NATURE'S BOUNTY...ILLUSTRATED!

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Here are the promised photos of how we implemented

the use-what-you-have philosophy
to create eco-friendly, budget friendly, double-duty holiday decor!
In these photos I've used my favorite Acorn squash;

oranges from my Dad's tree (no-one’s quite sure what variety they are as they are tiny

...a little larger than kumquats);
and a variety of seed pods gathered from the garden!
Place them in wooden or ceramic bowls and use as table centerpieces

(see article below for details & more decorating ideas).
Caution: The candle in the bowl is for LOOKS ONLY!
(Obviously, DON'T light the candle or you'll have a bonfire!!)
The apples were an afterthought...

I couldn't resist the great price...

organic apples on sale for 88-cents per lb at Frazier Farms.
The bowls took all of ten -- fifteen minutes to gather and arrange...
The mantle took about twenty-five minutes due to the twinkle lights.
Spent very little Money (almost none)
Barring the squash ($1.19 each at the farm stand) & apples.
I'll eat them once the holiday is over (cut squash in half & baked with a little butter & sea salt--yumm). The twinkle lights were from Christmas a few years ago.
After Thanksgiving I'll replace the autumn-y colors/things with Christmas ornaments

and fresh evergreens from the garden (such as Rosemary, Eucalyptus, & Pine).
The twinkle lights & candles will remain

(I'll replace the tiny oranges around the center candle with cranberries or??).
Doing this saves time, money and is very very green!
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