It dipped below 90 degrees here which seemed to validate the word Autumn here in GA. It doesn’t get cool enough for jackets here till about November, so I may not be wearing my favorite staples until then, but I have a feeling many of you will be needing warmer pieces in under a month! Below are some quick steps for building a fall capsule wardrobe if you are interested in creating one, as well as some good base staples to get you started.
The holidays don’t leave a lot of time or money to work on home remodeling projects, but it’s pretty incredible what something as simple as a knob switch and a fresh coat of paint can do! We decided to give our front door a little update for the holidays, and I’m so glad we went for it. It is such a fresh change, and the merry bells make it quite a happy entrance. Here’s how we gave it an overhaul…
(front door before)
(front door after)
PROCESS + TIPS:
The first step to the door makeover was removing all hardware and taping the edges of the window frames and door edges with painters tape. I went back and forth on selecting an exterior paint color for weeks before deciding on “Rainy Afternoon” by Behr. (It was a tie between burnt crimson red.) The door ended up only one coat of exterior paint, and it dried pretty quickly. You can get either a flat, semi-gloss, or gloss finish based on your preference.
After the coat of paint, we switched out the handle set. We had pretty standard lock knobs on before the update, and Gabe had been wanting to change the locks, and add more secure ones. He is much better at thinking of safety precautions than I am. So we found a door hardware combo from Schlage that was pleasing to both the guy seeking safety and the gal seeking aesthetics;) We really liked the camelot set with georgian knobs in the matte black paired with the color of the door. Gabe installed a set on both the front and back door of our main floor. Make sure to get your measurements on your doors and locks correctly before ordering to avoid any misalignment issues.
The project only took a few hours total, and it made such a visual difference, allowing the home to feel updated with minimal time. I kind of want to go knob happy and continue the switch outs on the main floor. After the door was finished decked the halls with some fir trees, mini lighted trees, and a eucalyptus wreath to make it a merry welcome for all who pass through:)
So come on over! The cocoa is ready.
P.S. Schlage is running a pretty cool sweepstakes right now giving away daily prizes to give your home a holiday upgrade including gift cards, Schlage door hardware and electronic smart locks, and the grand prize: a $5,000 Lowe’s gift card. Get on that!
Schlage products are available online at Amazon.com and Build.com, as well as in retail locations including Home Depot and Lowe’s. To learn more about Schlage and view all their unique decorative door hardware, visit schlage.com. This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Schlage. The opinions and text are all mine.
We are all pretty jazzed about the upcoming holiday months in our new home. Gabe already has the designated spot for the Christmas tree. If you know my husband, this should not surprise you. In between approximately 12 nap times, I managed to get the house festive for fall. It makes my little ones so happy, so it’s worth the effort for me. I mainly used items we already had, but found some fun items to add to the mix as well. Here’s a little autumn home tour of our humble abode…
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I admit I was slightly eager to pack away the maternity clothes in the record hot Altanta summer, and more than a tad excited to pull out the fall layers. The good news: we have officially landed in my favorite season. Bad news: it is still 90 degrees. However, this didn’t keep me from an inaugural pie bake with my sister on the first day of autumn, and the annual fall closet transition. Here are a few layer-able and interchangeable staples I either had from last year or added to the lineup this year. I will probably using these 7 fall wardrobe staplesthe most this season!
1. Striped Button Down
2. Jogger Pants
3. Distressed Denim (these are from Madewell, and here is a similar option)
4. Suede Booties (similar)
5. Wine Leather Tote
6. Tunic sweater vest
7. Grey layering tank
*Escape Bag via here.
Also, swooning over the new J. Crew pieces at Nordstrom.
Cheers to the first autumn weekend!
(source)
With a new baby, I am keeping the expectations real low around here for a fall bucket list, but autumn being my favorite season, you bet your bottom I am still making one! Even if it takes till the end of November to complete;) I asked my little ones to help me come up with some ideas. Here are our top ten:
Do you have anything you are wanting to tackle this fall?
Happy weekend!
I always hold out on purchases till the really good sales come around. Since the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale is now open to the public today, I wanted to share which items I think are worth the buy (if you can get them before they sell out – holy toledo), and which are worth the splurge or save. This is the sale that is actually a season ahead so instead of summer items you can actually get jazzed about the cooler temps around the corner. If I am being honest with myself, they are way further around the corner here in Atlanta than I’d like, but let’s pretend. VIEW FULL POST
I’ve always enjoyed making brunch more than dinner, and this year I wanted to get some family and friends around the table that we wouldn’t get to see over Thanksgiving. So it was a brunch I was motivated to get up early and make. I won’t lie, it took hours. All morning to be exact. But as a wise woman told me, “Food is always worth if it brings people around the table in peace.”
Brunch Menu:
Pumpkin Cream Cheese French Toast Casserole
Bacon Wrapped Asparagus with poached eggs
Orange Cinnamon Rolls
Sausages
Mimosas and coffee bar
(Mini casserole dishes are from Martha Stewart Collection at Macys)
You can prepare the casserole the night before, so the morning of you aren’t scrambling like I was! If you time your dishes right, you have plenty of time to sit and visit with company.
Bacon Wrapped Asparagus and Poached Eggs:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Separate your asparagus into even bunches and cut off ends if needed.
Wrap each bunch with two pieces of uncured bacon, and set in 9 x 13 casserole dish. Bake for 15 minutes.
While those are baking, poach your eggs. (Great directions here.)
They take approx. 4 min. for each egg.
I tell ya what, that bacon flavor seeping out of the asparagus is the only way to eat it! Its a really good savory compliment to the french toast casserole.
I wasn’t counting on my pumpkins to whither just in time for Thanksgiving week, but luckily had a few flower bunches to work with for a bold color centerpiece. It looks complicated, but actually pretty simple!
Thanksgiving centerpiece and runner:
Bowl vase (mine is from an antique store)
Cedar Incense
Pomegranate
3 Artichokes
Greenery bunches (They sell them pretty inexpensive at whole foods)
Deep purples and orange flowers
– Place a styrofoam piece in the middle of your bowl vase.
– Layer your cedar incense bunch (one bunch from Pike’s Nursery was all I used) 3/4 around the bowl.
– Place your pomegranate and artichoke side by side since they are your largest pieces.
– Add in your bold toned flowers (cut the stems shorter).
– Finish with a few fresh greenery stems to fill out as needed.
– Stack the rest of your greenery branches along the table in opposite directions till you reach the end of your table. Stick the stem ends underneath eachother so it flows well. That’s it!
Alright, now to plan the Thanksgiving menu. Phew! I’ll be in the kitchen till Thursday if you need me! 😉 Any dishes you would like to share for Thanksgiving? I am always up for some new ideas!
X, Anna
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