Budget Friendly Fall Decorating Ideas

I love switching up my decor with the change in seasons... but I don't like to spend a lot of money. I love mixing dollar store finds with inexpensive DIYs. Check out some of my favourite budget-friendly fall decorating ideas below. 

1) Tiered tray - Decorating tiered trays with dollar store finds and crafted items is a fantastic way to create a classy vignette in your home. I stained a mini rolling pin, added the word "harvest", and wrapped a scrap of fabric around it. I also added pumpkins and pine cones, and filled a dollar store bottle with orange and yellow buttons. I also crafted a book stack from scraps of wood, and strung some wooden beads onto a piece of yarn. Cute, right?

2) S'more bucket - Add a bit of whimsy to your Fall decor by filling a dollar store galvanized with S'more supplies. I added the words "Making S'more Memories" to the front of my bucket with my Cricut. It's cute and functional!

3) Artwork in dollar store frames - Framing Fall pictures and free downloads is an easy and inexpensive way to add Fall flair to your home. You can download the Fall Menu I designed (below) for free here.

4) Fall hot chocolate tray - A dollar store frame and few dollar store jars can be easily turned into an adorable Fall hot chocolate tray. Start by inserting a piece of fall-themed scrap book paper into a dollar store frame. Then, use strong glue to attach wooden beads to the bottom of the tray. Finish by adding jars filled with hot chocolate, marshmallows and fall coloured candies. It looks great, and kids will love it! 

Check out the little display I made on the table in my hallway (with the first four ideas).

5) Boho DIY yarn wreath - Even if you aren't very crafty, you can easily make this simple and chic fall wreath. Don't you just love the boho vibe? Find the full step by step tutorial (with photos) here.

6) DIY argyle fall wreath - If you can wrap yarn around a styrofoam wreath foam and cut out felt leaves, you can make this adorable and cozy fall wreath. Find more information, step by step instructions and photos here.

7) Dollar store frame monogram - It doesn't get easier than this piece of DIY fall artwork. But a dollar store frame, insert fall-themed scrapbook paper, add a wooden monogram to the front with glue, and glue a ribbon hanger to the back. That's it. Easy peasy!

You can find more detailed instructions here.

8) Grapevine fall wreath - I made this simple fall wreath many years ago, but it's still one of my favourite DIYs. It's an inexpensive grapevine wreath with handmade felt flowers glued to it. You can find out how easy it is to make the flowers, and find all the step by step instructions here.

9) No Sew Fall Pillows - Transform Summer pillows to Fall pillows in a couple of minutes with a dollar store tablecloth. This is genius!

 

10) FREE Fall watercolour print - This print is free to download here, and it's perfect for Fall. Pop it in a dollar store frame, and no one will ever know how little you paid.

Which of these fun fall decorating ideas is your favourite? They are all easy to make, and the supplies are really budget friendly. Give a few of them a try, and let me know how it goes.

Happy Fall!

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

You might also be interested in the Thanksgiving Decor ideas here.

Fall Fashion Finds... for hockey fans

I have three boys who love everything hockey. They love watching hockey, they love playing hockey, and they love hockey clothes. One of our favourite brands is Gongshow*, and recently, they let my boys pick out their favourites from the NEW Fall / Winter line. Keep reading to take a peek at the items my boys chose.

*Disclosure - I was given the GONGSHOW clothing featured in this post free in exchange for my honest review of the products. As always, the views expressed on this blog are 100% my own... and my boys genuinely love their new clothes.

My oldest son, who discovered that none of his pants from last year fit, chose a new pair of the Hustle Hard Sweats. They are super-comfy, high quality, and really stylish (with the tapered legs). They are definitely his new favourite pants!

My youngest is always looking for a cozy hoodie, so it wasn't surprising that he chose the New Fit Hoodie Jr. This hoodie is warm, high quality, and stylish. My son and I love the subtle ombre colours and the great fit. This is the perfect Fall / Winter wardrobe staple.

My middle son has an obsession with hats, so he chose two new ones from the Gongshow Fall / Winter line. He selected the Gongshow Canada hat and the Let the Chirps Fly hat (pictured below). He has an older and younger brother, so the "chirpmeister" hat is perfect for him. lol

If you are looking for new Fall / Winter clothes, I highly recommend taking a look at the new Gongshow line. The clothes are comfortable, high quality, and perfect for hockey fans.

And if you have any questions about the products / sizing of the items my boys received, let me know.

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

Easy DIY Boho Fall Yarn Wreath

I love inexpensive seasonal decor, don't you? Earlier this year, I made a fun Spring "Boho" wreath,  and I knew I had to make another one using Fall colours. When you see how easy this wreath is to make, you are going to immediately hop in your car to get the supplies you need to make a boho fall yarn wreath. Check out the photos and step by step instructions below.

Start by getting the supplies you need: yarn in Fall colours, a wire wreath frame, and twine.

Then:


1) Use a plain gold wire wreath frame, or wrap a wire wreath frame with twine (securing periodically with hot glue).


