Fall Outfit Essentials for November

So, it's Thanksgiving Break (finally) and Autumn outfits are everything on Pinterest and Instagram and everywhere else. But, despite inspiration around every corner and summer having ended three months ago, I still see girls in short denim shorts and graphic tanktops everywhere... That's okay if you're in a warmer climate and it's not fall where you are, but if you're in Oregon and it's 40 degrees and pouring outside, then PUT SOME CLOTHES ON. I know November is coming to an end but I thought I'd share some essentials for the end of Fall 2016.

-A cute jean jacket

I have a really nice light wash jean jacket from Old Navy, and it's looks AWESOME paired with some black leggings and a t-shirt. Plus, it's gonna keep you warm when that colder breeze comes through this Thanksgiving break...

 2. Some really comfy ripped jeans

If you're lazy and just not feeling it, then a nice pair of distressed jeans can completely pull and outfit together. The bonus- they look great whether they're baggy or tight fitting!

3. Black leggings

Black leggings are the little black dress of lazy Autumn days- they can bring your outfits from casual to classy with the snap of a finger, and you don't have to unbutton them when you've had one too many slices of pie this holiday season!

4. The coziest sweater you could ever dream of

Recently, I was at Aeropostale and I stumbled across the softest thing I have probably ever felt (aside from probably baby bunnies)- their sweaters. I got one in navy blue, and since everything was buy one, get two free that day, we got some for my sister and my mom too (for free!!!). Unfortunately I couldn't find it online for some reason, so I can't share it on the blog... :(

5. A long cardigan to pair with anything

I have two go-to long cardigans that I would wear every day of my life if I could- one of them is a really light, cute black and white chevron patterned one from H&M, which I couldn't find on their website again, and the other is a really nice navy blue shorter one from Old Navy. They can be paired with anything and bring lots of outfits from casual to classy + cozy, which is the perfect style for these cold Autumn days.

This isn't a fashion blog, but I'd really like to do more posts like this, and more posts in general since I took a super long break recently. I started a new blog that won't be shared to the public for a while, but I'm gonna have a lot of fun writing on it this winter!

xo Savannah

Free Fall Desktop Background!

Yay, another free Fall-themed desktop background for your computer! This one is so cute and I love the color scheme, definitely very fitting for the season ~

5 Ways to Clear Your Mind After School

After school, I don't know about you, but all I want is a glass of iced coffee and a nap (two completely opposite things, I know). But sometimes, if you just have the worst headache from school, and you want to get your mind off of everything, there are a few more things you can do.

1. Like I said above, take a nap. Your sleep schedule has probably been completely been thrown off from summer, and a good nap can really throw everything back into balance. Plus, I took a nap in the car today (haven't done that in a while) and it was the best thing since shaved ice last weekend.

2. Blogging! If you're a person who takes pleasure in writing and is usually already on their computer too much already, then clearing your mind in the form of a couple of keystrokes can really help. Plus, it gives you something to do before and after school if you don't feel like doing homework but your parents are gonna yell at you if you watch one more episode of Grey's Anatomy...

3. Take a walk. The weather is getting colder, which is all the better to throw on a comfy sweater and a hand-knit scarf and just get outside. I don't get to go out much anymore with the 8+ hours I spend at school, plus the sun going down earlier, PLUS the homework, so try to walk your dogs as soon as you get home from school or as soon as you wake up in the morning. I like noticing the weather changing, and how the sun starts going down earlier- and it's good to take a break from my phone & computer for a couple minutes.

4. Take up a new hobby. I started knitting March 2015, and it's so relaxing. Just curl up in your bed with a season of your favorite show and start knitting, crocheting, drawing, embroidering, etc! Sports aren't the only option. Don't give up on your hopes of art because you're "not good enough"- there's no such things as "not good enough" in art. I highly recommend knitting, if I haven't made that clear enough!

5. Adopt a new pet. This is a very difficult thing to do when school is starting, especially because you won't be able to care for it very much when you won't be spending a lot of time at home, but it's something to look forward to when you wake up and get home from school. And besides, who can't resist an adorable little puppy or kitten? I love my cat and dogs more than anything, they help so much when I'm sick of reading for two hours straight.

