Fall Decorating

Hi Guys,

Summer Mantle

Since Fall officially begins this evening, I want to continue giving you tips on how to decorate for the season.

I have two examples of my fireplace mantle. The first one is my summer look and the second is my fall. Just by adding some decorative hurricane candles and votives, I have changed the look from summer cool to autumn warm. The picture and the orchids are the same.

Fall Mantle

When we had friends visiting from Iowa, my girlfriend asked me for a piece of my cherry cheesecake.
I was a little puzzled because there was no cheesecake in the house. She laughed and pointed to the faux cake I had on a cake stand under the buffet in the dining room. I took it out and showed it to her and it was her idea to do a blog about how to make it. Carolyn, this is for you.

Go to your local craft store, like Michael's, and buy a styrofoam wreath the size of your cake stand or plate. You will also need to buy some faux cherries, or any other small fruit you want to put on top of the cake.

Next, go to the hardware store and buy a small can of white spackle--the same kind you use to fill holes in the walls.

Plain Cherry Cheesecake

Using a cake frosting knife, frost the wreath with the spackle just as if you were frosting a cake with icing. The spackle won't set up immediately, so you can make the frosting as fancy as you want to.

Green Apple Center

When you have finished frosting your cake, let the spackle dry before adding the fruit. Be sure to wash your frosting knife immediately to keep the spackle from drying onto it.

Cover the top of the cake with at least two layers of fruit. I used a hot glue gun to add the cherries to the top of the cake. You can use any kind of fast acting glue if you don't have a hot glue gun. Let the glue dry and place your cake on a decorative cake stand.

Red Apples & Pomegranates

Fill in the center hole of the wreath. I used fall apples (both green and decorative red with various pomegranates). I also filled in the middle with grapes and other berries. You can use whatever you want in the middle.

Grapes and Berries

I'm now using it as the centerpiece on my dining room table. I have an oatmeal cookie scented candle burning on the same table to give the effect of a freshly baked cake.

Try it. It's a fun, easy fall project, and you just might fool your friends.

That's my tip for today.

b