My home was filled with the smells of Fall this weekend! Even though it was 90 degrees outside, I made my White Bean Chicken Chili and Gingerbread (Pumpkin) Muffins. Comfort food! It was so good and the smells infused our home in much the same way that decorating makes a big impact.

I used to spend days decorating for every holiday.

I'd have Mr DIY haul all the related boxes down from the attic, and while the kids were at school, I'd sort and purge and dust and decorate to my heart's content...until the whole house was transformed.

But that has all changed.

Longer work hours, managing a household and blogging are pulling me in all directions...meaning limited time for leisure. I find I'm playing catch-up on the weekends, when what I really long to be doing is taking long walks, baking, resting and having fun with my family.

I know it's just a season of my life. Just as in nature, seasons come and go and I know it won't always be this crazy.

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So what that means this year is Less.

Less stuff = less stress, right?

Last weekend, I went up to the attic myself. I opened boxes and pulled out a few pieces that I love and wanted to display for fall this year. Most of what I own stayed in the boxes, including anything bright orange and commercialized.

And even though I love some of the items I showed you in this post, I left them out, opting for a more neutral palette.

Instead...a stack of cozy quilts and cute pumpkin patch pictures of my kids grace a vintage sewing table.


My fall decor has a peaceful palette this year.


Decorating for fall took about an hour...much different from seasons in the past, when I had the time to spread it out over several days.

The guest bedroom got a little bit fall-ified with a cozy chenille bedspread on the painted oak bed, replacing the ruffly one.


Some sweet chalk painted dollar store pumpkins in my favorite shade add color to the DIY driftwood nightstand.


And the yarn tassels that used to hang from my mantle were draped over the driftwood painted mirror.


I added a touch of sparkly to the black hutch in the kitchen with a few glittered pumpkins made last year, and a bowl of sugared pumpkin and acorn potpourri (from Pottery Barn years ago...surprisingly it still smells like fall!) I added a few acorns that I gathered last fall too..and colored with jewel tones. I love combining rustic, natural elements with shiny, sparkly (even glittery) ones!

The trick to inexpensive seasonal decorating is just to mix it up each year! Use the same pieces in different ways.




Nature was very helpful...acorns picked up on a walk became a sweet little garland for one of the mirrors on my mantle...I simply hot-glued them onto jute twine and added strips of lace. I hung the garland using my favorite invisible hanging method!


Candlesticks (from last year's World Market clearance bin) in a creamy gray and mini pumpkins complete my simple mantle.


I've been working on a few new pillows and they are finished and on the sofa.


Tutorial coming soon, I promise!



Pine cones were added to jars and even the painted white hutch for a simple, no fuss makeover that can carry me right to Christmas.


My front door is where I placed my fall wood slice pumpkin and painted pumpkin topiary, both projects that I did last year.


A little dollar store topiary I made years ago, with more pine cones nestled at the base, makes great filler for a large lantern.


I like a bright touch at the front door...it just says 'welcome to our home, come on in'!

If you're craving peace this year, take a cue from this post.

You may be in a busy season of life as I am...you can still decorate for fall...just keep it simple and uncluttered! Use just those pieces you really love and that make you smile. And watch for items that nature provides that you can include in your fall decorating...sticks, pine cones, acorns, leaves....it will add authenticity and texture to your decor when combined with your store-bought pieces!


I hope you have a fabulous week! Come back Friday when I'll share the burlap pillow tutorial.




bringing beauty to the ordinary,