Chic on a Shoestring Decorating: Budget Friendly Fall Mantel


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Budget Friendly Fall Mantel

Happy Fall y'all!!  (that's the one time a year that I say y'all)

My favorite season is officially upon us and here in the Midwest we are having some lovely cool fall weather!  This makes me SO happy as sometimes summer stays around too long and we go to the pumpkin patch and sweat (sweat = not fun).  It's also hard to be motivated to decorate for fall when you are sweating. 

Anywhooo, this year I did a budget-friendly Fall mantel.  I haven't done a Fall mantel in a while (last year only did Halloween).  I had to come up with something from scratch because I didn't want to pay full price on fall decorations (it's against my religion ;).

I luckily picked up this great gourd filled swag for 90% off after the season at Hob Lob last year.  $6 bucks!  (Major score like my fall wreath you can see HERE)


I used a bunch of candle stick holders that I already have and picked up some gourds and mini pumpkins for .25 cents each at our local Farmer's Market.  (I heart our Farmer's Market!  I love the fresh finds and supporting our local farmers plus, the same gourds at the grocery were $5.99 for a bag, about $1 a piece!)



I like the long, spindly stems, gives them character. :)



I left up my black vase 'o sticks to give it some more height and I added my first attempt at a coffee filter wreath to finish it off.


So there you have it, a new fall mantel for about $7.25 (and $6 of it was spent last year!) 

What are your thrifty fall finds??

Linking: Sunday Showcase, Tatertots & Jello The Lettered Cottage, Nest of Posies

28 comments :

  1. Looks beautiful and the price is hard to beat! We just moved the end of June so I'm busy painting all the ugly oak trim white and making a new cloffice so there is no fall decorating going on here. :( It's my favorite time of year, maybe next year my mantel will be ready for some decorating! Can't wait for the leaves to peak here in the midwest! PS, I love Hobby Lobby and finally live by one, I am hoping to score some great deals as well!

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  2. Beautiful, Katie! I love decorating for little $.

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  3. Great mantel. I've been working on mine. Always wish mine was a bit deeper. Seems there are things I want to place there and they just don't fit.

    Hope you'll join me at Seasonal Sundays with your beautiful mantel.

    - The Tablescaper

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  4. Beautiful Fall mantel with the gourds on the candlesticks. Nice arrangemnt of pine cones, berries and leaves with them. Happy Fall. :)

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  5. OH KATE!! It's GORGEOUS!! I think about 80% of my mantel with 50% off at Michaels!! Did ya see?

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  6. LOVE LOVE LOVE IT!! Got to love Hobby Lobby and their sales:) Martina

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  7. Your mantel looks fantastic! Don't you just love the satisfaction of finding sweet deals??! Everything looks just wonderful!

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  8. Oh I love it. Your garland is stunning and such a fabulous find. The gourds and pumpkins are so pretty. Beautiful vignette. Hugs, Marty

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  9. Oh Kate...great job. The wreath is very cool. Coffee filters? Never would have thought of it. You can leave the whole thing up until you're ready to decorate for Christmas. Well done!

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  10. Your mantel is gorgeous. It gives the feeling of fall without being too busy.
    Traci

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  11. Beautiful! I love to hit the 90% sales at Hob Lob!

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  12. It looks wonderful!! Fall is the easiest time to decorate on a budget!

    Thanks for Sharing!

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  13. Very pretty! We don't have a mantel but we do have a built-in sideboard that I decorate seasonally. If you'd like to see my Fall decorating, you can take a peek at my blog. See it here http://cndesigns.wordpress.com/category/seasonal-decorating-2/ (Hope the link works!) I did a rather rustic little look with salvaged tree branches :-)

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  14. Beautiful! Do you have a tutorial or a link to the coffee filter wreath? I love seasonal wreaths and that is pretty cool.

    Shari
    Turnstylevogue.com

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  15. It looks beautiful!! and you can't beat the price!

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  16. This is gorgeous! I just might steel that pumpkin on a candlestick idea! So cute. I just ave you a Versatile Blogger award! Check it out at: http://afabulesshome.blogspot.com/2011/09/shout-outs.html

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  17. I love this! It's what I want to do but with my pumpkins from the backyard - except I only have one right now :D Hopefully the other two will get a little bigger soon!

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  18. Love the whole beautiful thing! I started on mine, but don't have much on there yet. You have me rethinking about making a large chalkboard for mine and turning it into a mirror instead, but that costs more. Maybe next years garage sales I'll find a nice mirror. Yours really adds to the look with the added height! And ya gotta love HL clearance!

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  19. Came here from TLC, and so glad I did! This looks gorgeous! Love the wee pumpkins on the candlesticks. So cool!

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  20. I just found your blog and I am totally smitten! You have great style! I am so excited to come back for more yumminess, totally becoming a follower! Thanks xoxo.

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  21. I saw your blog on under the table and dreaming, I had to pop over to see your pics. I love your mantel, it looks so pretty for fall! The wreath turned out great! A new follower,

    Rachel :)

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  22. So pretty! I especially love the little pumpkins on the candlesticks!

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  23. Love it! I'm trying to do mine for under $10! Thanks for sharing!

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