My Garden Retreat

My Garden Retreat
photo Gridley Graves for Country Living

Fall is in the air!

Happy Fall Ya'll!
It really feels like it today as this is the second day in a row where the temperatures were in the mid 30's when I awoke.


Some serious frost on those pumpkins!
But since I have yet to buy my pumpkins this year...I thought I would share a few I made for the cottage!

Especially the mantle...



And the dining table.


I wanted to make myself a few pumpkins but wanted something a little different~ so I made these little darlings from cream felt ...handpainted the leaves and stems...

Then, sprinkled glitter to the tops for the "Frost on the Pumpkins" look!




On the mantle, I mixed them with mercury glass, birch pillars and my hand poured soy candles!
These are the very candlesticks I bought a while back. I painted them the same color as the upper kitchen cabinets~vintage. And then distressed them a bit.



One of my favorite things~anytime of year...
Old silver trays and platters!
I use them everywhere but especially  love them mixed with  cloches and candles!


They seem to really makes things glow!
The perfect Autumn ambiance!

I am off to work in the kitchen and dining room.
The floors are nearly ready to be refinished. I have spent at least an hour on them everyday for about a week. Peeling and scraping off the old tar paper!
But I can see light at the end of the tunnel! The room is 27 feet long and I have completed 22 feet! Yay!
so close!
Until next time...


25 comments

  1. Donna!
    We finished phase one on our floors this weekend. Good to hear that your scraping is almost finished!

    Your Frosty Pumpkin Cottage is exquisite! Such inspiration. Such talent!

    ~Lynne
    [w/L]

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  2. Hi Donna,
    Love your autumn displays. You are a very talented lady :):) Oh yes, I can almost sense your glee about the floors. I love wood floors. Hope this week is a great one, the weather is promising. Smiles, Susie

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  3. Your frosty pumpkins and your fall displays are wonderful. You will love your wood floors when finished.
    Barb

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  4. Ooh, those cute little felt pumpkins are somethin else..love it! The hand painted leaves & glitter frost make it even perfect!!! Looks like fall is really in the air over there...still kinda warm over here in socali! And kudos to you for finishing up 22 ft of peeling & scraping!!! Can't wait to see your finished floors!!! :)


    XO's,
    Jessie

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  5. Oh, your poor knees and back. : ( Take care.
    Your frosty pumkins are so cute! Our markets finally got the real ones in and the prices are through the roof! SO mine will all remain hand made..lol
    ENjoy your fall. "THEY" say ours will arrive Thursday. I'm finding it hard to believe.
    xx
    z

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  6. Your elegance of design is breathtaking. I adore your beautiful little pumpkins with their handpainted leaves and frost. The light at the end of the tunnel...your hard work is coming to fruition. How very special to be doing it yourself! It will always be a labor of love. Wonderful week...

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  7. I love your frost pumkins, thy look adorabel on the mantel,
    love, Sonja

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  8. Beautiful autumn post !! love for a happy week...i like the book !! love from me.....xxx

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  9. I love your wooley-felty pumpkins! So fall, warm and cozy! And the mix with silver and mercury glass is just perfect...

    ~Chris

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  10. Those little pumpkins couldn't possibly be any cuter. Your display and everything in your house is soooo pretty.

    Cindy

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  11. Your pumpkins and display are beautiful!

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  12. I just love your home. It's so refreshing seeing a modest home that is actually so rich.

    Kathy

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  13. Gorgeous fall displays and I love the frosted pumpkins. Oh, such hard work on the floor, but it will be worth it when it is all done. We built our home ourselves sixteen years ago and worked regular jobs during the day so I know how hard that work is.

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  14. Are you going to give us a tutorial on how you made your pumpkins? Very cute.

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  15. Love those pumpkins...wish we would get some cooler temps.
    Sounds like the floors will be great when finished, can't wait to see them.
    Have a great week,
    Melissa

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  16. I love those cute pumpkins!! They are the cutest ever!! I liked seeing the new old table too in the window bay~looks quite good in there. The bookshelf came out great too with that rope molding. I see you loaded them all up...you have not been posting as much as you can on the things that you have going on in here!! But getting rid of the damn tar paper is paramount. I know I gave in and rented a big sander with very scratchy sandpaper to get rid of it. I found it impossible, so kudos on that horrid project. Results will be worth it, of course, and that is how your vision pulls you back and gets it done.

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  17. J'adore votre billet d'automne .. c'est absolument ravissant ...
    je viens vous voir souvent et je me permets de vous mettre un commentaire ...
    Bravo - bonne semaine
    Solène
    j'ai un blog aussi ...

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  18. Your mantel is beautiful! I love the new frosted pumpkins too, very cute!! :)

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  19. Your handmade pumpkins are just adorable!

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  20. Donna~
    Love your adorable pumpkins! Your displays are gorgeous! Can't wait to see your finished floors, but I'll bet you are even more excited to see them DONE! ;-)
    Blessings,
    Cindy

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  21. Your pumpkins are so sweet and adorable! What an original idea.
    Love you little cottage, the perfect place to play!
    Hugs,
    Patti

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  22. Cozy home. That is what I want to feel when Fall arrives.... cozy!

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  23. Donna, donna, donna, I love those pumpkins. What a great idea. And I also love silver trays. I buy them for my booth, and can't keep them in stock. They are such "pull together" items to use. You can have a disparate collection of things, but when placed on a tray, they come together like pb and j. Thanks for the lovely pictures. I'm inspired to decorate my own house for fall.
    Maybe I'll do something glittery too.
    Take care,
    Leslie

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  24. Hi Donna! I just stumbled onto your site! What a beautiful blog you have!! Your floral work is just stunning! I am a newbie to blogging and your newest follower. I hope you will follow back! Many blessings to you!

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~Donna Reyné