fall, why are you hiding from me?

i'm so ready to pull out my cold weather clothes, wrap in a blanket, drink warm coffee, and enjoy the leaves changing.
don't get me wrong, i love summer, but i love the fall even more.

{via anthropologie.}
{i desperately want to wear something like this.}
come on fall, i know you want to visit oregon.

{{{fabric flowers & fellowship}}}

{once a week, i get together with my dear friends helena and julia and we have a craft day. we do a craft, while our husbands do "manly" things. i love getting together with these girls. we spend our time laughing [a lot], talking, listening, and encouraging one another. it's one of my favorite times during the week.}

this week we decided to make fabric flowers [it was julia's turn to pick a craft.]

they were super easy, and so much fun to make! we met at the craft store, and of course, grabbed some coffee before heading back to julia's house. [can't have fellowship without coffee, right?]


{materials}

2"x44" fabric
fabric scissors
hot glue gun
anything else you might want to add [tulle, lace, pearl pins, pin for the back]

{instructions}
1. cut fabric 2"x44".
2. fold the fabric in half [hotdog style].
3. make a knot at one end of the fabric [this will be the center of your flower].

4. wrap the fabric around the the knot a couple times, hot glue the fabric, and continue wrapping it around a few more times. [the looser you wrap it, the larger the flower will be.]
5. hot glue the fabric again. begin twisting the fabric every once in a while, at the same time continue wrapping the fabric.

6. when you have about two inches left of fabric, hot glue the left over fabric to the back side of the flower.
7. add pearl pins [if you wish.]
8. add a pin back [if you wish.]
9. ta-da!


{some ideas of how to use these flowers}
hair accessory
accessory for pillows
pin for clothes

{love these girls! julia, me, and helena}

i would say it was a successful craft day.

mmm mmm mac & cheese.

if you can believe this... i haven't had macaroni and cheese since my pre-celiac years {about 3 years ago.} i came across amy's kitchens gluten-free macaroni and cheese the other day in the food co-op... i had to try it. let me tell you, it's the tastiest meal i've had in a long time. it's a little spendy {around $4.00}, but it's very worth it if you're gluten-free like me and often crave some good carbs :]



can't wait to find an excuse to buy my next box :]

{my weekend in a nutshell---destination:san francisco}

day 1:::}
brad and i woke up at 3:30 am on saturday morning to head down to the bay area in california for jeff's first college football game. the drive was absolutely gorgeous, and it was nice, because no one was on the road. our car ride was filled with talk radio, music, good conversation, and drinking lots of caffeine to stay awake.

we managed to make it in time to pick bonnie up from the san jose airport with plenty of time to spare. once we picked her up, we headed to cute downtown san jose for dinner, before heading over to jeff's game.

jeff's attending reedley college this fall. he's the starting quarterback for the football team and we couldn't be prouder! he had an amazing game, and it was so fun seeing him play in his first college football game. i love watching brad and jeff interact, they are so close, and i am constantly reminded of how lucky i am to be in such a tight knit family.
{i really love this picture}

after the game, we headed to san martin to stay with brad's old host family from athletes in action, the murphys. they were so generous to let us stay with them. they live on beautiful property, right next to some rolling hills. we enjoyed falling asleep to coyotes howl :]

day 2}}}:
{the murphys beautiful property}

on sunday, we headed to san francisco for the day. i had only been there once before, and that was when i was 8, so i didn't remember much about the city. i was so amazed when we got there. there was so much to look at. san francisco is a city where you can sit in one spot for the entire day and never get bored. there are so many things to look at and the people watching is extremely entertaining. we spent the afternoon sight seeing, walking, eating, and shopping.


{my new favorite gluten-free restaurant: asqew grill---come to oregon, please.}





we headed home to oregon around 6:00 pm. we managed to make it back around 3:30 am.
great trip in 48 hours, ready to do it again next weekend.

reasons to love fall {all of the above.}

fall is my favorite time of the year. it's full of most of my dearest friends birthdays, gorgeous warm-toned leaves, halloween, thanksgiving, and boots. yessss boots.

i wanted to share with you in my excitement for fall, because i know the rain, chilly weather, crisp air, and the thought of school can sometimes be a downer. but, there are many positives to fall, and i will share with you my favorites.

{owls---}}

{via poppytalk handmade blog}

{via anthropologie.com}

i plan on carving an owl this year. last year, my dear friend laura carved an owl, one of the cutest jackolanterns i've ever seen.
{via marthastewart.com}

{the fashion---}}

i can't wait to pull out my warm, cableknit scarves.
{via anthropologie.com}

BOOTS.
{via anthropologie.com}




i love all of jcrews fall looks.
{via jcrew.com}

everyone needs a warm jacket for fall. this mustard peacoat is wonderful.
{via anthropologie.com}

and of course...
{what would fall be without these---}}

pumpkin spice lattes

a good read---{francis chan is my favorite. i can't wait to read "forgotten god."}

everything pumpkin.

warm fall colors.
{via www.etsy.com/shop/funkiefinds}

self explanatory :]

and of course... warm blankets to wrap up in.

how can you not be looking forward to fall now?

{bring the outdoors in}

you know you want one.
great piece for fall and winter.
check out the other unique candle holders i have recently posted on my etsy.
www.etsy.com/shop/urbanNester

hello autumn.

fall is my favorite time of the year.
i can't wait to decorate for fall.

i wanted to make decor that was appropriate, but not cheesy :]



{autumn i welcome you with open arms}

adorable twig hooks.

need a fun way to display your jewelry?

{{i have your solution}}