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This year presented the opportunity to decorate a second tree in our home – something I’ve dreamed of doing for awhile. I realized, however, that it would need a tree skirt. Rather than run out and buy one I thought I would try my hand at a diy Christmas tree skirt made out of materials I already had in my stash.

The process is quite straightforward and your tree skirt can be as plain or fancy as you’d like. Mine is made from vintage linen purchased from a church rummage sale ($3 for a whole box of fabric!) as well as scraps of lace trim from my childhood. The larger lace was the trim to my beloved bed sheet which eventually got a big hole in it. I trimmed the lace off the edges and saved it for probably 15 years, awaiting a future project such as this. The smaller lace was a stash leftover from when my mom used to sew dresses for my dolls. All of these materials combined make it a very special tree skirt for me.

How to Make a DIY Christmas Tree Skirt

Supplies Needed for a DIY Christmas Tree Skirt

Fabric for the top
Amount varies based on desired size. (About 48 inches in diameter is a common medium sized skirt but you should measure and do what works for your space – see directions for how to measure.)

Quilt batting
Or other heavier fabric for the middle layer of the skirt – same amount as top fabric.

Bottom backing fabric
Just a neutral (or not) fabric for the bottom layer. Same amount needed as the other two fabrics.
Could pick something fun for a reversible tree skirt!

Trim, if desired
Lace, ruffles, rick rack, or other embellishments

Fabric scissors

Sewing pins

Measuring tape or yardstick

Sewing machine

Coordinating thread

Directions for a DIY Christmas Tree Skirt

Step 1: Measure for your tree skirt.
Decide what diameter your tree skirt should be and write this number down.
Decide what diameter the center hole should be (for the trunk) and write that number down.
Tree skirts vary greatly in size and depend on the size of the tree and the needs of your space. I made mine on the small side because the cabinet is right next to the tree, but generally a skirt should extend a few inches beyond the bottom set of branches.

Step 2: Prepare the top fabric
(Always iron your fabric first.)
Fold the fabric in quarters (half, then half again).
Find the center fold and mark with a pin.
Measure out from that point the radius (half the diameter) of your tree skirt + 1/2 inch for seam allowance.
Mark that point with a pin.
Continue measuring and marking from one side to the other in an arc shape, always measuring from the center fold.

Step 3: Cut the top fabric.
Cut along your arc shaped pin line from one side to another.
If you feel more comfortable drawing this out with fabric pencil first, do that.

Step 4: Measure and cut the center (trunk) hole.
Repeat steps 2 and 3, but this time for the center (trunk) hole.
This measurement will the be radius (half the diameter) of the center hole measurement you took earlier.

Step 5: Cut the side opening
Unfold your fabric – you should now have a nice circle with a circular center opening.

Cut up one side, just to the center hole, so that you have a slit to get the skirt around the tree.

Step 6: Cut identical pieces from the other fabrics.
Use the top fabric as a pattern to cut identical pieces from both the quilt batting and the bottom backing fabric.

Step 7: Sandwich the layers.
With right sides facing, place the top and bottom layers together. Place the quilt batting layer on top of the top layer.
Place any edge trim you are using in between the top layers. Be sure any ruffles are pointing inward.
Pin in place all around the edge, with 1/2 inch seam allowance.

Step 8: Sew around the edge.
Using a straight stitch on your machine, sew all the way around the edge of the skirt and up one slit. Leave the other side of the slit open for turning.

Step 9: Close up the skirt.
Turn the skirt right side out through the side slit opening. The top fabric and bottom fabric will be separated and the quilt batting will end up sandwiched in the middle.
Tuck under the edges of the side slit opening and sew it shut as close to the edge as possible.

Step 10: Finishing the skirt
Sew on any finishing embellishments such as this extra lace edging. I overlapped it with the larger lace and secured it with a simple straight stitch.

All done! Now wrap it around the base of your tree and enjoy!

I hope you found this tutorial helpful and that you enjoy making your own DIY Christmas tree skirt this season!

