Autumn Archives - Everyday Edits

Autumn Mantel for Thanksgiving

November 14, 2018

Quick question: do you say fall or autumn? In a conversation I say fall, but when I write I prefer to use the word autumn.

It makes me sound smarter. I feel like I have not settled into the Thanksgiving season. Why? because I continue to buy pumpkins everytime I run into the store for milk or creamer. It’s ironic my kids’ favorite book was Too Many Pumpkins, written by Linda White. In my little world, there is no such thing as too many pumpkins. Oh, coincidentally the author, Linda White, lives in Colorado.

Too Many Pumpkins was my youngest son’s favorite book during fall… I mean Autumn.

I justify the costs of pumpkins because they are in season from September -Thanksgiving. Pumpkins get way more attention than the Easter Bunny who is precariously squeezed between St. Patrick’s Day and Memorial Weekend.

But with manic pumpkin purchase frenzy, there is one space that is the same year after year. The mantel in our family room. It is the seasonal anchor and sets the tone for the rest of the house.

The family room mantel always offers a proper welcome. It’s the feature wall for the main level of our home. The mantel during Autumn is the one constant, year after year. It is familiar.

The Welcome Home sign is the year-round staple. It’s on the mantel for every season and holiday.

I ordered it online last year and it was love at first sight.

And the rest of the autumn mantel goes like this…

Lights, garland, faux pumpkins, wreath, lantern. Repeat. The last step is crucial because it bulks up the mantel with layers of pumpkins and lanterns and garland and more pumpkins.

May you all find that moment to capture the spirit of Thanksgiving. So before you carve up the turkey, try and carve out a little time for thanks.

Milk Can Makeover

October 6, 2018

It was love at first sight when I found this milk can at a garage sale last summer. I loved it so much I stashed in the garage for a year; overwhelmed with the decisions surrounding a milk can makeover. Some members of my family began to ask about the milk can’s squatter rights in our garage. I was in a full case of analysis paralysis with decisions on where to stage it, what to put on it and what color to paint this garage sale find.

These questions kept me up at night. And, the other question swirling in my head- could I pull off a jumper this spring season?

This might explain my analysis-paralysis.

Back to the isolated milk can stuck in the garage waiting for a makeover.

I finally decided to look to Pinterest for inspiration. Remember when our ideas came from magazines? If Pottery Barn or Target sold milk cans I could end this milk can makeover holding pattern today.

Milk Can Makeover Inspiration #1

Source: Pinterest Birch Landing Home

Inspiration # 1 was too close in color and style to my milk can. The milk can had a prettier paint finish than mine and I loved her milk can’s lid as an accessory.

Milk Can Makeover Inspiration #2

Source: Organized Clutter

The second milk can was my favorite for its simplicity and natural finish. Again, not an option for my milk can with layers of paint, but I loved the raffia on her milk can. Once again, Pinterest provided the inspiration to incorporate my version of raffia into my milk can makeover.

With Pinterest inspiration, I went in a totally different direction and decided to paint the milk can with this creamy white paint I used on this table.

I am obsessed with this berry garland I found at Michaels and may need to find a reason to grab a few more strands. And, the pumpkin was the perfect way to top off the milk can (my version of a lid).

I used a little bit of a grapevine wreath to wrap around the neck of the milk can. Grapevine garland or wreaths are my go-to for planters and baskets that need a little more weight.

I am so excited about how this milk can makeover turned out. And, the best part…moving it inside gave me more space in the garage for my next garage sale find!

Fall Dining Room Tour

October 3, 2018

The dining room table is the center of attention in our house so the Pinterest pressure was on to create something pin worthy.

I know I am a little late to the fall tour parties, but I blame it on tennis balls. I just finished women’s USTA tennis and my son is in the middle of his senior year and co-captain of his Varsity tennis team. You may see a few tennis balls during the fall dining tour.

A week ago, the dining room looked more like the tableware aisles at Homegoods at the end of the weekend. But, today the table is ready to mingle. Please take a peek at my fall dining room tour (before tennis racquets and sweaty uniforms take over the chaise.

Thankfully, the fall season comforts me with its familiarity and cozy spirit. And, apple and pumpkin scented candles help too.

Our dining room table is a member of our family. I shared the table’s history here. It carries the load when some of us don’t have the energy to drop our keys or lunch bags on the kitchen counter- four feet away.

The dining room is the one room that feels complete. Well, unless I look at the rug or the lack of lighting along the hutch.

When I found this hutch last fall I felt like the room matured overnight. I found it at Pottery Barn and shared the details here.

.I purchased the mirrors this past spring here; one at a time over the course of a few weeks.

Cash flow was one reason, but I also wanted to make sure I liked them before I ordered a 2nd.

I love these mirrors. Homegoods has a great selection of mirrors too. But, if you see one, it’s best to snag it.

