September Acres

Photo Credit Well, I think Fall is finally almost here.  According to my calendar, it begins tomorrow.  Although you would think it started a while back if you've been perusing blogs, Instagram and Pinterest at all. My daughter turns 14 in January.  Fourteen.  1-4.  How in the name of heaven did this happen?  Especially since I just turned 29 (again).  The time as flown by and to be honest I've been guilty of trying to rush things every now and then - 'I can't wait for Kindergarten to start, I'll have so much free time' (that, my friends, is the biggest mommy myth ever).   'I can't wait for Christmas break so we can go to Park City'. 'I can't wait for summer vacation'. The list goes on and I'm pretty sure you all have a similar one to mine. At the beginning of the year I decided that I was going to try my darndest to not rush any seasons any more. Figurative and literal seasons.  Hence, the so far pumpkin spice free September...

Fall is such a great time for have fun as a family.  Most parts of the country are enjoying beautiful weather this time of year.  It's time to get out of the house and enjoy all things fall. Some ideas: Pumpkin Patch - even in Arizona we have pumpkin patches and festivals.  It's always fun to let the kids pick out a pumpkin for carving. Pumpkin Carving - Our friends have a pumpkin carving party every year, the Saturday before Halloween.  It's all about the kids and helping them carve the perfect design.  Even if you do this at home with just your kids, it's a fun activity.  Don't forget to save those pumpkin seeds for roasting. Head to the Park - With the great weather this time of year, a park day is the perfect no cost family activity for a Saturday morning. Take a Drive - if you're lucky enough to live where the leaves change colors now's the time to hop in the car and do some leaf peeping. Take a Ride - Get out those bikes and take a li...

I found this black feather wreath at Michaels and snatched it up.  I added an orange glitter spider for Halloween (I had already taken it off when I took this photo.) but really wanted to figure out a way to keep it up until Christmas.  Knowing the orange spider wouldn't work, I started brainstorming. I came up with some fall colored leaves (cut with my Cricut) and paper acorns (using an ornament punch). I finished it up with a tan ribbon. I think it turned out pretty cute and will work Until I bring out Christmas.  Most importantly, I didn't spend any money on this transformation.  Always a good thing for me! Linking up to Frugal Friday at the Shabby Nest.

Just like every other month, October was a blur.  With my 31 Days of Home Organization series I really blogged about nothing else. But, believe me, there was a lot going on.  In no particular order: We celebrated my husband's birthday. We decorated for Halloween. We carved pumpkins. We went to our town's pumpkin festival (sadly, it was very disappointing but it was the first year so hopefully next year will be better.  And maybe it won't be 90 degrees out.) LM trick or treated with her friend's family while my husband & I were at a trade show. We made snickerdoodles (yum!) We went to Disneyland for fall break. I have decided that we go there too much since I have been to Sephora twice this year, both times at Downtown Disney.  And my husband & I have the Mouse Wait app on our phones. LM went on a weekend girl scout camp trip.  We watched 4 debates. (Don't forget to vote today!) I went to the dentist and got my hair cut - things I feel...

Better Homes and Gardens It seems like everyone is pumpkin crazy this year.  Everywhere you look there is pumpkin spice something for sale.  From the Pumpkin Spice Latte to pumpkin ice cream to pumpkin candles.  Pumpkin is everywhere! Some of my favorites: The Pumpkin Pie ice cream from Safeway .  We tried it for the first time last year and I am hoping that I can find it again this year.  The graham cracker crust pieces swirled in the pumpkin ice cream give it a truly authentic pumpkin pie taste.  Safeway also had a pumpkin yogurt last year that was super tasty. Coffee-mate Pumpkin Spice Creamer .  Move over Starbucks.  This is the perfect way to easily recreate the PSL at home.  I have actually never bought this because I don't buy creamer but I have a friend who buys it (for me, perhaps?) and when we are at her house scrap booking it is my creamer of choice in the fall.  Maybe one day I'll purchase my very own...

I am excited that October is almost here for several reasons: We are headed back to Disneyland during Fall Break. There is a possibility that the temps will cool down in my neck of the woods. The Nester is once again hosting her 31 days series. I'll share our Disneyland stories with you sometime in November and I'll try not to talk about the weather for a while. So October will be 31 days of Home Organization here at September Acres.  This should be the kick I need to really get things organized around here.   I'll be working for the next week getting organized so I can have some interesting and informative posts for you for 31 days. If you missed my 31 Days of Hospitality series last year you can find it here .

Image: nationalgeographic.com It was one of those perfect English autumnal days which occur more frequently in memory than in life.  ~P.D. James

Fall starts on Saturday and despite the temps still reaching the triple digits most days I am getting into the fall mood with my decorating.  While I haven't pulled out the Halloween bins, I've spruced up the mantel  and the coffee table (to be unveiled soon) with some harvest loveliness.  In addition, I have adorned my dining table with some fall charm just in time to participate in the Autumn Linky Party over at The Lettered Cottage. We use our dining room table for homework as well as eating so I wanted to create something fun and festive that would be easy to remove quickly when the table was needed and this basket was the perfect surface on which to create the fall tablescape.  I love the shape, it's long and narrow, and the rich texture gives the entire design a rich, rustic feel which is perfect for the autumn months. On top of the basket I've added some colorful glass stones, little white ghosts and wine corks which encircle the larger items like...