Blessings,
Melissa

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This post contains affiliate links for which I may earn a small commission on qualifying purchases. Please click here for more details. I truly appreciate your support!

This is how our entryway looked when we bought our house. Well, okay, not a mess like this – I snagged this picture very quickly one evening before we decided to bust out those wooden screens. It was kind of sporadic and funny actually…

My husband and I had been married a little over a year, I was pregnant with our first child, and we were decorating our Christmas tree in the adjacent living room. We had owned the house for about 1.5 years, having purchased it right before getting married. Neither of us cared much for the screens but we were both working full time and didn’t want to do anything too hasty by ripping things out. But suddenly that December afternoon we decided it would be a great idea then and there to take out those screens. My husband grabbed the sledge hammer and went at it!

This is how our living room originally looked, by the way. That is, after my husband installed the recessed lighting – it used to be much darker in there.

We busted out the screens and it already felt so much better – much more open and light. The wood from the screens ended up being many a garden stake, paint stirring stick, kindling, and more.

The slate floor was in not-so-great condition. It was chipped in some spots and the grout was crumbling in many spots with several large holes. It wasn’t particularly our cup of tea anyway so we had no desire to repair it. Rather, we eventually replaced it a year later with hardwood.

We waited to replace the floor until we did our kitchen renovation, then had the kitchen, living room, and entryway floors all refinished at the same time to match. Additionally, we replaced the baseboards and ceiling fixture and painted the walls.

At this stage we had been living here about 3 years. Projects take time, especially when you have young children, are on a budget, or actually have other things going on in your life besides home remodeling. It stayed this way for several years:

I eventually replaced the small cabinet with a longer table, ditched the coat tree, added an appropriately sized rug for the space, and dressed it up a bit. The wall was still very plain and lacking the character for which I hoped, but it seemed much brighter and fresher.

Dressing the space up for the changing seasons and holidays became a bit more fun, and the “mirror garland” was a new idea with which I enjoyed experimenting. I did my best to work with what I had.

I was still holding out hope that one day we would add an accent wall, but my husband wasn’t completely sold on the idea. At the time of the picture below we had been living here about 7 years.

Finally, for my birthday last Summer, I specifically asked for an accent wall as my gift. My husband and kids surprised me with a little note that stated I would be getting it. Now just to carve out time…

Fast forward to October. My husband had a week off work and lovingly spent several days crafting my long-dreamed-of accent wall. One last photo before the fun begins…

If you’re a details and specs type of person, here are the specs of what he did, as described to me:

• Since we have textured walls, he used 1/8″ thick masonite (hardboard) as the base so it would be smooth. If you don’t have textured walls you could probably skip that bit.
• The vertical slats are “mull casing” from Menards – 3/8″ thick x 2″ wide
• The board on top is a 1″ x 4″ that has been planed to 1/2″ thick (to match the thickness of the masonite + the mull casing), and had a rabbet cut out of it to fit over the mull casing.
• The pegs were [I believe] wooden Shaker pegs about 3.5″ long, ready made from Menards. Holes for the pegs were formed with a drill press.
• The bottom board is a 1″ x 6″ planed down to 3/8″ thickness to match up with the mull casing strips.

The panelling was then painted in Benjamin Moore “Van Courtland Blue” (HC-145). The girls and I went and browsed the historic color line from Benjamin Moore one morning and I picked up a sample of the one I felt was most promising (this one!) and I fell in love! (Poor lighting in this photo – you’ll get a more accurate color depiction in a moment).

Then it was wallpaper time! I opted for peel and stick so I wouldn’t have to mess with water and paste and all that. I found this one a number of months ago and bought it in anticipation of this project. It was more brown on cream than I had thought from the website photos (which definitely looked more gray on white), but I decided to go with it anyway and I think it really works.

