inspiration workshop!! - fall

As we are now getting well into October (the BEST month ever!), this week's prompt for the 

Inspiration Workshop! put on by Gussy Sews is, FALL!

Fall is undoubtedly my FAVORITE season.

I actually did a mini series of posts right here on jen in wonderland about this amazing time of year.

So today I'm going to link up those posts.

Love the beautiful weather and amazing leaves that Fall brings? So do I. 

Check out this post for more.

How about all of the wonderful food full of Fall flavor?

Cinnamon, apples, caramel and pumpkin. Oh my!

Check it out.

And lastly the coziness and comfort of Fall fashions.

Find it here.

I hope you enjoy your journey through my Fall favorites!!

What are some of your favorite things about Fall?

dreaming of :: fall :: cardigans

Along with the weather changes and yummy food, another thing that Fall brings is wonderful, snuggly clothing in great colors.



The clothing pieces that I'm coveting the most are boots, scarves and cardigans.
Being from Central Texas, the weather that comes with Fall is generally pretty mild, so our "fall-wear" is pretty lightweight.



I'm probably most looking forward to wearing soft, cozy cardigans.



Even during the winter I would rather be wearing a cardigan of some sort, rather than a coat.



I love the idea of layering your clothes.
The way it looks, as well as the functionality.



Plus, they can be part of your everyday wear, with jeans, tees and sneakers,
OR
you can just as easily dress them up for a nice dinner out.
See? Multi-functional.



From long, over sized, scarf-like cardigans to bright, striped ones, I'm in love!


All photos via Pinterest.

What is your favorite Fall accessory?

dreaming of :: fall :: food

Another thing that Fall brings is the longing for rich, decadent, comfort food.
The Autumn months are perfect for eating things that taste of caramel, apple, pumpkin and cinnamon.
There are the typical desserts that you think of, such as:

Pumpkin pie.
With fresh whipped cream, of course.

Cinnamon Rolls.
Perfect for an early breakfast on a chilly morning.

Hot apple pie.
A la mode, please!

Caramel apples.
This would also be a fun kitchen "project" to do with the kiddos that are a bit older.

And then there's other desserts that use those same flavors in an even more imaginative way.

How about a salted caramel and vanilla cheesecake?

Or a spiced pumpkin mousse trifle?
It's almost to pretty to eat. Almost.

Here's a carrot cake cheesecake cake.
Two of my favorite desserts combined, definitely not a bad thing.

Ooh! And these fried apple rings with cinnamon sugar butter icing.

One of my favorite hot beverages is a chai latte.
With it's warmth, creaminess, and various spices, it's the PERFECT fall drink.

Then there are the savory foods that we traditionally think of as "comfort" food.
I know that I will definitely make each of the following dishes at least once this fall, but more than likely, they will get made multiple times.

Chicken Pot Pie.
My sister in law makes the best pot pie and I am fortunate enough to have the recipe.

Mashed Potatoes.
Preferably with LOTS of butter and garlic.

Homemade mac and cheese.
This is truly more comforting than the bright orange boxed stuff.

Baked potato soup.
I make this often in the fall and winter months.
SO easy and SO good!

So, what kind of recipes are looking to break out once the weather starts cooling off?

dreaming of :: fall :: weather & leaves

Being that it is currently 109 degrees outside and this being our 73rd or 74th day of 100+ degrees weather this year, I am totally starting to dream of Fall coming.

Fall (Autumn) is my absolute favorite season.
From the weather to the colors to the food to the smells to the fact that my favorite month is October (birthday; anniversary; Halloween), this is the best time of year in my opinion.

At the top of the list (being a Texan) is the weather changes.
I don't know a single person who doesn't welcome the nice, cool, sunny days and brisk evenings that come with Fall.
After a summer of sweltering heat and scorching sun rays, it's nice to be able to get in your car and not burn your hands on your steering wheel.
Or how about not being a sweaty mess just from a quick trip out?
Wonderful!

In Texas, our Fall season is pretty mild.
It's perfect for taking the little ones to the park.
Or even better, the pumpkin patch.

One of my favorite things to do when the Fall weather starts kicking in and it starts cooling down, is to open my windows (be it car or home).
Being able to FINALLY turn off the a/c in the car and rolling the windows while playing some super happy music is the best!
Also, spending an afternoon or evening at home with the windows open and the gentle breeze and crisp scents of Fall wafting through, just makes life that much more enjoyable.

Being able to comfortably make wardrobe changes is lovely as well.
Moving from shorts to long pants or from tanks to layered clothing is just wonderful.
Although in Texas there are still plenty of days when you get away with wearing either Summer-ish or Fall-ish clothing.

Evenings out on the balcony or porch with a good book, music, and beverage of your choice is another one of my favorite things to do in Fall.

I also love to watch the leaves starting to change.
It isn't as amazing of a site here as it is in say, Oregon (which is STUNNING!), but there is still enough red, yellow, and orange leaves to bring a smile to this girl's face.

What are some of your favorite things to do once the weather starts to change?
What are you dreaming of doing this Fall?

All photos via Pinterest.