An Autumn Entrance

Fall is my absolute favorite time of the year. I love the sweaters, fuzzy socks, pumpkins, mums, EVERYTHING!! I love that it means Thanksgiving is coming, and then Christmas!! Then January through April come to town and I go into a deep depression ;) 

I've always wanted to decorate the outside for fall but have been afraid to spend the money. This year I just bit the bullet. I started buying mums at the beginning of September so at least the cost was spaced out over the course of a month :) I started by planting some mums in the middle of our yard where we have an oddly placed garden bed. (it is there to hide the well and enforce that it doesn't get hit by the mower!) I removed the dieing begonias first. Then I pushed down the dead viney flowers (sorry, I'm new to gardening!) that were in the yellow pot and plopped a pumpkin down in them. 

It's a little hard to tell here, but the mums on the ends are actually light yellow. I love how it turned out! I planted two more in the pots next to my front door that had been the home to some beautiful vincas all summer. Then I splurged. I went to Ikea and got some lanterns that I've been wanting since spring. I got 2 big lanterns and a little tiny one and some candles. Total cost $26, not that bad, I know. But I cringe at the total cost for the whole thing!! Then I ran to Home Depot and picked up a cornstalk. It left my car a mess :( I'm trying to think of a way to attach them on either side of the picture window, but for now they're leaning next to the door. I bought a million gourds and mini pumpkins at the grocery store and there you go!! 

Nothing spectacular or out of the ordinary, but nice all the same :) Total cost? About $75. 

$28 for the mums (4 were a gift from my awesome neighbor:)

$26 for the lanterns

$10 for corn stalks

$4 for big pumpkin

$5 for gourds

I plan on using the lanterns again for my Christmas decorating and on the patio table next spring/summer, so they were worth it! Here's some extra shots, and my favorites at night with the lanterns lit!!

Come see some more outdoor fall decorating at the "It's Fall Ya'll" Linky party!!