FALL: a season to love

Fall is coming! I simply can't wait! Fall is my favorite season... and these are only a few reasons why...

Anthropologie's Fall Line.

I love Anthropologie all year long, but my love for Anthropologie grows in the cold seasons. Anthropologie just does fall and winter right.

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Butternut squash.

I was only introduced to the amazing butternut squash this last winter. Now I can't seem to get it off my mind and am looking forward to soups, muffins, and oven-roasted versions all fall long.

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Layers.

A good fall outfit consists of at least 3 top layers, 2 bottom layers, and 2 or 3 feet layers... and about 5 accessory layers of course... oh, and we can't forget the 2 or more knit accessory layers. Yeah... I have no cold tolerance.

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Wrapping up in grandma-made afghans.

Everyone in my family has a collection of grandma's afghans. There are big afghans, medium afghans, and my favorites- the lap afghans. They were always made of the most random color combinations and never quite matched my room, but I cherish every one and can't wait for a cold fall night that allows me to bundle up in 3 or 4 of them.

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Boots, boots, and more boots.

Nearly all my feet wear during fall and winter are boots- boots with dresses, boots with jeans, boots with pjs (my Uggs... it gets cold in our house!)... I like to get a new pair of boots a year and my birthday is coming up, so it's time to go boot shopping!

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5 more days....

happy BELATED monday

Hi all! I know I have been disappearing for days at a time and the posting has been light lately, but it's just one of those times in life right now. I can't make any promises to return to daily posting at the moment, but I will definitely do what I can. And no matter what- this Friday I will be hosting my first Crooked Shmooked giveaway as it will be my first blogiversary! I'm very excited to offer some fun items in the giveaway from some of my favorite Etsians, so stay tuned!!

In other news- fall is coming! Design*Sponge recently did a post on these Leigh Radford's recycled glass covers. I just love the look of them for fall, but I am lacking in the knitting skills. So here is my own idea to copy the look with much less skill--- old sweater sleeves! 

1.) take an old sweater and a can or mason jar

2.) cut the sleeve a few inches longer than the jar, making sure that the wrist opening will be at the top of the jar

3.) sew (or staple or glue) the bottom of the sleeve together to make a pocket for the jar

4.) stick the jar in the sleeve pocket and there you go!

Now, I haven't tried this yet, so it may not be foolproof, but if you are in the mood for an experiment and have an old sweater on hand, give it a try and let me know how it goes. I plan to try it when I pull all of my fall sweaters out of storage and decide what can be disposed of. I will be sure to share with you then whether it works or needs a bit of revision.

Happy last two weeks of summer!!

COLD WEATHER cravings

Wow. I just went outside and brrrr. I know it's not cold here in NorCal compared to many locations in the U.S. and the world, but being that we just had a few days of weather in the 70s and 80s, 52 degress is quite a drop. Yes, I am a cold weather wimp and I will be the first one to admit it. This disease was passed down to me from my mother (thanks, mom) and plagues me in the following ways:

• It takes me way too long to get dressed on a cold winter day... I've got my long underwear, pants, wool socks, leg warmers, Uggs, then a tank, tee, long-sleeved tee, thermal, sweatshirt, jacket, scarf, and gloves- again, I know many of you have it much worse... I am forever grateful that a parka is not included in my list.
• My feet are never warm. I have to go to sleep with socks on in the attempt to warm my tootsies up, but I can't fall asleep with socks on, so when my feet hit a semi-comfortable temperature I kick my socks off only to have cold feet again.
• (Luckily I married the warmest guy in the world. He is like an electric blanket, hot water bottle, and -40 degree down sleeping bag all rolled into one. Score.)
  
• Drinking any beverages with ice pretty much turn me into a human ice cube.
• I have to always bring several layers with me to any location, even if the weather is supposed to be tolerable because you never know- I may walk into a store with air conditioning and freeze on the spot.
• And whenever the cold weather hits, I immediately want to shop for ridiculously thick and much too expensive (for me anyway) sweaters that can only be worn a couple months out of the year. Which brings me to my cold weather cravings of the moment...

THE TEA:

Cinnamon Plum Black Tea via The REPUBLIC of TEA

I have never tried this tea but it sounds delicious and soothing to me right now. I mean really, can The Republic of Tea go wrong?

THE SCARF:

Cupcake Winter Scarflette via jmaccknit

I'll take this scarflette or any of her beautiful and unique neck warmers.

THE MUSIC:

Winter Song by Sara Bareilles & Ingrid Michaelson via The Hotel Cafe Presents Winter Songs

There is some definite winter ear candy on this album.

THE BOOTS:

Woman's Suburb in Antique Light Chestnut via Ugg Australia

Ugg has some amazing new styles this year. This is one of the many I will accept for Christmas. ;)

THE BLANKET:

Charcoal Wool Felt Blanket via Pfeifer Studio

THE MOVIE:

The Holiday

I can't help it. I love this movie. The actors, the locations, the scenery, the humor and warmth, not to mention Cameron Diaz's wardrobe... I just love it.

Enough about me and my never-ending wishlists. What are your cold weather cravings?

brrrr... it's SWEATER weather

It finally feels like fall in Northern California. It has taken long enough... it's nearly mid-November. I'll admit, I feel jipped this season. Fall is my favorite time of year and half of our fall has felt like summer. But you'll have to forgive my griping because I have forgiven fall. Fall has finally given me hot tea sipping, sock-layering, fireside sitting, pumpkin eating, crockpot cooking, blanket wrapping, novel reading, sweater-wearing WEATHER! And to celebrate fall's gift, I am considering wrapping everything possible in sweaters. There's no cozier way to enjoy the season!

apple jacket via the Curiosity Shoppe

Ghost Poppy Coffee Cozy via Trisha Brink Design


Ruby Red Cozy Posie Ring via Trisha Brink Design


Leather Sole Fall Trees for My Feet Please Wool Slipper Boots via MiaRae


S Loves C by Spring & Clifton Bow Beret via Urban Outfitters


We The Free Snuggle Knit Warmers via Free People

Leifsdottir Painted Button Mélange Sweater via Nordstrom

Merlot Colored Cowl and Winter White Rose Brooch via Felted


Chunky Hand-Knit Throw via Pottery Barn