Accents were added, like vintage crocks from my mom filled with dried bunny tail grass, a vintage quilt, and a stuffed pumpkin…

…this thrifted lamp with a thrifted pleated shade that I re-covered using a thrifted sheet (sense a theme here?), a flow blue plate hung from a velvet ribbon…

…an ironstone basin full of little pumpkins and preserved moss…

…Fall hydrangeas dried on the bush in our backyard and placed into an antique ice cream bucket…

…and a thrifted print that I trimmed down to size and taped into a foamboard frame that I’ve had for years.

I love it so much and I’d like to thank my husband for taking the time to do this for me (he really likes it, by the way!). I think it adds so much character and charm to our home and that we will enjoy it for years to come!

You can find the sources for this space (what few there are since most things are thrifted!) linked below. Thanks so much for reading!

Blessings,
Melissa

Sources:

Wall Color: Benjamin Moore “Van Courtland Blue, HC-145”
Wallpaper linked here
Entryway table linked here
Entryway rug linked here (Use code HYMNSANDHOME for additional savings)
Moravian Star Ceiling Fixture linked here

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Supplies Needed to Make a Moss Topiary

TERRA COTTA POT(S)
WHITE CHALK PAINT
PAINTBRUSH
AGEING WAX (OPT.)
WAX BRUSH (OPT.)
FLORAL FOAM BALL
HOT GLUE GUN & REFILLS
PRESERVED MOSS
FLORAL FOAM DISC
STICK(S): FORAGED
SPANISH MOSS
RIBBON (OPT.) SIMILAR or this

How to Make a Moss Topiary

1. Water down the chalk paint to make a whitewash.

2. Working in small sections, paint the whitewash onto the terra cotta pot.

3. Using a lightly damp rag or paper towel, gently buff the wet paint until desired level of paint remains and desired look is achieved. I like terra cotta still showing through on mine.

4. Lightly stipple random spots of aging wax onto the pots, buffing any harsh spots with a towel or paper towel.

5. Hot glue moss all over the styrofoam floral ball/sphere.

Be sure to cover the entire thing – and watch those fingers!

6. Trim and shape the moss ball as desired.

7. Break foraged sticks to length, then stick the stick into the moss ball. You may want to secure with a drop of hot glue in the hole.

8. Place the foam disc into the bottom of the pot.

9. Stick the stick into the foam disc inside the pot. Again, you may wish to secure with a little hot glue.

10. Fill the pot with filler of your choice. I used Spanish moss.

11. Either leave plain or finish off with a pretty bow.

All finished – enjoy your new moss topiary!

Thanks so much for reading, and I’d love to hear if you try this project!

Blessings,
Melissa

This post contains affiliate links for which I may earn a small commission on qualifying purchases. Please click here for more details. I truly appreciate your support!

Want more Spring projects? Check out some of these!

• 
  How to Make a Moss Topiary – Easy Spring DIY
  This sweet moss topiary in an aged pot is the perfect touch to your Springtime decor! It’s quick and easy – let me show you how to make it!
• 
  How to Make an Easy Wreath With Fresh Flowers and Greenery
  Want a simple but lovely wreath? Try this easy wreath project! Fresh roses and eucalyptus work beautifully together and will dry nicely for continued use. Perfect for Springtime, Valentine’s Day, or any time you want to add a fresh pop of color to your space.
• 
  How to Make a Wildflower Wreath for Spring and Summer
  Learn how to make a lovely, delicate wildflower wreath that will transition easily from Spring into Summer!
• 
  Easter Printable and Phone Wallpaper
  A sweet Easter printable and phone wallpaper with a joyful message!
• 
  Spring Table Inspiration: In the Garden with Peter Rabbit
  Inspiration for a garden themed Spring tablescape with a nod to Peter Rabbit
• 
  How to Make a Spring Mirror Garland
  A quick and easy tutorial on how to make a lovely Spring garland for your mirror! A list of resources is provided if you’d like to recreate the look.
• 
  Vintage Lace No-Sew Bunny Garland
  These sweet little no-sew bunnies are a quick, easy project and make a great garland or basket filler for Spring!

This wreath really couldn’t be easier! I’ve always loved fresh flowers – especially from Trader Joe’s who always has a good selection and reasonable prices! I was particularly inspired by an Instagram friend who turned them into a fresh wreath.

