fresh and simple Autumn mantel under $10

Autumn is my favorite time of year, especially early Autumn in Virginia when the days are bright and crisp and the cottage windows are popped open. It’s when the cool breeze floats in and there’s a pot of chili simmering away on the stove top that it really starts to feel like fall around here. And as far as seasonal decorating goes, it’s easy to add a touch of romance into the mix without spending a ton. A ton to me is not really a ton, anything over $20 counts. Cottage Fix blog - Autumn mantel decorations

So for my mantel this fall I went with edible fruit and squash along with six long stem pink roses. Breaking up the roses into more than one vase helps to add volume, but not moolah, and fill up larger spaces. When I headed out to the market I was thinking carving pumpkins and flowers, but when I saw the pumpkins were marked five bucks a piece I altered my plan to get the overall price down while still keeping with a romantic fall look. The final look is created with two butternut squash, two gold nugget squash, three red pears, six long stem roses, and some recycled glass containers that I already had on hand. So it’s inexpensive and pretty, and as a bonus – edible!Cottage Fix blog - Autumn mantel, cottage styleCottage Fix blog - fresh and simple Autumn mantel under $10

I’m looking forward to browsing through my cookbooks for fun squash and pear recipes. I made a berry–pear crumble with the last pears I bought for decorating. It was delish with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. And as far as squash goes, it’s one of my favorite produce to cook with. Cottage Fix blog - Autumn mantel Happy Fall!

xoxo SallyCottage Fix blog - Autumn mantel squash and pears

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