How to Expertly Blend Essential Oils // Fall Edition

Today marks the Autumn Eqiunox.  During each equinox - one in the spring & one in the fall - the length of the day and of the night are nearly equal.  It officially marks movement into fall and gives you the proper permission to wear those boots you've been wearing since September first.  And you can officially hang your fall wreaths and sneak in Halloween decorations (don't worry, I do it to!)  If you'd like to get a little woo woo, this day also marks the start of Mabon one of three harvest holidays of the Wheel of the Year.  This holiday asks us to make time to express gratitude & observe balance (as night and day are nearly equal).  Since this is a harvest time, we can celebrate our successes or reap what we have sown through the past year.  We can also reflect up on what hasn't worked for us - what crops, ideas, or projects may have fallen short.   

Ultimately this time is a great big full moon.  If you follow along with the lunar cycles the New Moon (Spring) is a time for setting intentions, the First Quarter Moon (Summer) is a time for action, the Full Moon (Fall) is a time for gratitude and realization, and the Last Quarter Moon (Winter) is a time for reflecting & releasing.  Mabon marks the realization phase where we can celebrate the accomplishments towards our intentions or goals of the year.  Kinda like a check in with our resolutions.

You may be wondering why I'm throwing some woo woo into this blog post (or woo woo into this blog in general). I've found that honoring cycles to be the best thing for my mental clarity right now.  Since mindful has been my word of the year, I've connected so deeply to it.  Mindfulness is being aware.  Connecting to this word has made me realize that there are cycles to everything.  I mainly focused on this word in order to get a hold on my emotions and to swing fluidly through their cycles instead of getting overwhelmed and lashing out.  I want to experience and express the full range of emotions I am capable of feeling in a controlled, mindful manner.  I've realized there are cycles to this range of emotions.  Stress and overwhelm at my job, if not dealt with head on, will result in a manic uncontrollable episode where I am unable to control what I am feeling & end up exploding and running to the bathroom in tears.  This has happened multiple times.  The lighter emotions I can deal with, it's the cycle of the darker ones that I have trouble with.  So working with these cycles has become important to me it just so happens that there are already naturally occurring cycles - the moon phases, for example, as well as the seasons - that I can work with in this personal growth.  It just so happens that these cycles happen to fall into a traditionally woo woo area.  So this is the woo woo I bring into the blog because I believe this woo woo can help us all in our personal growth to our highest good.  Now onto the real meat of this post....essential oil blends!

Essential Oils for this Season

The best type of oils to work with during this season are ones that bring warmth, are grounding, & are uplifting.  Spicy & herbaceous oils like cinnamon, clove, basil & oregano will bring in warmth.  Grounding oils like root, wood and tree oils - cedarwood, vetiver, and fir oils - will connect you to the earth.  And citrus oils are uplifting, so mix in something soft & bright, like orange.  These are all the types of oils you can mix and match this season.

Warm Oils

There are several oils that are considered 'warm'.  This is for a multitude of reasons, but we're going to focus on two primary reasons - they can physically feel warming to the touch or their scent can evoke a sense of warming.  This is most commonly associated with spicy oils like cinnamon or clove, but can also extend to herbaceous oils like oregano.  Since we're going to diffuse these oils, we're not too concerned with a skin reaction here.  But be sure to use essential oils safely when applying them topically.

Diffusing different oils will have different emotional effects:

Spicy oils are known to affect the Sacral Chakra and evoke or balance energies associated with this center.  Spicy oils give connect us to our sense of self & our sense of empowerment and help us feel supported and protected in our community.  The Sacral Chakra has both to do with our relationship with ourselves and our relationship with others.  The spicy oils I like to use are the On Guard blend, Cinnamon, Frankincense, Ginger, & Clove.

Herbaceous oils connect with our Heart Chakras and evoke or balance energies associated with this center of love, kindness, & forgiveness.  Oils like Basil and Oregano are oils of emotion & contentedness.  Something I love to think about with these types of oils is that they come from herbs that we use to cook.  When cooking we're infusing our love & caring into the meal.  These are oils of nourishment and work great with the idea of harvesting crops.

