Inspired by Fall

Fall is probably my favorite season.  I love the crispness and the coziness of autumn, the sense of energy and renewal I feel with the return of routines (yay for preschool!), and the promise of the holidays to come. I'm a Virginia girl at heart, so I'm definitely missing the beauty of the changing leaves that I'm sure the great Commonwealth is beginning to show off.

Fall at Monticello

Philip and I just returned from a week in Banff, Canada where the weather was really more like winter. Needless to say, we got a good dose of chilly air to tide us over during these warm afternoons in Northern California.  I hope to share some photos from our trip soon, but in the meantime, here are some things that are inspiring me this Fall.

I'm obsessed with this image!  The combination of the earthy wood tones in the pinecones with that black door and the orange satin ribbon is making my heart sing!  This is a totally doable DIY, and a few easy changes could easily take this wreath through the Christmas season.

Keeping with the same colors, I love this one as well.  Also, a very doable DIY.  Would it be weird if I decided to spend a bunch of time trying to make one of these wreaths instead of actually unpacking boxes once we get in our new house?

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Last wreath.  But oh how I love her.  Kind of makes that one from TJMaxx look rather sad in comparison wouldn't you say?  The wildness of the branches mixed with real berries; you just can't beat it.

This image has been around in blogland for a couple years, but it's such a classic I think.  I long for the day when I might have a working fireplace in my home!



How cute are these little acorns?!  So perfect to take to a Fall gathering.

I've made this apple cake, and it's really yummy.  If you ask me, it could totally count for breakfast.

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I love the rustic simplicity of this tablescape.  Leaves + pumpkins + candles = just right.

We've had this butternut squash pizza, and the crispy sage leaves are a perfect accompaniment to the squash and the cheese.

I love the bright pop of orange in this plaid scarf.

I spotted these side tables at Ross recently.  The warm metallic tones of the base and the black top are totally screaming Fall to me.

I would love to make this pumpkin and feta tart sometime this season...

If I were hosting a Fall dinner party, these personalized leaves would definitely make an appearance.  Even if you didn't use them to mark each guest's seat, you could identify the different dishes you were serving with this trick too!

Ok, so to be honest, I get these cookies from Trader Joe's year round.  But there's something about eating them in the Fall that just feels right.  (they're dairy free too!)

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Lastly, placing a few mini pumpkins in a clear vase and adding some branches for height is an easy way to bring a quick dose of Fall into your home.  Now I just need to actually move into my home, and I'll be set :)

Trouble at TJ's

{Thank you all for your encouragement and for sharing in our excitement over our new house in Davis!  I promise pictures are coming soon :) }

When I say 'trouble at TJ's', I could be speaking of Trader Joe's--I am a big fan and have certainly gotten into my fair share of trouble there!  But this time, I'm talking about the Maxx.  You know, TJMaxx, the store for which the hashtag #maxxinista was created, of course.  

I just recently visited the one closest to the base out here in Fairfield, CA, and for whatever reason, I couldn't seem to stop myself from taking pictures of things I liked.  It's not that I was necessarily going to buy them; I guess I just feel compelled to capture beauty when I see it.  

I get a kick out of seeing what kind of things catch other people's eye; maybe you're the same.  

First up, we have this fun, geometric print pillow.  I think they had another shade in stock too.  $20 includes the down insert!  {Do you spy that polka dot print in the background?  I don't have a proper picture, but it did come home with me and is now serving as a great catchall for my kid's books in the car!}

Back to that pillow.  While not an exact match, it totally reminded me of the popular and classic, "Betwixt" pattern by Schumacher, which will set you back quite a bit more than the one above from the Maxx.

available here 

This little leather cube really spoke to me.  The price tag was missing, and now I'm kicking myself for not inquiring about how much it was.  It could be the perfect spot to prop your feet, provide extra seating in a pinch, or it could serve as a side table and hold magazines and a candle!  So long as the space wasn't already overwhelmed by wood and warm tones, I think this little guy could be a great addition to really any style room.

