.... but sometimes the best laid plans of mice and men often get put on the back burner because life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans.
Or something like that!
Usually I'm all about color when it comes to decorating for autumn. I had given the family room a mini makeover in the spring by adding lots of white accessories, so this year I felt I needed to keep the mantel neutral and natural.
I began by filling an old brass and glass vase with some branches cut from the crab apple tree in my front yard. I bought the vase 20 years ago from Bombay Company. Thank goodness I rarely throw out anything that's home decor related. I knew I'd need it one day.
Hmmm... I think I may have heard that exact phrase used on Hoarders once or twice.
I copied Pottery Barn's styling trick of turning hardcover books around so that you can see the pages and topped the stack of books with a few small brass pumpkins.
I kept the existing hurricane lanterns and flanked each end of the mantel with a faux/fake white pumpkin...
... and filled in the blank spots with some of those cinnamon scented pine cones.
Once October rolls around I like the house to have a full and layered look. Layers in the fall are like a piece of pumpkin pie....
.... good on its own, but even better with whipped cream!