Since we just officially moved in in May, this is our first fall in the house.  I had these dreams that by the fall, every mantel and every room would be beautifully (and differently!) decorated. HA!!! I was just lucky to get just a couple of rooms and 3 of the 8 mantels in the house decorated by mid-October!

The biggest issues?  Space and cost.  What stuffed our little apartment to the brim barely covers a couple of rooms in our “new” house.  I thought I had a lot to work with, but I was wrong, and it’s not like I could go out and spend a ton on all new stuff. Thank goodness for my mom and mother-in-law, who have helped me add to my stock, along with a few key sales.

My favorite by far is our natural fall mantel in the foyer. I like a lot of rustic looks, but to be honest, they usually just don’t really fit with the style and feel of our house.  I love how this mantel kind of marries a rustic and glam look together without feeling too woodsy or too fancy.

The magnolia leaves and berries are from our yard, and the pumpkin was $3 at the grocery store, so this was a very inexpensive mantel to pull together.

I went for a more casual and fun look in the den, with lots of traditional pumpkins, gourds, leaves, and scarecrows. Most of the items I used were from the Michael’s clearance bins.

I also picked up a pack of fake fall leaves for about $1 at Michael’s and spread them all around the house in various places for a little punch of fall here and there.  I think they really pulled this mantel together.

Last but not least was the dining room mantel. I stuck a couple of lanterns I had up there, and added a little fall ribbon to them.  The candle sticks usually reside on the mantel in the den, but I thought they dressed up the dining room a bit next to the lanterns.  I picked up the glass pumpkin, which is so beautiful and one of my favorite pieces, at TJ Maxx this year.  Throw in a little greenery from the yard and bam! Finished!

Pretty simple, huh? And if you’re looking for just one more idea, I’ll share one of my favorites: candy corn! During the fall, you can use candy corn to decorate just about anything.

What are your favorite fall decorating secrets?  Do you try to stick to a budget?

PS- Don’t forget to enter for your chance to win a copy of the new CraftFail book!