'A Nod to Fall' Mantel

I don't know what it is this year, but I'm having a really hard time embracing Fall.

Maybe it's because we never really had a summer here in the Pacific Northwest - my hydrangeas never even bloomed!

Maybe it's because I'm just not in love with the orange and red fall colors.

Whatever it is, though, I just could not bring myself to put out my usual Fall decorations this year.

So instead, I am giving just 'A Little Nod to Fall' on our mantel this year.

Who knows, maybe as the season progresses I'll bring out more of the orange and red stuff, but for now, this is as fall-ish as the mantel's gonna get.

I wanted to create a subtle fall display that didn't scream FALL. To achieve this, I layered together natural textures, warm hues, and a variety of vintage finds.

I found a small, weathered old window at an antique shop and had some mirrors cut at Lowe's that I glued onto the back.

The FALL banner was made using white cardstock paper that I cut into small rectangles with rounded corners and stained using a tea bag that had been steeped in water. Then I cut out the black letters on my Cricut and glued them on. To hang it, I just taped twine to the back of the papers.

Many of the pieces used on my mantel were things I already had around the house...like the little #3 tin planter with an Ikea faux plant inside, old books, and a white pumpkin bought at Michael's on clearance last year.

The wooden spools were from an antique store and the wooden pumpkins sitting atop were from Ben Franklin last year...and a goofy picture of me in case you were wondering what I look like :)

Jacob and I made the  weathered wood square thing in the backdrop using some pieces from our old deck...anyone know what that thing is called??? I saw one in an antique store and tried to replicate it at home...I even have a tutorial I wrote on how to make it, but just don't know what it's called...is it part of a fence? A gate? A trellis?

Our fireplace is gas-burning, but I still love the cozy look of a container full of wood sitting next to the fireplace. These logs are from a bunch of maples Jacob cut down in our backyard this summer.

 Isn't she purty?

 

Linking up to: 

Feathered Nest Friday @ French Country Cottage 

Catch as Catch Can @ My Repurposed Life 

Flaunt Your Fall @ Chic on a Shoestring Decorating 

Feature Yourself Friday @ Fingerprints on the Fridge 

Frugal Friday @ The Shabby Nest 

Shabby Shares Link Party @ Rustic Crafts 

SNS@ Funky Junk Interiors 

Creative Genius Link Party @ The Creative Paige