Good luck everyone, students and adults alike, who are being weighed down by studying, homework, work, etc. I hope these help, and don't forget to follow me on Instagram @savannahbby_14 :)

xo Savannah

6 Photography Tips for Autumn + Winter 2015

Hey guys, still on break! I'm super excited for Thanksgiving, which is now only 3 days away, and I'm also really pumped because it's supposed to "snow" (you know, that weird cold white stuff that falls from the sky?) tonight, but I don't believe it'll even hit the ground because it hasn't actually snowed down here at this level in a few years.. so that's pretty sad. But on Sunday I got to go ice skating a couple of hours from here, and that was fun! I'm just hoping it'll snow in the mountains so that my family can go sledding. 

1. Not a lot of people know this, but Autumn and Winter are actually some of the best times of the year for photographers because it's usually cloudy without any actual direct light (at least where I live most of the time), which creates a really beautiful soft glow, allowing for amazing photos! See? 

2. Rain photography is actually really fun, because you can throw on a black and white filter and it'll look really gloomy and stuff, but you can also add in a pop of color in photoshop if you have something in the photo worthy of color (for example an umbrella- make the whole photo b&w, then go into photoshop and make it whatever color you like so that it stands out). 


3. Taking pictures of the water can be really cool, too! Reflections on a lake, river, ocean etc. can be turned around to your advantage, allowing for awesome photos of mountains or maybe sunsets reflecting- double the awesome. 

4. Christmas is the time for string lights, and string lights can be manipulated and made into awesome BOKEH PHOTOS! If you don't know what bokeh is (I don't even know how to pronounce it, haha), it's the shape of the lights in your photo that are out of focus. They can be just plain circles, or maybe hearts, or even stars- the possibilities are endless! Use the second photo as inspiration this holiday season and make something amazing. 

5. Use limited light to your advantage! When the sun sets, no matter where you are, it usually creates a really nice ombre effect, resulting in colorful photos. Maybe take a picture of the sky straight up, displaying all of the nice colors, with something in the center such as a bird or perhaps some tree tops? 

6. Last but definitely not least- sunglasses. No, you don't wear them while taking pictures... well, maybe you do. But that's not the point; you can make amazing ombre pictures with them by taking the photo through the lens of some ombre sunglasses that you are guaranteed to have on hand (and if you don't, pick up a cheap drug store pair, nothing fancy). I have yet to try this one out, but I'm super excited to!

Were these helpful to you in any way? I sure hope so, because these are custom to the Autumn & Winter seasons for the remainder of 2015 and beginning of 2016, and then I have a whole new set of photography trips planned out for Spring & Summer 2016. I can't wait!

xx Savannah

10 Etsy Fall Faves

Etsy is one of my favorite shopping websites because it has so many cute handmade things that I just want to buy immediately- and it's got a lot of awesome geeky stuff, too, including SHERLOCK PENCILS!!!! I got so excited when I found those I was just screaming and jumping around and showing my dad because he's a fellow Sherlockian. So here are a few of my Etsy favorites for this Autumn season~

1. Knit Chunky Headband by Fizz Accessory

2. Etsy's Favorite Indoor Knit Slippers (as shown in photo) by The Thrifty Wolf

3. Kitchen Mountain/Napkin Holder by Vsocks

4. Human Anatomy Magnets by Art Altered

5. Wooden Mountain Magnets by AMOKORI

6. Crochet Mermaid Tail Blanket by DC Creates

7. Starpugs Coffee Mug by Canine Caffeine Co

8. Ceramic White Cat Coffee Mug by Woodstockin

9. Delicious Macaron Soy Candle by FabCandles

10. Pumpkin Spice Pure Soy Candle by The Dancing Wick

That's all for today- but aren't those slippers just TO DIE FOR? Honestly I'd kill for those slippers they just look so comfy, I would love curling up by the fire with those slippers, a cup of tea and a good book (e.g. The Mazerunner, which I'm reading right now). 

xx Savannah

5 Fall Ice Cream Recipes

Everyone always says that ice cream is strictly a summer-food, but I disagree strongly with that saying- if anything, summer is the WORST time of year for ice cream! It gets all warm and melty and you get all sticky and the heat just makes that even worse. It cools you off, but not like a nice pool or river does. On the other hand, ice cream is yummy in the fall because you don't have to worry about it melting as easily and you can it inside by the fire after a yummy dinner. Have I convinced you yet??

