People often differentiate between the fall season and the Christmas season and typically have a preference of one over the other. I’m a fall baby, so all things fall have always made me swoon. Now, don’t get me wrong, I love Christmas too, but when I think about it, I don’t get as hung up on the “Christmas-y things” as I do the fall things. I love the feeling of Christmas and the activities like baking, and decorating the tree, and church on Christmas Eve, but the fall things get me every year. From the Autumn Equinox to Black Friday, my whole life is spiced, pumpkin-flavored, wrapped in plaid, shaded in reds and oranges.
So as an ode to fall…here are some fall things that I’ve been loving lately. I’ve included some recipes, DIYS, and random tidbits of info that I hope you will enjoy!
1. Pumpkins
Need I say more?
2. This iced coffee I’ve been making
I don’t know why, but I’ve been preferring iced coffee over any other form lately. I recently ditched my Keurig and replaced it with a pour-over brewer (10/10 would recommend). I’ve been making big batches and saving all the left-over coffee in a large mason jar in the fridge so I have iced coffee ready to go at ALL times. To make my fall-flavored iced coffee, I use a teaspoon of 100% maple syrup, a generous sprinkle of cinnamon, a big splash of Silk’s Almond Milk Coffee Creamer, and a (much larger) splash of Nestle Coffeemate Natural Bliss Salted Caramel Coffee Creamer. I know it might sound a little strange, but I swear its delicious.
3. This homemade body scrub
I wanted a fall body scrub late one night in the shower, so I got out of the shower (I’m ridiculous, I know) and whipped this scrub together. Its perfect for exfoliating before shaving.
What’s in it:
- 1 cup melted coconut oil
- 2 tablespoons jojoba oil
- 2 tablespoons grapeseed oil
- Equal parts dark brown sugar and white sugar, about 1/2 cup each (you can add more if your scrub doesn’t look thick enough)
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin spice
- 10 drops sweet orange essential oil
- 10 drops clove essential oil
- 5 drops cinnamon leaf essential oil
4. The foods that are in season
Produce just seems to taste better when its in season. After much disappointment, I’ve stopped buying strawberries in the middle of October and have accepted that they just taste better in the summer. What is in season right now though are some of my favorite foods, so I’m not even missing strawberries that much.
What’s in season….
- Kale
- Sweet Potatoes
- Broccoli
- Apples
- Beets
- Eggplant
- Broccoli Rabe/Rapini
- Spinach
- Pecans
If you live in North Carolina, here is a link to a chart of monthly fruit and vegetable availability.
4. This bar soap
I bought this bar of soap at the farmer’s market. Its cinnamon, chai, & goat’s milk. It smells spicy and sweet and the goat’s milk is super hydrating.
7. Baking
I make banana bread all year round, but when mid-September rolls around I start cranking out banana bread, pumpkin bread, apple bread, and apple pie like its my job. I do this thing that I call “stress baking” where I’ll stop studying for some big exam or working on a big term paper and take some time out to bake. It helps me cope.
6. Slow, crisp mornings
Autumn mornings are some of my favorite mornings, which says a lot because I am a night owl through and through. Spending time on an early fall morning to just relax or go for a walk makes me wish I was a morning person.
7. These candles
I am really picky when it comes to candles. I’ve tried maybe 1,000 (just a guess), everything from Yankee Candle to Bath & Body Works. 9 times out of 10 they end up giving me migraines so finding ones that don’t is a true miracle. These two from Walmart are two of my favorites. They both smell delicious and so far have not caused a single headache. The one from Better Homes & Gardens is very very potent so I don’t burn it for very long. The Pumpkin Waffles one has a much subtler smell, but they both fill my place with fall smelling goodness and that’s really all I’m looking for.
Hope you guys enjoyed this! I thought it’d be a nice change of pace from all of the written pieces I’ve been posting lately. Let me know some of your favorite fall things in the comments below or leave a comment on my latest insta post!! 🙂
Love always,
Hi Andreanna 🙂 my name is Paula and I worked with ur mom and she told me about ur blog. I read ur article about no to shattering. That was such an excellent article and I’ve been wanting to tell you since I had read that. If only every young woman could read that and understand that concept. They would be protecting themselves from a lot of pain. You are wise beyond ur years. God bless you. Keep sharing! 🙂
Paula,
Thank you so much for your kind words! I really appreciate you taking the time to read my blog!