Grounding Oils

These oils are made from roots & trees.  Because these oils are harvested from trees & roots, the emotional association is grounding, balance, and support.  Grounding oils connect with the Root Chakra.  This center connects us to the basic needs for life, it connects us to the earth.  Perfect for this season where we grow fond of the changing leaves and walks in nature.  Oils in this category for this season are Cedarwood, Vetiver, and Douglas Fir.

Uplifting Oils

Most citrus oils are bright & uplifting.  Uplifting oils connect with our Solar Plexus Chakra to bring a feeling of happiness to us.  They bring spontaneity, excitement, and creativity to us.  Warm, uplifting oils to use this season are Wild Orange, Kumquat, Tangerine, & Citrus Bliss.

Blending Essential Oils 

Diffuser blends are rather easy to create & the best ones come from a bit of experimentation!  A blend of 3 oils is best to begin with, and honestly the simplest blends often work the most effectively.  To start, choose 2-3 oils (one from each category) and unscrew the caps.  Hold the bottles towards your nose and move them around so that you're inhaling a blend of each of the scents.  You may find that two of the scents blend well together while the third may make the whole blend seem off.  You may choose to stick with just those two, or keep subbing in a different third oil until you find a blend that smells divine.  You may want to make a note of the blends you like so you can refer to them later.

When it comes to adding the oils to your diffuser start off with 2 drops of each oil.  If you want one scent to be more powerful, add more drops.  If a scent is too powerful, reduce the number of drops.  For example, I love Douglas Fir but I find the scent can be overwhelming so perhaps starting with one drop is better.  I find this same effect with Oregano.  Be sure to record how many drops you've used so that you can recreate your blend in the future.

Another tip when creating blends is to think about the emotions you'd like to align with & how you personally identify with each oil.  I've generalized the oil groupings here in this post, but you can use this as a base to research the emotional associations with each oil.  Or you can throw that all out of the window and go with your gut!  The later is my favorite way to work with oils!

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Feel free to add in any other oils you feel called to add when creating these blends.  Cypress, Peppermint, Juniper Berry, & Myrrh are great oils to add into this season.  I get my oils from Doterra to ensure they are of high quality.  If you'd like to learn more about getting started with the spiritual & emotional ways essential oils can enhance your life, I'd love to talk to you!  We can even get you set up with a Wholesale Account so that you can start to save some moolah on your essential oils!  If you're just looking to dip your toes in the water. join the email list below and grab your free copy of the ebook Getting Started with Essential Oils - Practical & Spiritual Uses.

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Even if you only get a wonderfully scented home from this post, that's enough for me! My goal is to share with you how essential oils can enhance your life....your job is to take that info and make it your own!  If you'd like to find more essential oil posts on the blog, find the articles here.  And don't forget to join the Five Sixteenths Blog | Live Creatively group on Facebook for more creative inspiration + some other fall blends!

xoxo, Moe

Ready to get started on your Essential Oil Journey?  Click here to learn more about doTERRA!

Make it Monday // 5 Ways to Switch Your Planner Seasonally

If you've read my Planner Journey post, you'll know that I've taken the curvy road to get to the planner I'm in now.  If you've watched my most recent planner set up video, then you've also realized that I've changed my planner like 3 times this season!! My favorite planner is the the Filofax Original in Flouro Pink (though I think I'd like any original) but my current planner is the Webster's Pages Color Crush planner in Caramel.  This planner is perfect for the fall.  The orange color is amazingly fall like and I love the leather look of this planner.  My teal Color Crush looks nothing like this!

This past weekend I switched out my Halloween decor to to Fall/Thanksgiving.  I used to never be the one to decorate!  Who have I become?!?!  I love it!  Here's how to switch up your planner seasonally - featuring this Thanksgiving season!

Paper clips

Using this DIY, you can create some fun paper clips from die cuts and felt shapes.  No need to hand assemble these things!  Pick up pre-made felt appliques or scrapbooking embellishments to use as toppers for your paper clips.  My favorite adhesive is the E6000 - it's super strong and sticks to the back of laminated embellishments like the fox and squirrel paper clips above. 

Seasonal Paper Packs & Journaling Cards

When these paper packs are half off at the craft store, I like to pick them up.  Not only can you make dividers from these types of paper but they are great to use as decor pieces.  Placing two coordinating papers together creates a great background in any pockets you may have in your planner.