2) Wrap yarn around a piece of cardboard (the length that you want your hanging to be). My cardboard was 20 inches, and I wrapped it around 15 times.

3) Cut one end of the wrapped yarn and loop the strands over the wreath frame and pull through... per the photos below. Repeat 5 times with whatever colours you want to use.

4) Trim the bottom of the yarn with sharp scissors.

5) Embellish the top of the frame with pom poms. (I tied mine on, and then secured with hot glue.)

Note: If you have never made pom pom befores, you can check out the video here.

That's it! I just love how it turned out. Don't you?

I love a good DIY piece of home decor, and I love that you can customize this Boho yarn wreath using whatever colour yarn you desire. What colours will you use to make your own unique piece of Fall decor?

♥
Gina Bell (aka East Coast Mommy)

FREE Fall Print

Don't you love updating your decor when the seasons change? It really is a fun way change things up, and it's easy and inexpensive to do. Today, I am sharing a FREE Fall print that  you can download, print, and pop in a dollar store frame. Cute, right?!?

To print a copy of the "Fall Menu" print I designed: click on the photo below, right-click, save it to your computer, and print it like a regular 8x10 photo.

I put mine in a white wooden frame from the dollar store, but it would look great in a black frame too. You could even paint a frame orange or red to add a nice fall feel to it. It's totally up to you!

What do you think of my free Fall print? I think it looks super cute and high-end in the wooden dollar store frame I found. No one would guess that it was free! 😀

♥
Gina Bell (aka East Coast Mommy)

You might like the Fall crafts and activities here too!

First Day of School Photos - 2021

Today was our first day of school, which is always a bittersweet day for me. I'm so proud of the young men my boys are becoming, but they are growing up way too fast. Here's a peak at our morning!

We always start our day with pancakes in the shape of their grades. This year my boys are in grade 7, grade 9, and grade 11. Not sure how I have two kids in high school!

Then, I take a picture of each boy holding an 8x10 picture of them on the first day of school the previous year. We have been doing this since preschool, and it's one of my favourite traditions.

Here's my "baby"!

Here's my oldest!

And here's my middle son!

The morning of the first day of school is always chaotic, so I'm grateful every time I manage to get them to stand for a quick picture. :-)

I can't wait for my boys to get home after school. It's always fun to share a special treat and hear about their day. 

Happy first day of school!!!

♥
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

You might also like the school lunch ideas here.

Simple Weeknight Chicken, Broccoli & Peppers Pesto Pasta

Who doesn't love a simple recipe that comes together quickly... and that everyone loves? This pesto pasta is a staple in my house, and my boys love it. I think it's pretty good too! 😀 I can't believe I haven't shared this recipe before because it really is the perfect simple weeknight supper. Give it a try and let me know what you think.

For this dish, you'll need:

• a head or two of broccoli
• a red pepper
• 2-3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1 box of pasta (I like bowtie pasta, but any variety works)
• 1 jar of pesto (I like the PC Basil Pesto, but any variety works)
• salt, pepper and additional seasoning (if desired)

Then:

1) Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2) Season chicken and place in the oven for approximately 25 minutes.

3) Drizzle oil over cut up brocolli and peppers, season with salt and pepper, and place in the oven for approximately 20 minutes.

4) While the vegetables and chicken are in the oven, boil water and cook the pasta.

5) Drain the pasta, and cut up the chicken.

6) Place the hot drained pasta, cut up chicken and vegetables back in the pot the pasta was cooked in. Add a jar of pesto, stir, and serve. 

7) Top with pepper and grated parmesan if desired.

Here's a short video explaining how quickly it comes together.

This really is one of my family's favourite suppers... and it's super-easy to throw together on a busy weeknight. Give it a try and let me know what you think.

♥
Gina Bell (aka East Coast Mommy)

You might also be interested in the recipes you can find here.

EVERYTHING You Need for BACK TO SCHOOL

Heading back to school after the summer break can be overwhelming, but I'm here to help. I've collected all the information you need for back to school (all in one place). Don't forget to click on the helpful links below for all the details.

Get organized - The best way to set yourself up for a successful school year is to get organized before it begins. Check out my best back to school organizing ideas here. 

Lunch ideas - Most parents detest making school lunches... but it's a necessary evil. Give yourself a fighting chance with my best school lunch hacks here.

First day of school treats - Bring treats and trinkets for classmates and teachers is a wonderful way to start the year off on a fun and positive note. My boys loved this while they were in elementary school. Check out some of our favourite treats (and free printable "punny" tags) here. 

First day of school traditions - My absolute favourite first day of school tradition are the pictures I take of my boys each year. I always have them take a photo holding an 8x10 from the first day of school the previous year. I explain more about all my favourite first day of school traditions here. 

Are you looking forward to getting back to routine and back to school? I hope you find these tips helpful. What's your best back to school hack?

♥ 
Gina (aka East Coast Mommy)

You might also enjoy the "back to school" video here.