Front porch updates

A couple weeks ago I posted about the current state of my entryway. While I haven't done anything inside, yesterday I took the time to spruce things up outside!

I had a gift certificate for $15 to a local farm stand that's known for their pumpkins (in a couple weeks I hope to take Abby there and get some pictures!). I used about half of my certificate on produce:


 (I was sad. I took the last 3 zucchini. I was hoping to make more bread and muffins and fried zucchini this week... oh well!)

And I used half the certificate on pumpkins! Here's the finished project:


(I figure a week or two before Halloween I'll get two more pumpkins to carve and put on the steps. And the pink gladiolas will be gone soon, I just couldn't cut them down quite yet...)

I brought up one of our old folding chairs from the basement (which are currently also our dining table chairs...) and found the perfect sized basket in my basket stash. I'd gotten the flowers for $1 a bunch at the dollar store a few weeks ago. And those cute little pumpkins were 50 cents each at the pumpkin patch!


Wanna know a secret? Those pumpkins aren't sitting flat on the bottom of the basket. You wouldn't be able to see them if they were. I went searching through the garage and found...


A small cardboard box! Perfect! Then I used this same trick under the chair in the bushel basket:


Since it was just a little too deep for my (previously hanging) plant.


I can get a few more weeks out of that thing. I'll never buy that kind of plant again though. It died way too easily throughout the summer. I kept reviving it. For now it'll add a little more orange to the mix.

So there you have it! Hopefully it makes the neighbors smile when they drive by. It makes me smile. :)
I love fall...

BEFORE

AFTER

Now I have a new crazy idea running through my head... I want to paint my door... hmmm we'll see if that idea flies with the hubby. ;)

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Edited to add 10/6:
The plant in the basket finally bit the dust. Or at least it got bad enough that I didn't feel like trying to save it one more time. Then I realized I still had a bunch of beautiful orange marigolds out in the backyard, surrounding the vegetable garden (which is now done for the season). Brilliant! Why didn't I think of this in the first place?!

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