Can you believe we're already a week in to September? Where has the time gone? This year is passing so fast!
I know it's not officially Autumn here in the northern hemisphere until the 23rd, but it's already beginning to feel like Autumn here in The Cotswolds. The leaves have already started to change, the nights have started drawing in, and there's a noticeable chill in the air today. It was absolutely freezing when I woke up this morning, and I'm still cocooned up under a blanket now. It seems like summer is almost over for another year.
I'm not ready for the nights to draw in, but I am looking forward to Autumn, and all the fun Autumn activities, pastimes, and scenery we'll soon be able to enjoy. In fact, I've already come up with a bunch of things I want to do this Autumn, and I thought I'd share some of them with you today. So here are 25 things I want to do this Autumn...
1. Finish my cross stitch mandala
I started another colourful mandala cross stitch (this one) a few weeks ago, and I want to dedicate lots of time to cross stitching it this Autumn. I'm hoping to have it finished by mid October at the latest so I can then get working on some new Christmas designs. Wish me luck!
2. Paint the wooden house-shaped shelving unit
Back in the Spring, I bought a wooden house-shaped display box with little compartments for displaying little things (this one), that I intended to paint and use to house some of my nail polish collection. Six months later, I still haven't got around to it, so it's time to get it done. I bought a new paint brush for the job yesterday, so I have no excuse now.
3. Make my Christmas wreaths
After the success of my felt spring wreaths, I've decided to make some felt Christmas wreaths, too, and I'm being proactive and making them now so that they'll be ready to hang on time. I've already made a start, but it's time to get stuck in and get creating or I'll still be working on them in the New Year. I might also make myself an Autumn wreath if I can come up with a good design, but one thing at a time.
4. Make a brooch display board
I'm also hoping to make some kind of brooch display board this Autumn to showcase my ever-growing collection of brooches, and make it easier to see them all and choose which one to wear when I get dressed. I haven't got a plan as such, I just know it's time I made one.
5. Paint more
I haven't done a whole lot of painting lately, but I'm going to do my best to do more of it this Autumn because it's another hobby I really enjoy, and I miss it. Am I the only one who wants to make and create all the things as soon as summer is over?
6. Take lots of blog photos
Every blogger in the UK knows that our winter daylight is shit; it's so dark and dreary, and there's very little of it, which makes capturing the perfect blog photos a nightmare from about October to April. I don't have studio lights, so I'm hoping to take as many photos for future blog posts as I can before the nights draw in and we lose the bright summer daylight for another year. The only problem is, I've just broken my bridge camera (it fell off my bed and now the lens is jammed and it won't turn on), and I don't know what I'm going to do as I can't afford to replace it... so I might have to use my iPhone for a while... (Also, sorry about the old photos I had to use for today's post because of said broken camera).
7. Blog lots
I have so many blog posts I want to write this Autumn, and I'm going to do my best to blog as much as possible. Health allowing, of course.
8. Read lots
Autumn is definitely the time for curling up under a cosy blanket with a good book or ten, and I want to do lots of it this season. I'm already on my second book of the month (The Handmaid's Tale), so I'm off to a good start already.
9. Have lots of Autumn / Halloween movie marathons
I'm looking forward to having lots of Autumn / Halloween-themed movie marathons this fall, while wrapped up warm under a cosy blanket on those chilly Autumn days / evenings. I've got lots of Autumn horror movie favourites, but to be honest, I'm most looking forward to rewatching Hocus Pocus, Practical Magic, You've Got Mail, and Little Women for the millionth time.
10. Up my survey answering game to afford Christmas presents
I've been slacking lately and haven't participated in as many paid surveys as I used to because I CBA, but I'm determined to get back in to the swing of things and dedicate more time to it this Autumn to help pay for Christmas presents. I paid for last year's Christmas presents through surveys alone, so I can definitely do the same again this year. If you want to learn more about earning money through participating in surveys, you can learn everything you need to know here.
11. Finish my Christmas shopping
I actually started my Christmas shopping earlier in the year and have several presents stowed away already, but with Christmas just over three months away, I want to actively start shopping for the rest, and hopefully have all my Christmas shopping finished by December.
