Getting a jump on Fall

Cooler temperatures are reviving us here, and we are enjoying the special glow of autumn sunshine. While the gardens haven't started winding down yet, it's time to start thinking of fall crafting, so here are a few of our favorite Fall / Autumn / Thanksgiving ideas to get you started.

There are lots of ways to make fabric pumpkins, but we love the look of these from The Cottage Home. They offer a wonderful fall fabric pumpkin tutorial.

I saw some resin copies of fabric pumpkins while visiting Hobby Lobby, and they were "pieced" from various "fabrics" ... some of them having words relating to thankfulness written on them. I'm thinking I may do a transfer to fabric (or possibly just save a step and make things easy and write on the fabric by hand) and make sectioned, quilted fabric pumpkins as well. If I do, I'll post a tutorial for those, since I'll have to develop a pattern.

I was looking for inspiration for an Autumn mantel decoration and stumbled across this photo ...


I love the lighted garland shown here. I think I will incorporate something like this in my mantel this year.

And several things about this mantel really caught my eye ...



I like the wreath raised up providing some background, and the contrast and open bareness (appropriate for the season) of the wire house-cage for the pumpkin. The statuettes are nice as well. And I like the use of clear glass with colored food elements. My glass containers are different, and I think I may opt for layers of colorful Indian corn and beans, but this one provides a lot of inspiration.


And if you want to get the kids involved in helping make table decorations, this fall leaf candle jar turns out super-cute and is easy enough for older kids to complete on their own, or younger ones to make with help.

We hope you enjoy some of our favorite things from a web tour. As we make more crafts for the season, we'll post them here along with instructions.