Autumn Arrives, In Decorations Not Weather

We're still in summer mode down here in South Florida, although our overnight temperatures are not as fierce (77 degrees overnight, not 84 degrees).  The days are hot, but not humid, a seasonal shift, albeit slight.

Still, Halloween will be here before we know it.  It's time for decorating!


A year ago, I had a different fireplace mantel.  I decorated it like this:

Notice the brick, the traditional look, in the above photo.

Below, you'll see my current mantel, decorated for the season.  I'm intrigued by the fact that although the backdrop is different (coquina/shell/coral instead of brick), the mantel itself is still a too-thin slice of wood:

Here's a close up:

You'll notice that some of the elements are the same.

I did other decorating.  I love what a simple ribbon can do for a festive feel.  Remember that, the next time your Jo-Anns or Michaels has a sale.  It's a cheap way to decorate.

And of course, there are the table linens.  My spouse made these, long ago, when he was trying to learn to use a sewing machine we'd bought:

We're decorating the outside too. 

Mums are cheap this time of year.  I was tempted to buy many pots of them but in the end, we created this arrangement for the flowerbox.

And here are the arched ledges of my porch that will be filled with pumpkins when my church starts selling them.