Fall decorations at the Groves house

Know what?  We might as well do the "Fall decorations" post, because today, they came DOWN!  And yep... I already have two Christmas trees totally done.  Well, four if you wanna count the two on my mantle.

You asked for it, you got it... the annual "WHat's Mel got going on with her Fall Decs" blog post edition!

Looky there... Paperwhites are coming up! 
ANd don't be hatin' because I am skipping Thanksgiving.  It's just too much!  And I rarely admit that!  I completely put up my entire (might I say tiny piece by piece) Halloween village today and hauled box after box of fall dec to the attic. 

But I never went up with a box then returned empty handed.  Nosirree.  I was carting down Christmas!! It's a giant undertaking here!

Ok, so here is the entrance to the path to the front door.  Remember when I got these in Canton last year?  I'm a fan.  Just love em.

And I really don't know if much has changed since last year's decorations.  I actually just get all the boxes down and start sticking stuff places.  I think I used different wreaths.  I found my orange and black spider and tulle wreaths still in the attic, along with all my "Halloween" decs.  I decided at the end of August, that I could legitimately get away with "fall", but "Halloween" at that time might be a bit much. 

Imagine my surprise when I was cleaning up the fall stuff and found all the Halloween stuff still in the attic.  Oh well... one less thing!! 

Oh, this awesome "4" was my Canton find THIS year.  I LOVE it!!

Can you believe I didn't even buy MUMS for my yard this year?  I know... loser! 

I bought a gazillion for my office though, and it looks great!!  I suppose I'll skip right on to the pansies and snap dragons.

This is S.A.D.  I could never remember to get a suction cup hook for the glass door for this wreath, so this wreath laid right there on the ground from August til now.  Pitiful!

There's one little scarecrow who would do great to hang out til Thanksgiving.  So much so, that I am taking him to the office tomorrow, where we ARE decorating for Thanksgiving!  I can't wait to do the Thankful Tree like we do every year.  stay tuned.

Ok, let's mosey on.  This is the guest bath near the art room.  The one that never has toilet paper.

and I have two of these little scarecrows who graced the doors of my art room all season.  They are also heading on up to MMPT tomorrow.

This was the mantle above our stove.

It was a bit random this year.  If I didn't know where to stick ya, I stuck ya here.

I had a mini pumpkin canvas, a photo of Todd when he was about 5 or 6, a tiny vase painted by Jake, 3 random pumpkin ladies and a scarecrow.  It worked.

Over here in the hutch, I threw in some pumpkins and a few frames that I only take down for this season.

And I always get out a table runner and fake pumpkins and gourds.

Here's one of the frames.  Cutie patootie!!  That was Thanksgiving 2005.

And this was Christmas 2008.  I just keep it with the fall decs because of the black and tan check that looks kinda Halloweeny.

This one makes the fall cut too, because it was Ellie's first trip to the pumpkin patch and she has on a turkey smocked dress.

I don't know if any of you remember that I started a little tree with handmade ornaments on it last year.  well, I found the chick again at Canton this year, and I bought a couple more.  Here's a new one.

and I picked up a few fun little ornaments at Pier 1 too. (I think!)

I always like to grace the ol fireplace with my gigantic scarecrows.  They are well over 5'.  But againgst that massive wall of stone, they fit nicely.

And then, I just kind of stick things here and there in the den.  I am for sure a collector of holiday decorations, so I have a bunch.  But, it adds a little flava to move em around each year.

I LOVE that big ol pumpkin on the coffee table.  And we'll be getting to that monstrosity of a village in a few.

Here are the cabinets in the den.  I tend to just stand back and keep looking as I am putting things in there to ensure that I have little spots of orange here and there.  I think as long as the orange is standing out, then I have done my job.

Note that frame on the bottom shelf.  Have had it for months, and still no picture in it.  Well, there's a picture in it, but I have no idea who she is! 

Here's a pic that comes out every year.  I remember this photo shoot with Jake.  He was "on" that day.  Smiling, and so precious.  We'd not been at St. Jude long. About 4 or so months, so he was losing his hair and I can remember so vividly loving these pictures because he was smiling and looked so good.  It was a good day.

Here are a few more of my ornaments on my little "tree".

And I found this chevron frame at Hobby Lobby and HAD to have it!!  I have another with three spots in it, and intend to do all of our Halloween costumes in it.  I'll put it up with the rest of these to be "surprised" each year when I take it back out.

Sweet garland, dontcha think?

And there he stands.  I need to name these fellas.  Any suggestions?

Hmmmm.... Harry and Larry?  Boudreaux and ...? 

It's late.  My creative juices aren't flowing.  Any ideas?!

Ok, so here we go.  This is my LABOR OF LOVE!!

I've not put this sucker out since Ellie was ONE year old.  It is so much work.  And, honestly, thinking about putting it back up is way more mentally stressful than pulling it all out.

Each box has a very, very specific way it has to be put back up in order for the box to close and the piece to be protected. And the boxes are like puzzles! !

Nevertheless, I did it.  And my girls were thrilled. 

I had to build up the layes with foam pieces, then conceal all the exposed styrofoam with moss and weird grassy stuff.

Once the base is made, I start adding my big pieces, like this castle, or Werewolf Radio over there on the left.  Or Witch School on the right. 

It is pretty intense. Please note all the stones I add.  And then, the stone walls.  And there are stone pathways. 

Yep.  I love my kids.  That's all I can say about that! 
Oh, in Canton this year, I picked up this cute little guy!

He was the only one I added to my collection this year.  Yay, me!

This sweet picture of Gabs at Ellie's first recital goes to the attic each year with the fall stuff.  Only because the frame is fall colored, and I have too much stuff to keep the same frames up year round.  I have no idea why I didn't try to put FALL pics in the frames!!

There's me and JinJin at my wedding.

ANd here we are in Gab's room.  I LOVE that her room sort of has the owl theme going.  It makes decorating for fall fun, because I had an excuse when I saw all those owl decorations.

Look how cute he looks nestled up in that bookshelf!

And over here, on the first official shelf, under the purple and green "gabbi" banner, are the Halloween characters which I just treasure.

These are about 1/2 of them.  But they are so cute!

Gab's decs were kept pretty simple.  ANother owl which I debated keeping out for Christmas and just tying a big awesone red/ green bow on his neck, but then decided, I have more than I can put out as it is for Christmas, and with that, it was in a box headed to the attic too!

I could also spraypaint him hot pink to match Gab's tree.  That'd be cute year round, actually.  Or turquoise.  What doesnt' look better in turquoise?!!

There's another cute little owl.  See him?  The skinny legged purple one?!

I couldn't resist him!!  HAD to have him!

And waaaaay up there are the rest of the Halloween figurines!

Oh, did I mention I had TWO more stations set up of my Halloween Dept 56 villages!?

They were on Ellies' bedside tables. 

They were lit up and making audible noises.  Since she doesnt' sleep in there anyway, I think she was totally thrilled to have them in her room.

This is a new one. It is a candy shop.

And I've never actually put this one out either.  And it is one of my new faves!!  The whole dome lights up and it makes noise.

Black Cat Cafe was one of my first ones.  So, it has special meaning for me.

Other side....

But let's pause to see what is hanging on her lamp. So, So true!

This little ghost spins all around the lighthouse, and half the time was stuck humming because the curtain had it and wouldn't let go

Another of my firsts.

Here's a little close up of the work that goes into making the base absolutely awesome.

and last but not least, my bedroom.

This is it.  No big decorations in there. 

But next up in CHRISTMAS, and I intend to do it up right!!

Hope you enjoyed.  Next stop... Christmas decorations!!