Mum's the Word

{martha stewart}

I awoke this morning to a very chilly house. It was the first morning where I really didn't want to get up and out from under my very warm down duvet. That, to me, is a tell-tale sign that summer has left us for the duration here in Ohio.

So, to celebrate the transition into my hands-down, fave-o season, I'm thinking of doing something festive at our front door. We're nearly finished painting our front door black and I think a nice autumnal vignette will set it off nicely. Perhaps a bale of hay and a few pumpkins will come to this party, but nothing says 'Autumn!" to me the way chrysanthemums do. They're a must! Oh, how I love a big potted hardy mum in burgundy or gold. (P.S. Right now, Kroger has some gorgeous mums and Meijer has huge hay bales for less than $10.

However excited we both get at our favorite season, there is one rule we began years ago and have adhered to (surprisingly) very well: All fall season and/or holiday decor and related items cannot be displayed until October and not a day before (same goes for buying Halloween candy, which is a blessing, truly.) I don't remember why we started that rule, but it seems to work for us and let's us enjoy the final death rattle of summer. So, with that said, while I have these great ideas, I have a couple of weeks before I can get cracking!

Do you decorate for autumn, Halloween or Thanksgiving or all of the above? What are your tried and true decorating ideas, tips and suggestions?

1. Keeping decorations simple gives the look without going too country.
2. Limited space? A bright floral wreath is a welcome addition to any entry.
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Get this same look by planting mums in a terra cotta pot and paint on a jack-o-lantern face.
Add variety by using different sizes of pots, colors of mums and painted faces.
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I love these soft, monochromatic shades of terra cotta.
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