While I love the occasional seasonal addition of a bright, happy hue to my decor,
I am basically a vanilla girl.
Warm, soft neutral colors are my preferred palette,
and my go-to design choices year-round are always pale and soft,
like a melted bowl of vanilla bean ice cream with caramel sauce.
Great. Now I'm hungry!
So anyway, each Autumn, while everyone else is decking their haunted halls
with orange and rust and yellow, (or maybe black and purple)
I am creating serene, luscious, warm & cozy vignettes from shades of vanilla and brown sugar.
In Autumn, my Original Sweet Sweater Pumpkins in neutral tones are ALWAYS on the menu,
I am creating serene, luscious, warm & cozy vignettes from shades of vanilla and brown sugar.
In Autumn, my Original Sweet Sweater Pumpkins in neutral tones are ALWAYS on the menu,
(see some of the ways I have used them in the past here)
and this year is very, very vanilla....
and this year is very, very vanilla....
In one area of my office/studio, I have small wall shelves over a daybed.
These provide a canvas for an ever-changing seasonal display for my collected treasures.
These provide a canvas for an ever-changing seasonal display for my collected treasures.
Here on these shelves, my pumpkins nestle into containers of many kinds:
Creamy sweater pumpkins perch on top of
a rolled-up canvas military belt and an old roll of medical tape,
as well as in a little galvanized bucket.
My miniature clay pumpkins sit on the shelf and on the back of a vintage toy truck
(that reminds me of my Grandpa Ward's truck each time I look at it)
(that reminds me of my Grandpa Ward's truck each time I look at it)
Coffee mugs with my initials serve as pedestals for a sweater pumpkin
and a tiny 'found objects nest' that I made.
More sweater pumpkins simply sit on the shelves, paired with small ironstone pieces.
BTW, the 'bottom shelf' you see in the photo below?
Not a shelf, actually.
It's a wood window box turned sideways, sitting on top of a bookcase headboard.
Using it this way gave me added display space AND storage for the piece.
BTW, the 'bottom shelf' you see in the photo below?
Not a shelf, actually.
It's a wood window box turned sideways, sitting on top of a bookcase headboard.
Using it this way gave me added display space AND storage for the piece.
I simply MUST include a nod to my favorite year 'round decorative element: Mister Big Bear.
My mom gave him to me over 22 years ago,
My mom gave him to me over 22 years ago,
and he's been the go-to cuddle spot for sick kids and sick Deb,
has absorbed a LOT of tears on sad occasions,
and has charmed grumpy grandchildren into cheerfulness countless times.
He's family <3 ... and he doesn't mind being dressed up!
Follow my original tutorials to make your own:
Sweet Sweater Pumpkins
Mini Clay Pumpkins
He's family <3 ... and he doesn't mind being dressed up!
Follow my original tutorials to make your own:
Sweet Sweater Pumpkins
Mini Clay Pumpkins