Welcome to my Fall on the Outside

Each year I make some sort of presentation on our deck by the steps.  We don't have a formal entry so I try to make this walk up area feel like it's my entrance.

Welcome!

I found this cute sign at JoAnn's for half off- not bad!  I knew it was going to be a part of my fall entry on the deck.

I've got a purple mum that's still opening but it will add a nice pop of color among all the oranges and yellows!

 The lantern has a battery operated candle in it that comes fixed to the base.  I tried to stuff some acorns and fake pumpkins inside for added color.  It got rained on for several days and rusted.  Fortunately it was not expensive since I got it at T.J. Maxx a couple of years ago.

I used my large Rooster statue to anchor the corn stalks around.  I think he will show up better as the stalks dry up more and turn brown.

I love to find a variety of colors shapes and sizes. 

I like the warty pumpkins and this year they had them with the green which gave it a whole new look!

The leaves are courtesy of mother nature!

I added some kale plants that I put in apple baskets.

 As you can see we are still very green around here but it will soon change.  

Off to the right is our side door entrance.  I enhanced a wreath I got from JoAnn's by added some fall accented ribbon behind it.  It's squeezed between our storm door so it has to be shallow in depth.

So that's my outside fall decorating.  I'll add some touches for Halloween but not for a while.

I'm joining
French Country Cottage
for
Feathered Nest Friday
 and
A Stroll Thru Life 
for
Inspire Me Tuesday 

Mum and Pumpkin Topiary with Gourds

I got a vision in my head to create a topiary with my large 

planters that are located out in front of our garage.

 This is how the planters looked through the summer.  A mass of Supertunias and giant Salvia plants had really taken over.

 In my head I saw mums and

a basket on a stem perched above the mums...

So I explained my vision to my hubby and off we went to see what we could come up with.

We found the mums easily enough but the basket part proved more difficult.  We wandered around a few places and then at a garden center I found a pair of these metal hanging baskets that had been disassembled.  We agreed this may be the ticket so we walked over to the checkout area and asked how much they wanted for them (trying not to appear too eager).  When she said $5 each we grabbed them.

Now comes the part I needed the most help with.

 He chose this 1/2" EMT (Electrical metallic tubing he had it on hand- used for electrical wiring) and made cuts in the top, then fitted it to the basket. (We had been hashing this out on the way home as to how we were going to attach the tubing to the basket- and I came up with this idea with the cuts.  I may not always do all the work on my projects, but I have lots of ideas!)

He tapped the sides down to fit around the wire, then he pounded the bottom flat and cut an angle on them so they'd be easy to poke through the plant.

He picked up this spray can of Anodized Bronze at the hardware store and painted it all to be one color.  
He had also lightly sanded it first to prep it.
I guess he was in the mood for a project because he had these built and painted in less than 2 hrs!

I pulled out the plants from the planters, and then I removed a lot of the dirt.  I forgot I had put a plastic pot in the base upside down so I could use less dirt.  Stroke of luck!  He drilled a hole in the center and now we had something that would help keep the topiary from being tippy.  I left the plant in the plastic pot it came in and he drilled a hole in the bottom.  I carefully parted the mum in the center and he tapped it through.

 Ta-da!

The rest of my vision was to pile gourds and pumpkins in the baskets.  I chose only one pumpkin because of weight and a colorful variety of the gourds.

I had to play with the gourds because some of them could 

fall through the holes

I did each one a tad different.  

I thought some Indian Corn would be cute too but so far no one had any at the farm markets.  Dan thinks the squirrels will go after the corn and make a mess so I'm thinking I should leave well enough alone.

Finally some sun!
It's been raining on and off for days.

  

I'm anticipating doing something with these for Christmas too. 

So tell me what you think!

I'm joining the following parties-

Metamorphosis Monday 

 Inspire Me Tuesday 
Your'e Gonna Love It 

Seasonal Sundays