It is almost here.......

Fall kitchen decorations ~ October 2007

It is almost here!!! September is mere hours away!!! Fall is upon us. Of course it won't be "official" for a few more weeks, but in MY mind, September = AUTUMN!!! I am so ready. Doing a lot of cleaning and (attempted) organizing this weekend, so I can get ready to put out my beloved fall decorations. The pictures in this post are from last year. I try to change things up a bit each year but a lot of times things look the same. I just have so many pieces that I love and could never part with. Each year I do purchase a few new things so the old gets mixed with the new. We shall see what I come up with this year!

Fall dining room decorations ~ October 2007

Each year on GLU, during the last week of August, we do a "Countdown to September." It is nothing set in stone. We just all try to do some fall-ish activity or prep each day in the week leading up to September's arrival. This was my list:

• Monday: work on my fall journal and another fall minibook I plan on making. Well, my craft room is still a work-in-progress as far as getting it cleaned and organized and in a state that I can create in again, but I did write out what I have planned for my journal, as well as gathered the supplies I plan on using for it.
• Tuesday - Friday I work, so I made lots of fall lists, researched some fall websites, and thought up some fall posts for GLU.
• Saturday (yesterday): I had planned on going to buy the fall purse I want (I am thinking of this or this) but other stuff came up. (whichever purse I choose would be in the Cafe Latte fabric).
• Sunday (today): lots of cleaning and (attempted) organizing in anticipation of Kevin bringing up from the basement those wonderful orange crates that hold my autumn treasures!!!

Fall mantle ~ October 2007

I also have some fun fall swaps to work on! There is the Fall Frenzy Recipe Swap (almost done and ready for mailing), the Five Senses of Fall Swap (LOVE shopping for this one!), and in anticipation of Christmas there is the Ornament Swap and the Stocking Swap (another that I LOVE shopping for!).

Then there are the fun fall crafts I would like to make, though realistically I know I won't get to all of them. I am determined to make a pumpkin topiary this year. And once Mom and Dad's kitchen is done, Mom is going to give me sewing lessons. For years I resisted sewing (never liked it when we had to do it in Home Ec), and never thought I would ever want to do it. But sewing has become quite "in" lately. Not that something has to be trendy for me to want to do it, but there are so many cool things that can be made: totebags and purses, aprons, pillows, curtains, table linens, coffee cozies, pin cushions, the list goes on and on. Just browse Etsy and see how big sewing is right now. Not to mention the fun holiday stuff I could make! I have no desire to make clothes or alter them or anything like that. I want to make what the cool kids are making! LOLOLOLOL

Today even feels like fall is almost here!!! We have been blessed this August. Our weather this summer has been so typical New England...drastic changes. We went from a miserably hot, disgustingly humid, nasty July to a quite temperate, mild, barely humid August. Mornings and evening have been downright chilly. And the days have been comfortable and breezy. In fact, I am typing this on my deck right now, and there is a wonderful breeze rustling the leaves...and every now and again some of those leaves will fall. There is beautiful sunshine peaking through the branches but my deck stays mostly cool and shady. Ahhhh...love it!!!