Tag: fall decorating ideas

5 Simple DIY Ideas for a Cottage Style Fall Porch Featuring Blue and White
DIY Crafts · Garden · Home Decor

5 Simple DIY Ideas for a Cottage Style Fall Porch Featuring Blue and White

deb@bluewillowlaneLeave a comment
My little front porch decked for the fall season

The air swirls briskly and the sunlight shines brightly as I sweep the summer cobwebs off of our little brick front porch today. What a gorgeous day to get ready for a new season! No matter what else is going on, the change in weather puts me in the mood to do something new and creative with our decor.

After a little arranging and re-arranging, our front door is now ready for fall and putting it all together was a wonderful way to spend a few hours. Most of the featured objects on the porch are DIY projects from earlier this month. Please see the end of the post for links to how-tos. 🙂

We have a huge patio in the back of our house, but our front door entrance has a really tiny brick porch. The small entryway offers a unique challenge for adding seasonal decorations. Working on this project, I found that adding varying heights was key to forming a balanced display in this small of a space.

Here are some decorating tips for a small front porch design:

  1. Go vertical with your design elements.

Since there is no space for a wide display, stack your items by placing them at varying heights. Here I have used a large urn as the background tallest element with willow twigs added to the pot for even more height, a thrifted shabby iron plant stand to hold my painted pumpkin, and pots of different sizes.

2. Limit your colors to a few harmonious shades.

In a small space, your design will have more impact and cohesiveness if you choose a harmonious color display. I decided to include shades of purple, plum, and green in my fall display with accents of blue and white.

3. Add unique and personalized touches.

I brought in my love for blue and white ceramics and decor pieces for my porch design. I hand-painted this pumpkin based on chinoiserie patterns and brought other blue and white touches including damask ribbon, other small chinoiserie pumpkins I created, and blue and white containers for plants. I also added cottage elements such as the mission style lanterns and the DIY cement leaves.

4. Add decorative elements to the wall surface or doorframe.

The doorframe itself may give you a spot to add to your seasonal display. This acorn and oak leaf plaque is a subtle and elegant addition to the porch decor. It provides some texture and adds to the autumn theme without overpowering the door wreath.

5. Make the door a focal point.

With a small porch design, the front door is definitely one of the main surfaces you have to work with. Make the most of it by choosing a wreath that fits your color scheme and the overall feel you are going for. I was going for a cozy bungalow shabby vibe, so I used the autumn hue hydrangea wreath I created recently and added a blue and white damask bow to carry through my color scheme.

Bonus tip: have someone keep you company and provide feedback on your work. 🙂

Mr. Bingley the Cavalier King Charles enjoys some fresh air between naps on the sofa.

DIY Projects used for the Porch:

Coppery hypertufa pumpkins post here.

Chinoiserie mini pumpkins post here.

https://bluewillowlane.com/2020/09/17/diy-chinoiserie-chic-mini-pumpkins/

DIY hydrangea wreath post here

https://bluewillowlane.com/2020/09/14/make-a-beautiful-autumn-hued-wreath-from-dried-hydrangea/

I also made some leaf castings using instructions from this great blog. I painted a couple of them to go with my fall display.

What a super fun project this was, and a wonderful way to welcome in the new season! Now when I go out the front door in the morning and it’s chilly and not summer anymore, I will have some cheerful cottage decor to put a smile on my face. 🙂

Have a beautiful day, and do something creative! 🙂

Shop the Look:

Nearly Natural Hydrangea Wreath
House number plaque
tall white plant stand
cottage solar lanterns
blue and white ceramic planters
large urn planter
willow twigs
A Rainbow of Twelve Amazing Fall Wreath Ideas
Cozy at Home · DIY Crafts · Home Decor

A Rainbow of Twelve Amazing Fall Wreath Ideas

deb@bluewillowlaneLeave a comment

Nothing says warm and welcoming like a beautiful fall wreath. A front door wreath can set the tone and the color scheme for the rest of your fall front porch design elements, so it’s a really important decision. I hopped online today for some color inspiration, and I was amazed by the variety of beautiful wreath ideas out there.

If you enjoy creating your own wreaths, these are great inspiration. If you want a beautiful wreath delivered to your door, all of these are available on Amazon!

I love how all of the wreaths contain fall elements unmistakable to the season, but they also each have an awesome color harmony with the materials that are used.

Here are a few ideas for your own color theme wreath creations.

Red: berries, fall leaves, peppers, mums, fruit

Orange: berries, fall leaves, mini pumpkins, gourds

Yellow: wheat, sunflowers, strawflower, pears, mums

Green: lamb’s ear, eucalyptus, bay leaves, green apples, cotton

Blue/Indigo: asters, lamb’s ear, statice, hydrangea

Violet: berries, cabbage, kale, mums, succulents

I’m still working on my little front porch ideas, but these gorgeous wreaths get me motivated!

