DIY Autumn Projects & Decorations
A round-up of Fall decorating ideas, Halloween costumes, and the best tips for hygge sleeping
It was in the 30s when we woke up this morning, and it was HARD for us to get out of bed. The house was cold, the duvet covers were warm, and none of us wanted to get up and get moving. But we did!
Despite our chilly mornings, I absolutely love fall. It is cool, crisp, and perfect here in Colorado — with the possibility for snow later this week! Eek!
I am deep into the One Room Challenge, but it is also time to decorate for Fall and Halloween and all things pumpkin! I don’t do pumpkins until October — I like to use real ones, and I want them to last until Thanksgiving, so we wait until mid-October to bring on the fall decor.
If you are still making that seasonal transition like we are, I have a few projects and ideas to help you along as well as some amazingly easy DIY Halloween costumes. I rounded it all up for you here as an easy reference!
Cozy, Hygge Beds for Fall
First, up: sleeping. This weekend I changed out our duvets from the lighter summer-weight duvets to our warmer, cozier duvets for winter. I’ll be washing those lighter ones and stowing them away this week. Why are we so cozy at night? Because we sleep Scandinavian-style. This is one of the best things I learned in my travels. Sleeping without a top sheet and blankets, cozied up in a duvet cover is the definition of hygge — and it means better sleep for all of us. Read on for more about why!
Autumn Decorations
I am pretty practical when it comes to seasonal decor — especially fall and Halloween. We don’t do scary Halloween, first of all. We do cute. And I don’t want to decorate for Halloween and then less than a month later turn it all around for Thanksgiving. So I rely on the same colors, themes, and ideas for both Halloween and Thanksgiving. Lots of pumpkins and gourds. Natural elements. Candles. Then I switch out just a few things — a table runner, jack-o-lanterns, and whatever we make to hang on the branch chandelier. Here’s an easy DIY bunting that will take your home from September through Thanksgiving. And here are some details about how to create your own branch chandelier, too.
Halloween Costumes
Part of the reason we don’t do much decorating for Halloween is because I am usually really busy making Halloween costumes. I LOVE making costumes! Here are a few of our most recent costumes. The Lumiere costume (from Beauty and the Beast) is still my favorite! And I’ll add this year’s costumes to the post once they are made… but we haven’t even nailed down what those costumes will be just yet!
Books for Fall
Finally, if you are looking for some good book suggestions for the next few weeks with the children in your life, here’s a list of what we are reading. We have a book basket by the bed which I keep filled with seasonally-appropriate books for bedtime reading. However, this week we started the Harry Potter series, so I think we will be occupied with witches and wizards for a good long while.
Happy Fall, Ya’ll! Here’s to a great week! Work continues on the One Room Challenge Workroom Makeover. You can follow along on Instagram, and I will have another weekly update on Thursday. But if you are a subscriber, you’ll get the update on Wednesday!
Cheers!
Angela
@Midmodernmama
Awesome Halloween Costumes for Kids
Instructions for DIY Halloween costumes including no-sew options as well as a free fall printable
It’s almost here! The day of dress-up and fun for everyone: Halloween! Seriously, even my 90-plus year-old grandmother dresses up each year.
We have been talking about Halloween for months with many, many costume ideas thrown about. We have a plan for this year, but I thought I’d share a few of our favorite costumes from years past just in case you are looking for ideas! Plus I’m sharing my secret weapon for great kids’ costumes! There’s one item that I always buy, because it makes the best foundation for all kinds of costumes and dress-up play — and it is under $30.
Bambino’s Super Hero costume
But if you are a mom, I also want to offer this: your child’s costume does not have to be a project that takes a month of your time or costs more than your mortgage or will win awards on Instagram. Let your child have fun! Let them help you — or even make their own. When Bambino was three, we went to hear the symphony play Fantasia at Halloween. All of the children were invited to come in costume, and this is what he pulled together himself. He was a Super Hero and chose every piece of his outfit himself. Clearly, Marvel has nothing on the madras pants and raccoon hat! Don’t sweat the Halloween costumes! Do something creative — or not! But don’t lose the fun!
I hope you’re having a lovely fall day! If you’re following me on Instagram, you’ll know we had SNOW this morning!
Cheers!
Angela
PS: don’t forget to make your Autumn bunting! You’ll find the free printable below.
