It's (Almost) the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Fall is almost here!  If you read this post's title and thought about Christmas, you are wrong, my friend!  I think autumn is the most wonderful time of the year, and for so many reasons. Yeah, there are pumpkins and gourds (gourds!!!), colorful leaves and crisp days, but I also get my husband back after a long, hot (and very pregnant) summer.

In fall we get to celebrate many family birthdays, including Nathan's (can you believe he'll be three?), our anniversary (this Saturday, yay!) -- and this year, we're welcoming our second son into the world.  A wonderful time, indeed.

I've updated the seasonal look of my blog to reflect my excitement for the season. Now that I'm officially on maternity leave from my freelance writing career, I hope to be in this space a bit more during the next few weeks while we wait for baby to arrive.

I have a few more pieces of the baby's nursery to show off before I do the final reveal (for now you can read about my lamp makeover, a Scandinavian birds embroidery piece and my fabric pennant banner + tutorial), a tutorial for homemade carseat strap covers to share and an original knitting pattern for newborn socks that actually fit that I'll let loose very soon.

And since I have a ton of blocking to do, I'd like to share all the baby knitting I've been up to and do a stash-busting update (remember The Challenge?) and link-up soon.  Get ready to join in and share what you've been knitting from your stash!

Looking forward to next time,
your friend,
Kelly

I made this maternity dress over the summer and haven't yet shared it.  I wish I had a better photo!

 

Choosing Gifts

In an effort to get into the holiday spirit, I thought I'd share with you what I'm asking my husband for this Christmas.  Or rather, what I'm telling him I want.  That's how we work it around here, but we both know that I'm going to go online and just order it for myself.

It's a swift.

Since the swift will replace the role my husband plays in helping me wind my yarn into balls, I think this is actually a gift to my husband.  So maybe while I'm shopping online I should just add a few extras to my cart and that'll be his gift to me!

What are you getting yourself this year for Christmas?

Getting Ready for Christmas

It's taken me a while to finally get into the holiday spirit this year, but we're finally getting ready for Christmas.  We bought our tree this week, and hopefully it'll make its way into the house tomorrow.  I've been slowly putting away the fall decorations and setting out the Christmas ones.

At first I blamed my slowness to catch onto the holiday spirit on the unseasonably warm weather we'd been having (it was great -- I'm not complaining!), but then I remembered that I'm always a little slow to catch on.  The commercialism of Christmas turned me off years ago (I'm way ahead of my time), and so did hearing Christmas songs on the radio this Thanksgiving.  (Christmas music on Thanksgiving?!?  I don't remember ever hearing that before.)

I guess I thought I'd feel different this year, with Nathan being much more aware of what's going on around him.  He's two now, and even though he doesn't get the whole Santa thing yet (he will soon -- I'm really talking it up!), I expected that I would get excited about Christmas earlier than usual and enjoy shopping and decorating more.  Well.  What a letdown to not live up to my own expectations!

Although I ordered most of Nathan's gifts online (I admit, it's not very Christmassy of me), I made almost all of the rest of our gifts.  I've been dying to talk about them here, but can't for obvious reasons.  I'll be sure to recap all of my projects after Christmas!

I still have some last-minute shopping to do, and I'm not exactly looking forward to it.  I could go out tomorrow, but I think we'll just stay home instead.  I guess nothing's changed.  Two weeks out and we're still getting ready for Christmas.

The Colors of Fall

We had a lot more leaves on our trees and a lot more green and chartreuse in our landscape before the early snowstorm last month. (I took these photos the week before the storm -- can't believe it took me this long to shar them!)  I haven't been outside much since then to see what the landscape looks like now, but from my window I see a lot more brown leaves and bare branches, plus the ones violently knocked to the ground by the weight of heavy snow.

I just love the colors of fall.  Reds, golds, oranges, auburns and spots of green.  I really need to get out and photograph one of the most colorful places on the farm in fall before it's too late.  I think I just inspired myself to take a much-needed walk tomorrow with Nathan.

Happy Weekending!

Indian Cigar Tree in Fall

I took these photos three weeks ago, long before my beloved Indian Cigar Tree (Catalpa) lost three big limbs in the wretched October Snowstorm last weekend.  He'll survive (it's a he) and will hopefully look somewhat normal again someday.  I couldn't actually bring myself to take a close look at the damage. 

I'm glad I took these photos of its final perfection, in the glow of the setting sun, while the leaves were turning yellow but not yet shriveled and brown.  Catalpas don't turn pretty colors like maples and oaks -- this is about as good as it gets.

I look forward to seeing his seed pods and fresh new leaves in the spring.

A Hayride

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Over the weekend T.J. and I took our orange-wearing boy on a hayride with a friend and some “big kids.” 

They hayride took us on a tour of our local farm, the one where we bought our pumpkins last week and picked our strawberries in June.

We got a nice view of the Delaware River, which gives the farm its silt-y, fertile soil and only sometimes devastates their crops when it floods badly enough.

