The unofficial start of Fall is here, with students back in school, temperatures cooling, and leaves starting to change colors.  Honor Autumn by creating artsy arrangements for your home or to give as gifts.  Thrifted bud vases are matched with silk and dried flowers and accented with interesting items.  

These cheerful Fall florals will add color and festivity to your home, as well as an accent to your party table. They can also be used as decorations for seasonal weddings and as gifts to share that will look lovely for many Autumns to come.

Here’s how:

Step 1:  Stop by Goodwill to harvest your supplies

Look for your goods and items for this festive DIY project at your favorite, friendly Goodwill Retail Store.  There is always a cornucopia of small vases and glassware to pick up for this project.  While I lucked out and was given these sleek, green apple-toned vases thanks to my sweet neighbor Melanie, you are likely to find great ones at Goodwill.  Look in the Glassware section for vases; mason jars, tall drinking glasses, and slim candle votives are also interesting and inexpensive options.

Hit the section where decorative items are available for purchase to see if there are dried and silk flower arrangements you may take a part for this project.  Also, visit the office and school supplies section to see if there are ribbons and other items to add whimsy and charm.

Step 2: Add autumn-tone florals

From your collection of florals, select those in oranges, yellows, golds and other Fall-related colors.  Start with a base stem or two with nice leaves and a fuller figure, so to speak.  Add several stems of the same color/style and various heights.  Consider the rule of threes—three stems of the same flower, then three more of the next flower and/or color, and so on.  Using three will make your eye move around your arrangement.

If possible, add some shimmer by adding pieces with gold glitter and painted accents, again ensuring the arrangement is balanced, and the pieces are placed throughout. 

Step 3:  Position a paintbrush or two

Linked to my love of repurposing and reusing items in unusual ways, I added old/dried-out paintbrushes amongst the flowers and blooms. I love how the paint on their brushes matches and compliments the other colors. As an artist, I always save my brushes when they are no longer good for painting because they are always fun to reuse for other projects, so I was thrilled to have them on hand to include.

What items do you have at your fingertips to include?  Do you love to cook?  You could add a long wooden spoon or two.  Enjoy good wine?  Put a leftover cork on a wooden skewer and work it into your piece.  It is always so much fun to have unexpected items in a flower arrangement—or added to a house plant, too.

Step 4:  Give the vase some visual va-va-voom

With your arrangement done, give the vase and its base some love now, too. The burlap ribbon was folded over and then positioned almost like a necktie or scarf around its neck. Use your glue gun to secure it carefully. The hot glue will likely ooze a bit through your burlap’s fabric, so be careful! I kept burning my fingers as I did this. Clearly, I am still learning the lesson, too!

With your vase’s burlap ribbon around its neck, add some more visual delight on top of it.  An orange seashell, several clothing buttons, and a paper butterfly were added to my vase collection.  This additional touch was the perfect final pop!

Step 5: Gift it, keep it, display it with delight

One of the lovely things about your festive Fall floral/arty autumn arrangement is that it will always look fresh and inviting for many years to come.  While I love fresh flowers, these silk and dried arrangements are a great, carefree addition to your seasonal decorations.   

Give one to a friend when you go to their home for dinner, or keep one for yourself to honor your DIY and thrifting talents.  Display it with other matching items like a small lantern, colorful gourds, and a bowl of acorns.

These are so lovely you might be tempted to keep them out all year!


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Tim Kime

Artist, Motivational Speaker, Life Coach

Tim Kime is an artist, life coach, and connector. He is the President of Kime Leadership Associates, offering executive coaching, meeting facilitating, and motivational speaking. He is also the Chief Creative Force of Transformation Junkies which upcycles furniture and other household items into functional works of art. He combined his two passions—unleashing the potential in people and transforming items with the launch of the Art of Possibilities Workshops. These workshops are part upcycling, part dreaming, and part goal setting.