Hello Autumn: A Bucket List

It seems pretty clear from the way it looks outside that autumn is well and truly on its way! So its time to grab our big coats and wellies because it is time for some autumn adventures. Autumn is my favourite season of the year and there is nothing more exciting than getting all cosy in the evenings, drinking hot chocolates and pumpkin spice lattes, wearing chunky knits and digging out my boot collection. So, I thought it would be exciting to actually plan some autumn adventures this year with a welcome to autumn bucket list. 

Go to a Pumpkin Patch

Pumpkin picking wasn't something that my parents did with me as a child, so it's lovely discovering new autumn traditions with my own family. So of course this has to be the very first autumn adventure to plan and I just know my daughter is going to absolutely love picking her own pumpkins to carve again. There are some excellent places to go pumpkin picking in Norfolk to grab locally grown pumpkins, whether it’s a pick your own patch or a farm shop with a wider selection. Taking an autumn adventure to Undley Pumpkin Patch has become our favourite family tradition. As well as the pumpkin patch there is a whole host of street food trucks, bouncy castles, carving, craft and gift stalls, face painting, as well as donkey rides, hay bales and an activity as you around to find the golden pumpkin.

Make My Own Pumpkin Spice

The cold weather autumn gives you an excuse to sip on mugs of hot chocolate with marshmallows and cream, of course. Not forgetting that Starbucks have launched their Pumpkin Spice Latte and drinking indulgent drinks is an absolute must do for Autumn, forget the calories. There is no Autumn without Pumpkin Spice, fact. However, over the autumn and winter the expenditure can be too much for a coffee everyday and so I plan on trying my own creation of pumpkin spice latte. Starbucks, watch out.

Bake Sweet Autumn Treats

There isn't anything more inviting than fresh home baked cookies in the home. Autumn brings a chill to the air and makes me hungry for some good old-fashioned comfort food. From using the last of the summer produce to making comfort food for the nights, autumn is one of our favourite seasons to spend in the kitchen. 

What's the first thing that comes to mind when we think of Autumn? For me, it's pumpkins. We love to take our daughter pumpkin picking and spending lots of time carving scary faces into them, so what better way to use up most of the pumpkin insides than a pumpkin muffin recipe. Nothing says autumn quite like a warm cup of sweet, spiced pumpkin goodness! Pumpkin Spice season is the best season! These super moist Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes are so easy to make, perfectly pumpkin spiced and finished with a creamy cheese frosting. They will soon become the newest obsession for autumn baking.

Update Home Décor for the Autumn

Autumn is almost here. The days are getting shorter and chillier, and summer is starting to feel like a distant memory. As we prepare for lots of new Autumn adventures, we’re starting to think of the small changes that we will be making to our homes to get them ready for the colder months.

There’s one very simple way to instantly make your home feel cosier – turn off the main light and embrace a softer, warmer glow. A roaring fire, the flickering flames of candles and the subtle glow of table lamps all help to create a snug, cosy home. We have a lot of neutral décor in our house, so to welcome the autumn we will try embrace a little hygge with ambient lighting that sets the mood for cosy nights indoors. My all time favourite autumn candle is of course the Wickford & Co. Gingerbread Candles. It has an everlasting scent and makes your house smell amazing. 

By adding some texture and updating textile will make your home feel cosier in no time at all. We have added some lovely mocha thermal curtains to help keep the cold out on those blustery, wintry nights. You can always find insulated curtain in a variety of different colours and thickness levels so you can find the perfect thermal curtains for any room in your home. Add cushions, blankets and throws to armchairs, sofas and beds to create cosy little nooks where you can nestle down with a book and a steaming cup of tea. We will be getting some carpets installed soon, but there may be a delay, so in the meantime we will be adding rug to our wooden floors to make sure we all keep toasty. 

Make Autumn Decorations 

There is no better way to get in the spirit of the autumn than by making DIY fall crafts with your family. Whether you're looking for something to decorate your home, front door, or even for a get together with loved ones, autumn craft will be sure to get your creative juices flowing! Everyday on the way to nursery my daughter will always stop to pick up leaves, sticks and acorns. She always like to pick up the most peculiar looking things too, she tells me that these are all for her very good friend Squirrel Nutkin. However, any of this 'treasures' that she doesn't save for her good friends make the best things to make autumn decorations with. 

Crafts that incorporate autumn colours will give your home a welcoming feel that you and your guests are sure to love. Making these simple fall decorations won’t cost you a lot, because everything you need can be found in your surrounding park or woods. You should try these Autumn Leaf Printing or Autumn Hand Prints. However, you could also use anything in the home just like these Pumpkin Apple Stamps

Get Spookyyyyy....

The season of screams and scares is officially here! It's time to embrace your inner ghoul. There are a million and one ways to celebrate Halloween, with some being way more obvious than others. We're all for trying something new and fresh, but we also love sticking to tradition.

Whether you head to your local farm for pumpkin picking or posing (because let's face it, we all need to get that snap for the ‘gram) – heading to a pumpkin patch will definitely get you in the Halloween mood. Once we choose our pumpkins and squashes, we like to get our creative juices flowing with a family pumpkin carving competition. As it stands, my husband is in the lead with her outlandish creations, but my daughter and I are determined to take that pumpkin master crown. For those little hands, why not have a look at our no-carve pumpkin ideas. 

Nothing gets us into the Halloween spirit more than getting cosy under the duvet to binge watch Netflix's eerie offering of Halloween themed TV shows and movies. Hocus Pocus is the OG to get us in the mood for Halloween. When all else fails, trick or treating prevails. You can't go wrong with a spooky costume, crazy make up and heading to the streets for a mega night of trick or treating (and sweet eating).

Do you have an Autumn Bucket list this year?