Click on each photo for information about each wreath. (contains affiliate links)

Have a beautiful evening and enjoy some Fall colors! 🙂

Fall Red Berry Wreath
Golden Hues Wheat Wreath
Sage Green Fall Wreath
Lamb’s Ear with Pinecone Wreath
Vibrant Bittersweet Wreath
Yellow Floral and Eucalyptus Wreath
Neutral Tones Fall Wreath
Autumn Plum Tones Wreath
Orange Autumn Bounty Wreath
Fall Fruit and Floral Wreath
Blue Sunflower Wreath
Fall Succelent Wreath

Hello Fall! Fresh Fall Boho Chic Decor Finds Delivered Straight to You
Cozy at Home · Home Decor · Uncategorized

Hello Fall! Fresh Fall Boho Chic Decor Finds Delivered Straight to You

deb@bluewillowlaneLeave a comment

Click on photos for details

Awesome accents and updates for fall home decor. Mid Century Modern with a Bohemian twist!

Post contains affiliate links. Please see about page for full info. I do so much appreciate you reading and supporting my blog!

Have a beautiful day, and add a little boho to your life! 🙂

Hello Fall! Gorgeous Neutral Fall Decor Delivered Straight to You
Cozy at Home · Home Decor

Hello Fall! Gorgeous Neutral Fall Decor Delivered Straight to You

deb@bluewillowlaneLeave a comment

Peaceful neutrals for fall are definitely trending this year and with good reason. Most of us want our homes to feel like a sanctuary and a safe haven right now, a place that welcomes you to sit down and relax without a lot of fuss.

I’m really loving these woodsy farmhouse feel home finds. The candles that look like birch logs…the wise owl….rustic wood arrows and beaded chandelier….that gorgeous fireplace……all combined with fall accents of acorns, pumpkins, and a beautiful wreath. I also love that hint of sage green added to the mix.

I’ve become a huge fan of online shopping this year because we have a family member at-risk for more serious complications of covid so we minimize his risk. Home ordering and delivery is really a convenience I’m thankful for right now.

Click on each item to find out details. 🙂

Post contains affiliate links. I really appreciate you supporting my blog! See about page for more information.

Have a beautiful day, and try something that brings you peace and joy! 🙂

DIY Chinoiserie Chic Mini Pumpkins
DIY Crafts · Home Decor

DIY Chinoiserie Chic Mini Pumpkins

deb@bluewillowlane1 Comment

Like to Doodle? You Can Create A Beautiful Fall Decor Piece For Your Home

Okay so I have a long, long love affair with Asian style design, art, and porcelain pieces. Hence my blog name. And my overflowing china cabinets. 🙂 Chinoiserie Chic is a huge trend right now in home decor, and honestly it’s enough to make me want to redo my whole house.

But for today, I’m going to settle for four mini pumpkins. I love creative projects, and I have to say, this one really brought me joy to work on and I’m so happy with the results. Even with their imperfections, the pumpkins are unique works of art that were created by me.

This is a super low-stress project. Just get a few pumpkins, some really good fine tip permanent markers, some inspiration from your china dishes or a quick google search of chinoiserie prints, and spend a couple of hours creating. So de-stressing and relaxing! The only downside to my pumpkins is I made mine out of real mini white pumpkins and now I’m wishing I had used artificial white pumpkins so I could have kept these through Thanksgiving and for next year!

If you want to try this project, I recommend you consider buying some small pumpkins, spray painting them with chalk paint, doing your marker design, and then sealing them. That way you will have them for years to come, unlike me who will have to say goodbye to my little pumpkins in a few weeks.

Here are the step by step instructions for creating these little beauties.

This post does contain affiliate links at no cost to you. Please see about page for full details and thank you very much for reading my post.

Supply List

Pumpkins

White Chalk Paint

Krylon Clear Finish

Bic Ultra Fine Tip Permanent Markers

  1. Select your small white pumpkins. See my previous note about using artificial pumpkins.
  2. If you are using real pumpkins, seal them with polyurethane or another sealer first so that you have a nice smooth surfact to work on.
  3. If you are using artificial pumpkins, spray them with white chalk paint.
  4. Allow to dry thoroughly. I waited for a day before I started on my design.
  5. Decide on what designs you want to use. I made two pumpkins inspired by hydrangea and chrysanthemum motifs similar to some beautiful Asian-inspired wallpaper I saw online. I made one based on a traditional cherry tree painting, and one taking its design elements from blue willow china.
York Wallpaper
Spoonflower Wallpaper

Churchhill Blue Willow Dishware

Blossom Painting

4. Using a fine tip marker in a color you would like to have throughout your design, draw the basic elements. I used this wonderful set of fine tip markers which gave me a huge variety of colors to work with. The great thing about the Asian motifs I used is that they are fairly simple–geomentric shapes, curved lines, flowers, and leaves. I used a brown marker for the outlines on two of them and the black for the blossom branch design. For the blue willow design I only used a couple of the shades of blue.

