Everything Autumn

Fall is my absolute favourite season! It’s unbelievably gorgeous with all the best colours, smells and weather. I’m in heaven when there’s a good rainstorm outside(I have rainstorm sounds on my iPhone for when I need a pick-me-up). So today I’m doing a post about everything Fall in honour of October beginning tomorrow. I’ve laid out everything from decor to clothes to food and even some of the most fun movies to watch around Halloween. These are all just my ideas about what Fall looks like to me and how I enjoy it. If you have any additions I would love to hear them!

First off I thought I would start with some basics. These are things I think you can NEVER have too much of for setting the Autumn mood in your home. They warm up a space and make you feel all fuzzy and rustic inside.

Pumpkins are a must have for Fall. You can get them fake if they’re for decor purposes only or you can get real ones and use them in your recipes as you go. Just go grab another one off the mantle and make some soup! Another great option for decorating is to use what nature provides and collect some simple leaves from the trees outside shedding these colourful beauties. Make your own wreath, fill a bowl with some mini pumpkins on top, bunch some in a lantern with a candle; the possibilities are endless and you can get so creative. Best part is if you mess up just step outside and reload.

Of course apples just scream Fall. Whether you’re baking a delicious pie or decorating the house, you can’t have enough around the house to set the mood. Speaking of delicious, we can’t forget about the classic candy corn. What would October be without these sweet treats?

I am an oil burning addict. I have probably fifty of these little jars of heaven (a lot of them are quadruples of my faves because they always stop making the best ones so I stock up.) You can never have too many of these or any of yummy smelling candles around your house. It makes for an instant mood lift when you fill your house with the smells of Fall like a pumpkin pie or maple cookie minus the hassle of dirty dishes and extra calories. Another great addition to Fall decorating is the versatile pine cones. Another mother nature provided gem; these guys look great in apothecary jars on the mantle, added to a wreath or randomly spread along a table.

Now let’s have a peak at some decorating ideas in action for the season:

Love the lanterns and fake crows.

Great examples of using leaves in your decorating.

Pumpkins are the fastest way to introduce Autumn to your home and they can be use in so many recipes, my mouth waters just thinking about it.

I love how something so simple as candy in a jar or a colourful pillow has such a big effect on the overall mood of a space.

Some Pottery Barn bedding to make even your bedroom harvest ready.

These are some of the new Martha Stewart Living Paints from Home Depot that are Fall inspired. From the left they are: Mushroom, October Leaf and Yam.

Once the leaves start falling and the heat dies down from the last of summer it’s time to start bundling back up in your favourite Fall clothes. These are some of the rustic pieces I found that would look great on any lady on the go.

The classic pea coat.Wear it alone or pair it with your favourite scarf. Sophisticated and stylish not to mention very warm thanks to the wool they’re typically made from. These two are from Victoria’s Secret and American Eagle.

Plaid makes it’s triumphant come back every Fall. You can find this plaid shirt at Old Navy. The cozy looking sweater dress is available from the Victoria’s Secret website.

I’m really surprised at how big the selection is at Victoria’s Secret for Fall finds. They have some great inexpensive Fall stuff available this season including both these style shoes.

These neutral purses would compliment any Fall outfit and are available from Burberry and Coach.

Now for the grub:

Autumn is all about stews and soups. Easy to make, hearty and warms your insides. Give me some pumpkin soup and crusty bread and I’m one happy camper.

There’s no better season for making desserts than Fall. Apples, pears, pumpkins and pecans oh my! Calories? …Don’t ask. Trans fats? …Better left unsaid. Just get your fork and dive into a warm piece of any Fall dessert. Bikini season is over.

Speaking of sugary goodness, maple syrup is imperative for Fall. Slather it on some warm pancakes or put it in your coffee. Maple syrup is delicious on almost anything. And as a proud Canadian I would be remise if I didn’t mention that 85% of Maple Syrup comes from us moose loving hockey fans. Your welcome!

The food is great but Fall beverages are really what gets my motor running. More specifically Starbucks pumpkin spice lattes and frappes. Every year come September, our bank account is hit hard by the tornado of lattes and frappes I consume. They’re so addicting I just can’t help myself. Every now and then to save $5 on a tiny cup of bliss (or I just can’t get to one and I need a fix) I make my own at home. I’ve come pretty close to perfecting the concoction. Every time I do I feel like an evil genius. I think I need a pumpkin spice support group.

Lastly, I wanted to mention some great flicks to watch as Halloween approaches and you want to be scared out of your britches or just have a cozy movie night with someone you love. Here’s my picks. First the kiddie friendly options:

It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown! I love this movie so much I could probably recite the whole thing for you right now but I’ll spare you that annoyance.

This was always checked out back when I worked in a video store so it must be a winner for the youngsters.

I can never decide if this is a Christmas movie or Halloween but I figure it’s got enough of both to satisfy you either way.

Some parents feel strongly against letting their kids watch anything with witches in it (ahem..my mom.) But if you are ok with it then this Disney movie is kid friendly (I know because I secretly watched it at my friends house. Please don’t tell my mom!) and it has a much younger Carrie Bradshaw… not that your kids will really care.

This is a TV show I know but every year the Simpsons put on their Treehouse of Horror specials and I’ve been watching them since I was a wee one. It’s a great memory of mine to sit in front of the boob tube going Godzilla on my Halloween haul while Homer had me busting a gut laughing.

Now for the more mature audience. Here are my picks:

(or really anything else by Stephen King)

Hope that helps put you in the Autumn harvest mood. Do you have any favourite Fall traditions? What do you most look forward to with the season? Love to hear from you!