Speaking of candles, I think TJMaxx is a great place to find them.  I ended up buying this one to freshen up the 'ol temporary living facility--I liked the way it smelled (obvs), and the glass canister was quite chic itself.  Win-win.

This poof also called out to me.  I'm not completely sure what it is about it, but I like it, yes I do.

I have mixed feelings about this wreath.  What do y'all think?  I didn't get it (partly because I live in a temporary house where I'm sure I'd get in trouble for hanging a wreath).  I don't love that it's fake, but not all of us have access to real bittersweet berries, right?  I think it's a decent fake, but people like my mom will probably make a wreath with real berries and leave me dissatisfied with my fake one!

Moving on to the non-decor category.

I'm loving this infinity scarf I found.  And hey!  27 week bump alert :)  (Not visible:  maternity, compression leggings.  I am so over them!}

I didn't buy these shoes, but I did enjoy trying them on.

Let's see, what else...Also in my cart--a new pair of inexpensive sunglasses (mine weren't quite able to recover after I folded our stroller up with them in the seat :(, two sets of cupcake liners (I mean, why not?), a box of really delicious chocolate coconut bars for Wade (they taste like an Almond
Joy!), and this package of hot chocolate mix.

We wasted no time and whipped up some hot chocolate on the double.  Mixed with coconut milk, I was so very happy to see my dairy-free boy enjoy some.

Ok, so who else could spend all day in a TJMaxx?  I just think it's amazing that you can buy clothes, food, toiletries, and home decor all in one discounted place!!!  What are your favorite things to shop for at the Maxx?  

Please Meet My Green Chairs {Before & After}

Back in this post, I introduced you to a pair of chairs that hold a very special place in my heart.  But really, they deserve a post all their own.  (After all, they occupied quite a bit of my mental energy for an embarrassingly long time.)  So, if you'll humor me by reading along, I would like to tell their story.  (Because the best furniture has a story, I'm convinced :)

Back in November of 2011, we lived in Richmond, and I found myself perusing Craigslist for chairs.  (I'm not really sure why exactly, as we didn't have any room for more chairs, but whatever.  I have a thing for chairs, so what do you expect?)  I recall that it was late in the evening when I saw a post asking $50 OBO for this pair of chairs.

I loved the fact that the picture wasn't the best.  Diamonds in the rough are my favorite!!

I felt my heart go aflutter, and I got that excited feeling of butterflies in my stomach as my mind raced over how amazing these chairs were.  They were everything I'd been looking for in a pair of chairs that I didn't need!  All signs pointed to them being vintage--their smaller size with the straight arms, even that orange fabric, and I simply loved them from the first moment I saw them.

Of course, I emailed the seller right away, and when I didn't hear back I made an appointment with my primary care doctor for some anti-anxiety medication (KIDDING!)  In all seriousness, I grew very concerned when my inbox continued to go without a reply.  Over the course of the next couple of days, I tried to make sense of the silence.  Judging by the picture in the listing, I figured the seller was a dude, and he probably wasn't all that in to Craigslist, right?  Maybe he hadn't checked his email?  Perhaps I should just send another quick email and ask if the chairs had been sold? (At least this way I could move on with my life)  Well, a week went by and I heard nothing.  I was beginning to come to terms with the fact that these chairs were just not meant to be mine.  My husband and I talked about how my feelings over losing the chairs were similar to his when his Cavaliers lose a game.  Our marriage was enriched by this mutual understanding we now had for one another, so all was not lost.

Fast forward about one week, and I'm sure you can imagine my sheer delight when I opened my inbox and saw this:

Let's just say there was much shrieking accompanied by children with confused looks on their faces.  (Also, this email confirmed that the squeaky wheel does in fact get the grease, thankyouverymuch.)

I made arrangements to pick up the chairs right away!  No matter that Philip was out of town! (which meant I'd have to take both of my kids with me to retrieve the chairs)  Fortunately, the seller lived nearby, so it wasn't as big of a deal as it could have been that I had to make two trips in order to get both chairs home with me...

