”
I found this surprising since the items adorned our living space for more than a month. And our children made them (I loved the hanging pumpkins!). And the leaf wreath had some heft. I know my holiday decorations are all hippie-recycled-repurposed but…who throws away something that is clearly something? Oh really there is no sense in it just as there is no sense in placing a bath towel on the floor instead of the hook but this is my life and I will continue to instead focus on my man’s lovable qualities of which there are plenty.
*like, for example, spending the entire weekend ripping out a greasy old cream-colored microwave-hood and installing a stunning stainless hood that hums lullabies as I cook. And being adorable and funny the whole time.*
I have been getting all up in my holiday crafting this week. It’s so fun to me: making seasonal stuff with my kids that is fun for us to create and our style. For real, I can ignore most any obligation when I have cascading indian corn on my mind. What the what? This shocks me too. I am definitely not a minimalist person but I am sensitive to certain kinds of design clutter in my home. I like busy as long as the stuff in there means something to me. That’s my only criteria. Give me art, handmade, old, unique, interesting and I adore a carefully curated mess.
So there are a few corners I’ve done up in autumnal delight that do me right. I am aware my titles sound like soft porn movies. I’m ok with it.
1. Table Bling.
I wanted something affordable, practical and warm. And something that could be easily moved and not destroyed when knocked over to accommodate our raucous life. It’s simple, everything we had on-hand.
And, one of my favorite things Margot has ever made: a little clay “monster”. I hot glue gunned him to the window.
2. Chairside Cozy.
I adore this little arrangement. Sincerely, it makes me very happy all day long. Morning sun through the wheat, afternoon mellow shadows.
yellow mums peeking though from the deck
sources:
stool: handmade by a friend; ponderosa pinecone; ceramic vase: gift from my mom, filled with rose hips from garden; thrifted ball jar, filled with wheat from local farm.
And in another living room corner, a vase of branches (what is this tree? pink flowers in spring, looks like a crabapple but the fruit is tiny) and dish of our heart river rock collection.
sources:
vase and bird frame: gifts; weird face jug: my dad made in high school; red wooden basket: also a gift but I believe from China Woods; rocks: river yo
3. Red Berry Burst.
The thing I want to change most about our home is the entrance. It’s upstairs and on the side of the house. It isn’t that obvious or welcoming. It feels like a design afterthought to me. So! Until we can make the reshake happen (oh! we have grand plans), I am focused on happy things that shout hello! to our guests. Currently, one has to step over piles of ducting, wood and an old microwave to access our front door but once they arrive they get one mother of a welcome.
construction chaos on the front deck
The girls played with the berries for hours which got me thinking…why not create a pretty little space for them to do just that? And add fire to the mix just to keep them aware? Just kidding. They don’t play in the berries when the candle is lit.
sources:
grapevine wreath: Joann’s; mountain ash berries: tree; bowl: handmade by Baba’s Bowlworks
4. Husky Love.
I have always felt it a waste to toss corn’s hearty, veiny paper on the compost pile. Fondly remembering the leaf wreath we made last year (the one that is now degrading in our landfill, ahem), I set out to make something similar but better: a crunchy, husky fall wreath that welcomes anyone and everyone to knock on our door. It was a last-minute epiphany to use tomatillo husks as well. And a last-last-minute incorporation of the cotoneaster berries. We hung this specimen on the new gate. I like husky homeboy there.
Margot especially loved the glue gun
A few process deets: I applied the corn husks with a hot glue gun in a clockwise fashion until the wreath was covered. Then, I went in and glued wrapped (from back to front) and twisted husks. Finally, I glued the tomatillo husks (previously split into stars) into a cluster on the bottom right. And, fer-real finally glued the cotoneaster berries in the center. But then! The husks dried and shrunk/curled so I got back in there, laying the husks flat and gluing even more, the hot glue gun assassin that I am.
sources:
compressed hay wreath: Joann’s; corn husks, tomatillo husks and berries: garden (both mine and others)
And because there are an unruly number of photos in this post, I’ll leave you with a few more featuring my two favorite home adornments. I have felt especially appreciative of their relationship and I wrote about it in this week’s mama digs: making love.
26 Comments
Gah, your girls, they kill me every time with their love! I’ve posted before about the blooming sibling love between my kids, although it’s kind of backfiring on me as the youngest is having issues sleeping while her brother and sister stay with grandparents this week. I wouldn’t let her stay over as she has only just turned two, and I thought she would miss me too much, especially as daddy is working away from home for most of the week. I didn’t even consider sibling separation anxiety!
