The Mostess's crates.And if that wasn't bad enough, she then bragged about it and challenged me to a display-off. Which brings us to now. We have had our "Welcome Fall" displays up for awhile, and it's high time we post them before October hits and we need to morph them into round two of the Competition: Spooktacular Spectacular. (The Display-Off will culminate in November with "Bountiful Harvest," at which point we will start talking Christmas.)
I give you my version of "Welcome Fall":
Here is the view as you approach the door:
As a renter, I can't take credit for the raw elements--the door, the light, etc.--but I think my display shines through. Here is a closer view of those ebay crates:
When I bought that owl, my piece de resistance, I texted a picture of him to The Mostess. She demanded to know where I got him. I lied and said I made him. She saw right through that, but still cursed (over text) and declared that she, too, needed a piece de resistance. I am afraid someone will steal such a fine owl so I have to bring him in at night. He's a high maintenance piece, but he's worth it.
My other pieces de resistance are my three fellas. Fall is their season.
Okay, here is my competition. Here is the first view you see:
The Mostess's display.She actually has a two part display--here's a close-up of the first part:
And the second part that you see as you face the door:
I admit, I was a little disappointed to see how cute her display is. She's no hack. Although I don't see a piece de resistance in there . . . . As for judging--the Mostess did not trust you, reader of this blog, to render a fair vote as to the better display. So we are submitting the photos to an "objective friend" of the Mostess's who supposedly has great style. But still feel free to praise us (I mean our displays!) in the comments! Do you like our displays? Have you welcomed fall? Can you believe I made that owl?
33 comments:
I NEED that owl! I know you don't want to reveal the store you purchased it at, so you can just email me the deets ;) Or, I could fly out there and steal it too.
As for the Mostess, I have been stalking her blog for months. I love it! It's high time I come out and leave her some comments. I am so impressed by her party shed too. The woman is truly the hostess with the mostess!
Katie--the owl is a luminary from Pottery Barn Kids. Have my mom buy him for you. :)
Don't be silenced people. Come to my blog to cast your vote!
http://tylerbcarter.blogspot.com/2011/09/first-amendment-to-my-blog-free.html
Can I vote for neither one? I salute the effort and am impressed with the handiwork involved but you know how I hate birds and owls are no exception. Further, sorry Kaari, but I hate scarecrows too...and hay bales. So I like the crates for both of you but that is it.
I limit my decorating to Halloween and not fall. Anyhoo, good luck to both of you ladies and may the best woman win!
I will out-display both of you! Just you wait!
Brooke--you gotta get over your hate of gourds and owls. It's unamerican! Halloween decor gets old fast. That holiday--while great--always lags on past it's welcome and no one needs cobwebs up in September to extend the staleness even longer. (This is coming from someone who loves Halloween decor, mind you, I just know how much I love ripping it down Halloween night.)
Kristine--I'd like to see you try!
1. Hell, damn and ass aren't swears because they are in the Bible.
2. It's true that the owl caused me to utter a 'damn' via text.
3. I love Katie.
4. Brooke likes my display better.
5. I think people should totally vote! If I win, I will believe I am awesome. If I lose, I will just believe I was robbed. I'm good like that.
6. My display was a little off. I had to move things for the party (including my wreath and a few pumpkins) but readers get the gist. I'm okay to enter it as is.
7. I still love that owl!
8. My homemade version will be better.
9. I, too, would like to see Kristine try.
10. I am going to bed. I hope I wake up a winner!!
I have to say that I am enjoying both of the displays. But that owl is RIDICULOUS! I LOVE him. He definitely puts you over the top (I mean if I was voting)
And I'm with you. You gotta do fall first. Then at the spook for Halloween!
Without tipping my hand, I have to say that the owl is fantastic. It could trump most anything.
I just used two card-playing analogies. My apologies.
Owls are hot this year. So bizzare. I've seen them on SO MANY blogs, Ash. I love that you found one. I've been looking for one to send to my sister, but haven't found the perfect hoot yet.
You are inspiring! I love October! Don't forget to make pumpkin cookies!
This is hysterical.
First, Ash your display is perfect. All it needs is an orange door and it would be PB cover-worthy.
I LOVE the owl so so much.
Hostess's display is nice, but I'm with Brooke on the hatred of scarecrows. They try to look cute, but are insanely creepy.
Her crate, however, takes the cake. I LOVE it and am so impressed with her mad skills!
All in all, awesome display.
I don't do a September display because I have to focus my efforts on October. I would implore you to open round 2 up to me.
I would blow you both out of the water.
I knew your friends wouldn't be objective! Except for that Laura lady.
First, Kaari - add "Holy SH-t" to your list of bible words. I use the others, too.
I am blown away by BOTH displays. I have an autumn wreath on my door, that's it.
And I'm getting on PBkids right now to see about the owl, Katie. If they don't have it, how about some of Grandpa's taxidermy?? He has pheasants, racoons, deer heads, wait, I think he actually had an owl!!