1. Boston Cream Pie Ice Cream (as shown in photo) by Baked by Rachel

2. Salted Butter Caramel Ice Cream by David Lebovitz

3. Coconut Marshmallow Fluff Ice Cream by Blahnik Baker

4. Death by Chocolate Ice Cream by All Day I Dream About Food

5. Cinnamon Crunch Ice Cream by SugarHero

Yum! These all look so delicious, now I can't wait to start of the cuddly season with all of my favorite treats. What's you're favorite flavor of ice cream? Tell me in the comments! Mine is moose tracks. 

xx Savannah

7 DIY Soda Stream Flavors for this Fall

Even though most people love to drink soda mostly in the summer time to cool off, I also like it in the Fall- which means that my Soda Stream is going to get a lot of use. Actually, I love soda all year round, so it get's a lot of use anyway. But I bet a lot of you don't want to actually go out and buy (or order online, in my case) those syrups that are filled with all the bad stuff and can only result in 2 things- cavities and a sugar high. So I decided to collect a few yummy DIY syrups that you can make at home~

1. Root Beer Syrup (as shown in photo) by Foodie with Family

2. Fruit and Herb Flavored Sparkling Water by The Yummy Life

3. Blueberry Lime Soda by The Vegetarianventures

4. Homemade Orange Soda by Simple Bites

5. DIY Key Lime Syrup by Former Chef

6. Make Your Own Cola Syrup by NYT Cooking

7. Homemade Ginger Ale by Epicurious

These all look so yummy, especially #5- I've only had key lime soda once, but it was so good, and a lot more different from lemon-lime soda than I thought it would taste. Maybe it'll be even better if I make it myself!

xx Savannah

My Fall Goals

Every season, I try to make a list of goals to complete by the time Winter, Summer, Spring, or Fall comes around. It acts as a deadline for certain things I may want to accomplish. But while I do this, like, 4 times a year, I've never really shared it with you guys. Some of these goals I'm sure you might be able to relate to, while others are more personal, and some are downright weird. But I wrote this last month, and who knows what I was thinking last month. 

-Have more than a full bucket of candy on Halloween (even though I can't eat most of it with these stupid braces)

-Have the most awesome costume EVER (and it will be awesome)

-Have 35+ followers on PaigeeWorld (my favorite art app)

-Participate in FMS Photo-a-Day every day until the end of the year (yeah I know that overlaps into Winter)

-Add a few inches to my scarf that I'm knitting~

-Complete 3 Poptropica islands (hahahahaha now you know what I do in my downtime)

-Participate in #inktober at least once.... I have yet to do that. 

-Finish at least 3 watercolor paintings~

As you can see it's not that long of a list, but it sure is a start, and I am going to be adding to it a lot throughout Autumn, checking off random goals and such. But I hope you can relate to it just a little bit? Thanks for reading!

xx Savannah

10 Pumpkin Spice Treats

Autumn is here, which means Pumpkin Spice is EVERYTHING- not just your classic PSL. Personally, I've never had one, but I plan on it...? I don't even know. But there are tons of treats out there, and I was planning on including ABM's PSL Playlist for 2015, but it's simply a treat for the ears.... And the heart and the mind <3 a="" and="" autumn="" been="" but="" d="" enjoy="" favorite="" few="" here="" i="" is="" it="" lately.="" my="" of="" pinning="" pumpkin="" s="" season="" share="" since="" spice="" that="" though="" treats="" ve="">

1. Pumpkin Spice Truffles (as shown in photo) by Annie's Eats

2. Festive Pumpkin Spice Krispie Treats by Essentially Eclectic

3. Crock Pot Pumpkin Spiced Latte by Thriving Home

4. PSL Pizza is All You Need by Buzzfeed

5. Pumpkin Spice Buttermilk Cake with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting by Cozycakes Cottage

6. Pumpkin Doughnuts by King Arthur Flour

7. PSL Mug Cakes by Betty Crocker

8. Starbucks Pumpkin Scones Copycats by Damn Delicious

9. Pumpkin Spice Caramels by Mom On Timeout

10. Pumpkin Spice Macarons by Tasty Kitchen

See?? It's not just for lattes anymore. But can you believe #9, doesn't that sound delicious?! I don't know about you, but I've always thought of caramels as a sort of autumn treat, and this one fits perfectly- PSL caramels sound like the coziest treat in the world right now. Tell me in the comments which one of these recipes sounds the coziest. Thanks for reading!

