Pumpkins & Gourds…Fall is My Favorite Time of Year!

 

I REALLY DO LOVE FALL!

Pumpkins & Gourds… Ohhh… the Colors!!

My Goal Today is to Make This Beautiful Basket
Like You See Above!

Do you love fall and autumn the way I do?  Well, this time of year just REALLY makes me feel good!  Red, yellow and gold leaves are falling in my driveway as I am looking out over my garden and side yard.  I see a few trees which are already turning, as I watch them everyday while  working.

My husband knows how much I love this time of year, so, last weekend he surprised me with a short, but amazingly wonderful “weekend getaway” for my birthday .  We went to Hendersonville, NC, a beautiful town tucked into the Smokey Mountains.  This really touched me.  You see, his job has been so demanding and stressful lately, but he still took the time to plan a “magical” weekend.

There were reservations at a charming Bed & Breakfast with a “gluten-free” breakfast all ready for me the next morning, as well as an amazing meal at “The Inn on Church”.  (He is so thoughtful when it comes to my food allergies.) Our perfect room in the Inn was reserved after he studied and compared each online.  And to further enhance our weekend, his “whatever you want to do because it is your birthday” attitude just made this trip one I’ll never forget!!!!

In the pictures below, you’ll see downtown Hendersonville, NC, as well as one of my favorite shops…I got a piece of the most wonderful “garden art” from this one!

Steve knows how much I love wandering through quaint shops in the mountains as I search for unique, eclectic treasures.  So, needless to say, I loved it!    It was amazing, and I found some wonderful places I definitely want to visit again!

We are now back to reality!  Steve has gone back to work as have I.  Our son and his wife are coming in from Charleston on Friday with three of our grandchildren, and our other son and his wife will also be here with our fourth grandchild.  We probably won’t be able to get everyone together again until Christmas.

So, I will spend today decorating for fall and Halloween all at once!  I want days at Mimi & Poppy’s to be especially memorable ones for our two, three, four, and seven year olds!!

Did you see how cute the pumpkin looks in the basket in the top picture?  This will be SO simple.  I have everything I need except a pumpkin, and I’ll take care of that shortly.  I’ll add a picture of mine onto my blog when I finish.  Why don’t you try one too?

 

 

Porch Displays for Fall — Just Beautiful!

 

Do you love this one as much as I do?  I want you to notice the “large” effect this beautiful display projects on this porch.  But when you look very closely, there are actually clay pots of greens raised up on iron stands as well as other large clay pots sitting directly on their porch.  I suspect those are plants which are green year round so they don’t have to be changed out for each season.

Look at the pumpkins.   I LOVE pumpkins, and would like to have them all around — and I mean the large ones.  But, they can get expensive, and it is just not feasible in the south to invest in many pumpkins because they won’t last too long in the heat.  So, in the display above, they didn’t invested in many large ones.  Looking more closely, you’ll see several are resting on the tops of empty clay pots.  What a clever idea to add some height to the pumpkins making them look much larger than they really are!

I love the red door on this porch, in addition to all the greens which surround it.  Several pots of mums have been used which can be planted in the ground to come up next year.  There are only 2 pumpkins used – larger ones, but grouped together as they are, you have an even larger looking display.  I also really like the green/white variegated ivy in the pot on the left side.  Mixing summer greens with fall pumpkins is a great idea.

The display on this porch above is nice and neat.  It is balanced on each side (which is not usually not what I do — I am just not a balanced kind of gal).  Notice the initial painted on the white pumpkin.  Classy, isn’t it!

Okay, the porch above is more my style… lol.  And, I want the dog which goes along with it…TeTee!  Aren’t the pumpkins GREAT piled up in the rustic chair which is draped with an artificial leaf garland.  You can get by with mixing some of the cheaper,, “fake” pumpkins with real ones if you like.  That will give it a nice, natural (not fake) look altogether.

Isn’t the display above cute and colorful.  Someone painted faces on green gourds.  There are gourds (less expensive) piled on the steps along with cabbage plants in pots.  Then the larger pot with yellow mums really set this one off.  The corn stalks behind are FREE, and add some height to the entire display — love it!!

Nancy Recommends,

New Fall Wreaths & Baskets

This fall wall basket was just completed, and is listed in my Etsy shop.  Don’t wait too long to purchase… these fall wreaths and baskets are going fast!

I really LOVE this XL wreath for a front door!  Actually this is one that could be used year round, even at Christmas!  You can also find this beauty in my Etsy Store!

Sparkling and glittering ribbons are now IN for fall.  One of these ribbons in this double ribbon bow has polka dots and metallic threads.  A pumpkin mixed with sunflowers adds even more to this wonderful season.  Shop my Etsy Store for this wreath and more!

What about roses along with pumpkins, mums and sunflowers for fall!  This is a BEAUTY!  I would love this one on my own door!  Find this one for sale in Etsy also!