The journaling cards I used in this little set up are from last year's Thanksgiving pocket journaling cards printables.  Adding a coordinating journaling card to create some layering is a great way to add texture to your set up.  Attaching the 3x4 cards to your dashboard or dividers gives a hint of seasonal spirit and they are super easy to switch out with the different holidays if you use washi tape.

Seasonal Washi Tape

I looovvee me some washi tape.  Washi tape with designs in different colors can translate well across seasons.  This gold washi would be great for fall or for the Christmas season.  Orange is great all across the fall board and you could even use it in the summer.  Green for Christmas is also great for St. Patty's day.  While it's fun to get washi for specific holidays, you'll get more use out of your washi collection if you add a variety of colored patterns, not just themes.

Seasonal Notes Pages

I've share this tutorial before for making monogramed notes pages and also for making Halloween themed notes pages - but the basic gist is the same.  If you use a patterned background or some of the overlays offered by my favorite mini design machine, PicMonkey, you'll be able to create notes pages on a sheet by sheet basis.  No need to pick up the Dollar Spot (or even more expensive!) notepads if you won't really use all the pages!

Seasonal Stickers

If you're addicted to stickers, you may know that with handmade stickers there is often a few week turn around with all the amazing ladies making them in their home offices.  So, if you're either late to the game or looking for an instant fix printable stickers are the answer!  I've added a fall themed printable set to the shop here.

I can't wait to fill my planner with so many fall themed things in the month of November!

How do you switch up your planner for the seasons?  Are you a pretty planner or more functional?  Is decor even important to you?

xoxo, Moe

Trend Tuesday // Art School Chic

The other day I threw on something that was so me when I was in college.  I was getting ready for work and decided to try something different - which happened to be a throw back to my college days - I threw on a triangle silk scarf.  I was also wearing a patterned shirt.  Back in college I was all about pattern mixing and there was no shame in my game.  Pattern mixing is still one of my favorite ways to play with fashion. I thought it would be super fun to share two ways to wear this Art School Chic look for work and for play

Art School Chic by fivesixteenthsblog featuring round sunglasses

Pattern & Color Mixing
The easiest way to pattern mix is to keep it simple - black & white + a colored pattern is a great way to start.  In this set this is done two ways.  A more fitted black and white striped shirt paired with a classy floral scarf in a neutral makes a classy look.  Switch the jeans for a dark fitted trouser for work.  My office is pretty casual, so both of these outfits would work.  For a casual day out look try a baggier shirt tucked in with a light floral infinity scarf and flat booties.  I am also in love with mixing neutrals.  it might be frowned upon to mix brown, black, and navy but if you have a sprinkling of all colors your outfit looks pulled together.

The Essential Bag
Any bag of mine has to hold a lot.  I've currently been loving Steve Madden bags, but when making this little set the bag featured above started it all.  It is a classy upgrade from a well worn thrift store bag I would have carried in college but still big enough to hold everything.  It is big enough to hold a laptop and some notebooks.  Great to stuff my planner in and get to work at a Starbucks.  The dark brown color is a great neutral to pair with a brown or a black outfit.

Upgraded Accessories
Tattered old boots don't really cut it in real life any more so I've been sticking to a nice pair of booties for fall.  A pair in a low heel and a pair in a raised heel give you options for casual or more dressy looks.  I find that brown boots work better for my style and wardrobe than black boots so that is what I look out for the most.  TJ Maxx and Marshall's are great places to find affordable, on trend styles.  Stackable jewelry can also give a classy vibe with simple golds and blacks or a bohemian vibe with more natural tones and wooden bangles.

Hope this little outfit set was inspiring!  I know that I felt a little bit more me when I threw on something I used to wear all the time!

What is an old fashion staple of yours?  Anything you always feel yourself in?

xoxo, Moe

ps. If you want to see some throwback outfits - check out my Let's Talk Fall series from a few years ago!

Make it Monday // Classy Coral & Cream Knit Hat

If you haven't been down the crafty aisle at your local Target you need to run there!  If you haven't seen it, there is an aisle (or sometimes 2) with some really fun crafty and creative stuff.  I've seen yarn, washi tape, scrapbooking paper, and other little creative kits.  While this aisle may be aimed at crafty kids - I think it's great for the crafty kid at heart.  The majority of the creative products are under the brand Handmade Modern.

