Ruthie's 2012 Fall Decorating Favorites

 
Since it's the beginning of October, I thought I'd post a few of my fall favorite decorating ideas so far!
  
 
Wine glass jewelry.  Precious little pumpkins for your fall brunch or luncheon.  Find them here
 
 
Cute idea and adds color!
 
 
 
So clever, made out of mason jar lids!  here
 
 
Made with little yarn balls and acorn tops!  Found here
 
 
These are so adorable!  Made out of vintage chenille.  I remember I had a purple bedspread made out of this chenille! Found here
 
 
So cute for each place setting!
 
 
Wouldn't this be a cool idea with pumpkins underneath the glass instead of the flowers?  I'd be afraid the above might fall over at my dinner party.  Pumpkins might keep them from falling.
 
 
Glitter pumpkins.  Use painters tape to create the design and then spray adhesive to make the glitter stick :)
 
 
Chevron patterned pumpkins all all the rage this year.
 
 
Even for cookies!
 
 
Simple and absolutely beautiful!
 
 
Great idea so your tablecloth won't fly away!
 
 
Better Home & Garden rocked this wreath!
 
 
Check out these chocolate covered pretzels, dipped in sprinkles!  Brilliant and EASY!
 
 
Perfect for your address!
 
 
Great way to serve drinks!
 
 
Fall gift tags found here.
 
This is the table arrangement I made last year.  I really enjoyed the antlers and my shoe polished pumpkins.  Did you know you can use clear shoe polish to make them shine!  Makes them look like wax.
 
This was my centerpiece a couple years ago.  I placed a pumpkin in a large bowl and then placed a wreath around it.  Instant gorgeous!
 
 
Check out what Jennifer at "Dimples and Tangles" is doing for fall in her home here.  Love the feathers and pops of color!  You'll love it too!
 
My other blogger friend Jennifer, from The Magic Brush is doing amazing things with her pumpkins too.  Pop over to her blog and take a look at her talent!
 
 
Happy Fall Decorating Ya'll, I'm glad it's finally feeling like fall here in Texas!
 
Visit my website DecRenew Interiors to see my design portfolio with before and after pictures you won't want to miss.
 
 
 

Scarecrow Attire

 
I'm pulling out all the fall decor today!  I decided that my scarecrow needed to be "GROOVY" this year! 
 
I had everyone in the thrift store excited as this scarecrow rode around in the cart while I selected her attire!  I turned lots of heads!
 
It's okay for a scarecrow to be a girl right?
 
Enjoy your weekend! 
 
Visit my website DecRenew Interiors to see my Design Portfolio with Before and After shots you don't want to miss!
 

Gel Staining... Small change but big impact.

 
Mini Wax Gel Stain is my best friend today!
 
 
I have this antique buffet in my living room that I love but I wanted to update it a bit.   I contemplated painted it but I knew that wouldn't fly with my husband :(   As you might know, painted furniture is all the rage right now, it's a great way to give a new look to old antiques.
Take a look at Noteworthy Home and see what amazing work she is doing!  I love following them on Facebook!
 
BEFORE
 
 
I thought about gold leafing the insets on each side but couldn't get brave enough to do that either. 
But what I did do was use my Walnut Gel Stain to make the insets stand out.
 
AFTER
We use this gel stain a lot for staining stair banisters, cabinets, doors and much more.  It's wonderful because there is no major sanding needed.  It sits on the surface of the existing stain and darkens it immediately. 
 
Small change, big impact!
 
I'm happy!  What do you think?
 
I also wanted to say thank you to Kathy Greenley for featuring me on her blog today!
Here.  I feel honored that she included me in this feature about Collections.
 
 
 Order her book "The Collected Tabletop" here you will love it!  As you know, I LOVE to entertain and set a beautiful table.   You can see a few of my posts about entertaining here and here.
 
 
Visit my websit DecRenew Interiors to see my Design Portfolio with before and after pictures you won't want to miss.
 


Before & After Bookshelves & Kiddos Treasures

(Clay fish my daughters made in elementary school)
 
Some of you may have seen the bookshelves I posted on facebook that I found on Craigslist for my Master Bedroom.  Well, this weekend I transformed them!
 