5. Once you have a rough outline, go back and fill in with the colors you want in your design.

6. Look back over the design and see where it could use some depth. Use another color to add a bit to some sections. For example, on some of my light green leaves, I added some purple.

7. Spray the pumpkins with a light coat of sealer.

That’s it! Such a fun project! Easier than I thought and great results! I hope you will give it a try and let me know how yours turned out and post your picture!

Have a beautiful day and create something that makes you happy! 🙂

Make A Beautiful Autumn Hued Wreath From Dried Hydrangea
DIY Crafts · Home Decor

Make A Beautiful Autumn Hued Wreath From Dried Hydrangea

deb@bluewillowlane1 Comment

DIY Hydrangea Wreath

Hydrangea is such a beautiful flower! I keep adding more and more of them to my home landscape! Several years ago we traveled to Maine for a family vacation, and I came back inspired to add even more after viewing so many charming New England homes surrounded by the striking shrubs. Now, I have my own supply of hydrangea blossoms that are terrific for preserving and using in crafts. If you have some too, give it a try! The dried flowers can last for a year, so the effort to DIY a pretty wreath or arrangement is definitely worth it!

How TO DRY Hydrangea

I have used two methods for drying hydrangea stems. The first is air drying in bunches and the second is drying in a vase with some water. Either way, you should cut the hydrangea stem with about 8-12 inches of stem and remove the leaves.

For air drying, tie the branches singly or in small bunches and hang them upside down in a dry place, like an attic. For my wreath, I just got a bunch of my dried flowers out of the attic, and they were ready to go.

Another option is to put the flowers in a vase with water halfway up the stems. Simply let the water evaporate and the flowers will be dry. This will take about two weeks or so.

Flowers drying in a vase of water.

Making the Wreath: Step By Step

Supplies Used For Project:

Grapevine Wreath Base

Dried Flowers

Wire

Pink, Purple, Copper, and Green Spray Paint

Many of my flowers were dried from last year and mainly looked golden brown, so I decided to spray paint some of them to get the color tones I wanted. This was very easy. I just spread the flowers out on some cardboard and gave them a fine mist of paint (outdoors for ventilation) to give them some subtle color. I used pink, purple, copper, and green.

You will need a grapevine wreath base for this project. Once your flowers are dry, start at one position on the circle and begin filling in with flowers. The stems of hydrangeas are pretty tough, and if you have long enough stems, you can just weave them through the vine. That’s how I attached a lot of the flowers. They can be secured with florist wire where needed. Just gently wrap some wire around the stem being careful not to break the flower, and use the wire to help hold the flower in place. I had a few flowers that broke off the stems, so I just affixed them with a glue gun. That’s another method that works, too.

Hold your wreath up to see if the fullness is pretty equal all around, and add more flowers where needed. With the materials being natural, it’s never going to be perfect, but that’s what makes your own creation unique.

Twist a loop of wire on the back of the wreath to form a hanger.

That’s all there is to it! What a beautiful and rewarding project! I can’t wait to get everything together for my Fall front door display this year, and see how everything comes together!

HAVE A BEAUTIFUL day, and try something creative! 🙂

DIY Fall Decor: Coppery Hypertufa Pumpkin Sculpture
DIY Crafts · Home Decor

DIY Fall Decor: Coppery Hypertufa Pumpkin Sculpture

deb@bluewillowlane1 Comment

Making Art With Hypertufa

Aren’t outdoor sculptures so striking? The effect of a well-chosen outdoor accent can really add to the beauty and charm of outdoor spaces. I have been wanting to try some concrete projects for years, but I finally decided to give it a try this week. Creating something out of hypertufa, a mix of concrete, perlite, and peat moss, turned out to be a cool project with some pretty nice results. Since this was my first try, I definitely want to play around with it and see what else I can come up with and refine the technique a little. 

For this project, I made a set of coppery pumpkins. They’re a cute little accent and you could use them indoors, on your porch, patio, or front steps.  The fun part is deciding whether to leave them as-is or decorate them!

Supplies:

Portland Cement

Perlite

Peat Moss

Water

Trowel

Rubber bands

Tights or pantyhose

Dust mask

If painting copper-

Spray paint (I used Krylon fusion copper metallic)

For verdigris highlights: acrylic paints in green, gray, and antique gold

  1. Mix the hypertufa

Wear a dust mask. Mix equal parts portland cement, perlite, and peat moss in a large bucket. Gradually add water, possibly up to one equal part. Mix in very slowly so you are controlling the consistency. It should not be crumbly but it cannot be too watery. It should be like a moldable mud texture. 

