Many years ago when I worked at Bowling Green State University, we held a Harvest Moon Ball. Having one of the few hardwood dance floors in Northwest Ohio, it drew ballroom dancers from many miles away. The invitations were lovely peach and deep purple and the decorations paid homage to the late harvest.
Autumn is such a lovely season, though quite brief in Texas. But still a bounty of decorations can be found in your own backyard or local parks. Several years ago a cousin mailed us some wonderful multicolored leaves from Up North. They created a lovely display on my dining table.
Nuts, pine cones, sweet gum balls, leaves, branches, moss and ferns can be used to evoke the bounty of autumn. In addition to pumpkins and gourds, a few pears, figs or persimmons will add color to a table display.
I enjoy decorating my entry table, dining tables, and sideboards with these found treasures. They cost nothing but a little time and can be used in a variety of ways.
Twigs can be bound together with twine to create pretty little bundles. These can be placed in bowls with deep orange persimmons for a pretty arrangement.
Well-proportioned tree limbs can be left natural or painted, then added to a floor planter with stones, styrofoam or quickcrete. Leave plain or add ornaments for the season.
Nuts in a crystal bowl with maybe a small branch makes a pretty and useful centerpiece. Add a small silver nutcracker, and your dinner guests can enjoy the nuts for a snack. I like to spray paint a few silver or gold just for a pop of color (but not for eating!) .
Figs, apples and/or persimmons can be arranged in a bowl with or without nuts for a pretty spot of color. They do not have to be left to the dining room, either!
Autumn leaves look gorgeous scattered on the table or as a base for a bowl of nuts. If you don’t have interesting colors of leaves, nor a sweet cousin to send them to you, then you will find them on Amazon.com or at stores like Bed, Bath and Beyond.
Moss and ferns could make up an entire post! A few years ago I collected several different colors and types of moss. Together with some lichen covered branches, I put them in a large, shallow glass bowl. Every few days I gave them a spritz of water. They made a wonderful, living centerpiece for my dining table.
I enjoy decorating with found items as much, if not more, than buying decorations. Once the season is over, there is nothing to store. Items can be returned to nature to continue to be part of the cycle of life. This type of decorating feels less like staged décor and more like bringing the outdoors inside. An ode to nature.