We saw freshly ploughed fields, eyed the strawberry patch we drooled in in June and checked out the flowers and some unusual crops for this area, like broom corn, cotton and okra.

But really it was a great chance to photograph my two boys…

...and hold my precious boy close at a time when he was content to be held and didn’t try to wiggle away while he looked at the nature and wonder all around us.

It was such a sweet time.  And, no, I don’t remember what made me laugh.  But knowing I was laughing is good enough.

Pumpkin Madness

One afternoon after work this week, we headed to the local farm to pick out some pumpkins.  I don’t know about you, but I love pumpkins.  I mean, really love them.  They’re one of my favorite things about fall (along with gourds, crisp weather and colorful leaves), and I’ve been dreaming about becoming a pumpkin farmer since I first started gardening.  I love the way they look in my home and on my front porch, I love the way they taste in muffins, bread and cookies (recipe coming soon—you don’t want to miss it) and I just plain love the color orange.  What is there not to love about pumpkins?  (And don’t forget about roasting seeds.)  They’re even fun to chuck in the back yard when we’re done with them to see what seeds come up in the spring.

I had to laugh at myself when we pulled into the farm and saw all these pumpkins so gloriously lined up among mums, asters and bundles of dried corn stalks.

I actually exclaimed, “Whoa, lookit all those pumpkins!!!!”  lol.  Yeah.  I’m a pumpkin dork.

Nathan got to choose his own little pumpkin. 

Word.

But I left with the cutest little pumpkin of all.

 

Have a good and pumpkiny weekend!

Guest Post: Fresh Trends for Fall Décor

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Today fellow writer and decorating enthusiast Christina Johnson is sharing ideas and trends for freshening up your home décor for Autumn. Christina, thank you for sharing your great seasonal ideas with Creating a Family Home readers!

As summer gives way to autumn and the air turns crisp, now is the perfect time to revamp your home decor. Bring some of the rich textures and colors of fall indoors to create your own cool-weather sanctuary. Take a peek at some of the fresh trends in fall decor.  Here are my favorite ways to freshen up my home for fall.

Take Advantage of Fall Colors—They’re in Style Now!
 

Painting is a simple, affordable way to reinvent a space. Imbue your home with fall's popular warm, cozy colors. Whether you want to go bold or stick with neutrals, this season's palette offers something for everyone. Among the trendiest paint colors are soft gold, burnt orange, mocha, creamy beige, asparagus green, earthy browns and tans and shades of gray, ranging from peppercorn to a pale gray-violet. In a neutral room, an accent wall in a bold color can add depth and interest. Some popular choices are creams and beige with a warm brown or deep, burgundy red accent wall.

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Accessorize with Color

Use accent pieces, such as throw pillows, candles, art, sheets and comforters, slipcovers, floral centerpieces and knickknacks,  to complement the color of the room and add a fun or sophisticated feel. While neutral furniture has been the standard, don't be afraid to experiment with your accessories and use them to add a splash of bold color—it’s easy to swap out accessories with the change of the seasons.

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Copper, red, black, chocolate brown, brass, wine, and funky patterns are popular this season, although shades of orange have been stealing the show. Add some burnt orange pillows or a few pumpkin-orange vases to make your home feel like fall.

Mix Up Your Styles

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You no longer have to worry about sticking to a single style or aesthetic for a room. Eclectic decor is one of the bigger trends for fall. Mix masculine and feminine, antique and modern or combine artwork in different mediums and styles. Try pairing your antique coffee table with a modern sofa. Or try adding a splash of pink—or vases full of flowers—to an otherwise masculine room. And when it comes to style, location no longer matters, either. Whether you live in a Manhattan Rental or a country colonial, wherever you call home should be decorated based on your personal style and tastes, even if it’s in stark contrast to the world outside your door.  It’s your sanctuary!

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Up-cycled Home Goods

Eco-conscious? One of the biggest trends in decorating and crafting is up-cycling—take recycling to a whole new level! Whether you want to take on your own craft project or browse Etsy, the range of re-imagined materials and possibilities will amaze you. Recycled-content kitchen counters have seen an increase in popularity lately, but they’re still unique enough to earn  heartfelt compliments (they can be really interesting looking!). Accent pieces, like clocks made from old records or bowls made from magazines, can be as chic as they are functional, while keeping objects out of landfills.

Simple Window Treatments

  

Lush, heavy window treatments of old have been abandoned for more streamlined versions. Design aficionados are predicting that linen panels will be huge this fall. These simple window treatments can soften any room. The classic, timeless fabric comes in a variety of colors and patterns to complement the colors of just about any room. With lighter fabric, the late fall days may not seem so dark and dreary as fall gives way to winter (but of course by then we’ll be ready to freshen for winter, right?).

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Add Texture with Wallpaper

Bold, neutrals, solid colors and patterns can all add texture to a space. Wallpaper has become easy to apply and remove, making it an affordable way to update a room. Metallics can add glamour to a room, while printable wallpaper allows homeowners to customize the design to their own personal tastes.

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