Quick & Easy Autumn Centerpiece

The purpose of this post is to show a layering technique that might be enjoyed in your decorating schemes. Tablescaping is a really fun process. I would much rather plan, gather materials and decorate for an event than to actually go to the event! (I know, it seems rather antisocial, doesn't it?) Anyhooo, this is a quick centerpiece that I put together for a library display of cookbooks and tailgating publications.

I began with an autumn hued plaid tablecloth. I made sure there was enough purple in the plaid to be able to bring in purple berries in the arrangement. I love orange, curry and purple combined. I used a faux magnolia leaf wreath as the base of the arrangement and topped it with a light orange berried wreath. I then inserted into the berry wreath, purple berries, dried hydrangea and feathers. In the center, two gold mercury glass candlesticks were placed and topped with candles. I couldn't find the color candles I wanted, so I just painted some old ones I already had. I sponged on purple, orange and gold. The mottled effect is actually prettier than the picture displays. Around the top of the holder I tied berries, hydrangea, some miscellaneous fall foliage and tied the whole thing with twine. The big puffy bow is that stiff mesh that I spoke of in yesterday's blog. I tied the bow onto the wreath with twine also. Twine is the bomb for rustic decorating!!

Layering is a process that was born out of never having just the items needed for centerpieces!
If you layer and use what you have or what you find around your yard, the effect is usually very pretty. I would suggest a few other things to add to this centerpiece such as this: acorns that have been painted gold or left natural, autumn leaves, McCarty or Peter's squirrels or birds, small deer and/or branches that have silk leaves hot-glued on. If you don't have the wreaths, use a grapevine wreath (and use real magnolia leaves) and buy your silks at Dollar Tree...they have great Fall stuff!

My theory is that you can never have enough Fall! As I've stated before, I begin putting out colored leaves in September, add pumpkins in October and the ever-present turkeys in November. This gives you three good months of warm colors to decorate with and ushers in the Christmas season in a beautiful way.