Autumn Decor: A Bittersweet Ending

To me summer has a bittersweet ending... gone are the days of swimming in the warm sun and seeing life flourish all around... though they are replaced with beautiful fall leaves, cool, crisp air, holiday family gatherings, and the excitement of the first snowfall! Which is just one of the many reasons bittersweet, the vine, is great for autumn decorations!  

A few weeks ago my mom brought me a large bundle of bittersweet that her and my dad gathered from the roadside of their nearby country roads. She hung hers over her front door and I draped mine over my front porch railing...

I love everything about it... it's twisting vines, orange pods and bright-red seeds (the pods break open during autumn).

The How To: I simply selected my favorite clipping for the front-side of the porch, placed it on the railing and wrapped some twine around it .

Bittersweet is wonderful in any autumn arrangement... wreaths, table centerpieces, mantles, etc. Hopefully you now have the urge to grab your clippers, hop in the car and take a drive through the countryside... in search of some bittersweet to spruce up your home for the season! You can also look for some natural grasses while you're at it! 

...Or, you could get some faux bittersweet that you can use year after year! I prefer to use real bittersweet outdoors (for a more natural look) and faux bittersweet for indoors (since real bittersweet drops it's pods and seeds, and is poisonous if eaten... which could be hazardous with little ones). 

6 ft. Faux Bittersweet Garland from Flower Depot Store... $15!

Have you ever used bittersweet in your autumn decor? If so, do share!