Fall Fun Touches

I'll admit that I'm obsessed with Christmas but I'm not really one to decorate for any other season.  This year seems to be the exception as I stumbled on so many cute items for both Thanksgiving and Halloween alike.  I went to West Elm for the first time last week and discovered all sorts of fun Halloween items on for half price.  I indulged in a glittery bat garland and some cute (bordering on creepy) plates.

I'm really big on cards for Halloween for my family and friends and sometimes the selection for this season is even better then Christmas.

Oh - and don't forget a wreath for the door.  Regardless of the season - I always stick with themes that don't revolve around a single day celebration.  Rather than a Christmas wreath - I prefer a winter theme (ie. snow men, snowflakes etc).   Along these same lines, I opted to stick with leaves, wheat and multi coloured gourds to cover both Thanksgiving and Halloween.

For an extra Fall flair - why not add a dash of essential oil to the wreath.  I added a few drops of the Body Shop's Pumpkin Nectarine home fragrance oil to the wheat and the grapevine portion of the wreath.  Now each time I enter my home I get a very subtle scent that instantly reminds me of pumpkin pie and falling leaves.

Chandelier Revisited



After



I recently received a chandelier - complete with actual crystals from a friend of my mother's and instantly knew where to hang it. My kitchen. The issue - it was brass and a little scuffed from the travel to my house.  The solution...paint it!



Before



If you are planning on doing this with an old chandelier - here's a tip - make sure you take a photo before with all the crystals in their correct location because this isn't the easiest thing to reassemble once it is hanging from the ceiling and a picture takes out a lot of the guess work.

I used various shades of brown, burnt sienna and copper paint and stippled over the brass finish.  The effect blends in beautifully with my kitchen (and hopefully makes it a little less country - I'm not allowed to paint out the wood cabinets but if I were - they would be painted white so quickly your head would spin). 

I will admit that any type of electrical work scares the bejezus out of me but I haven't let that stop me yet.  The neat thing about this piece is that I can paint it again if I choose to move and have it go with another colour scheme.  One thing is for sure - it will never be brass again.