12. Try to wrap Christmas presents as I buy them
With my chronic pain and chronic illnesses, I find December exhausting and painful, especially wrapping presents which always inflicts an unbearable amount of pain and stiffness on me, that can take me weeks to recover from. After the state wrapping presents left me in last Christmas, I've vowed to try to wrap my Christmas presents as I go along this year, or at least tackle them in a couple of sittings before December to take some of the pressure off in the run up to Christmas. Challenge accepted.
13. Plan and schedule Christmas blog content
I know December is still months away, but I also want to start preparing and scheduling some of my Christmas content now so I have more time to relax and enjoy the festivities with my family during the festive season. I don't want to stress about putting a blog post together when I could be decking the halls or having a Christmas movie marathon instead.
14. Train Rosie to stop barking
My Tibetan terrier is a vocal little lady, and loves to bark at anything that moves and every little noise she hears. It's getting a little tiresome and I'm sure our neighbours don't appreciate the noise, so I'm going to work on clicker training her to stop barking when we ask her to. I will crack this!
15. Go to the bonfire and watch the fireworks
It's been years since I last made it to our town's bonfire on bonfire night as I've not been well enough to go, but I really want to make it this year... or at least find a good spot to watch some fireworks. Going to the bonfire was always one of my favourite Autumn activities.
16. Take an Autumn walk
I'd love to take at least one Autumn walk in the countryside (or at least somewhere with lots of trees), to crunch through paths of fallen Autumn leaves, breathe in the crisp air, and appreciate the pretty foliage. I always love being outdoors during the Autumn, and the more time I spend trapped indoors, the more I long to be outside, close to nature.
17. Buy new ankle boots and ballet pumps
My black ankle boots and my ballet pumps are falling apart (not to mention making my feet burn), so I must buy myself some new ones this Autumn before I start looking like a street urchin. I haven't found any I like yet, though.
18. Treat myself to some new clothes
I haven't bought any new clothes in the longest time, and I really need and want to treat myself to a few new dresses and some knitwear in gorgeous Autumn colours like burgundy, raspberry, forest green, mustard, teal, rust, and plum to wear this A/W.
19. Dye my hair
My hair is also in dire need of a touch up ASAP. I haven't managed to dye my hair since May and my roots are getting ridiculous, so I must push through the pain and get it done again soon. I also need a hair cut, but I think that's going to have to wait until after Christmas.
20. Organise my dressing table drawers
It's been a while since I last tidied my make up drawers, and right now they're a total mess. They're long over due a tidy, so I must find some time to pull everything out, bin anything past its best, and reorganise it all. I'll probably share photos of it when I do.
21. Decorate the house for Autumn
I feel the urge to bring Autumn in to the house, by adding a few pumpkins, foliage, and homeware in Autumn colours, and I'd like to give it a try this year. Perhaps I should make an Autumn wreath to hang up, after all. And also treat myself to a bunch of giant sunflowers? I could even make a felt Autumn leaf garland or a pom pom garland using wool in Autumn colours!
22. Carve a pumpkin
I wasn't well enough to carve a pumpkin last year, so I'm all the more determined to carve me a Jack O' Lantern this year. I love the smell of them when they're lit afterwards.
23. Make pumpkin dog biscuits for Rosie
I'd then like to make some homemade pumpkin dog biscuits for Rosie using the pumpkin flesh I scoop out. Or maybe I'll just buy a pumpkin especially to make her some.
24, Make French onion soup
My sister keeps bugging me to make her some French onion soup because it's been years since I last made some, so I'm hoping to oblige when the weather gets colder, and I'm having a "good" pain day. It is delicious, if I do say so myself.
25. Start saving for concert adventures
I'm aiming to go on some new concert adventures in the New Year, so it's about time I started saving anything I can now (and over the next few months) so I can afford to go. I really should do another clear out to raise some extra pennies for it, too.
So, those are my Autumn goals; what are yours? What do you want to achieve this Autumn?
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