I headed to Trader Joe’s and found these mini roses which immediately captured my heart, along with plenty of seeded eucalyptus. Then I went home and dug around in my basement for a grapevine wreath to repurpose and got to work. It only took about 15 minutes!

How to Make the Easy Wreath:

It couldn’t be simpler – just cut your stems so that there are only a few inches remaining, then stick them directly into your grapevine wreath form! That easy! I kept my foliage and flowers toward the bottom but you can certainly do any configuration you like!

A Note on Drying

If you’d like to continue using your wreath you’ll want to lay it flat to dry. This will prevent your roses from all pointing their little heads forever downward.

Once you see your flowers start to droop (probably after a day or so), simply lay the wreath flat, adjust your flower heads so that they point in varying directions, and let it dry. Once it’s completely dry you can hang it back up.

My wreath is hanging in-between the double windows in my kitchen. It adds a delightful pop of freshness and color to the space!

I hope you give this a try and that you love it as much as I do!

Blessings,
Melissa

Want more wreath ideas?
Check out this wildflower wreath or this easy lemon wreath!

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Most nut butters you find in stores these days contain some sort of additive – salt, sugar or corn syrup, oils or shortenings, even flavor additives. Those really aren’t something we want to be feeding to the birds (or ourselves for that matter, but that’s for another day!).

Let’s make some natural bird feeders that we can feel good about feeding to our local wildlife!

These bird feeders are featured in my Cozy Winter Home video!

Ingredients Needed to Make Natural Bird Feeders

Pine Cones

The best option would be to collect these from nature – from someone’s yard (with permission of course!), the woods, etc. You can buy some from the store if you are sure they haven’t been treated with any sort of preservative, fragrance, or decor.

Natural Unbleached Cotton Kitchen Twine

Since this cotton kitchen twine is biodegradable, it’s a good option for hanging outside.

Plain Peanuts

You’ll want to choose peanuts that are unsalted and contain no other flavorings or additives. How many peanuts you need will depend on how many feeders you want to make. I used one 16oz container for about 12-13 medium pine cones. Half the peanuts will be processed into peanut butter and the other half will be crushed and added to the feed mixture.

You can certainly use 100% natural store-bought peanut butter (or other nut butter) if you would like.

Dried Fruit

I used raisins since that’s what we had available and they are typically a more economical option. Dried cranberries, cherries, blueberries, and currants are also great options. Just be sure it has no sugar added.

Seeds

Sunflower seeds are a good, readily available option. You’ll want to choose hulled (shells removed) and unsalted.

How to Make Natural Bird Feeders

Create a hanger for your pine cone.

Tie a length of twine around the top of each pine cone, under a row or two of scales to make sure it doesn’t slip off. You can tie the twine in a bow at the top to make it even prettier!

Create homemade peanut butter.

Add half the peanuts to a food processor and process until creamy. Transfer to a bowl. This only takes a few minutes and no other ingredients are necessary!

You don’t need to worry about separation of oil happening since you’ll be using this right away. Again, if you’d rather use store-bought 100% natural peanut or other nut butter, that’s fine, but this is so easy to do!

Chop the remaining peanuts.

Add the rest of the peanuts to the now empty food processor and give it a few pulses to break them up a bit. This can also be done with a knife. Add them to a bowl or large plate.

Create your mix.

Mix the dried fruit and seeds into the chopped peanuts in a large bowl or on a large plate.

Assemble the feeders.

Spread each pine cone with the homemade peanut butter. Dip the coated pine cone in the feed mixture and press firmly to make sure the pieces adhere.

Hang the feeders.

Hang your feeders in a tree or somewhere up off the ground that you think the birds would enjoy them! It’s fun if you can hang them near a window so you can watch them enjoy the treats you’ve created!

I hope you enjoyed this little tutorial! I’d love to know if this is something you’ve done before or plan to do – drop me a comment below!

