Sometimes the Grass Really Is Greener on the Other Side

A while back I set up a little cozy, fall  'scape out on the porch.

A few weeks before creating that little tablescape, I had purchased some real acorns on Amazon.  They were reasonably priced  and perfect for  fall.  (You'll find more pics of this fall tablescape HERE.)

The funny thing is, I have a HUGE oak tree in my front yard.

But for some crazy reason, 99.9% of the acorns it drops look like this.  They almost never still have their little acorn hats attached.  Yep, I have bald acorns in my front yard.  Bald acorns just don't get it for decorating.  The squirrels really enjoy them, though.

A few days ago I walked up to the end of my driveway to fetch the mail and it was like manna from heaven.  All around my mailbox the ground was covered in the prettiest, plumpest acorns you've ever seen.  They looked nothing like the acorns I find under my oak tree.  I looked around trying to figure out from whence this acorn blessing had come.  I decided they had to be from this huge oak tree across the street.

I was so excited!  I picked up as many as I could stuff into my pockets that day.  The next day I went back out with a gallon baggie to collect more. I only found a few more on my side of the road.  I eyed the ones lying in the street and on the sidewalk across the street.  I got brave and decided it was okay to pick up those, too.   While I was outside making like a squirrel and gathering my acorns, my neighbor (owner of this most amazing oak tree) came home.  Her sweet daughter helped me fill up my bag with acorns from the sidewalk.  Aren't they just the cutest things ever?  It's so amazing to me how different acorns can be from one oak tree to the next.  Do you find this amazing or am I just weird? Okay, I'm probably just weird. lol

 Sometimes the grass acorn really is greener prettier on the other side of the fence street.

Do you have an oak tree in your yard? If so, does it drop bald acorns like my oak tree or do you get pretty ones like the ones that fall from my neighbor's tree?

Autumn Comes to the Porch

I've been playing outside today, bringing a little fall to the porch.  During the summer it looks something like this. (See the porch during summer, HERE.  View this tablescape HERE or click on Tablescapes at the top of this blog and scroll down to the "Floral" table setting category.)

Because the porch is all white (for the most part) it's a blank slate for anything you can dream up.  For the 4th of July, it looked like this. (4th of July porch, HERE.)

It was time to add a little "fallness"  to the porch.

I couldn't decide where I wanted the ribbon-covered pumpkin.

(Tutorial for pumpkin can be found HERE.)  It started out behind the swing.

I was trying to capture the late afternoon sun coming in across the shimmery be-ribboned pumpkin.   Instead, the screen in the window gave the pumpkin an odd textured, bulls-eye look.   lol  Not quite what I had in mind.

The wall to the right of the swing definitely needed something.

So I stole the wreath from my fall decorated mantle in the family room.

Somehow Halloween crept out onto the porch.  Love the title of this book.  Can you guess what it's about?  Hint:  It's about "sick" people like me.  ;)  You'll find it at Amazon, HERE.

I love sunflowers.  It's just about impossible to stare at sunflowers and be unhappy at the same time.  I picked these up at the market earlier today.  They are a little different from the ones I normally buy.  I LOVE their frilliness.

I couldn't decide what to do with the hutch.  It started out with a faux leaf garland across the top, but I eventually removed it.  It just felt a little too busy.  (Hutch painting tutorial HERE.)

I swapped out the summer platter that normally hangs above the hutch, for this one with fall colors.

Swapped the summer china on the hutch for plates with more of an autumn feel.  Started with this lantern...

...but ended with this one.  Umm, I think I like them both on the hutch. The floral arrangement on the door is the same one I used last year for fall, HERE.

The only thing I purchased for fall this year was a lantern from Old Time Pottery.  I was inspired by the beautiful lanterns from Pottery Barn in THIS post.

This shabby, old chair holds a sunny red geranium all summer.  (Old chairs make great plant stands.)

For fall, it's sporting a sunshine yellow Chrysanthemum.

If you could grow sunshine in the garden, this is what it would look like.

A view yesterday as the sun began to go down.  I feel an attack of hot cocoa coming on, don't you?  The only question is, one dollop of whipped cream, or two?

Happy Fall!  See you tomorrow for Tablescape Thursday!

Links referenced in this post:
Summer Porch
4th of July Porch
Summer Tablescape with Magnolia Centerpiece
Ribbon Pumpkin Tutorial
Hutch Painting Tutorial
Family Room Mantel Decorated for Fall
Pottery Barn Porch with Black Lanterns
Lantern on wicker coffee table and tealight lantern on hutch are from Colonial Candle

Warming Up on the Porch: Welcome to the 163rd Tablescape Thursday!

Cool fall nights are perfect for hot chocolate out on the porch.

Where would you like to sit?

How about on the swing?  There's a soft, warm blanket to keep you warm and a great book awaits.

The late afternoon sun is so wonderful streaming in across the porch.

The evening breeze carries the rich scent of the fall candle.

