early fall floral tablescape

ah, September... a fickle month that can't decide if it's summer or fall!

even between seasons,
nature never fails to delight me with new color combinations and moods,

providing endless inspiration for decorating...

inspired by a piece of fabric that evokes a late summer garden,
this tablescape includes some fall elements along with summer flowers and herbs.
it's easy to pull together a pretty table - just look outside for inspiration!

continue reading for some easy table decor tips...

'paint chip' painted pumpkins

a recent post shared the paper paint chip pumpkins i made, 

and this project was hatched at the same time!

three styrofoam pumpkins were easily painted in the same style as paint chips,

and the multi-hued stripes just make me smile.

continue reading for tips on how to make these easy painted pumpkins...

fall decorating in gradient tones

September rolls around and it's supposed to be 'everything Pumpkin Spice'.
but honestly, that's a stretch when it's still triple-digit summer heat outside - 
sometimes our geographic location just doesn't vibe with popular seasonal decor
and it's time to get outta' that box!

rather than go full-on with leaves and pumpkins everywhere, 

i came up with a way to use what i had on hand with a fresh look:

arranging my stash of pumpkins in a color gradient.

while the color spectrum runs from clear to brown,

arranging things this way gives a 'fall feel' with a bit of whimsy.

continue reading to see how easy this approach is!

paper 'paint chip' pumpkins

these happy pumpkins sprang into my head one night,

and i couldn't wait to get into my studio the next day to try them out!

last spring, i shared a few projects that are based on paint chips.

although the first project - hearts - was made from real paint chips (from a client's decor project)
i then came up with a way to make my OWN paint 'chips': paint them on paper!

not only is it a perfect way to get the right colors for a specific use,

it also assures that i always have as many as i need if a project expands
(frequently!) or needs a do-over (sometimes!).
.
continue reading for details on making your own painted paint chip paper

AND the things i've made with them this year!