Layer Upon Layer

The other day we were kayaking in the late afternoon

 and for the first time in months, I was not stripped down to my bathing suit, but dressed in layers (I had even thrown in a sweatshirt "just in case")

and it got me thinking about how fall is all about layers.

Our days are still warm, but the night comes earlier and the evenings are cooler so both my clothing and decor get layers at this time of year.

In summer, I want uncluttered surfaces, but this time of year I frequently use a tablecloth and even my centerpieces are layered for color and texture.

In the summer, when Steve takes a nap, he uses this throw beneath him to catch errant sand,

but when fall arrives, we use it at night to keep our legs warm when we sit by the fire.

The mantel is another spot that is layered this season.

I usually keep vignettes off to the sides, but my latest design has dried branches strewn across the mantel.

Leaves, candles, books, clocks, etc. are layered to add height and interest.

My little red ladder is layered

with fall decor

as is my garden ladder.

This ladder was in the guest room, but it got booted outside when I found a shorter one and I love it in the garden because it allows for color at different heights.

 An extra quilt is added to the bed and a throw rug covers the now cold floors.

In the summer, I don't have time for crafts, but with the sun setting earlier I need something to keep my hands busy when watching movies

so my craft supplies become part of the decor.

I add layers to cozy up my house -

what's your fall decorating trick?

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I've Got Your Number

I may not have your number, but I have numbers - all over the house.

I have always loved numbers -

perhaps it's the teacher in me.

I didn't realize how many numbers I have and how much they show up in my decorating until I decided to put numbers on the mantel yesterday.

One of my Pinterest boards is titled "i've got your number

and all of the items on the mantel were first pinned onto the number board and then purchased or made.

With the mantel finished, I went around the house snapping pictures of numbers ~

on the porch . . . 

in the entry . . .

in the bedroom . . .

in my creative space . . .

and even the bathroom.

Earlier this month I realized that I have a "heart" problem

and clearly I have a number problem too.

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It Feels Like Summer

As we walked along the beach this morning we passed two teenage boys discussing the weather.

One boy said it felt like summer and the second boy said that it was literally about as far from summer as you can get.

The second boy is correct that we are at the seasonal opposite of summer, but it does feel like summer.

Thinking about "summer like" weather and reading my new decorating books made me realize what was wrong with my post Christmas mantel.

 After Christmas, I left the existing painting on the mantel and used a New Year's theme, but it just didn't feel right.

The change to a beach theme might not be right in other parts of the country, but it fits on our little part of the coast.

The painting is of the side of City Hall looking down to the sea on a mild January day.

Shells, found in abundance in our house, fill metal baskets.

Candlesticks I received for Christmas add height to the shell displays.

The walls shine bright yellow enhanced by the sun and an abalone shells holds a mere pittance of the wealth of sand dollars Steve finds on the beach each day.

There is a method to my madness in decorating with "summer" items - perhaps it will encourage winter to laugh at me bringing rain and snow so that we can get in a little skiing.

This mantel fits our little beach cottage and lifestyle and it reflects who we are- no matter the season.

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Bringing Christmas to our little cottage . . .

I am almost finished decorating the living room - we just need to get the tree.

The recently created Advent Calendar hangs from the mantel.

My kids are enjoying finding their treat each day and an old Santa Claus from my childhood is guarding each little package as it comes off the calendar.

 I knitted these socks years ago and hung them on the mantel despite the fact that they are not the stockings we use on Christmas.

I wrote here about why these are not KC's favorite stockings.

Glittery snowmen, Santa and metal trees decorate the top of the mantel.

The shelves of my tall skinny cabinet are filled with "Christmas".

Every flat surface in the room is decked out -

a vintage copy of A Christmas Carol sits with my old Santa on a old sewing machine base. - there was a ribbon tied sprig of holly on the book, but Lulu thought I had put it there for her to eat.

reproduction Christmas books fill a wire basket,

glass bulbs from Restoration Hardware are gathered together in a favorite ceramic dish

and another wire basket holds old Christmas books and some glittered letters I made a few years ago.

I started baking tonight, the tree will be decorated tomorrow, I still need to decorate the porch, and I am totally enjoying bringing Christmas to our little cottage.

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