autumn mantel

Today was the day.  While the kids were at school, I came home to clean the living room and decorate for Autumn.  How pleasant this task was without little feet underfoot.  Plus, I get the added bonus of surprising them with all the new Autumn decor when they come home!This year the mantel is a little more Halloween-y than in the past.  I put our vintage Halloween postcards right in the center, and added some more spooky things.  I love this sphere my grandpa made out of obsidian that looks like a magical eyeball crystal ball or something.  It’s even spookier with my ghostly reflection in this photo… I can’t remember if I ever shared a photo of the fireplace all painted.  I ended up painting the inside a charcoal color, and the outside just a plain white, whatever we had in the shed.  I love how it brightens up the room. This next decoration cracks me up.  I think my mother-in-law gave this to the girls last Autumn, but I couldn’t find the dowel for hanging it.  It probably became a sword or a wand and had to be taken away.  Anyway, the girls have been playing with this branch and I thought it would a perfectly spooky flagpole.  I doubt it will last long, but it’s funny for now.  Just watch out as you walk into our garage…   Here’s our front porch decorations.  The broom is actually my mother-in-law’s; she won it in a raffle and I picked it up for her.  I’m sure she’ll agree that it looks really good on our porch, right?!?  We’ve been collecting the mini pumpkins each time we go out to the farm.   I’ve also meant to post about our new bench!  Jesse built it and I stained it!  Isn’t it amazing?  We used reclaimed lumber from my dad’s old deck.  I love the nicks and dings and nail holes. I’m so proud of Jesse, following in his woodworking grandfather’s footsteps.  We bought a Kreg Jig for this project and it made the whole thing so easy and perfect.  Now Jesse is inspired and motivated to make all sorts of things.  I love that this is a new hobby for him because he’s really good at it, and I get awesome things out of it!  And of course, I needed to get the fairies some new Autumn decor.