I was at Trader Joe’s yesterday and they had just brought out their gourds and cinderella pumpkins. They are always a good price there so I brought a few home and embellished them with preserved leaves and a few fresh eucalyptus stems.

I purchased these skeleton rubber plant leaves a few weeks ago on Amazon, they are so delicate and great for so many fall crafts.

green leaves / natural color / brown leaves

I like these skeleton leaves so much I started creating a simple wreath too, attaching the leaves with hot glue to a gold wire circle.

These transparent leaves are great for so many fall projects: garlands, wreaths, bookmarks, art projects, even headbands.

This pumpkin project is simple, quick, and easy. Gather whatever gourds or pumpkins you like, real or fake, and dried botanicals or long lasting fresh stems like eucalyptus.

I used the skeleton leaves to decorate a few of the pumpkins, using Mod Podge to attach them. I used both fake and real pumpkins for this project, the leaves look fab with either!

I used a few extra dried ferns from last week’s roundup of preserved botanicals for fall to cover the top of a white cinderella pumpkin.

For these flat ferns, I used spray adhesive to attach them to the pumpkin.

I used hot glue to attach the eucalyptus stems to this green gourd.

I used three different adhesives during this project: Mod Podge for thin skeleton leaves, spray adhesive for flat leaves, and hot glue for stems.

These make great little seasonal objects for shelves or indoor vignettes.

Or use them in outdoor displays too!

So easy and so pretty!

Did you miss our previous article…
https://distancebetweenplaces.com/?p=307

Patricia Miller

distancebetweenplaces.com

I was walking through the Presidio in San Francisco and on my route was The Lodge, a hotel in the middle of the historic property. When I entered, I spied a giant ocean wall mural of the Pacific Ocean in the hotel dining room.

Landscape murals make a fantastic focal point that tell a story or create a mood. They bring a destination or travel vibe to any space.

Tropical or botanical murals started trending a few years ago, recently the landscape mural are resurging in popularity, especially the trompe l’oeil style (French for “fools the eye”) with old world pastoral scenes and panoramas.

The landscape mural has its history in centuries old painted murals from Europe. These murals always suit traditional interiors and hotels.

chateau de saulon

papiers de paris

Landscape murals are popping up in modern interiors paired with contemporary furnishings as an alternative to art or decorative wall displays. These create an instant focal point on wide walls. Consider them for dining rooms, bedrooms, bathrooms, or home offices. Inspirational examples below!

wooded forest

eden mural  | mural source here

japanese ink wall mural

foggy hills – pacific northwest

vintage scene

ships mural

scandinavian fall

forest mural – installation & link here

french landscape

english landscape

country landscape

bathroom niche

tropical black and white

mirage view

gray chinoiserie

neutral forest

tuft & trim nursery – susan harter murals

If you’re looking for sources for a landscape mural in your home, office, or commercial space, visit these sources below!

Sources for Landscape Murals

Papiers de Paris

Jazz London

Susan Harter

Etsy

Walls Need Love

York Wallcoverings

Designer Wall Coverings

Kirkland’s

Lowe’s

Did you miss our previous article…
https://distancebetweenplaces.com/?p=287

Patricia Miller

distancebetweenplaces.com

Welcome September! Summer is turning to fall, can you feel it? I love decorating with green plants all around, but I wanted to add some preserved botanicals for the season.

Some preserved ferns and floral buttons arrived yesterday so I arranged them and created a delicate fall display. These are dried botanicals, not artificial stems. My feathery ferns and friendly floral buttons feel wispy and boho and will last the entire season.

preserved fernsfloral buttonsset of vases

More preserved botanicals and dried flowers for fall decorating below!

coastal yarroworange floral buttons

bunny tailcraspedia bunch

seeded eucalyptusbird of paradise

pink billy buttonspink hydrangea

star grassfeather grass

natural lagurusasparagus

reed grassbraken fern

red eucalyptusreed pampas grass

eucalyptus bunchdune grass

weeping willowbanksia

Did you miss our previous article…
https://distancebetweenplaces.com/?p=279

Patricia Miller

distancebetweenplaces.com

My kids are happy back at school, it’s nice to see them smiling at the opportunity to be social and sit in classrooms again. Our family has begun looking for a new home to purchase and having serious discussions about selling the home we live in. It’s been a wonderful home and where I raised my kids, but we’re feeling the need to downsize and plant ourselves in a new container. There’s no rush, but it’s an ongoing discussion and a leap we will take when we find the right home.