You guys actually make me want to get in on the competition, and I'm not even a competitive person. But when in the world would I find time to put together a porch display? Plus, I don't even have a porch. Just a door with trash cans in front of it. Hmmm. Can we do an indoor display competition? I may need to hit up TJ Maxx.
I love the idea of the crates!!! I was thinking yesterday I needed something for my porch but didn't have any great ideas. You guys inspired me. I do like Ashley's better since I don't love scarecrows.
And....my rebuttal. With better pics, of course. I changed my mind about the 'it's good as it is' once I saw that I wasn't the clear frontrunner. Unacceptable.
http://themostess.blogspot.com/2011/09/my-rebuttal-display-off.html
Molly, let's got to the Maxx. I too have no porch to speak of and am simply jealous of both displays. That owlie is super cute, but I have to say Ash, putting the little gingers in on the competition, not fair. No one could beat the cuteness of those kiddos. You're right, obviously fall was made for the gingers.
Gingers rule, and I don't have a prayer for ever getting one of my own. :)
I totally Vote for yours. (Kaari doesn't read this right?)
That's an Owl? I thought it was Perry the Platypus.
Seriously, I need to warn you about Owl decor. Back in the 70's my mom got an Owl "PDR" and then folks started to gift more Owls and more Owls to her. by the mid 80's my home looked like a scene from Harry Potter. Then in 88 I came home and all the Owls were gone! I asked Mom to explain. She said that she never really liked Owls, but folks kept buying them for her, so she felt compelled to display them.
I fear you have started something you may not be able to control. Good thing Platypus decor is scarce.
What I love most of all of this is that a post about some fall door decorations can make me laugh out loud. More than once. That is some highly skilled blogging.
I am so impressed with both of you and am feeling bad about my own paltry display that I just put up yesterday (and that consists of a couple of pumpkins that the kids keep moving around hoping to cause injury to someone).
I think that I love that owl (but I love even more that you said you made him--and that you call the owl him not it--so much humor is nestled into the tiny cracks of our language and you are a master at that. I also love Kaari's bales. I didn't notice a scarecrow, but I do feel I need to say that they are festive and fun and smell like fall. I will have to check out Kaari's new photos to give an honest rendering.
Bill--you are killing me with your concern that owls may suddenly come to me in droves. If I get too many I will send some back to your mom. I hear she collects them.
Alexandra--I already put Kaari's new pics into this post--but she does have some more over on her blog. So go on over and tell her how much you like my display!
Lenessa--It's a date. And I think I hid some cash somewhere that I can use...
Ashley--Beware of what Bill says. My Grandma Adrian had duck stuff all over her house. I thought she loved ducks. Then one day someone mentioned that they think she "liked" them, but that people just kept giving her duck stuff year after year.
Um - Kaari and Ashley, I feel sad but at the same time, free. I don't know what change has come over me. I used to have 3 boxes each for each holiday and season to decorate for. My life was about celebrating with things, making things and setting up beautiful displays. Then the kids got unmanageable ... Now, I don't want to decorate or anything. It's been like this for a few years. I'm sad I'm not into the festivities like I used to be, but happy I don't have to clean it up and pack it all away again.
So, my vote? The one with the wax figures of happy kids.
You read it here first, people! Ashley LOVES owls, and it's her new thing. Make sure all future gifts are owl-centric. Her life is going to be a whoot.
Bill's comment is hilarious...getting owls for every gift for the next ten years would be my own personal hell.
Kaari and ash... I am throwing my hat in for the halloween competition, i have some pretty great things brewing!
I just read Mostess's post before commenting here so I must be careful.
But I love your display. It exhausts me to think of the work that these two displays took. As a fellow bird-hater, I'm with Brooke on the owl thing. But I LOVE your gourds! ...That sounds funny.
And I love your sons as decor, too.
Kinda like how yours "flows" I gotta say. My vote is is for Ashley. I may or may not be swayed by the adorable red heads, just sayin'.
I'll post the same comment on each blog:
Kj, your overall display is larger & therefore a bit more fun. Your crates take the cake in this round. I've always admired your pepsi crate. & I love the multi-colored pumpkins, adds a lot of excitement.
Ac, your hooter is honestly the best piece in the whole competition though. I don't care if it came from mikeys, it is adorable. and I do like your foliage in the buckets a bit more. I suggest you cover up your porch light & front door with cobwebs for the spooktacular round. Hehehe.
Oh, & I should add...you know I'm a sucker for gingers, so your male models do help your cause.
I'm very late to comment here but I love it all- very hilarious. I think the Mostess seems like a great gal and I love both displays but I do have a fear of scarecrows so i have to give my vote to the Ash. Now, tell me more about the spooktacular competition- I might join! Is it front porches, or whole houses or just one display? Give me more specifics so I can figure out if I can handle. Oh and I love all things owl and birds so your piece really did it for me.
Ashley, your crates are waaaaay cooler. Real antiques beat cheesy fakes any day. Carters don't do fake antiques.
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