Blessings,
Melissa

This post contains affiliate links for which I may earn a small commission on qualifying purchases. Please click here for more details. I truly appreciate your support!

This post contains affiliate links for which I may earn a small commission on qualifying purchases. Please click here for more details. I truly appreciate your support!

My 5-year-old son wanted to help make this pillow and I thought it would be a great introductory sewing project for him. We worked together to pin, sew, and stuff this Christmas tree pillow, and it was a fun Christmas bonding activity!

How to sew a simple Christmas Tree Pillow

Supplies

• Fabric (amount depends on size of your pillow) – I used a thrifted bed sheet!
• Contrasting fabric for the back (optional – can make the back the same as the front if desired)
• Pencil or fabric marking pencil
• Sewing scissors
• Straight pins
• Sewing machine (can sew by hand if desired but will take far longer)
• Coordinating thread
• Stuffing (fiber fill, etc)
• Needle and thread for hand stitching

Directions

1. Wash, dry, and iron your fabric. This is the least fun part, but trust me, it makes your end product look much better.

2. Fold your fabric in half, right sides together. (I took this photo after the fact, which is why this fabric is so wrinkly looking – the fabric I used for my pillows had been ironed – promise!)

3. Use a pencil to draw half a Christmas tree coming out from the fold. Remember in school when you’d cut out a heart shape – you’d fold the paper in half, then cut half a heart so that when you opened it up it made a whole heart? Yep, same thing here except a Christmas tree! Make the tree whatever size you’d like.

4. Cut out your shape, keeping the fabric folded in half as you do so. You’ll end up with this:

5. Open up your tree and lay it on top of the backing fabric, keeping right sides together.

6. Cut out the backing fabric to match the front fabric.

7. Pin your pieces together in preparation for sewing. Do not pin the bottom – this will be left open for turning and stuffing.

8. Sew all along the sides, about 1/2 inch in from the edge, leaving the very bottom of the tree open.

9. Turn the tree right side out through the opening at the bottom.

10. Stuff with filling to desired firmness/fluffiness. A wooden skewer or dowel rod can be helpful in pushing the stuffing into those tricky corners.

11. Hand stitch the bottom of the tree closed, turning the edges inward to create a clean edge. I used a simple straight stitch (not a whip stitch).

All done!

I hope you enjoyed this simple Christmas sewing project! You can add embellishments to your Christmas tree pillow if you desire. The dollar store had some cute Pom Pom trim that I thought about adding to another pillow, either all around the edges or tacking onto the front as a zigzag garland. Buttons as ornaments would be another really cute addition. I opted for plain trees right now as I have a baby who would love to pull all those decorations off. I also just like the simplicity!

Thanks for reading!

Blessings,
Melissa

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1. Buy your fresh Christmas wreath from a store that has handled it properly.

Any store that sells fresh Christmas wreaths should have them in a cool location, either outside or in a cool indoor spot. Don’t buy one that’s been hanging indoors next to a heating vent where it has most likely been drying out. Check your wreath before purchasing. It should feel flexible and fresh, not at all brittle or crispy, and should smell pleasant and fresh.

I have purchased fresh wreaths from both Trader Joe’s and Costco with good success. The one pictured here is from Trader Joe’s.

2. Immediately soak it in the tub.

As soon as you get your fresh Christmas wreath home from the store, place it in the bathtub (or large container) and fill with enough cold water that the greenery is covered. Be sure to use cold water, not warm! Soak for at least a few hours, or up to 24 hours for maximum effect. Drip dry before hanging.

3. Continued care for your fresh Christmas wreath

To keep your wreath looking its best, mist the back of the wreath with cool water every 2 days or so using a spray bottle.

Decorating a Fresh Christmas Wreath

A fresh Christmas wreath is lovely just as it is, but if you’re looking to dress it up even more, consider wiring in some of the following elements:

• Pinecones
• Dried citrus (oranges, lemons, limes)
• Cinnamon sticks, bundled
• Feathers
• Star anise pods
• Berries such as cranberries or juniper berries
• Velvet or satin ribbon
• Brass bells

I hope you get the opportunity to experience a fresh Christmas wreath this year! The beauty, elegance, and fresh aroma cannot be beat!

