CHEAP!! DIY Fall Decor

Listen, I am going to be real honest here 

(and you'll probably stop reading my blog after this...)

"I am not really a big fan of decorating my home for each and every season...yes, that even means for Christmas."  (CRAZY, I know...I've already heard it all:)

BUT...I got a sweet little part-time job at an "Invitation and Gift Store" and these 

girls LOVE to decorate for any occasion

and better yet...

they give me a chance to use my DIY skills and get a little artsy!

SO...here are some ideas for cheap and easy fall decor ideas. 

The most obvious ones are pumpkins, 

the cheapest way to decorate them is with SHARPIE'S (who doesn't love a sharpie, my fav!)

 Now remember what I said in my first blog, I am NOT a perfectionist, so I embrace my mistakes on these pumpkins and I call it adding "character:)" I tried doing herringbone, lace and a more "tribal" look here...oh and I tried herringbone again, because its my latest obsession.

I am also obsessed with doing chalkboard pumpkins...buy one can of spray paint and your good for more then 3 pumpkins. (if not more) I used only one coat AND it dries really fast!  (Every DIY'ers dream)

The next cheap component was fun and SUPER easy.  If you want to give your display some height and take up some of that vertical space, "candlestick stands" are the way to go!

(I made four stands and had a few little extra display pieces for less then $8....YES....

eight dollars!)

"How did you do that?" I hear you asking...it's called Goodwill, Salvation Army or your local thrift store.  Most of the items you see pictured below were about .65 each. unreal.

(plus a few more items not pictured here)

and all I simply did was spray paint both the candle stick and the saucer separately, then hot glued the saucer to the top of the candlestick so the pumpkins have a surface to sit on. (see pictures below) 

I ended up leaving some of the candlesticks "as is" and finding cheap orange candles at Walmart to fill them with.  I also found this AWESOME glass at the Dollar Store, it reminded me of a goblet, so I got it, spray painted it and used in it my display!

The Cheapest thing I did to make the look complete...found some sticks in my yard and spray painted them black.  THAT SIMPLE.  Now I am lucky, my parents basically have their own little forest in their back yard so that was super easy for me.  BUT just go for a walk around your neighborhood, or local park and I'll just bet you find one! 

(otherwise craft stores sell them fairly cheap as well)

Here are some of my display photos.  (I wont post any that have the "stores" items in them, but I took some pics as I was setting up mock displays and before I added "items for sale!") HAVE FUN!

(mock set-up in the kitchen, before I get to the store)

(the black birds were from the Dollar Store as well!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

(mock set-up on the floor, just playing around with heights)

(Getting the window ready, LOVE the branches in a vase with my Dollar Store bird!!!!!)

Enjoy!