Neutral Fall Mantle ~ SisterHood Saturday

Last DIY Friday I posted a round-up of amazing Classically Trendy Fall Mantles.  I was hoping to inspire those of you looking to decorate your homes for the season and I must say, I was drooling over some of these mantles.  I loved seeing the non-traditional way some are choosing to decorate and one look I totally fell in love with was the Neutral Fall Mantle.  No bright or typical fall colors but instead muted whites and browns with a little bit of sparkle.  So that's just what I did without spending a dime.  I just shopped around my home for objects that fit my description.  Come see all the details!

If you've been following along with me in my DeClutter Confession journey you'll know how hard I have been working these past 4 weeks.  So I decided my reward would be to decorate my mantle for fall for the first time ever!  I always decorate for Christmas but have failed in the Fall/Halloween department.  I have a goal to change my mantle for every season this coming year instead of leaving it the same year after year.  

This was my starting object: a vintage window frame.  Some trends I saw in my mantle round-up was window frames and mirrors adorned with wreaths.  So cute, simple and easy.  Perfect.  I planned on resting the frame on the ledge but it was too big so I temporarily attached it by using Command Picture-Hanging Strips
Always have some of these handy SuperMoms! 

 Now my fireplace is double-sided and I have to open ledges on either side of the chimney.  Essentially I have to decorate both sides for both rooms and I really wanted to block off the other room so the focus would be on the mantle.  To do this I grabbed a couple fantastically chippy old drawers I paid $2 a piece for and turned them upside down to add height.  You might know already I kinda have an extensive vintage box collection...

While I was shopping my home for anything in shades of white, silver or made of wood I sent my kiddo's out to gather pine cones and acorns.

I lucked out because the pine cones had been laying around in the sun for a while so they already had this silvery white patina on them.  I filled several containers with them and (big shocker here) couldn't resist stuffing a few into a Ball Mason Jar  =)

These two sweet little ceramic love birds were displayed at my wedding and were a perfect fit for my Neutral Fall Mantle.  I placed one up on a brass base to an old lamp that I removed and repainted last summer.  

Do you recognize my Tree Branch Candles from my DIY Friday post yesterday?  See the whole tutorial here on how you can make your own!

I printed the Fall Banner free from the lovely ladies over at Shanty 2 Chic.  One day I'll be a big girl and be able to build awesome stuff all by myself too!  No more honey-do-list for my hubbie (won't he be happy!)  I printed the letters on card stock and cut the brown background from construction paper to give it a little more depth.  I would've loved using burlap but didn't have any on hand.  Dang it!

I really wanted to fill the bottom of these large glass vases (also a decoration from my wedding) completely full of acorns but that was wishful thinking.  Instead I added some black river rocks to the very bottom, added a bit of moss on top of that and then sprinkled the acorns around the candle.

I'm sure I'll move things around and/or take things away.  Maybe even find something 

to add, who knows!  But I truly enjoyed spending some time doing something for

 myself today, to make me feel happy.  My little girls kept telling me how pretty 

it looked and loved watching me which made everything a little sweeter.  

Reward yourself Mama's!  And make your house a home this Holiday season.  

You'll make memories to last the eternities, I promise  =)