Want to hear your frugal fall decorating ideas please

**PrairieRose** · 09-24-2005, 06:38 PM

I have to be honest, due to the cost of accessories, etc. I don't do much seasonal stuff, other than for Christmas and a little bit for Thanksgiving. I have a really cute scarecrow that I bought a garage sale years ago for like $10 that I sometimes sit on my porch swing. If we have access to free pumpkins I'll sometimes get a pumpkin or 2 for the porch. On halloween I use a ceramic jackolantern that I've had since the kids were small, it holds a candle. Otherwise that's about it around here. What do you do to decorate for fall? Anyone have any great, frugal ideas?

**canadian gardener** · 09-25-2005, 08:57 AM

oooooooo I just did something and it looks nice.

OK I bought new cushion covers from IKEA and a matching throw and an entry rug that tones in wool.

All in a warm rusty burgundy colour (the rug has little gold colour patterns woven into it)

I will be getting some gold or pumpkin colour candles when the finances recover from that.

But one thing I love is my down and feather toss cushions (18 or 20" squares) from IKEA that I bought last spring.

I've bought several different covers for them, (they are made to do just this)

they never squish flat like the synthetic fill pillows, always plump and nice looking and changing the covers (and the throw) just changes the look of the living room for the season.

The entry rug stays year round (I wanted to warm our cathedral entryway up with it)

but for spring I have some lime green and yellow stripey covers that I bought for 5$ each on sale this summer at sears along with some navy and aqua stripes.

plus I want to buy some chartreuse ones to go with the green and yellow stripes for the spring.

And as for CHRISTMAS, well we shall SEE!!!

This is a ton of fun!

Throws can be knitted or made from polar fleece (wool at the Salvation Army is great, or you can un knit some wonderful wool sweaters from there) and fleece comes on great sales, and needs NO SEWING. Just careful cutting for a fringe.

Cushion covers don't take a lot of material and require only straight seams. You can use snaps to close, or velcro, either of which is easy to put on.

**YankeeMom** · 09-25-2005, 09:05 AM

What about making some luminaries? Paint a paper lunchbag orange, draw or cut out a jack-o-lantern face, fill the bottom with sand, & place a small tea light in the sand. Light the tea light and use the luminaries to light porch steps or front sidewalk.

The kids & I also like to collect pretty colored leaves. You could spray them with clear shellac type spray (maybe hairspray would work?) to preserve them and then do all sorts of things w/ them. Use some thread and make your own leaf garland, put them in a bowl for display, etc.

As for what I do, I was able to get free pumpkins. My mom gave us 10 pumpkins from her garden. Four for carving and 6 pie pumpkins. For now, they are all 'unmolested' lol and used for decoration. I have three on the front porch, two on my mantle, two on my woodstove, and three in my kitchen.

I also bought a few things after Halloween/fall over the years. I have a wicker pumpkin that I fill with potpourri and fake fall flowers. I bought them all separate and made them into a centerpiece. I have a table runner that I put on the bookcase in the foyer and I have a tablecloth with apples & other fall stuff on it that I bring out in September. I found some Halloween decorations at a yard sale this past summer, so I have a "Bless This House" scarecrow on our front porch and a styrofoam type light up jackolantern that will go out next month. I also have a ceramic jackolantern that I put a tea light in that will also come out next month. The kids make all sorts of Halloween stuff at school, spiders, ghosts, etc and those go up as they bring them home.

HTH

**staceyy** · 09-25-2005, 09:47 AM

I buy a pumpkin hollow it out and add fresh or fake flowers for a centerpiece. Also bake apple and pumpkin pies and bake gingerbread served with whipped cream. Country Living magazine has some beautiful Halloween cupcakes on the cover this month that can be made inexpensively.

**PrairieRose** · 09-25-2005, 09:53 AM

Oooh these are all great ideas ladies. Keep em coming!

**pkellyc** · 10-11-2005, 05:39 PM

Here is a free one. I saw it in a magazine one year and did it. Do the old leaves between the wax paper trick. Take some fishing line and a silver bead. Put a length of the line through the stem of the leaf, next thread a small silver bead on. Knot the end of the line. Hang them at different lenghts in your windows with a little tape. (I did this under my valances) Viola! Instant Fall, looks great all the way through Thanksgiving. The silver bead catches the light for just a little sparkle.

One more thing I do with my ceramic jack o lanterns I have them on my fireplace mantel for Halloween. After Halloween is over I just turn them around for a solid pumpkin look for Thanksgiving.

Same goes with wreaths a couple of plastic creepy spiders and webs come off a basic fall wreath to get me through to Thanksgiving. I have seen people do this for all the seasons. One wreath with different ribbons and things, just wire everything on.

**PrairieRose** · 10-12-2005, 10:16 AM

Oooh I love those ideas! Those leaves are probably just gorgeous and to use that ceramic jack o lantern like that never ever crossed my mind! Thanks!

**Dedlered** · 10-12-2005, 10:21 AM

I have a garland of autumn leaves on my mantle, I think I picked them up for about a buck each (I have two) I also pick up some of the little gords for less than a buck each and use them as a centerpiece. I have a wicker pumpkin basket that I use for napkins

**StacieA** · 10-12-2005, 11:18 AM

What fun ideas! Thanks.
Stacie

**slipofagirl** · 10-17-2005, 09:42 AM

I collect loads and loads of conkers. They never stay as bright and shiny as they do when they're outside but when they're piled up in a bowl they do still look quite effective, especially with an aray of red, orange, gold and yellow leaves around the edges.

**guest32** · 10-17-2005, 11:17 AM

I am a decorator by trade....and I'm also the cheapest one you'll ever see!
In my DR I took some leaves I got at the 1.00 store and tucked them in behind some wall sconces and they look like they are made that way. A cake stand piled with gourds I got from the farmer's market with some red/orange/gold floral marbles scattered around the base on the table. I also scattered some of the leaves in my china cabinet. In my FR I have a crock on the fireplace that I change seasonally. Currently, some cat tails from our pond, a bush of berries from the craft store and some pheasant feathers tucked in. Also a basket with dried thistle heads and hydreanga from my garden. Lots of clove scented candles are always nice. A birds nest filled with acorns....
On my front porch, a milk can filled with cat tails and broom corn, and some pumpkins.