Want more Christmas and Winter inspiration? Check out my seasonal page here!

Blessings,
Melissa

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Each candle represents a different theme of Advent: Hope (purple), Love (purple), Joy (pink) on Gaudete Sunday, and Peace (purple). Sometimes blue is used instead of purple. The center white candle is lit on Christmas and during the Christmas season thereafter until Epiphany. I’m sure each tradition and denomination has its own variations, so just know that I’m speaking generally here from a Western Christian perspective.

Traditionally an Advent wreath is simply a wreath with candle holders in it. However there are many creative and inexpensive ways to make your own Advent wreath (commercial ones can be quite pricey!). Here are 5 simple ways to make your own lovely Advent wreath.

As with any project I share, please use your best judgment and proceed at your own discretion.
Never leave candles unattended and do not burn them all the way down to where the flame could come in contact with decor.

Advent Wreath #1: In a Bowl

For this wreath I found the biggest ironstone bowl I had. I cut pieces of floral foam to fit in the bottom of the bowl and scraped out circles with a butter knife to hold the candles where I wanted them. Then I filled in with Spanish moss, foraged pine cones, and dried oranges.

I love all the color and texture!

Create your own!

Advent Wreath #2: Wintry Neutral

This is actually the wreath I used for my family last year. The base is a vintage mirror I painted white – I love the pretty edge details and the way the mirror reflects the candlelight. The candles are being held by a metal candle holder ring I found in the Target dollar spot a few years ago. I disassembled a small glittery wreath my mom was getting rid of and tucked the pieces around the perimeter of the mirror.

For this particular wreath I used all white candles with a pillar candle in the center. I only had 2 of each height of taper, so just pretend they’re all the same height…although it does add a little extra interest I suppose.

Wreath #3: Traditional

This wreath is the most traditional of the bunch. Into an existing wreath I tucked little baby food jars full of sugar to hold the candles and a small ironstone bowl in the center to hold the pillar candle. If you want this wreath to be easily transportable, place it on top of a piece of wood or other sturdy tray.

Wreath #4: Wood Block

This one was probably the most fun to make. I got to use my husband’s drill press for it! This little chunk of wood is from our beloved backyard tree which we had to take down several years ago. I used calipers to measure the diameter of the candles, then drilled evenly spaced holes down the center of the wood.

I had to make the holes slightly larger than the candles, so I took little bits of my kids’ play dough and put it in each hole to help stick the candle in place. It worked great. You could just as easily use stick tack or a similar substance. A few sprigs of fresh greenery, pinecones, and dried oranges give it some added interest. Personally I think just the wood block by itself could look really cool in a minimalist sort of way too.

Wreath #5: Outside the Wreath (Box)

A rustic wooden box, like this one I got from Vintage Market Days, makes a neat cottage style Advent wreath.

I filled it with faux stems from the Target dollar spot (this year, 2022), cinnamon sticks, and pinecones. The baby food jars full of sugar are holding the candles in place, and dried Spanish moss is filling in the gaps and looking rustically lovely.

I hope this gave you some inspiration to create an Advent wreath of your own this year! I’d love to hear about your Advent traditions – drop me a comment below!

Blessings,
Melissa

This post contains affiliate links for which I may earn a small commission on qualifying purchases. Please click here for more details. I truly appreciate your support!

This post contains affiliate links for which I may earn a small commission on qualifying purchases. Please click here for more details. I truly appreciate your support!

This year for my Fall entryway decor I really wanted to create a sense of warmth, coziness, and charm while staying true to my desire for simple, uncluttered arrangements. I still like there to be a sense of order to things!

In recent years I had played around with some neutral Fall decor, but this year I went for all the warm, cozy Fall colors…and I’m loving it. Personally I think that’s the way Fall is meant to be. It’s the way I used to decorate for Fall before things like Instagram told me it wasn’t in vogue. I say do what pleases you – it’s your home. I’ve finally become confident enough in my own tastes to stick to that philosophy.

