Decorate with Crafts
Our Country Sampler stylist shares ideas for prepping dining areas for fall celebrations.
René set up a centerpiece grouping that pays homage to pumpkinpatch favorites, including gourds, hay bales, fall flowers and more, and coordinated it with a buffettop display.
René hung a Pumpkin Patch sign against a white shiplap wall to set the stage for this farmhousefresh scene. A stoneware pitcher brimming with blooms shares space on a rustic lazy Susan with flower-topped glass jars filled with fall treats.
For the table, René constructed a tiered tray using two plant saucers and an upended cup. Ribbon trim edging lends a decorative touch, and items such as her handwritten chalkboard sign, a mini hay bale and gourds contribute cheer. An autumn leaf-pattern runner cozies up the tabletop, upon which René situated several succulents— one planted in a small pot and another in a petite pumpkin.
A warm apple pie, fresh from the oven, is reason enough to celebrate, but creating a cozy space in which to enjoy it makes the occasion seem even more special, which is what René had in mind when she decorated this classic country dining space.
BIRDS OF A FEATHER.
René was inspired by the fall-favorite motif on a crow pillow and a stack of handmade fabric pumpkins featuring a similar theme. To coordinate with these accents, she painted and decoupaged a glass candle globe and mounted it on a salvaged stand. (See instructions on page 69.)
FALLING FOR FABRICS.
Easy-to-change textiles instantly impart warmth and color to autumn spaces, so René swapped out the everyday window treatment for burlap curtains, which complement the sunflower burlap wreath. She crafted a simple whitewashed pallet backing to accentuate the wreath and connect with the cabinet finish. On the table, a black-and-white plaid table runner and napkins help separate the tabletop and similarly colored wood noodle board, while a braided rug grounds the furniture grouping and ties it to the lighter pieces in the room.
ICONIC ELEMENTS.
A set of stacking boxes, each with a different fall design, provide interest in various groupings, including a windowsill arrangement that highlights a pale pumpkin seated in a wreath of vibrant leaves and a handpainted pumpkin plate propped up on a picnic basket. Smaller boxes fill out the shelves of the cabinet, which is crowned with flowers and a seasonal wood sign.
Whether you are planning a party or simply want to take advantage of the whimsical spirit imparted by the not-so-scary emblems of Halloween, there is plenty of fun to be had creating a charmingly haunted holiday display, like René did in this rustic dining nook.
Layered gauze fabric and burlap complement the weathered table, and an old mirror contains a grouping of two vintage-style papier-mâché buckets and a thrift-store candelabra outfitted with spiderweb candles.
The nearby cupboard hosts a gathering of gourds and leaves inside stacked sewing machine drawers that give a boost to a grungy barn owl. A friendly folk-art witch casts a spell over the vignette, which also includes another Halloween bucket tucked within an old birdcage. A tavern sign on the wall is suitably accompanied by a collection of brooms made from twigs and the remnants of a tattered wreath.
Other wall decor consists of a grinning framed jack-o’-lantern (see opposite page for instructions) and a peg shelf holding a candy corn garden flag. To give the old books on the shelf a magical makeover, René simply added new title labels to the spines, selecting a spooky font and aging the paper to resemble parchment. “Decorating for Halloween can be a great way to use your imagination and tap into childhood memories,” she notes.
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Staple gun
Medium-size foam pumpkin Coping saw or any fine-tooth saw
Hot glue gun and glue sticks Halloween gauze cloth Plastic fillable eggs
Black spray paint
Drill
Black pipe cleaners
Paint the picture frame black. Measure and cut cardboard or foam board to fit inside the frame. Use fabric, wrapping paper or contact paper to cover the cardboard. Pull the material taut and staple or glue excess to the back. Fit the cardboard into the frame and staple in place, if needed. Use a coping saw or any fine-tooth saw to cut the pumpkin in half, including the stem. Hot glue one pumpkin half to the center of the fabric-covered cardboard. Use black paint or decoupage medium and paper cutouts to add facial features to the pumpkin. Loosely drape gauze cloth across the frame and around the corners.
Secure with glue, if needed. Create spiders from plastic eggs. Glue the two halves of each egg together and let dry. Drill eight holes in each egg, four on each side, where the legs would go. Spray paint the eggs black and let dry. For each egg, cut four black pipe cleaners in half to make eight legs. Place a small amount of glue on one end of each pipe cleaner and insert into the predrilled holes. Wipe off any excess glue. When the glue is dry, bend the pipe cleaners to resemble spider legs. Place spiders where desired on the frame and glue in place.
Simple glass bubble bowls are readily available at dollar stores and thrift shops and make a perfect starting point for a customized candle globe. Paint the outside of the bowl with cream-colored chalky-finish paint, applying two coats and letting the glass dry between coats. Find a cute crow clipart image online and print it out at a size suitable for your bowl. Cut it out and use decoupage medium to adhere it to the outside of the bowl. Apply decoupage medium to cover the entire outside of the bowl. Let dry. Find a salvaged item, like this metal base, to lend height to the decorated bowl. Use craft adhesive to secure the bowl to the candle stand. Using hot glue, add moss and a few fall flowers around the base of the bowl. When your candle globe is complete, slip a battery-powered votive inside.
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