I picked up some fun yarn in a variegated coral and cream & a cream with a little bit of gold because I just knew I needed to have it in my life.  If you haven't noticed, around this time each year I pick back up my knitting and crocheting habit.  It is much easier to make yarny things when it's getting cooler out.  I've never been one to create any summer crochet projects...I just can't get behind them.

Anyway, this past week I sat down and made the easiest knit hat ever.  I shared 2 easy knit hats with out circular needles around this time last year....and this year I going to create the same thing.

If you know how to knit stitch, then you'll know how to make this hat.  You'll be making hat one from the post from last year using the garter stitch.  One of my favorite ways to change up the texture of the project I'm making when I knit is to use two different sized needles.  For this hat I held the two yarns together - both the variegated yarn and the cream/gold yarn - and used one size 10.5 needle and one size 13 needle.  This technique works better sometimes with really crazy yarn to enhance the fun texture but this technique gave a cool bubbly look to the yard from the bigger needle.

Pretty much you just knit a long rectangle - long enough to wrap around your head - then cast off and use the tail to sew it into a tube.  Use the tail to weave around the circumference of one end of the tube then cinch it up.  I also used the leftover yarn to make a huge pom pom.  If you make your hat long enough you can have a super slouchy beanie style or flip the brim up for a more traditional style!

If you're a beginner knitter, this project is super easy to whip up.  And the more fun yarn you use the better it will look.

I hope you pop by your Target to see if you can find this fun yarn!

Hope your fall is shaping up well!

xoxo, Moe

Trend Tuesday // Five Eye Palettes for Fall

If there is one thing I love, it's a good rosey pink eye palette.  There are quite a few of all rose gold or all mauvey pink eye palettes in my collection and I can't wait to bust them out for the fall.  Who am I kidding, I'll bust them out any time!  I have however been neglecting my eye palette collection.  For the last few makeup baskets I've posted I've only been using singles or some quads from the drugstore.  I want to break back into some of my most love palettes and bring out some that I've only tried a few times.  Each of these have rosey tones and some great complementary shades to create some great fall looks.

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L'Oreal La Palette Nude 1

I've only busted this one open a few times.  I think I had it in a makeup basket once, previously, but I was impressed.  It is fairly expensive for a drugstore palette (however I would recommend this one over the 10 pan palettes from Maybelline - I've got a review here and a first impressions here).  This palette has an assortment of mattes and shimmer shades - in the perfect combo.  The three matte shades are beautiful blending shades plus a great deep brown that can create a wonderful nude smokey eye.  The lightest shade on the far left is actually a shimmery shade and not matte as the picture makes it look.  Each of the shimmery shades are more like a satin finish where as that lightest shade looks like there's some glittery bits.  Not bad - just not matte and not like the other shimmers!

These pans are huge for any palette and the color payoff is great for a drugstore palette.  The shades can go from subtle to buildable.  If you can get this on a 40% off sale at Ulta or even part of a buy one get one 50% off (make sure you pick up the other La Palette Nude 2 to get on for 50% off!) I'd suggest it.

Lorac Pro 1 Palette

This is a staple palette.  If you ever get the chance to get a Lorac palette - do it!  I have the 1 and the 2 and some other smaller palettes and love the quality of the eyeshadows.  So buttery, so pigmented.  If you're afraid of applying too much eyeshadow you'll need a light hand with this!  The top row is all matte and the bottom row is all shimmer.  These shades do kick up a lot of powder and as you can see the palette gets super messy - I can't keep it clean.

The shades in this palette are great for fall.  Not only is there a mauve matte shade - my favorite blending shade - there's a coper, an orangey color, and I love the gray.  These shades don't blend away easily and you'll get a distinct look between each shade.

Exposed 3

This is a super close dupe to the Urban Decay Naked 3 palette.  I picked this on up on Groupon in a set of all there Naked palette dupes - Exposed 1, 2, & 3.  This is made by Beaute Basics and really makes me want the Naked 3.  The palettes are actually on Groupon currently, though not in the deal I got but still for a pretty great price.  (Additionally if you sign up for Ebates there is 6% cash back at the time I'm writing this post...hot damn!)  Anyway - this is a go to palette for an all rose gold look.  This palette has 3 matte shades as well - a nice highlight shade, a nice rosey mauve, and a deeper brown-mauve.  The other shades are shimmery, not chunky glitter.

