A Harvest Home

By Colletta Kosiba | August 18, 2015 1 Comment

Just as the gardens and flowers become tattered and brown, the trees do their magical autumn trick of turning bright yellows, oranges and reds.

Mother Nature has been generous, providing all sorts of material to use. There are all sizes of pumpkins, small and large gourds, ears of corn, apples, dried hydrangeas, everlasting flowers, bittersweet, and cornstalks. And don’t forget straw bales, cattails, pine cones, acorns and dried pods, too. All of these can be used to deck the halls with fall.

Outdoor Décor

Say “welcome” beginning at the mailbox. Stalks of corn and some pumpkins, a bow, maybe even a mum, brighten the mailman’s day. You can even add a cute scarecrow.

In our gardens, we already have sedums, ornamental grasses and flower seed heads. Why not add a few mums or ornamental cabbage and set a few pumpkins around too? Try stacking pumpkins three high, and make a face on the top one complete with moss hair.

Wheel barrows, wagon wheels, planters, vases and even an old farm wagon look great with the autumn harvest piled in them. Use cornstalks, a bale of straw and put a family of scarecrows in there, too.

A Perfect Porch

An autumn door wreath made with a grape vine or Styrofoam base has endless possibilities. Consider small gourds, corn, pine cones, bittersweet, dried sweet Annie and ornamental grass plumes. Take it to the next level with pheasant feathers, lotus pods and some burlap ribbon. You can also take the head of a leaf rake and intertwine the tines with bittersweet and blue-berried cedar trimmed with a bow.

A bunch of Indian corn held together with a ribbon is simple but effective. Hang the bunches anywhere the window, the door or the backs of chairs.

Use your outdoor furniture to hold pumpkins, squash or mums. A weathered rocker with a plaid throw and bushel basket of gourds beside it is eye-catching.

Inside Inspiration

Small pumpkins, gourds and Indian corn mixed with leaves spark up a mantel or table. Around the base of 4-inch candles or pumpkins, glue seeds such as peas, corn or popcorn. Layer the seeds in clear containers for another effective and inexpensive centerpiece.

Use a drill to make holes in a pumpkin to create a unique design. Clean out the seeds and add a light to let your creativity shine through.

For the kids, add a sign that says “Turkey Toes” to a container of candy corn. Form orange Rice Crispy treats into pumpkin shapes, or draw faces on tangerines for more kid-pleasing creativity.

We honor the age-old tradition of giving thanks for our harvest. When our harvest abundance finery is on display inside and outside of our homes, we share it with all our friends.