Fall Entryway Decor Tour

The Garland

Let’s cut right to the chase – the star of the show, in my opinion – this luxurious garland on the mirror! Ever since I hung a garland on this mirror for Christmas last year, I’ve been a little obsessed with having one on there. The Christmas one got extended into Valentine’s Day with the excuse it was red and the Spring garland got used all through Summer just because I liked it! When I needed one for Fall I hit up the craft store and started picking out bunches of things I liked, not really knowing how it would all come together.

That’s pretty much my typical system of shopping for florals – I pick whatever looks good knowing I can return what I don’t use as long as I don’t remove the tags. This is because I typically have one or more young children with me and don’t really have the luxury of time for making detailed decisions in the store.

To make the garland…

I started with a base layer of 3 of these stems. I wired them together using floral wire to create my main structure.

I find it the easiest to make my base layer on the floor, hang it on the mirror, then wire the rest of the pieces in while it’s hanging. That gives me the best feel for where I want things.

Next I wired in a mix of these Apple Spray Fall picks and these Orange Spray Fall picks. I alternated them to add interest and fullness. I probably had about 7 of them total.

Finally I cut apart 2 of these bushes and wired in clumps of the flowers wherever it seemed right.

The entire garland is held on the mirror by floral wire connected to command adhesive hooks which are stuck to the outside edge of the frame of the mirror. I have about 5 hooks on there. They are somewhat heavy duty hooks – can hold about a pound apiece I think. Don’t use the mini ones – they can’t hold the weight. Make sure you clean your mirror’s frame and let it dry before applying the hooks, and try not to tug too hard on them when wiring on your garland.

In case you’re wondering, this mirror is from Target. (And you can find that dress here.)

Moving on to other parts of the Fall entryway decor, we have a fun mix of vintage and new with all sorts of cozy textures.

When you want to create a sense of warmth, mix textures:
Woods, warm metals, paper, linens and knits, natural elements, ceramics, etc.

Vintage items instantly add character to any space. I just love this little wooden toolbox I picked up at an estate sale a few years ago. It works for any season and is great for piling full of natural elements like these mini pumpkins from Trader Joe’s and pinecones from my parents’ backyard.

I had a few stems left from the garland and put them in that little blue and white vase I picked up at Michael’s last year (sorry, not available online anymore). The blue and white adds a little freshness to all the dark. Lastly I stuck in a few vintage books which are also a great filler in nearly any setting.

Terrariums, like this one from Hobby Lobby, are a fun item to change out seasonally! To change it over to Fall I layered some moss in the bottom and then simply stacked a few mini pumpkins of varying colors in it. These are real pumpkins but you could certainly use faux. (Fun fact – the bottom right pumpkin grew in our garden this year!)

Speaking of pumpkins, I fell in love with this giant knit pumpkin at Target a few weeks ago. I pretty much stopped buying any new pumpkin related decor, but this one got me with all its big knit texture.

To create height and added texture, I stacked it atop some vintage baby quilts that I’ve found from thrift stores over the last year. The top quilt has Fall colors while the blue and white quilt complements the orange and ties in with the vase on top of the table.

A few weeks ago I went to Vintage Market Days and found this old ice cream bucket. I’d been hoping to find one of these for quite a while and was thrilled to find this dreamy white one! What a perfectly charming and rustic way to display any seasonal stems! I filed it with a mix of about 5 (total) of these stems and these stems.

Get the look…

Well that pretty well does it for our little tour! Our entryway is small so there’s just room for the table and mirror but it’s fun to dress them up with the seasons.

I hope you’ve enjoyed our little Fall Entryway Decor Tour and thanks so much for reading!

Blessings,
Melissa

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I adore this time of year – the weather hinting at the change of season, apple picking trips, and pumpkin hunting on the horizon. There is so much potential in the months ahead for fun outings, craft projects and decor, and yummy recipes. One of those fun activities is decorating a Fall porch!

