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Monday, September 26, 2011

Bring On The Fluff


 

Who inspires your seasonal decorating?
This year, believe it or not, it was my husband
who got me motivated.

On Sunday he hauled home potted mums and pumpkins,
resurrected a couple of scarecrows from the shed,
and began Fall Fluffing the landscape here at That Old House.


Bless his little pea-pickin' heart.
What Howard did was a good start,
but that door needs a little shot of Fall Fluff.
 Yeah.  This porch needs work.
By the way, I swept that porch yesterday, but the leaves just keep on coming.

I went to A. C. Moore last evening, minutes before they closed, and buzzed through the store
looking for something I could turn into a gorgeous Fall wreath.
I had Inspiration Photos in my head, from the Better Homes and Gardens website:
 I like casual, natural looking wreaths.
 Full ones, or . . .
 . . . lopsided asymmetrical designs.
Love those feathers, too.
 This one, below, is gorgeous -- brilliant and breezy looking,
as if someone just flung it together, and hung it up.
Yeah, I'm sure that's what really happened.
 
 The one, below, really appeals to me -- it looks as if it is made
up of spare parts from other wreaths.  I can relate to that.
Love the stuff sticking out each side, too.
I love goofy, crazy, messy, casual wreaths.

Unfortunately, I couldn't find what I needed at A. C. Moore to make such a wreath.
And you know when you just can't wait?
When you have to have that project done, right away, even though
the only time limit is in your own fevered little mind?

So, I found a wreath of silk autumn-colored maple leaves,
half-price, and mounted on a black twig base.

It put me in mind of this wreath, below, from the BH&G website:

I bought some bittersweet berry picks and tucked them in,
but my daughter Anne said that they made it look too much like a wreath from a store.
I pulled them out; turns out she was right.

So, I just fluffed the maple leaves, and tied a big raffia bow on the purchased wreath.
Lopsided.  Here it is:

I had to bang a new nail in the old storm door -- gingerly, as much of the glass in this front entryway
is more than 150 years old -- you can see the wiggly wavy panes in some of the pictures.

But I had to put the nail up high on the door,
and didn't have any nice ribbon to make a hanging loop for the wreath.
So it looked kinda goofy, up so high.
Then I remembered that I had an Autumn-look wreath hanger thingy, so up it went, and on went the wreath.
I will replace it with ribbon eventually, as now the wreath is too low!

 See?  Too low.
But nothing some beautiful Fall ribbon won't cure.
 *********************************
 Please take a look at the picture below, on the left.
I have studied this picture, a lot, and can't figure out
what the white, sort of ghostly image is, behind the old glass.
Can you?
We've had a few unusual experiences here at That Old House, and our painter is convinced
the house is haunted (that's a whole 'nother post!), but there must be an explanation for this.
Right?


Well, I'm just rambling on and on this afternoon, and am late -- as usual -- to a few Link Parties.
A moment of truth!
See this lovely mum in the equally lovely cement basket?
Doesn't it look full, lush and big?
 I'm officially a knucklehead.
I tried to fit the mum into this basket, which has a handle; I thought I could split the plant,
with the handle between two sides of the blooms . . . and it didn't work.
And now it's stuck.
 As long as I only show it from the front, it looks fine.  Oops.  Too late!
Happy Fall, my friends!  -- Cass

I have a feeling this wreath will be getting a few additions as the weeks of Autumn wear on.  Yeah, it will.
Linky Parties.

Mosaic Monday at Little Red House.  Click here.
Metamorphosis Monday at Between Naps On The Porch.  Click here.
 Show Off Your Cottage Monday at The House In The Roses.  Click here!

16 comments:

  1. Cass- I'm pretty sure that is the ghost of Halloween waiting for his chance to get out and haunt the neighborhood! Also, a later picture gives you that kind of "ghost-in-the-window" effect too...I think it is a tree reflected~ r-i-g-h-t?

    Everything is looking pretty Fallified to me! xo Diana

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  2. I am convinced you must be my tenth cousin twice removed. Your wreath is just casual and natural enough. I do not like them OVERDONE either. I actually posted a pic today with my image caught in a reflection of a picture that is on the dining room wall-idiot I am. I am in my pj's with my hair slicked back and I look like a man. You tenth cousin would never let that happen I know! hugs♥O

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  3. Oh how I love your black door! Love your fall decor, too. Mine is restricted so far to a couple of rusty mums... I just can't get into the spirit of the thing when I'm "sweating like a pig" (which my son memorably told his ancient nun on the first day of preschool)... xoxo

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  4. Ahhh Cass I just love your ramblings. :) I have a porch full of tupper containers that were under my house (as I don't have a basement) because they had to be removed when a pipe broke 3 days ago. We have had tons of rain ever since so they have not made it back. I wish my porch looked half as cute as yours does.

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  5. You are ready for Fall and it looks pretty! Was there not a mention of someone/something else occupying your house back some time ago. :D Several days ago you had a "hissy fit" and and now you said "bless his pea pickin heart" - Yep! Sounds like a Southern root there somewhere. :-D
    Enjoy your evening.

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  6. Happy Fall to you too! I think your porch is charming, but don't know about that mysterious blob in the pic... something making it's presence known in time for Halloween. ;-)
    Visiting from BNOTP ~
    Heidi @ Show Some Decor

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  7. I love your door and the porch looks so festive - nice and fluffed! And I also like the way the leaves look on the porch! I don't think you need to sweep. Looks great!
    -Shelley

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  8. Your black (??) door or is it dark green? should look great with all the fall colors! Like your wreath!

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  9. Gorgeous Cass - the right touch - just enough fall without being over the top. With That Old House's veranda you only need as much as you've put out.

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  10. Wonderful..... next Autumn when my new house in town (with garden) will be ready I'm going to "copy" a lot of your gorgeous ideas, thanks and have a wonderful Tuesday, hugs, Flavia

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  11. Your porch looks great and hopefully that is a 'Friendly Ghost' to watch over it!! I'm happy Howard got you moving...I think last fall you and I were the only two to go into the season kicking and screaming!! Gotta love summer!

    XO,
    Jane

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  12. What a great husband. Love your wreath and the wind placed leaves add a great touch. As for your image in the glass, spooky!

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  13. Ooooooh....I don't know WHAT that is! Looks like eyes. I just painted my storm door which, also is over 100 yrs old, and looks exactly like yours! (minus the "face"!)

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  14. Nobody yet. I had better get with it, in a week or so is my fall open house. haven't added a thing. HELP. Richard from My old Historic House.

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  15. Hi Cass, Wonderful post! I just loved it. The blob in the window looks like a polar bear in the snow. . .friendly ghost I hope.
    Gotta get my wrteaths out too.
    ~ ~Ahrisha~ ~

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  16. Just beautiful. I would love it on my door too!

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