“…this set the mood for the “not-so-spooky” boathouse decorations and a festive night filled with possibilities.”
It’s that time of year when little ghosts and goblins put their masks and make-believe on and enjoy a night filled with goose bumps, thrills, and things that go bump in the night.
Continue reading “Halloween Decorating in the Boathouse…plus EASY Scarecrow Snack Mix”
“A glittery pumpkin looks cozy, nestled in a pumpkin patch of silver and crystal…
When the front door opens, the entryway is the first impression people see of your home. If you’re like me, you want your entryway to be welcoming and have enough sparkle and intrigue that whoever walks through the doorway will be enticed and want to see what’s around the next corner. In our entryway, our antique buffet is a bold statement piece, and I like to “dress it” for every season. In today’s blog, you’ll see how, with just a few additions, you can easily transition the decor in your entryway to fit any season.
Continue reading “Cozy Fall Decorating…In the Entryway”
“The finishing touch was a twinkling pumpkin, aglow with fairy lights…”
The temperatures have finally dropped from the high 90’s here in Texas…the lighting has changed…and the wind whispers that fall is here! Eager to welcome in the new season, I began adding some autumn touches throughout our house.
Continue reading “Cozy Autumn Decor Ideas for Your Home”
It’s the quaintest little place, filled with vintage and cherished things, and a porch that beckons, “Come sit!”
Flags, fireworks, and banners of red, white, and blue were draped throughout our Country for the most glorious celebration of them all…America’s 250th Anniversary of Freedom!
This memorable and special weekend in Americal was spent with our family in the most convenient and charming little cottage…our latest renovation project, we’ve named, “The Dock House.” It’s down by the lake and has lots of “camp-style” charm, mingled with vintage treasures, and a porch that beckons, “Come sit!”
Continue reading “Transforming Our Shed into a Charming Dock House…Summer Celebrations”
“Let gratitude be the pillow upon which you kneel to say your nightly prayer.” Maya Angelou
Yesterday was a very special day in The United States of America…a holiday aptly named “Thanksgiving.” Thanksgiving is celebrated every year in America on the fourth Thursday in November. It’s the day we set aside to thank the Lord for all He has blessed us with and brought us through in the past year…a grand day celebrated with feasting, family, and friends!
Today, I’m going to show you how I decorated our Thanksgiving table and give you some tips that will help you style your own table beautifully for any occasion.
Continue reading “Thanksgiving Tablescape…Tips for Styling & Setting a Stunning Tablescape”
Today was another beautiful November day and the perfect day for assembling a centerpiece for our outside table. The centerpiece splays across the table and is made up of “twig-ery and poke-ery” and other autumn finery, and candlelight twinkles over the tabletop. An outside dining area easily becomes an extension of your living area and an enchanting way to beckon company outside.
Continue reading “Creating an Outdoor Centerpiece for Thanksgiving”
I wanted to wander inside to see if there were any toadstools that we could sit upon and enjoy two cups of Darjeeling tea.
One of our favorite things we try to do each autumn is to go to Silver Dollar City in Branson for “Pumpkin Nights.” Every corner of the park is filled with autumnal magic and displays of pumpkins. Come along with me as the afternoon shadows lengthen, the night slowly creeps in, and the park glows under neon lights and carved pumpkin luminaries.
Continue reading “Autumn and Pumpkin Nights”
~ by Trenda
It’s that cozy, all things pumpkin, sweater weather, cider sipping time of year…and time to decorate Cottage Green for autumn. Seeing the shadows of autumn sunshine coming through our shutters, while smelling the apple cider fragrance in our diffuser, I was inspired to make a woodland swag. A swag that looked like it was made with treasures found during a walk in an autumn forest…some bittersweet, wild blossoms, red, golden, and orange leaves, pinecones, wild grapes, and hawthorn berries, all weaved into a fir garland and mixed with discarded pheasant feathers and antlers shed from the deer in autumn.
Continue reading “DIY Woodland Swag and Autumn Tablescape”Where the heart is the mind works best.
Louisa May Alcott
Summer's loss Seems little, dear! on days like these. ~ Ernest Christopher Dowson
“On days like these” the leaves on our Redbud and Ash Trees glowed golden yellow in the sunlight and to our delight the double breasted cormorants that winter here glided into our cove by the hundred’s.
“On days like these” geese flew by in waves with the swoosh of their wings heard, before they were seen silhouetted against autumn blue skies.
“On days like these” leaves drifted by on wayward breezes and looked fetching against the green backdrop of grass.
Just look at all these glorious, autumn leaves I collected and preserved!