  1. Cut a section from a leg of pantyhose. To make a larger pumpkin, use a long section and start at the top of the leg. Tie a knot at the bottom of the pantyhose.
  2. Stuff the pantyhose with hypertufa. Really squish it in there and pat it around to make a good pumpkin shape. I made a couple that were too flat when finished because I didn’t stuff in enough hypertufa, so you want to keep filling it in, forming it, and making it rounded as you go. When you have a shape you like, tie another knot. 
  3. Use rubber bands around the whole thing to form indentions like the sections of a pumpkin. Your rubber bands will be like slices of pie or spokes of a wheel. 
  4. Let your pumpkins dry without disturbing them for 4 days.
  5. Cut off the rubber bands and pantyhose, and you’re done!
  6. If you want to, you can decorate the pumpkin. I decided to give mine an aged copper look. I spray painted them with Krylon fusion copper metallic.

For the smaller one, I added some shading for a verdigris effect. I used folk art acrylic paints in dark green and gray, mixed together for various shading, and also added some antique metallic gold. 

I’m going to be trying some more cement projects, so I’ll let you know how they turn out. The possibilities for making your own decorative pieces with this stuff are endless!

Have a beautiful day and try something new and creative! 🙂

DIY Crafts · Home Decor

DIY Fall Folk Art Vase Fun and Easy Project

deb@bluewillowlane1 Comment

Time to get ready for fall festivities! Whether you plan to cook a meal at your home or are looking to have something to drop off at grandma’s, this is a fun DIY project. When finished, the vase has a hand-painted look because of the combination of paint and decoupage. Kids can help with the acrylic paint and decoupage steps.

Supplies:

Glass cylinder vase

Metallic spray paint

Seasonal napkins

Modge Podge

Acrylic Craft Paint, various colors

Acrylic craft paint, metallic to match spray paint

Step 1- Make sure the glass vase is clean and dry

Step 2- Spray paint the vase according to instructions on the paint can. Only do this outdoors or in a well-ventilated area. 

Step 3- Choose a seasonal napkin. I always have a bunch of fun napkins around because I just like to change up the table for the season. I chose a Spode woodland turkey napkin because it went with the look I was going for, but you could use anything. Make sure you are only working with one layer. Carefully affix the napkin where you would like it placed using modge podge or polyurethane. 

Step 4- Paint a decorative folk-art inspired border around the top. I did a simple vine and bud design in colors that coordinated with the napkin illustration. Once I had the basic design, I went back and added a little gray to places to make it look slightly shaded.

Step 5- add highlights with metallic paint. I added some small gold highlights here and there on the turkey design napkins. I also painted some blue over top of parts of the decoupage to add to the folk art hand-painted look.

Step 6- coat with polyurethane. I coated the whole thing with spray-on clear poly (outdoors) to give it all a unified texture. 

The great thing about this project is it doesn’t need to look perfect! I wanted a folk art look, so I’m happy with the primitive style painting. If the decoupage isn’t perfect, it’s also getting some paint and poly. 

This was an easy, fun project.

Have a beautiful day, and try something creative! 🙂

The Martha Manual
The Creature Garden
Paper Craft
Imagine A Forest

Home Decor · Uncategorized

Simple Fall Decor: One Art Glass Pumpkin, Five Great Looks

deb@bluewillowlaneLeave a comment

Are you looking for some super simple Fall decorating ideas? I love changing things up for each new season, and this amber art glass pumpkin is my go-to for an Autumn update. I bought it a couple of years ago, and I have found it to be extremely versatile because of its classic shape and warm, neutral color. It’s at home anywhere you want a little bit of seasonal cheer, from the dining room centerpiece to the entryway, this piece works with anything.

Here are a few ideas to take your basic autumn decorative accents and combine them with other elements to create a multitude of looks.

For an entry table display, I combined the art glass pumpkin with mini metallic pumpkins and a vintage red yellow amberina Jeanette “Louisa” pattern carnival glass pedestal bowl. The result is a bright, traditional foyer that unmistakably welcomes in the new season.

This bright, cheery Bohemian entry table combines the art glass pumpkin with dried flowers in vibrant gold, fuchsia, and cobalt and a pretty aqua blue Fenton bud vase.

This glass pumpkin combines well with white accessories. Here we used an oversized letter with a bird and flower motif as well as some fresh white blooms.

Combine the pumpkin with a light-up marquee arrow, a fun welcome sign, and a vintage-style birdcage votive candle holder for a fun retro look.

The amber color of the pumpkin glass looks fantastic with natural elements and textures. Natural twig orbs, polished river stone, leaded glass votives, and bird figurines complete the look.

Have a Beautiful Day And Get Creative with Decor!