After spending a few weeks pinning fall tablescapes and front porches I could no longer remember what I owned.

I love white pumpkins against the wood grain table. Oh and concrete.

And, is it just me or did Homegoods have a ton of fun pumpkins this season? Just when I didn’t think I needed (wanted) more pumpkins, Homegoods brings in shades of large green pumpkins and raffia pumpkins?

You all know what pumpkins I am talking about, right?

It’s scary that I remember the price of the large, solid shades of green pumpkins ($24.99), but I can’t remember the book title I am reading.

When in doubt; add a candle. Candles make everything look better when the lights are dimmed.

And simple fall stems mixed with branches are a great way to add a little vertical next to the large windows that overlook the backyard.

I loved this look so much I duplicated this look a few times around the house. When my accessories are all the same height this is a good way to take the eye up.

And, guess where I grabbed these dried grasses? Found them in the line to check out at Homegoods.

I wrapped a glass vase (from my own version of a Homegoods stock room) with twinkle lights.

Are they called twinkle or fairy lights?

Anyway, I wrapped a strand around the glass vase to add a little lighting to the dining room hutch.

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Move Over Pumpkins it’s the Apple Harvest Season

September 28, 2018

Do you know what I love most about the Hallmark movies? They make every season the star of the movie. With seasonal porches and aerial views of the town, the season is the main character. The cast becomes the backdrop to the setting and season. This time of year, at least one Hallmark storyline takes place in an apple orchard.

Because fall is all about the apple harvest.

Source: Stemilt

With a crispness in the air and the first sightings of sweaters, the apple harvest has officially begun. On a (daily) run to Kroger, I noticed their apple bins were loaded with apples, with shades of reds, yellows, and greens from the Northwest and central Washington orchards.

Apple Harvest Season

Source: Stemilt

I think I want to start my own apple orchard. Maybe Hallmark could write a movie about an empty nester couple who decide to quit their city jobs and move to the Northwest and take over retired couples apple orchard. I bet this apple orchard would let Hallmark film a movie.

In this movie in my head, I would play the lady who owns the bakery next to the orchard.

Or, maybe I will just buy a few pounds of SweeTango® apples.

These apples are the successor to the popular Honey Crisp apple variety. I did not know apples had successors.

With hints of fall spices, the SweeTango® apples smell like a pot of simmering apple cider. Kind of like the cider references in every Hallmark Autumn movie. Does anyone bake while watching Hallmark movies? I will inevitably gain five pounds during Hallmark’s fall premiere movie schedule.

Source: Stemilt

But, SweeTango® apples are sweet enough, with a little cinnamon, they could be a low cal substitute for the urge to bake during the Hallmark Saturday movie marathons.

SweeTango® apples have beautiful shades of blush, deep reds and a soft yellow backdrop on every apple.

I should know these colors because I photographed a crate of apples to practice my photography skills. Unlike my Bernese mountain dog, apples don’t get in my face when trying to photograph them; Photography is therapy and a hobby wrapped up into an hour when the house is still on a Saturday. Last weekend, I had my own apple harvest in my kitchen.

With cooler temps in the Denver forecast, I plan to make an Apple Crisp. Or maybe I’ll check out There’s an Apple for That for fun SweeTango® apple recipe ideas. And, after I bake an apple crisp I will search how to buy my own apple orchard and create my own version of a Hallmark movie.

disclosure: Product was provided to me by Stemilt’s SweeTango® in exchange for this post.

All opinions are my own. Please see my disclosure page for more information.

Broken Branches in the House

October 12, 2017

Denver got our first snow the other day. It was more like spring snow; heavy, wet and sloppy. And, most importantly, not enough for a snow day. So I didn’t venture into the back patio until the day after. And, I literally walked into a patio filled with huge broken branches. Although the branches looked like it appeared from out of nowhere the reality was the tree had trimmed itself and left me a gift on our new patio.

Broken Branches

So these broken branches were my chance to recreate something I JUST saw on Insta yesterday. I have a thing for branches like last year when I parked in front of an arborist and his crew loaded freshly cut Denver branches into the back of my car. Except those, branches I cut into slices.

But, these huge broken branches were worthy of center stage. And, I never would have thought to do this if I had not seen Cami’s amazing Instagram photo. I think she got like 55K likes. My branches and her leaves deserved a second chance.

So, I dragged the branch into the house and plopped it into my garage sale find milk can. That’s it.

Sidenote: My dogs were outside with me and I am sure they exchanged glances when they saw me drag the tree branch into the kitchen. Likely thing, “This lady is crazy and why does she get to drag branches in and we can’t.” again.”

And, the best part of the broken branches in my family room? The leaves just… on a whim.

Milk Can Makeover Inspiration #1

Milk Can Makeover Inspiration #2

Apple Harvest Season

Broken Branches

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