Over the years, I've purposely pared down my seasonal decor. I find that I can be just as content and inspired by using natural elements and a few fun or surprising seasonal items scattered in the mix. To me, the end result can be just as special and holiday-like. Plus, there are the added bonuses of saving money on the budget and space in the attic, garage and basement. Today, I thought I'd share with you a few of the ways I incorporate my less is more strategy and ideas with a seasonal autumn table setting.

This is the year my holiday crafting is a big bust. I've had practically zero free time to get my craft on...and I have to say, I'm missing it. I just returned from location scouting in Phoenix and I'm heading to Oregon this week to shoot a home for Christmas..to appear in print next year. So my fa-la-la-la-la is really lacking. I'm sure some of you can relate. There are just those years when it doesn't all come together. At least not how we envision it in our heads. ;)

To make up for it, I've found a few great crafters, bakers, and diy'ers creating lots of cheery holiday handmades. Here's a few of my favorites!

One thing I've been trying diligently to do, is simplify. I've slowly been going through cupboards, closets and drawers to sort through all my stuff. One of my recent projects was tackling all my packaging supplies. I've decided less is more, and have curated my collection down to the few items I use most frequently. The rest will be sold, donated or recycled. It feels like freedom.

The Food Crafting 101 class at The Institute of Domestic Technology, began with bread making. Erik Knutzen of Root Simple, started off by sharing his thoughts on various flours and yeast, followed by a hands on demonstration for making our own Twenty-One-Hour Boule. Now, I know that sounds like an enormous amount of time to make bread, but it's only about 10 minutes worth of work, the remaining time is resting & rising the dough.

Our chickens have been enjoying the sunny weather and have decided it's time to kick it into high gear. Which means, we'll be giving away plenty of fresh eggs in the very near future. And, as many of you know, I adore packaging. Simple, inexpensive packaging even more so.