Our winter’s come delightfully late here in East Texas and our first freeze of the year wasn’t predicted until Monday night, the last night in November. That afternoon I carried my outdoor plants into the greenhouse where Richard was busy getting our heating system and thermometer all set up. After I got all the plants tucked away in their winter home, I went around the yard and clipped as many flowers as I could. Knockout Roses, impatiens, chrysanthemums, and Encore Azaleas were still blooming beautifully and the bouquet in my hands kept getting bigger and bigger, since I hated to leave any blossoms. I had lots to work with and made some sweet little arrangements to place around the house.
Deep red-orange chrysanthemums look striking against the green of a Depression Glass sugar bowl. Look at this sweet little antique vinegar & oil caddy with salt and pepper shakers I recently found on a trip we took to Branson.
Take a detour with me for a moment and look at 3 more treasures I found on our trip…these green Depression Glass shakers! I’m keeping them in the Cottage Greenhouse; they’ll be perfect for storing seeds I gather from my flowers.
Back to leaf and flower pressing! (: The rest of my gathering’s I laid out on paper towels to press and dry beneath a pile of heavy books. It is so satisfying drying flowers, ferns, or leaves – and being able to use them later to decorate a tablescape, make a centerpiece, or use them in some other project adds another dimension of enjoyment.
How to Press Leaves & Flowers
Next post I plan to show you a fun and easy project using some of my pressed leaves. Hope you enjoy these last days of autumn and have fun gathering leaves and pressing them.
From my cottage to yours ~ Trenda
To have all my posts delivered directly to your email address, just click on FOLLOW in the post above … or click on my site: cottagegreenonthelake.com
Follow me on PINTEREST at Trenda@cottagegreenonthelakegegreenonthelake.com
I’ve gathered an assortment of Thanksgiving ideas, decorating tips, recipes, tablescapes, centerpieces, and DIY projects from “Thanksgiving’s Past” at Cottage Green. For the full instructions and details about each, click on the highlighted links. I am so sorry, some of these older pictures are really “grainy” and are not very clear.
A Welcome Home for Thanksgiving has some ideas on how to “dress up” your front porch and a simple DIY project using grapevine around your front door frame.
Click on Easy Thanksgiving Centerpiece for one of my favorite ways to create a centerpiece. It assembles in minutes!
Here’s an easy appetizer to enjoy while awaiting the feast Easy Caramel Toffee Cream Cheese Dessert Dip served with apples. It’s harder to say than it is to put together! (;
Decadent ruby red Apple Cranberry Salad is the perfect mixture of cranberry tartness mixed with the sweet fillings of jello, pineapple, crispy apples and pecan pieces.
Click on autumn-napkin-rings for these charming, grapevine napkin rings. The silk autumn leaves and sprig of bittersweet brighten each table setting and they are so easy to make!
An Autumn Tablescape gives tips and how to’s for creating your own beautiful table for Thanksgiving.
Click on Easy Thanksgiving Favors to learn how to make these sweet little favors. Miniature Kraft bags are tied with colored twine and topped with a whimsical acorn and assemble in minutes.
Plus, on the same blog … learn how to make this decorative bow and this beautiful autumn wreath filled with glittered stalks of wheat, purple clusters of grapes and autumn leaves. Both the favors bags and the autumn wreath instructions are on Easy Thanksgiving Favors & DIY Autumn Wreath.
Now for a re-cap and some pictures of “all things autumn” from our recent trip to Missouri. Autumn is our favorite season to travel and we love seeing the beautiful colors of the Ozark deepen each day we’re there. Look at this blazing Maple Tree!
Chrysanthemums in rustic pails perched above squat-y pumpkins.
Fuchsia colored Coleus that almost glowed.
Short pumpkins, tall pumpkins, Cinderella’s and Baby Boo’s gathered beside more gorgeous Coleus.
Dark green, light green, orange, and white pumpkins contrast beautifully with a huge decorative pot of flowering Kale and burgundy Coleus.
Look at these amazing pumpkin displays we saw at Silver Dollar City.
Pumpkins stacked to the treetops …
And my favorite … a darling little pumpkin cottage with a fern lined roof!
This spot was so enchanting, Richard and I walked along the creek bed and the only sounds were the burbling creek and the evening crickets.
A lone Sycamore leaf drifting along in the crystal clear waters.
Look at this perfectly charming cafe … Sugar Leaf Cafe & Bakery where we had lunch one day.
… and came back for dessert on another day! (:
We loved the beauty and mystique of “Pumpkin Nights” at Silver Dollar City in Branson … with owls dangling from the treetops.
One King Owl ruling over his parliament of owls.
A camp site with glowing pumpkin flames.
And the last picture … this “Chapel in the Woods” we were thrilled to find.
Hope you enjoyed the pictures of our vacation and the Thanksgiving ideas will inspire and motivate you as you begin planning your own Thanksgiving.
From my cottage to yours ~ Trenda
Thank you for reading my blog! Click on the Follow button above to have all my posts delivered directly to your email address AND follow me on Pinterest … Trenda@CottageGreenontheLake.com
