Virginia Beach Housewife: It's Fall Y'all!

When we returned home from Florida Sunday afternoon, it was like someone had literally turned on a switch and declared it Fall! Sure, it was literally, technically the first day of fall, but even more noticeable were the actual changes. Temperatures were cool...cool enough to wear jeans and long sleeves! We noticed a lot of the leaves had started to change colors. And there were leaves on the ground too. All of a sudden pumpkin spice lattes...or anything pumpkin for that matter...seemed totally appropriate...and necessary!
So, when the kids headed off to school Monday morning, I decided it was high time to get our decor fall ready. Truthfully, I had attempted to start the process before we left. But I just couldn't seem to get it right: too bland, too dark, too busy, too bling-y, etc. Maybe it was because I just wasn't quite feeling fall yet, though, because this time it just all seemed to come together! A little mix of bling (with the gold pumpkins and glittered leaf garland), natural (with the burlap stuffed pumpkins, twigs, and wheat), and a touch of dark (with the pinecones). It just may be my favorite mantle I've done yet!

I had a few pumpkins and other fall-themed items of yore left over, so I decided to scatter some of them throughout the living room.

I shamelessly copied this blinged out pumpkin from Pinterest by hot gluing mardi gras beads. Honestly, I'm not too sure how I feel about it, but it's staying.

Our kitchen also got a little treatment with a spray-painted yellow twig pumpkin and some candy corn (which the boys have grown very fond of...Levi has even learned how to pull a chair over to climb up and get some...super!).

I tend to do a lot of clear vases with seasonal fillers on a mantle. But this time, I was actually pretty determined not to do that! Which left me with a bunch of painted pinecones (from last year) that I figured would work well in our dining room centerpiece. We have the orange tray and candles there year-round (unless other seasonal decor is in its place), so I just took some of the candles out, put the pinecones in, and called it a day.

Next to the mantle I think my other favorite spot was our console in the entryway. I typically shy away from decorating for holidays, instead opting to decorate for season. For one, it seems like a lot of energy for only a very short window of time. Plus, I feel like holiday decor can become corny quickly. But I plan to use our little console as my own little ode to holidays. For one, I can change out the saying on the chalkboard pumpkin to fit: "trick or treat" at Halloween, "give thanks" at Thanksgving...I know, crazy right?!? And I plan to convert the sticks into our own thankful tree during the month of November. So while the decor works for now, it will presumably be even better as the season goes by!

And before we conclude our decor tour, I should also show you our front door. I went with the classics (as in I think I've done the same thing for the past few years): mums and my homemade wreath. We will probably add some pumpkins here soon as well, but for now, we'll call it complete!