Once I got back home, I recruited one of my neighbors to help me unload them into our garage, where they would remain for the next seven months (until we moved at the end of July).  Most of my friends can attest to my love for these chairs, as I would insist on bringing them back to the garage to see them.  I would go and check on them from time to time and dream of the day when I could have them made over and give them the new life they deserved.

Shortly before we moved, I knew the time had come.  I had contacts for getting reupholstering done for much cheaper than typical rates, and who knew if I'd be able to find that in Illinois?  (In case you are wondering why I would want to deal with all of this before a move, let me remind you that the military takes care of all the moving details!)

One last look at them before, on my parent's porch, before they were picked up by my upholsterer.  

Now, choosing fabrics is no decision to be taken lightly.  Especially when you are talking about reupholstery--these are not mere pillows that can be changed up when your mood strikes.  I was also going to need twelve yards of fabric, so I wanted to be really confident with what I chose.  To make matters even more complicated, please recall that I had no idea what the room these chairs would live in would even look like!

{Here is where I need to thank the many friends who helped walk me through this very difficult decision-making process.  You know who you are :) }

As you can see, I ended up choosing a solid green indoor/outdoor fabric that I purchased from Lewis & Sheron in Atlanta.  And I am so pleased to report that I am very happy with the chairs.  It is so great to be able to enjoy them after all those months of waiting :)  When it came down to it, I basically chose this fabric because I liked it.  I love green, and while I didn't know what my living room would look like, I figured these could work somehow.  As divine intervention luck would have it, I ended up finding this rug I mentioned in this post right before we left as well.  I was pretty excited when I got it home and realized the green in it would tie in perfectly with my chair fabric.  LOVE.

I told you my rug was beat up!  Do you think spills or crumbs concern me?  Nope.  Also, please try not to be jealous of my stylish footwear!

At this point, you are possibly regretting that you just spent several minutes of your life that you cannot get back reading a story that basically confirms what many already know:  I am obsessed with chairs.  Nevertheless, I thank you for reading.  And if you happen across any chairs you think I might like, please do share.  I'd love to dream up a new life for them with you :)


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Storypiece's Favorite Find

Incorporating a Bit of {Faux} Fur

A couple people have asked about what's on the back of my dining room bench.  It's simply a faux fur throw rug that I picked up at Target on clearance for 20 bucks.  I grabbed it knowing I liked it, but not sure of where it would go.  Once I got home, something about the lines of the table and the bench, combined with the wood made me think this little friend might be right at home there.  I really like how it softens and warms up the space and brings in another texture.

I don't see mine on Target's website (it was a while ago that I saw it in the store), but good old Ikea sells a similar product.

Ikea's Faux Sheepskin

I guess I've jumped on this faux fur bandwagon because I've also thrown some into the mix on my sofa.

I posted a pic of some pillows on Instagram (I'm @abworthington) and some folks asked about them, so I thought I'd share my sources here as well.  The cream pillows with the jute trim are from Ross, as is the blue geometric pillow (a David Hicks La Fiorentina knock off :)  and the ikat pillow (yes, I moved it from the dining room and decided I like it better here :) I made from fabric purchased several years ago.  You can buy it by the yard here.  

I actually found the throw at Target too (this is funny to me because I don't generally tend to buy a lot from Target's home section).  It's part of their Threshold line, which has really impressed me. (unfortunately I can't find it on their website either, I think it was part of their "holiday line" :(  I personally think the trick to incorporating inexpensive pieces from mass chain stores is to use them in small doses together with unique and/or vintage pieces that you can't find in five stores in one city :)

Faux fur throws are everywhere, but I've yet to see another one that I like for even close to 30 bucks.  I would tell you if I thought this one was cheap and underwhelming, but I do not.  I love it and it is SO WARM and get this--it's machine washable!

They say fashion and design mimic each other right?  Well, look what I found (for $20!) at TJ Maxx last week!

Let's just say I was giddy.

Anyone else into the fur trend?