Colorful Autumn Additions

MISSION, KS--(Marketwired - Aug 15, 2013) - (Family Features) A nip in the air and the changing color of leaves can only mean one thing -- fall is around the corner.

While dusting off your favorite sweaters and corduroys, don't forget to dress up your home décor as well. Here are some tips from Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft Stores to bring the cozy charm of autumn into your home:

Pull in nature
This season is all about celebrating nature's bounty, so bring that celebration home. Pumpkins and gourds of every shape and color make inexpensive additions that brighten any tabletop or mantle. Or, place as many of these beloved squashes you can on a bale of hay outside the front door for a display the whole neighborhood can enjoy.

Try transitional pieces
Situated right before the busy holiday season, some fall styles can be eased into both decorating schemes. Rich, wine-colored berries and bittersweet arrangements look wonderful for both fall and winter. Pinecones bring a rustic, warm vibe to both seasons. For other fall decorating ideas and projects, visit www.joann.com.

Add new color trends
According to color experts, fall 2013 will be a season filled with vibrant purples, bright blues and dazzling greens. These colors blend perfectly with the autumn décor you already own. Watch as plum hues pop when paired with the traditional fall foliage of burnt orange, copper, gold and brown. Create your own glittering display with this Colorful Candle Ring, which features lively, on-trend hues certain to make your fall more glamorous.

Colorful Candle Ring
Some experience necessary
Crafting Time: 3-5 hours

Supplies and Tools:
4 bags of decorative gourds
2 Styrofoam brand foam rings
1 package floral picks
Spray paints: Purple Short Cuts; Gray Primer; Gloss Varnish; Krylon Purple, Island Splash and Peekaboo Blue
Bottled paints in desired colors
Paintbrush
Glitter
Glue
Black gems filler
Pillar candle
Glass hurricane container
1 roll purple tulle
Feather picks

1. Spray foam rings with Purple Short Cuts spray paint. Let dry.

2. Paint gourds in desired colors, some spray-painted, some brush-painted. If the gourd is orange or yellow, spray it with primer first, then the color. Otherwise, the orange or yellow will bleed through.

3. Break the ends off the floral picks if too long, dip both ends in glue then insert one end into the gourd and the other end into the Styrofoam ring, nesting closely together. Let dry.

4. Place glass hurricane inside the ring first to determine how to position the gourds. Remove the hurricane before proceeding to the next step.

5. Spray the finished ring with gloss varnish, sprinkle with glitter while still wet, and then spray again with gloss varnish. Let dry.

6. Add small tufts of tulle to fill any holes between gourds and to give a softer look around vase.

7. Embellish with several feather picks; glue in place.

8. Return hurricane to center, fill with black gems. Insert pillar.

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