The Apple Street Cottage

I'm feeling a crispness in the air. The apple trees are are loaded with fruit, the pumpkins have turned a beautiful orange, and the trees are showing their gorgeous red, orange, and yellow hues.  Yes, it's Autumn and it's time to bring some of that beauty indoors.   Welcome to the Autumn on a Tray Blog Tour hosted by Katherine at Katherine's Corner.   She's gathered a group of bloggers to share how to decorate a tray for Autumn and the results are amazing.  If you're coming from Sandra @ Dinner at 8 , welcome to the Cottage!     I created my tray with things I have around the house.  Let's get started, shall we? I started with a teak tray and this fabulous bird I found last year on sale.   Clearly the tray has seen better days, but that won't matter once I'm done decorating. I added my enamel coffee pot , a yard sale find, filled with hydrangeas. At the other end of the tray, I added a pewter candlestick for a little balance....

 It's September and that means pumpkin season.   I'm always trying to come up with something new and unique and this time I started with a dollar store pumpkin sign that really needed some help! I actually spotted this at the end of the season last year at the dollar store.  I had no use for a 'J', especially one with smeared paint; but that didn't matter, I had other plans for it! Welcome to the  Creative Craft Hop  hosted by Sara from  Birdz of a Feather .   If you just came from Gail @ Purple Hues and Me , welcome to the Cottage.  At the bottom of this post I'll direct you to the next stop on this hop, but be sure to visit all of the other stops for some amazing inspiration. They will all be listed.  Now on to this project... After removing the ribbon and metal leaf, I made a pattern. I  carefully folded the pattern along the lines. Then it was cut apart and the denim was cut. Glue was spread and each piece was put in place....

  We've all seen (and purchased) those lovely bright orange styrofoam pumpkins at the dollar store.  Let me show you their true potential with very little effort or time,  starting at the top-left and going clockwise.  Don't let the picture fool you.  That's not yarn or a sweater.  It's a dollar store mop.   If you don't have an old sweater or you don't knit or crochet, this project is for you.  The 'Sweater-Look' Pumpkin  is easy and will take less than an afternoon to complete. I love the jewel-tone color of this pumpkin.  Some corduroy fabric creates a  Purple Pumpkin  that adds a little 'glam' to your Fall decorating. It's a Halloween Pumpkin speaks for itself.  It's another quick and easy project.  If you can't find the fabric, no worries.  I offer some alternatives that will work just as well. The 'Not Yet, Fall' Pumpkin was my answer to all the pumpkins I started seeing in August.  Honestly, Au...

  That's right, my friends.   It is still August.   Hot and humid. You know, the Dog Days of Summer? That being said, there will be no mums, orange pumpkins, colored leaves, or pumpkin spice anything until after Labor Day. It's the rule - around here anyway! In honor of that rule, I created the 'Not Yet, Fall' pumpkin. Welcome to the  Creative Craft Hop  hosted by Sara from  Birdz of a Feather .   If you just came from Donna @ Modern Monticello , welcome to the Cottage.  At the bottom of this post I'll direct you to the next stop on this hop, but be sure to visit all of the other stops too for some amazing inspiration. They will all be listed.  Now on to this project... The orange styrofoam pumpkins from the dollar store are such a staple for the DIY/Crafty community. I started by painting one with white chalk paint leftover from my Not Just an Ashtray Stand project. I then sprayed it with clear sealer. Since the center was ...