I don't have much display space in this house and really wanted to have a space in our master where I can put the treasures that my girls have made us over the years :)  As well as some family pictures that are important to us.
 
BEFORE
 
 
I found these beauties and drove an hour away, way into the country to get them.  A girl does what she wants to do if she finds something she loves, right?  Even if it involves driving my husband's beast of a diesel truck.
 
  I especially loved the arched shaped curves at the top and knew they would be gorgeous all painted up and "Ruthiefied" as my sister-in-laws say.  I loaded all three of them up and brought them home.
 
AFTER
 
 
I wallpapered the backs of the shelves with a wallpaper that is very close to the paint color and it looks so great!
 
 
I've got 2 done, and am working on the third to place next to the one above.
 
I used  Krylon Fusion spray paint (Color - River rock) because the shelves are not solid wood and could not be sanded. 
 
 
This spray paint has a primer in it and worked really well.  The only negative was that I used 4 cans per bookshelf, yikes!  It is also very messy so you WILL NEED GLOVES when doing this project :)
 
 
The wallpaper coordinates beautifully with my drapes and bedspread.  It's nice and subtle so it doesn't look to froo froo as my husband would say.
 
 
 
 
I sanded the edges so some of the original color would shine through. 
 
 
 
 
 
I'm halfway through placing things on the shelves, this will take some tweaking.
 
 
Treasures like this cute clay sandal that my daughter made in her art class her 5th grade year will be placed ever so carefully.
 
 
Paper Mache pot, again made in art class.
 
 
A sketch of my two girls that was given to me for Christmas one year.  Adorable!  My favorite gifts are those that are made with LOVE.
 
 
My initials made out of clay amongst some shells we collected on one of our beach trips.
 
Funky Fish Display.
 
Hope your weekend was productive! 
 
 
Visit my website DecRenew Interiors to see my Design Portfolio.
 
 
 

African Story about LIFE!

 One of my sweet clients passed this African story on to me this week.  I couldn't help but share it with you, especially since I was born and raised in Africa and still have family there.  Africa is so dear to my heart.
  It is so incredibly inspirational and it made me think about how our lives can be transformed by the accountability we have in our lives and the family & friends (or tribe) that encourages us along the way!
Hope it makes your week colorful like it did mine!

 

Here it is.....
When a woman in a certain African tribe knows she is pregnant, she goes into the wilderness with a few friends and together they pray and meditate until they hear the song of the unborn child.
 They recognize that every soul has its own vibration that expresses its unique flavor and purpose. When the women is attune to the song, they sing it out loud.
Then they return to the tribe and teach it to everyone else.
When the child is born, the community gathers and sings the child's song to him or her.
Later, when the child enters education, the village gathers and chants the child's song.

 

When the child passes through the initiation into adulthood, the people again come together and sing.

 

 At the time of marriage, the person hears his or her song.

 

 

 Finally, when the soul is about to pass from this world, the family and friends gather at the person's bed, just as they did at their birth, and they sing the person to the next life.
 In the African tribe, there is one other occasion upon which the villagers sing to the child. If at any time during his or her life, the person commits a crime or aberrant social act, the individual is called to the center of the village and the people in the community form a circle around them. They then sing their song to them.
 The tribe recognizes that the correction for antisocial behavior is not punishment; it is love and the remembrance of identity.
 When you recognize your own song, you have no desire or need to do anything that would hurt another. A friend is someone who knows your song and sings it to you when you have forgotten it.
Those who love you are not fooled by mistakes you have made or dark images you hold about yourself. They remember your beauty when you feel ugly; your wholeness when you are broken; your innocence when you feel guilty; and your purpose when you are confused.
 You may not have grown up in an African tribe that sings your song to you at crucial life transitions, but life is always reminding you when you are in tune with yourself and when you are not.
When you feel good, what you are doing matches your song, and you feel awful if it doesn't.
 In the end, we shall all recognize our song and sing it well.
 You may feel a little wobbly sometimes, but so have all great singers.
Just keep singing, and you'll find your way home.
- Alan Cohen
Isn't that beautiful???
Enjoy your weekend and love someone well!