The color payoff is awesome for the price as well.  I would say it is better than the L'Oreal La Palette Nude but not as great as the Lorac Pro.  Very decent for a beginner and way more affordable (if you grab in on a deal!) than the Naked 3.  I was reaching for this palette until I got the smaller version - the Wet n Wild Smoke and Melrose palette from the drugstore (it is great for travel). If you have that in your collection you can totally get a great rosy look as well.

Too Faced Chocolate Bar Palette

This palette has a bunch of different tones for fall.  I love the shade that I believe is called Peanut Butter.  It is the burnt orange shade in the middle, on the far left.  There are deeper rosey shades in this palette as well.    There are 5 matte shades - including a large matte highlight shade - and 11 shimmer/glitter shades.  The gold in this palette is to die for and would be a great look for fall.  

If you're into neutrals with a pop of color and shadows that are very easy to work with, this is your palette.  The color payoff is also amazing on these shadows with out blending away.  These can be built upon to get a more intense look and the deeper shades can create a smokey look.

Ulta Rose Gold Palette

This is a new one to hit the drugstore and it is also a take on the Naked 3 style palette.  It is structured almost like the Lorac palette in that the top row is shimmer and the bottom row is matte. This one has a lot of shade similarities to the other palettes listed - there are a few mauve blending shades, a gold, a matte pink, and a great champagne color.  The shade Breathless is a beautiful matte brown.

These shades perform well, too.  They are easy to work with, easy to blend.  They aren't as smooth as the Lorac shadows but perform as well as the Too Faced Chocolate Bar palette, I'd say.  You won't get a multitude of looks with this palette though - the shade range is pretty one dimensional.  You have the lights and then the darks. You can get a distinct natural look and a distinct deeper, smokey look.  Not really the dynamic palette like the others listed but still pretty great for the drugstore!  If you're into being not intimidated - this is a great palette.

I've mentioned before in this post on saving money on cosmetics, but Ebates is the way  to go for saving money on cosmetics online.  Ulta is currently having 3% cash back through Ebates and then if you use the $3.50 off $10 for the drugstore products...you're on your way to saving $$$$.  I'd see if you can find like the Lorac Palette on other sites that may have more cash back through Ebates.  Sign up here.

What do you recommend for Fall?  Any go to looks you have?

xoxo, Moe

*all of these palettes were purchased by me and all opinions are my own.

Favorite Fall/Winter Lipsticks

First off, it is cold as crap here in Indiana......I just turned the heat on this weekend. Secondly, one of my favorite parts of fall are all the deep lipsticks you can bust out. Of course you can wear whatever you want, whenever you want...but I like to wear darker lips in the Fall. Here are my favorite colors:

The Nudes/Pinks

from left to right:  Model Co. Dusk Til Dawn, Wet n Wild LE Coming in Latte, Revlon Matte Mauve it Over, Hikari Cabernet, Maybelline Matte Lust for Blush, Wet n Wild LE Rose to Fame.

For the Fall, deeper nudes a pinky-nudes are what I'm into.  I'm really digging the brownish colored lip trend as well!  I pulled out some oldie but goodie lip colors from my collection like the Model Co lipstick I got in a Birchbox or Ipsy bag last year.  It is a wonderful sheer, shiny nude.  It smells a little fruity, too.  Coming in Latte is something you need to go grab up if you can find the Wet n Wild Halloween collection!! It is a beautiful deep, brown nude that looks beautiful on the lips.  It has just the right amount of glossiness to it but it will stick around all day.  The lasting power of the Wet n WIld lipsticks is amazing.  I have worn this color a lot to work!  Revlon's Mauve it over is a lighter nude that be a staple in Summer to transition into Fall.  And it is matte so that gives you a different texture to work with, too.