Autumn leaves hold the napkins and spoons for our hot chocolate.

 

Looking for some inspiration for a fall tablescape?   Click HERE for more fall table settings.  Click HERE for a tutorial on hiding swing chains.  Click HERE for a tour of the porch.

China: Pier 1, 2-3 years ago, Previously used in THIS table setting
Tray: IKEA, recently (Visible more clearly in THIS post)
Flatware: Horchow, 6 months ago (Still available)
Leaf Napkin Rings:  Kohl's (I think) 3 years ago
Glass and Ceramic Pumpkin: Hobby Lobby, 3 years ago
Lantern: Provided by Colonial Candle (Still available)
Real Acorns are from Amazon (still available)

To receive the latest posts, as well as updates about blog parties, subscribe via an RSS Reader or have BNOTP delivered right to your Inbox.  You'll find links to subscribe via RSS and Email on the sidebar to the right.  Thanks for reading; so glad you are here!

Reading this post via e-mail or RSS feed?
*If you are reading this via email or RSS feed, to view all the tablescapes linked for Tablescape Thursday, click HERE.



Please Read:
If you are participating in Tablescape Thursday, please be sure to add your permalink below, and not your general blog address. To get your permalink, click on your post name, then just copy and paste the address that shows up in the address bar, into the "url" box when you link up.

If you would like to use the Tablescape Thursday logo button in your post, just copy and paste it to your computer and upload it to your post as you would any photo. Or, grab the html code you'll find under the "Join a Party" heading at the top of this blog.

Please link back to the party so your regular readers will find all your fellow Blogger's tablescapes, too.

Please, don't add your post name/blog name ALL IN CAPS...it tends to create big spaces between the rows of links. Thanks!

Let's try something fun today! Please visit the person who linked before you and after you...that way everyone will get some visits. Hope you'll visit more, of course.


Welcome! Thanks for coming to the party!

Playing in the Office

For last week's Metamorphosis Monday, I shared a couple of ideas I had for this big ole blank wall above the seating area in the office.  (If you're new to reading BNOTP, you can follow the evolution of this room from a child's bedroom to an office in THIS post.)

I've decided to keep the mirror that's a wee bit too big (for now) as well as the clock.

Instead of hanging the mirror, for now I'm just letting it rest atop the chest.  If I find one I like better later, I won't feel bad replacing this one since it was a great buy at only $20 from Marshalls.  It may even end up in a bath renovation around here one day.

Something tells me this wall will change with time.  I may move the clock up or down or to the left or right and add something additional to this wall space.  I've just started with a few things I thought I wanted for this area (mirror and large clock face) and I'm gonna take it from there. :)  Nothing is in concrete...but I do like the way this looks, so far.

I'm sharing a lot of pics in this post.  I know I share a lot of photos in posts here at BNOTP, but that's because each one offers a little something different...like a view of the chandelier in the mirror.  It's those little things that make me happy. :)

I haven't been shopping at A Classy Flea in several weeks.  The fever struck on Saturday, so a shopping I did go.

I found something I couldn't resist.

Beautiful silver candlesticks.  Do you hear that?   That's the sound of my heart beating faster at the sight of shiny silver.  ;)

Come a bit closer and look at the detail.  I was so excited to find these for just $20 for the pair!  Love that Flea!

I snipped a few mums from the arrangement I used for THIS fall tablescape.  They gave the office a touch of autumn.  

I love this old, worn and well-loved silver piece.  It doesn't have any monetary value, just lots of sentimental value since it was used every day on the dinner table in the home of Chip's great grandparents.  You can see the silver plate has worn completely away in spots.  That makes it all the more special and I wouldn't change one tiny worn spot, even if I could.

I've always loved the history and tradition behind silver.  You can read more about this at Silver Magpies.  BNOTP is fortunate to have a specialist in the field of silver as a Sponsor.  If you have any questions, I'm sure Nancy will be happy to help.

It's funny because I hadn't planned to use so much silver in the office but the hardware on the Pottery Barn Bedford office furniture has steadily sent me down that path.  Have you noticed it never works fighting a design.  Sometimes you just have to go where the room or furnishings are taking you.

The lamp you see on this little chest actually belongs HERE in the dining room.  I'm borrowing it for the office until I find something I love as well for this spot.  That may be a while.

Found this wonderful old clock at Fleu de Coop ages ago.   Amazingly, it still works, but it has to be wound every.single.day.  Just think, we used to have to wind our alarm clocks every day!  It was probably a nice little bedtime ritual, although, it's a pretty noisy way to awaken. lol

I had fun today playing with different pieces here on the this little chest.  I don't always know what I will want to use or put together.  But once I see it, I usually know if it works.  You know just what I mean, don't you?

Sometimes it's a big silver heart...

And sometimes it's an old timey clock.

What have you been playing with in your home today?   Are you having a little fun changing your decor for the seasons?