Oh, and that photo of Margot with the glue gun made me laugh out loud at my desk. She is so expressive.
oh my god!! he threw away the hanging pumpkins??? ah MAN!
No, I’m serious, I remember that post and thinking they were really fun!
at least cocksucker exists.
love matching pink pjs.
xoxo
melina
When you linked to that post I had a mild heart attack thinking he threw away the cocksucker. So sorry about the leaf wreath, though.
I love that cocksucker.
Definitely going to make those hanging pumpkins with my littlest guy! Love all your decorations and their names!
I think we need a glue gun. Margot’s face is adorable. Both girls are adorable.
your home gets homier with each post. love the new fall love–in craft, in mood, in growing girls. xoxo
I’m with Britta, I thought it was going to be the cocksucker and I thought WTF? *How* could he think that was nothing? But, alas, it was those lovely pumpkins and the leaf wreath…*obviously* made with love but I know how men can get with a recent move : )
This post made my heart happy. I love that you celebrate each season and embrace it with your girls.
Andy, the hanging pumpkin? Really? 🙂
Lots of awesomeness here on this blog, in this post Nici.
x
http://blog.scissorspaperrockdesigns.com.au/
Nici- lol, that guy of yours has plenty of other skills to redeem himself- but my first thought was he didn’t throw out the cocksucker!!
All of these things are beautiful. I love the little fall touches to your home. Our little hut is still quite stark, and I like that at the moment, it’s ok, soon my flower garden will be producing enough flowers to bring inside. But I think I need this calm right now. It’s good for my soul. Sides now that our days are getting longer my gaze is drawn to outside, the jersey cows in the paddock behind us, the rippling on the full dam, the return of the swallows, blue wrens and eagles.
Mama digs is beautiful. And timely for me.
I love these posts of yours. Thanks for sharing your home and family so generously with us.
A fun post…..You crafty little gal you! I especially like the corn husk wreath…AND thank goodness the cocksucker is alive and well!
My son-in-law has amazing ability to do ANYTHING!
I can’t wait to get my arms around you Margot & Ruby!
xoxo
Confession: just looked at the pictures and didn’t read the words.
Your pictures are exquisite.
Your words probably are too.
Going back to read them now.
xo,
mrs boo
I love the light in your living room. I have to admit when I heard Andy threw away some of the decorations, I immediately thought of the cocksucker. Glad that didn’t happen.
,,,I was so worried the “cocksucker” was making its way to the landfill and then I read to the end of the post and sighed a big relief. Love the house and all the autumn decor, simple and lovely,,,
These pictures just ooze cozy, homey, light, warmth, beauty. Oooh..your view, the sun, Alice lazing on the deck, those gorgeous girls..your home is beautiful. I can’t wait to see more pics. Enjoy this stunning season.
LOVE that cornhusk wreath! The berry wreath is gorgeous too, but the cornhusk one is just so unique! That last picture of the girls kills me–they are adorable!
I always love your craft designs and I always wonder where you find the time to do all this! I am so impressed! I had been hoping to do some hanging fall leaf mobiles but my wax paper wouldn’t melt. I’m wondering if it has to do with the fact that it’s microwave safe.
Also, loving the fact that the cocksucker survived. That red bowl holding your heart rock collection is absolutely beautiful! Your house is so homey and cozy and lovely.
Those are such great ideas!!
Such awesome ideas! LOVE the corn husk wreath! Not so practical on a roadtrip, but maybe if we are home next year…
I love the husky wreath! We always need an excuse to get our glue on! These tiny decorations make such a difference as the seasons unfold. Its had me totally wanting to paint the whole interior of our house grey just so that the colors of Autumn can really Pop and sparkle in the contrast. Thanks for sharing.
The windows in your home are amazing. So much natural light. It’s as if you are living outside, but really indoors….I’m a little jealous!
Oh, I sure hope for the day when my children love each other. It warms my hear to read bout your girls. My 3-year old son quietly nudges my 9 month old daughter as he walks by. He tries to pretend that its nothing but he pushes her over till she protests. I hope hope that he will love her as much as she adores him (and as Margot adores Ruby).
Hahahaha totally giggled when I knew what you were talking about with the cocksucker wreath:-)
What a gorgeous, light-filled home you have. And what beautiful corners of creative decoration! How inspiring. I LOVE the husk wreath. And Margot looks like a teenager. Like woah!
OH GENIUS. The tomatillo husks with the corn husks.
You’re shockingly creative. Love it.
so so so funny about husband thinking they were ‘nothing”! my teen sons often have that baffling look at my handmade stuff…
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