If I'm looking to go the pink route I've found that berry-pink-mauve route is the way to go.  FIrst is a lip color I could have sworn was red when I pulled it out of my Ipsy bag this month.  Additionally, when I wore it I thought it was red.  Clearly, I was wrong!  It is more of a berry-mauve color and depending on the pigmentation of your lips could come off a bit darker.  I've also fallen for the Maybelline matte line and this color Lust for Blush is a nice dusty pink for fall.  Finally, Rose to Fame - another Limited Editon color - is a part of the Halloween collection from Wet n Wild as well.  It comes off semi-matte and is very comfortable to wear on the lip.  It is a nice brown-rose color that is on trend as well.

The Reds

from left to right Wet n Wild LE BalmStain in Senorita, Wet n Wild Cinnamon Spice, Wet n Wild Cherry Bomb, Revlon Fifth Avenue Red, Revlon Really Red

Deeper red lip colors are also something I look forward to in the fall.  Of course, as we move into Winter, they become a holiday outfit staple.  Who doesn't love a festive red lip?  When I first saw this LE BalmStain from Wet n Wild (also in their Halloween display) I knew instantly it would be great to create that blood-red-lip for halloween.  It looks a bit more berry here, but it totally creeps me out for Halloween.

As for deeper, brick reds, I'm in love with Cinnamon Spice and Cherry Bomb from Wet n Wild.  Each have a semi-matte finish and as you can tell, each is just a teeny bit different.  Cinnamon Spice is more brick red and Cherry Bomb is a little bit more of a purple red.  If you have a darker complexion you will be surprised how flattering these would be.  (Another shade in this range would be Urban Nights or Urban Night)

Going for a traditonal red that would be beautiful for the Holiday season I have pulled out two options.  If you were able to pick up Fifth Avenue Red from Revlon back in the Summer, pull it out again because it is a wonderful red color for Fall.  Slightly shiny and a little more blue toned means your teeth will look whiter.  If you're looking for a more orange-red, this matte color Really Red by Revlon.  It is a bright red that would be great for any holiday party.

The Purples/Plums

from left to right Wet n Wild Viscious Varnish in Throwing Shade, Wet n Wild LE BalmStain in 2AM Call Time, Maybelline Vivid in Brazen Berry, Wet n Wild Ravin Raisin, Wet n Wild LE Matte Bordeaux Boulevard, Wet n Wild Fergie Collection Ferguson Crest Cabernet

The purples and the plums are my favorite part of Fall so I saved the best for last!  First off I want to mention the Wet n Wild Viscious Varnish High Shine Lip Stain.  Not only are nearly all the shades in this line wonderfully pigmented, glossy, and long lasting but they are comfortable to wear and they are the affordable alternative to the Revlon Moisture Stains. (I'll have a comparison up on the blog shortly!)  The color I love for fall is Throwing Shade.  It's a nice berry color with a lot of gloss.  Another glossy shade, that lasts long, that is also a deep purple is another LE BalmStain called 2AM Call Time.  Pick this up in the Halloween 2014 collection as well!  I loooooove the smoothness of this lip color and the ease of which it applies.  The final purple shade is something that I keep out nearly all year round - it is a Maybelline Vivid lipstick in Brazen Berry and it is a true light purple shade.  It has an opaque color and depending on the pigment of your lips it may come off darker.

For a rich plum look I chose one permanent color - Ravin Raisin - and one LE color - Bordeaux Boulevard - to compare.  I love each of them for different reasons.  Ravin Raisin is a part of the permanent line of Wet n WIld lipsticks but it is less purple.  Bourdeaux Boulevard is part of the LE Fall Matte Collection and is a little more purple.  I actually find that these matte lipsticks have a nice, creamy application and applies better than the permanent line.  They are more comfortable to wear and are semi-matte.  The creaminess gives them a slight gloss and I find that they are less matte than some of the permanent shades.  Finally, a deep berry-purple is Fergie's Ferguson Crest Cabernet.  This was one of the first dark lip colors I'd ever purchased and I loved it.  It might have been the catalyst for this whole post!

As you can see there are a lot of Wet n Wild lipsticks in this post.  They are so affordable & so pigmented you can try as many colors as you like with out breaking the bank!  And when they come out with LE collections...you should totally go crazy!

