Bonnie's Barnyard

Harvest Decorating Inside & Out

Tips for Sprucing Up Your Home for Halloween

By Jenny Evans

CREATED Oct. 9, 2012

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  • Fall decorating tips with Bonnie Keyes from Mulberry Lane Farm. Video by nbc26.com

    video

 Green Bay, WI -

 

Mulberry Lane Farm celebrates the Pumpkin Harvest now until October 31st. Each guest receives a FREE pumpkin that you pick yourself from over 8 acres of pumpkins! You’ll have two patches to pick from. Take a 3 minute walk into the corn field to find the hidden patch or visit the open patch. Enjoy hot apple cider, chili, sloppy joes, muffins, cookies and more all while enjoying beautiful fall harvest displays throughout the farm.

 

  • It is easy to decorate if you pick an item such as a scarf, table cloth or picture that has your favorite fall colors in it. Draw from the colors you find in that item.
  • The items you pick for your display don’t need to be exact colors but should be in the same palette.
  • Mix up the shapes of your items chosen to put in your display. Some items should be round, some square, some large, some small.
  • Include different textures. Metals, wood, smooth textures along with rough textures make for an interesting display.
  • If your display is outdoors on concrete, place a board underneath the pumpkins & gourds to absorb the frost. This will help keep them solid and firm.     
  • And incense or candles (recommend flicker lights) to your indoor display to warm your senses.
  • Walk through your home, basement and garage. You don’t need to spend a lot of money on items for your display. You’ll find plenty of unique display options right at home.

Picking your pumpkins for display:

 

  • Pumpkins don’t need to be orange to be ripe. Some pumpkins are ripe when they are still completely green.
  • Give the pumpkin you want to pick a good thump or slap. If the pumpkin sounds hollow, then the pumpkin is ripe and ready to be picked.
  • If the skin is hard then the pumpkin is ripe. Use a fingernail and gently try to puncture the pumpkin’s skin. If the skin dents but does not puncture, the pumpkin is ready to pick.
  • When the stem above the pumpkin is hard, the pumpkin is ready for picking.
  • Be sure to leave a long stem attached to the pumpkin. But resist the temptation to carry the pumpkin from the stem.
  • Keep your picked pumpkins out of direct sunlight.