November is one of my two favorite months of the year (December is the other) November probably means something different to me, than some of you.  November is when I get to slow down.  My life is crazy busy between May and October with outdoor photography.  And this year, I added wedding season to my list so I was a tad busier than usual.  For a month, I had been thinking about this post and how good it would feel to be able to sit down and blog for myself. I have a couple more weeks of family sessions scheduled and for that I am grateful because it helps to clothe our family.  Seriously, a big thank you to all of my clients!  

As thanksgiving draws near, I am focused on family…not to-do lists and running from here to there.  I have my Amazon cart full of Christmas gifts and when I’m ready I will enter the payment information all of our Christmas gifts will be sent here free of charge.  I am ready to plan Thanksgiving crafts and sit around the table with my kids and spend undivided time with them. And since I love decorating my house, I finally have time to do that.  Fall decorations were few and far between since I was so busy, but we did have our pumpkins.  Now I get to bring out the greenery and lights and integrate that with our fall decor.  I don’t officially decorate for Christmas until our Elf comes to visit the day after Thanksgiving, but little glimmers of Christmas never hurt anyone.  And besides, I love the warm feeling that white lights bring to our home, so why not enjoy them for a month longer?  So, I thought I would share just a few of my favorite items I have around the house this month.

I found chevron patterend burlap ribbon at Hobby Lobby the other day and I knew it was a must buy.  I have been able to use it in a few places.  The vase above is just one of many that has this material held on by natural and orange colored raffia.  I loved it so much, I decided to use it on the mantal as garland for the greenery.

And then since I had a little left, I decided to use it on a shelf as a mini runner.  

My other fun find was this big sparkly acorn that was 50% off at Hobby Lobby.  I love natural, rustic decor that has a little sparkle.  These things help me go from fall to winter decor with ease and not too much work because they go well with fall and winter decorations. My mantel is still in progress, but I am loving how it is coming together. 

If you are wondering about the weird white and brown canvas on the mantel…I’m waiting for the brown paint to dry so I can paint “Bless the Lord, O my soul” in white.  (Btw, I got a two pack of 16×20 canvases at Hobby Lobby for $7.99, so the other will be used for Christmas) I LOVE having meaningful words on display throughout the house because they serve as a reminder as I walk around.  When I look at them they often times put a passage of scripture or a worship song in my head.

Here are a couple examples of some hanging in our house.

The picture below was actually an old mirror that I painted with chalkboard paint.  In this picture you can really tell how impatient I was when making it.  I should have taken time for a second coat of paint, but I didn’t want to wait a moment longer to hang it on the wall.

Creating a warm home is one of my very most favorite things to do.  It is where we spend most of our time and so it needs to be a place we enjoy being, and honestly, I like things that are asthetically pleasing:)  But of course, I’m sure you can guess what two (well 3) of my favorite things to look at are!

Happy November, Everyone!

~Jen