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We have a very small front porch – in fact it’s more like a little concrete block. Even still I love to dress it up with all the mums, pumpkins, and lovely Fall decor! (Don’t ever let your circumstances dampen your creativity – there’s always something you can do with what you have to make it lovely!)

The other day my husband and I hit up a local nursery (shoutout to Thies Farm!) after going on a little lunch date. I picked up a few big mums in beautiful shades of purple and yellow. Then the kids and I visited Trader Joe’s a few days later and picked out a few smaller mums and tiny pumpkins. It’s become a tradition in our house to pick out some little white pumpkins for the kids to paint. I always grab a few for the front porch or around the house too, knowing that in the next few weeks we’ll visit the pumpkin patch for our larger pumpkins.

Tips to Decorate Your Fall Porch

I’ve heard that if you repot your mums into new pots with fresh soil they will last longer. I’ve never tried it, but I could see how that would be true. I don’t, however, have any spare pots large enough nor do I have any potting soil left. So I had to get creative because I really didn’t like the look of those little shiny plastic pots!

Here are 2 hacks for hiding ugly plastic mum pots:

1. Stick the whole thing in a basket, bucket, or crock.

The thrift store is a great place to find containers for your porch. Not only is there usually a great variety of baskets available, but you’re paying such a low fee for them that it’s less catastrophic if they get damaged by weather or [heaven forbid] someone takes them. That’s honestly why I’m a little hesitant to put something like a crock on my porch. We’ve never had anyone take anything like that, but you never know. You know your area best and what you feel comfortable placing outside.

If your mum is too short to stick up over the top of the basket or bucket, put a paver stone, upside down pot, sturdy plastic Tupperware container, or something similar in your basket and set the mum on it. Easy peasy! It instantly dresses up the mum and makes it look very classy!

2. Cover the plastic over with burlap or fabric.

Another way to hide ugly mum pots is to cover them with burlap or fabric. I used a cute sheet from the thrift store this year.

Just cut your fabric or burlap to size – I used pinking shears for a cute zigzag edge – and secure it around the top of your mum pot with a large rubber band. Trim any oddly big corners of fabric. If you don’t have a large enough rubber band you can cut several rubber bands and tie them together into a larger band. (Ask me how I know haha…) You want it to be pretty tight so it holds the material up but not so tight that it’s working its way back down the pot!

Then cut a length of burlap several inches wide, wrap it around the pot, hiding the rubber band, and tie in a bow. So easy and cute!

Try mixing and matching with the reverse – pots wrapped in burlap and tied with a fabric bow from the material you used on the other pots!

Create interest through grouping and variation.

Our eyes like to see things in groups, especially in odd numbers.

• Group your mums in odd numbers, vary their heights, and vary their colors within your chosen palette.
• Line up your little pumpkins in odd numbers on a ledge or bench.
• Stack your pumpkins in threes (choose flatter pumpkins with no stems for the bottom layers).
• Occasionally lean a pumpkin up against something else at an angle (mum, bigger pumpkin, bench leg) to create a sense of the unexpected and break up the vertical and horizontal lines.

When decorating a porch it helps to create height.

I’ve had this little indoor/outdoor bench in my living room for a few years now just sitting there holding a plant. I finally got the idea to try it out on our porch and I love it! It just fits at an angle next to our door and is perfect for holding mums and pumpkins!

• Use an outdoor-proof bench or chair to display your flowers and pumpkins. Put some items on the bench and some on the ground.
• Create variation in height by propping up mums inside of baskets and purchasing various sizes of mums.

Be mindful of the walking path and keep the door clear.

For everyone’s safety maintain a clear walkway so no one trips. Make sure you can get in and out of the door quickly and safely in the event of an emergency.

Thanks for joining me on my little decorating session!

I just love the orange of the pumpkins with my blue door and shutters! (Door and shutters are painted “Liberty Blue” by Fusion Mineral Paint.) Stay tuned for a Fall wreath very soon – I bought the supplies this morning!

Blessings,
Melissa

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