Inside the Brick House

Get ready for fall with these fresh Fall ideas for decorating with gourds and pumpkins. Use them to add autumn elegance to your home both inside and out. I love the vases!

Crafty Gourd Critters
Fashion a family of friendly critters to nestle on a fence post or railing. Use small pumpkins and gourds for bodies and attach sunflower seeds, feathers, and nuts with hot glue to make facial features.


Gourd Candleholders
Craft a set of candleholders from gourds by simply cutting off the tops and hollowing out the centers. For an easy autumn display, arrange them in a metal tray filled with green hedge apples.

Hanging Gourd Vase
Hook a swan gourd over a balcony rail to create a hanging vase. Cut a 1- to 2-inch hole near the neck of the gourd, remove a bit of the pith, and insert mums, black-eyed Susans, and a length of Virginia creeper.

Carved Pumpkins aren't limited to October 31. Turn a few pumpkins into bowls by cutting off the top and scooping out the insides. Use a pencil to trace a scallop design and carve. A power drill and drill bits make quick work of adding decorative circles. Place a vase of flowers in one pumpkin and candles in others. Display with squatty pumpkins with their stems cut off for optimal stacking potential. CO:BHG.com
Mix it and Match it because well, everyone loves all that fall has to offer -- pumpkins, flowers, baskets, and leaves! No need to pick a favorite with this mix-and-match design featuring several pretty ideas: gourds pouring from an upturned basket, dried hydrangeas in a tin vase, and scattered leaves around the whole display. CO:BHG.com

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Gardening season is only a few weeks away, and the time to plan is now. What’s your plan? Grow vegetables and herbs, or more flowers? Are you going to switch it up from what you did last year? While gardening may not seem like something that’s subject to trends, tastes do change from year to year, especially your own. Here’s a quick look at what you’ll be seeing more of in gardens this coming year.

1. Designs with Natural Materials
You can say so long to plastic planters, concrete pavers, and plastic chairs. Natural design has been a growing trend for many years, and 2017 will be no exception.

Terra cotta and clay planters are popular, inexpensive and easy to find at gardening centers.
Stone, hollowed logs and other natural materials are also trendy planter materials
Stone and railroad ties are two great ways to border garden beds while sticking with the natural theme.
For patios, consider using natural paving stones. Gravel is a great low-maintenance material for pathways.
Wooden pati…