xx Savannah

7 Easy Autumn DIYs

I know I have a DIY roundup tomorrow, but I just couldn't wait and since Fall is officially here I wanted to celebrate with some autumn-themed DIYs! Some of these are really cute and cozy and I think you guys will really like them because they're so easy and simple, which is totally my thing (anyone else??). But without further ado, I release the crafts~

1. Easy Pine Cone Garland by The Sweetest Occasion 

2. Autumn Leaf Inspired Hat by Knitty 

3. Fox Stamped Blanket by Patchwork Cactus

4. Fall Leaf Headband and/or Crown by Momtastic

5. Leaf Shaped Cork Coasters by Fine and Feathered

6. Easy Dip Dyed Baskets by Martha Stewart

7. Crocheted Mug Cozy by Akamatras

These are soooo cute I love them! Especially #3, that one is adorable- perfect for a baby shower gift, or maybe just for yourself? Thanks for reading!

xx Savannah

6 Ways to Get a Fall Feeling in Your Home

Fall will officially be here tomorrow! I can't wait for cozy nights snuggled up with a good movie, big sweaters, warm cups of tea, and the beautiful colors that fill the air. This is one of the first years that I'm actually excited for fall to come, because I'm usually so melancholy that it's getting cold and summer is leaving and school has to start and also THE COLD, if I didn't mention it already. I hate the cold, and I always have, because in elementary school they use to just shove us outside into the freezing temperatures, whether it was raining, snowing, or just really really cold. I always had tons of jackets to prepare me for what was coming, but it was always just too cold for me. Okay, story time over, time for how to spruce up your home for autumn~

1. Grab a new desktop background! I just changed mine before I wrote this post and I love it. Check some out here, they're really cute, and I like the latte ones! 

2. Pick up a COZY!!! blanket, whether it be from Wal-Mart or your attic, and drape it across your sofa. Grab a few and put them in random places- your bed, over chairs, folded up on a chair, or wherever you choose. I've got a couple on the couch and one on my bed, for snuggles. 

3. Set out some potpourri and your house will smell AMAZING!! I love potpourri. One year, my mum poked a couple hundred whole cloves into an orange and set it on the kitchen table, and it let off such an aroma that really made our house into a cozy home. 

4. GOURDS AND SQUASH!!! Put some in a bowl and boom- Autumn all over the place. You can get a few from your local super market, or if you're like me, grow them yourself. 

5.  Get rustic! Wood pieces add texture and warmth, so try one all wood piece in a room or maybe wood panel a wall, if your up for it (accent walls rock!). 

6. Create an ambiance with a candle. It can really light up a room or at least make it cozy, especially with scents like apple spice and pumpkin pie- yum. 

I hope you can use these to make your home as cozy as a bunny snuggling a kitten by the fire while it snows and they're being watched by a baby bear who is KNITTING. That's pretty cozy for ya. Thanks for reading!

xx Savannah

20 Things to Do in the Autumn

Fall isn't even here yet! It's still VERY MUCH summer! At least it was a few days ago.. It was like 103F on Friday, now it's like 68F in the heat of the day?? This doesn't make sense to me. Even if I check the weather before I leave the house, that always changes as the day progresses and I can never keep up with you, Oregon. Onto the post, 20 things you can do as soon as this 'autumn' thing catches up with you (and it will)~

1. Go on a hay ride!

2. Pick apples.

3. Have a photo shoot with the whole family (not in the form of selfies on your phone)

4. Have a bonfire and roast s'mores! 

5. Drink hot cocoa instead of coffee ^-^

6. Drink pumpkin spice lattes, because tis the season. 

7. Wear extra lip balm because brrrrrrr.

8. Watch scary movies (Poltergeist is my favorite). 

9. Wear big cozy sweaters...

10. Knit yourself a scarf! (I am)

11. Carve a pumpkin, or two!

12. Eat Halloween candy- YUMM. 

13. Take long walks in the rain. 

14. Crunch leaves...

15. Stay inside and play board games when it rains. 

16. Play tug-of-war with your dogs in the grass!

17. Bake pies. All of them. 

18. Wear leggings.... all the time. 

19. School clothes shopping!

20. Get cozy next to a fire... ^-^

I love writing about what to do in the fall, it's so cozy!! Thanks for reading!

xx Savannah