Everyone in California is closely watching a huge wildfire get closer to Lake Tahoe where several friends of mine live and many cool communities exist. Lake Tahoe is a gorgeous place we like to visit year round and a favorite vacation spot for many Californians, so it’s very sad and scary what’s happening and we’re praying the firefighters can contain it. These are strange days we’re living in.

Favorite links found this week:

Beautiful medley of natural wood tones + black windows and cabinets in this California home.

Classic architecture and modern furnishings blend in this home with neutral tones.

Black and white mix with natural textures in this lovely home renovation.

Get to know the original influencers of mid century modern lighting design.

The beauty of “Covid hair” and the return of natural gray.

How digital addictions are drowning us in dopamine.

Why creativity is key to healthy aging.

 Garbage time v. quality time.

Coco Chanel’s best quotes on life, love, and fashion.

Made me laugh: this satire about the popular “gather” and “live laugh love” signs.

Did you miss our previous article…
https://distancebetweenplaces.com/?p=278

Patricia Miller

distancebetweenplaces.com

Happy late fall weekend! This week I had extra energy and was feeling really creative so I made homemade ravioli from scratch, created new artwork, and gathered everything I’ll need for my Thanksgiving table.

I have a thoughtful DIY gift idea to share later this week. I’m also working on the flip investment property behind the scenes. It’s nearing completion and I am hoping to share the hall bathroom soon, it’s looking so good! I just need to install the plumbing and mirror and it’s complete, but I’ll wait to share the kitchen and master bathroom in the new year.

Favorite links from the week:

The furnishings and lighting in this Memphis home are so good.

So cute and creative: this botanical Christmas village.

DIY hacks for faking stone, marble, leather, and cement.

I love images of destination weddings, these pictures from Lake Como are dreamy.

I bought two of these hoodies and I’m about to order a third, they’re fitted and so cozy.

17 ways to make last year’s Christmas decor look like new.

Why do planes fly at 36,000 feet? Here’s the answer.

I’m a big fan of Stanley Tucci, here’s what he’s doing for Thanksgiving.

The charming history of sending Christmas cards.

Did you miss our previous article…
https://distancebetweenplaces.com/?p=277

Patricia Miller

distancebetweenplaces.com

It hits me every year, the last week of October. I begin to feel the expectations building, the stress of content creation, the subtle nudge to please all the people around me, and the pressure to make it look effortless. So a few years ago I made a promise to myself that I wouldn’t sacrifice my physical and emotional health during the holidays even if that meant saying “no” a lot more. I chose instead to simplify the season.

I stopped throwing a Christmas party and sending holiday cards. I make the living room festive and I hang garland on the stairs but I no longer decorate the entire house. I wait until December to buy a Christmas tree and decorate it with my kids. Once I took the pressure off myself the immediate result was I began to feel more joy during the holiday season.

I watch the stories of people I follow on Instagram and already there’s so much creativity happening. I love it, it’s beautiful, and I look forward to being inspired by more. I still like to make things and if they turn out well, I share them here on the blog.

But one thing I’ve realized as the years go by and in all the holiday seasons I’ve celebrated is that time is the only thing with real value and our energy is finite. We get to choose where we spend it.

So instead of stressing myself out during the holiday season, I opt for simplicity in decorating and entertaining. Right now that looks like leaves clipped from the backyard paired with luminaries made of leaves and wax paper.

Simplicity is a choice to not get caught up in what everyone else is (or seems to be) doing.

To you maybe that looks like decorating with swags of popcorn or construction paper garlands made by your kids or grandkids instead of store bought gilded versions.

Perhaps it’s the pie you buy from the bakery to bring to a party because you don’t have time to bake.

Maybe it’s prioritizing kicking your feet up and snuggling with your favorite people with just a string of twinkle lights for the mood, instead of hauling out bins of holiday decor and decking the halls for days only to have to put it away a few weeks later.

Whatever it looks like to you I guarantee, choosing simplicity means a less stressful and more joyful holiday season.

_______

If you’re interested in how to make these simple leaf luminaries with wax paper, I posted the supplies and instructions on Instagram Reels today. This fall craft is a return to basics – decoupage leaves as a simple centerpiece. (Just be sure to use flameless candles). I used the leftover skeleton leaves from these embellished pumpkins.

Today’s post is really just a word of encouragement and a reminder this holiday season there’s no need to stress out when decorating or entertaining. You can choose simplicity in all you do and still create seasonal beauty.

Did you miss our previous article…
https://distancebetweenplaces.com/?p=256

Patricia Miller

distancebetweenplaces.com