Festive fall vignettes

Well, it's done -- finally -- my fall "mantel"! Okay, I don't have a mantel, but I do have a pair of floating shelves and a console table in the living room perfectly suited to seasonal decor.

Unlike my summer vignette, which I finished in about 20 minutes, this one took a couple days weeks to come together. I just needed inspiration to strike! Luckily, even though I had the day off Monday, my inspiration did not take a day off :)

Even though it took me a while, I'm super duper happy with how it came out. Dare I say, my favorite one yet...?

The inspiration began with all these empty bottles my father-in-law dropped by our house a couple months back. Remember the hubs likes to home brew? Well, his dad does too, but needed extra space in his basement, so he brought over all of his brewing stuff, including boxes and boxes of empty bottles. The hubs didn't need them all, and I was very happy to sort through them! I fell in love with the bottles' green, brown and amber colors.

The feathers are authentic turkey feathers, from the turkey the hubs bagged a couple years ago (yes, he hunts and makes his own beer. He is a man's man!). I love the texture they add.

Branches collected from the yard got a couple coats of white semi-gloss spray paint. I purposefully didn't coat them 100%, so some of the bark shows through. A few leaves from the yard add pops of fall color, and a little dab of hot glue holds them in place.

White beans from the grocery store make great mason jar and vase filler! The runner I made earlier this year for my summer centerpiece.

Remember how I wrapped those votive holders in pieces of bark for my dining room centerpiece? I did the same thing to this pillar candle. I picked up the candlestick a while back at Target, on clearance, and moved it from a side table on the other side of the living room. A couple gourds from the local apple orchard add seasonal charm.

For the shelves, I hung a fall-hued bunting I made from cardstock and some jute twine. I really love that tree pattern!

This cutie owl was a mere $4 from Home Goods! He looks chummy next to that mini pumpkin.

Please ignore that Scotch tape. I was at a loss as to how to attach that bunting without permanently marking my shelves! It's only noticeable up close, and it's nearly impossible to get this close without use of a stool, which means no one will notice, I hope :)

On the top shelf, I arranged a few more bottles, including some I wrapped in jute, and feathers. And here's my favorite part, the floating leaves in my flea market frame. I simply glued some more leaves from the yard onto fishing line attached to the back of the frame. I love love love how they just look like they're floating, like they're in the midst of falling to the ground.

On the bottom shelf, I arranged a few of the hubs' old books and a couple more bottles.

I filled my wire basket with DIY jute and sisal twine balls. I'd seen these around the blogosphere, but FYI if you've never made them -- they took forever! I've got another owl down here...isn't he cute?

I filled my wooden bowl from the antique store with rocks I collected while camping and a few acorns from the yard.

A basket next to the table holds my crocheting. I'm making a cozy blanket right now!

On my little phone table next to the television, I put yet another owl, this one a mercury glass guy from TJ Maxx. I wrapped a vase in jute twine and filled it with some dried lilies from the garden. They have almost a Halloween appearance. And this Autumn Leaves candle from Bath and Body Works smells heavenly! Down below are a few more old books and my yarn pumpkin. (Sorry for the lighting...I was losing daylight!)

Lastly, our DVD cabinet got a little fall love with a couple more gourds, a little mason jar candle and a lantern I picked up at a place called The Mill Store. Oh, and more owls! I cut apart a cute gift bag and glued the owls to a piece of white cardstock. I think it's super adorable!

(I also learned this lantern is NOT made for real candles. I left it lit for only a few minutes and when I went to take the lid off to blow it out, it was so hot it burned my thumb!)

And just a couple more pictures...for fun :)

So, that's our fall living room! I hope it was worth the wait. I'm really happy with how it all came together. I love decorating with natural elements, and things that have a special meaning for us, and I think this accomplishes both. Oh, and I had most of this stuff on hand -- only the two owls, the lantern and the gourds are new.

I'm not much for Halloween decor, so this will last me until Thanksgiving and it's time for....dare I say it?...Christmas! Ahhh, I love Christmas. :)

Linking up!