What are your favorite lip colors for this time of year?

xoxo, Moe

Our House in the Fall // 2013

One of the things I absolutely adore about Indiana is that we have seasons.  There is a definite Spring, Summer, Fall, & Winter - not so much a fan of the winter part though.  And the best thing about the seasons is enjoying them.  There are no more 70 degree days here.  There are now crisp fall days & even a little snow happened a week or so ago!  Here's what our house looks like with the beautiful leaves:

This is our back yard - don't mind the bits of lumber left over (still) from renovating.  Isn't it gorgeous?  Aren't you just dying over the fall colors?  We just had a rain storm this week - actually, like all this week - so a lot of the leaves are in the yard but there are still some beautiful leaves on the trees.

This month is going to be Homevember on the blog here so you'll see a lot of inside the home, some DIY's, some inspiration, etc.  Just a new little series here on the blog if you've been dying to know what goes on behind these yellow walls.  So stick around, it starts tomorrow with a super cool DIY!  You can click here to find all previous Homevember related posts & here for all decor posts.

Happy fall everyone!

xoxo, Moe

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Pumpkin Carving 2013

Two weekends ago Zach & I went to a corn maze and pumpkin patch to have some Fall fun.  We came home with two giant pumpkins to carve!  We didn't carve pumpkins last year but I hope we do it again next year.  Oh, also Emmy helped a lot as you'll see:

I think our pumpkins look really great.  Zach obviously did a cooler one than mine, but they both are adorable.  I love carving pumpkins until it comes to actually carving pumpkins.  Two eyes and a mouth are all you're getting out of me!

Do you have any fall traditions or any ones you're going to start?

xoxo, Moe

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Trend Tuesday // Current Make up Faves

So, I hope you don't mind...but I've been on a filming myself kick.  It's fun, a bit easier, and just a new way to be me here on my blog!  I also hope you don't mind that I talk a bit about beauty/makeup/etc here either.  This week I wanted to share with you some things I'm loving for Fall & to give you some ideas of things you can look for this fall:

Hope you enjoyed!  I'm also going to share a Fall look book video too.  How weird right? Let me know if you enjoy these videos.  Have a great Tuesday!

xoxo, Moe

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Photos of Fall

I am sooooo very sad I didn't capture nearly any photos of the beautiful leaves that were hanging around this fall.  After Sandy, we got some major wind up here & all the leaves disappeared.  I didn't snap but like two or three pictures so there's really nothing to show!  But the leaves sure were pretty up here.

I got lost one day when we first moved here & ended up at a state park.  I wasn't really lost, I did it on purpose so I could see what was around, & saw a lot!  The lady at the gate gave me a map & showed me where the pretty leaves would be.  On my way home I soaked up some of the colors but was still just exploring the area and taking random turns.  It was really pretty to see all the leaves.

It's been a pretty normal Fall here: just enjoying the fall weather!  We've been busy working on the house & are so thankful Zach's parents have come up, like, every weekend.  We've all gotten a lot done & finally found the right yellow for the new wall we put up where one of the garage doors used to be.  We had it all along! So much for trying to match yellows when the original paint was in the shed.  Door & trim was painted also so we're done with that...now onto the insides.

The weather has been nice but it's been rainy here too.  It rained nearly everyday/afternoon in October but now it's clearing up a bit I guess.  It's also been fluctuating between freezing cold & sweatshirt weather.  I hardly know what to wear! I did just buy a new winter coat & made a winter hat and scarf for this year.  I am dreading the cold but am sorta excited for there to be snow.  Zach says it usually snows on Thanksgiving -which is next week by the way! - but it doesn't stick.

I'm excited for a new Thanksgiving experience but sad I won't be with my family.  I am hoping my Grandma will give me a few pie recipes so I can at least have a bit of home with me this Thanksgiving. Maybe I'll bring my own sweet tea too!  I'll probably share the pie making process but the recipe's gonna be a secret, just so you know!

My maternal grandma always makes pumpkin pie, lemon meringue pie, & chocolate meringue pie.  I wanted to bring something to Zach's parent's house for Thanksgiving but couldn't for the life of me come up with something.  So we're making rolls & I'm making pies now that I've remembered!

So even though our house is a mess, I've been enjoying the view from our font yard.  It's nice even if there aren't any more leaves.

Hope you enjoyed your Fall weather!  Here's to Winter - actually, no....I'm going to freeze!

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