Fantel (Fall Mantel)

I love autumn.  It's my favorite time of year.  First of all it's the return of football, my favorite spectator sport(made even more enjoyable this year, because we're winning.)  The explosion of color that I get to enjoy while at my boys' practices and games is so beautiful and ever changing.  I love being able to go apple picking and watch fresh apple cider being pressed.  I love the crisp air that signals it's boots wearing time, without the bitter cold of winter.  People who know me, know I love to play scrabble, and this year's autumn mantel started with a scrabble player's homage to autumn.

I scrunched up a piece of double knit fabric from my stash to use as a runner for my mantel and added some indian corn,

and this fantastic urn that I picked up off at HomeGoods, clearanced for only $12.  I love the leaf shaped handles and the drippy glaze.

On the other side of the mantel, I placed this Smith & Hawken candle holder, that I snagged from Target last year for only $4.98.  I love the size of it, because you can easily use it to build a table centerpiece.

Here's what my autumn mantel looks like right now.  The fruit are just place holders, because I didn't have any gourds in my kitchen.  Easily remedied with my next grocery trip.

On an unrelated note, I'd love a show of hands, for or against, should I paint my brick fireplace?  What about the mantel?  Beef it up?

Thanks for popping in and decorating with me. I'm linking this up to The Charm of Home's Home Sweet Home, The Shabby Nest's Frugal Fridays, Hooked on Houses' Fall decorating party, Hope Studios' Fall Mantel linkup, and the parties below.