If you're anything like me you are always looking for ways to add seasonal touches to your home without spending much (or any) money.   Like many of you, I have oodles of scrapbook paper.  To be honest it's probably more than I could ever use.  So when I wanted to add a little more fall to the house without a trip to the store I headed straight to the scrapbook paper. I started with three little pumpkins I cut with my Cricut, a piece of 12 X 12 scrapbook paper and a frame I had (part of my 90% off haul from Michaels a few weeks ago). If you have a Cricut, the 'Stretch your Imagination' cartridge is fantastic for seasonal die cuts - it's filled with really cute images for every holiday and season. I glued the three little pumpkins to the scrapbook paper (cut to 5X7) and put it in the frame (which ended up costing me 69 cents!)  I love the way it turned out and am deciding where to put it - it will possibly go on the mantel  or in the kitchen...

I finished my fall mantel today.  I actually started it last week but it took awhile to get the inspiration since I am not ready to do Halloween yet so I wanted something that was fall-ish but not all witches and bats.  I am happy with how it turned out and plan to keep it like this until I'm ready to put up Halloween in mid-October. If you have read my blog for any time you know that our T.V. hangs over the fireplace.  I need to work my mantel decor around the T.V. to make sure that it is not blocked by anything (heaven forbid).  Since I finished the mantel today, the first Sunday of regular season NFL games, the T.V. has been on since early this morning making it a bit of a challenge to photograph my work.  These first two photos are an overview of what I did. And here are the closeups.  I did take a few pumpkins out of the Halloween bins to add a bit of fall.  I got the black and white harlequin pumpkin last year at Hobby L...

As I was looking at the other 31 Dayers posts last night I came upon one of Melissa's  posts that I really enjoyed.  We are all giving tips, advice, inspiration, etc on a certain topic for 31 days.  A whole month.  That's a long time.  A long time to write on one topic and a long time to read the same topic.  Melissa talks about how overwhelming her 31 Days of holiday inspiration might be.  Lots of  to-do's to consider during the month.  She suggested that her readers take a break.  Disconnect.  Relax.  Read a book.  Savor this fall season.  So, being the copy cat that I am, I am suggesting the same.  In the blink of an eye we will all be running around trying to get a thousand things done for Thanksgiving and Christmas and Hanukkah and Kwanzaa and New Years. It's time to enjoy what's left of fall.  Read.  Drink tea.  Play with your kids.  Spend time with your husband.  Take in ...

I feel that a lot of inspiration can be found in books.  I wanted to share three of my favorites with you.  The first one is an oldie but goodie.  First published in 1982, Entertaining by Martha Stewart is one of my favorites and one of my first entertaining books.  Twenty-nine years later it is still relevant.  One of the first chapters called Entertaining with Style covers everything from making guests comfortable and creating an ambiance to setting the table and making food look beautiful.  She has menus and ideas for a cocktail party, Thanksgiving for eight and much more.  I find this a lovely shower gift for the bride who wants to entertain. Frugal Luxuries by Tracey McBride is kind of like a manual for me.  I have post it notes on quite a few pages.  The idea of the book is that you can live and eat well without spending a fortune.  And this includes entertaining and hospitality.  One of my favorite sections is calle...

 As guests approach your entry way are they welcomed with an inviting sight or one that's a little 'blah' or messy?  I'm sure we've all been guilty of a messy entry way every now and then.  I know I have!  Fall is always a fun time to spruce up your entry way.  Mums are in abundance.  So are pumpkins.  Trick or Treaters will be coming around soon.  So will Thanksgiving guests. After sweeping up around the entry way I brought out some of my Halloween goodies.  The chalkboard rocks  fill an empty pot for now.  I hope to get some more mums- there were only 2 of the rust colored mums when I was shopping the other day so I think the rocks will work until I get more. The most important thing to make your entryway welcoming is to make sure it's clean.  Sweep often.  Anything else just makes it special: A wreath on your door. Potted plants.  A 'welcome' sign. Keep the size of your entry way in mind.  Don't go c...

 My post title is 'fall-ISH mantel' because I'm not quite ready to make the mantel too Halloween-y, which is what I like to do but I needed to 'de-summer' it.  Maybe it will help cool things off around here. HA.  I put my funny shaped paper pumpkins in my apothecary jars and I like them much better that way!  The orange pumpkin is just fine out on it's own.  The far end of the mantel - the black urn holds my blue glittery pumpkin.  It also is tall enough to cover all the cords from the tv.  I love things that do double duty!  Another angle.  Here you can see my initial place I got for my birthday (it came from Hobby Lobby) and the cute orange pumpkin. Here's the whole thing - tv and all!  It's a bit sparse but I think I am okay with that because in a few weeks it will be totally busy and all Halloween-y. I am linking up to Sherry's Open House Thursday - Always a fabulous collection of links.  Plus she showcases one really l...