The temperature in Indiana this month has been above average. While that makes it harder to get into the autumn mood, I certainly didn’t let that stop me from buying pumpkins, mums and unpacking my twenty boxes – literally – of fall decorations!

In the tradition of my mom, “Mama Bear”, my goal at our home is that hardly a nook or cranny is untouched by a pumpkin, fall leaf or apple scented candle. Because I begin the fall decorating process early, I sometimes have to replace real leaves, pumpkins and gourds for realistic-looking, but nonetheless fake, substitutes. While this may have made Mama Bear a bit wary, I believe she’d understand that in the interest of stretching out the season as long as possible, some sacrifices must be made.

Of course, I also have plenty of natural decorations and find that, if you carefully intermingle natural with “not so natural”, the end result works just fine.

KITCHEN TABLE CENTERPIECE

Pumpkins, pine cuttings, pine cones, fall leaves and bittersweet. What more do you need to welcome fall?

HORN OF PLENTY

Because a horn of plenty (also known as a cornucopia) is a symbol of abundance and nourishment, what better decoration for the kitchen? Our kitchen island has been home to a horn of plenty every fall for as long as I can remember.

SCARECROW

Fall isn’t complete without a scarecrow or two. I’ve added some fall flair on my kitchen counter. It’s a pretty little fall scene I can enjoy while washing dishes!

DINING ROOM CENTERPIECE

The silver footed bowl was purchased by Mama Bear in a London, England antique mall. It has graced our dining room table for over twenty years. Its contents change depending on the season.

LIVING ROOM MANTLE

Mama Bear and Papa Bear (my mom and dad) traveled to a hunting lodge in Scotland every fall. Ever since, our living room has been decorated in the same feel as that lodge, complete with animal furs, antlers and lots of tartan. The fall decorations on the fireplace mantle reflect that same feel.

 FIREPLACE HEARTH

Our family room is where we spend most of our down time so I want to make sure it is thoroughly decorated for the season. Starting with the fireplace hearth – a basket of pumpkins and gourds, a yummy smelling candle accompanied by a blazing fire (if it ever cools down) is just what we need to relax on a fall evening.

BACK ENTRY TABLE

When guests enter our home, we want the first thing they see to be a welcoming table decorated with all things that say Autumn has arrived!

To see the Den’s outdoor fall decorations, visit Seasons at Mama Bear’s Den.