What Autumn means to me...

I thought I'd share a little post about what Autumn means to me, and the things I'd like to add to my home and life when the weather turns and the days get shorter....

I always get a bit melancholy this time of year...I find that my energy levels drops and the high octane full throttle creativity that defines my summer routines ebbs a bit..

In the words of one of my favorite singer's Ane Brun...maybe I'm just "too Scandinavian".

So I tend to revel a bit in the ascending darkness of Autumn, and instead of fighting it, this year I'd like to surround my self with cosyness...or "hygge" as the Danish say!

Being Norwegian, I like to live with the mantra: "There is no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothes"...so although it may be getting wet and windy outside, I'll still brave the elements and head outdoors:

Wellies, waterproofs and woolly jumpers at the ready...

Makes it all the more nicer when you finally get inside, shivering, wet and cheeks red from the blistering rain.....

Experience has taught me that nothing clears my melancholy head like a brisk walk...

In Norway they have a therm for people who like to enjoy life to the max: "Livs nyter" (:leaves neeter), and I recently realized that I am a "livs nyter" trapped in a workaholic's body....

This Autumn I am planning on working on this, and start living the life I actually want...

So I welcome Autumn, with all it's melancholy and darkness: This time I'll be ready!!

There is beauty and joy to be found in all seasons...and on cold, clear Autumn evenings, I'd love to spend some time in the garden , lighting the fire pit and using the storm kettle to boil up water for a cowboy brew in my Chemex, cuddling up on my sheepskin covered garden chair with Little Miss Moo , trying to spot bats flying around in the dark, eating freshly baked cinnamon muffins....these are the things memories are made of...

So, here's a few of my outdoors Autumn essentials:

Hunter wellies, rain coat and a back pack for Autumnal countryside walks....

And Outdoor party lights, storm kettle, Sheepskin and firepit for cosy evenings outdoors.

I find that the chilly darkness of Autumn is tangible to my senses, preparing me for the even darker winter months ahead...and I hope that actually acknowledging these changes in me ,will help me find a comfort and happiness .....in a way that only Autumn can...

And that spending time outdoors, will  me appreciate, all the more ,the comfy confinements of our home...

So I am stocking up on Blankets and throws...

...candles and books..

To set the mood for cosy evenings spent with music and a warm cup of Chai Latte...(or wine..LOL)...

I would love one of these Cashmere throws to snuggle up in with one of my favorite authors' Frode Grytten's book "The shadow in the river" ...Sipping a cup of homemade chai latte on a stormy Autumn evening, by the soft glow of traditionally handmade bees wax church candles from Watts and co...pulling on some slipper socks before heading to a bed with freshly washed sheets...

Then waking up on a blustering Autumnal Sunday morning, drinking copious amounts of fresh coffee and reading in bed for hours...

But the truth is, it doesn't always pan out like that, and I very rarely find the time to live this idyllic life I set myself up for....but at least I'm all set should the moment arrive and I should ever get an opportunity to spend a day in bed...

Autumn...I'm ready!

THE HANDMADE FAIR 2015

Jessalli Handmade Homewares When I was invited to attend the Handmade Fair, I was in two minds about going...I've always thought that this was a little too twee for my liking, but I was also curious to see what it was like. As it was a beautiful and sunny day, I made my way down to Hampton Court green two Sundays ago, and actually I was pleasantly surprised with the wast array of things on show....and not everything was twee:

Like this wire art from Lucy Elizabeth...definitely NOT twee!

....These colorful and funky storage baskets from the basket room...

...These fun and funky printed tea-towels by Ben Rothery illustrator....

And these macrame plant hangers from my favorite stand at the fair: Geo Fleur:

I loved their little geometric planters and terrariums as well...

And these beautiful handcrafted blankets from Felin Fach made from locally sourced rare-breed wool caught my eye....
Of course, it being the Handmade fair and all, there was also a lot of craft supply stalls....and I felt inspired by the sights of the vast array of fabrics, tools and craft supplies on offer:

Like these tactile spools of hand spun yarn by Blacker Yarns....

...These geometric hand printed Ola Oli fabrics from Maud's Fabric Finds....

...and this tray full of shiny sharp scissors by Ernest Wright
And there was also a wast array of DIY kits in various shapes and forms...

This funky little fellow from The Toft alpaca shop being my favorite! Isn't he just so cool??

There were lots to see, including workshops and talks, but I only managed to squeeze in  One before I made my way home to spend the rest of the Sunday with my daughter:

And I am so happy I caught Lindsey James from Photocraft's talk on styling and photographing products, as I found her advise both down to earth and very informative:

In short, here's her top 10 tips for styling and photographing products:

1: Always use a camera tripod

2: First decide the angle of view of the product, then set the scene around the shot.

3:  Use mobile backdrops to fake the background environment to suit the product.

4: Photograph near the window with the natural light coming in from behind or to the side of the product.

5: Level Up. Make sure any horizontal lines are straight and Don't get too close with your camera, but  stand back and zoom in instead.

6: Only add Relevant props to set the scene: Start with the main item, then feed in props to fill in the frame as you see it through the lens, building the scene through the lens. Add props that show off the scale of your product and that has different levels....place them so they "point" to the main object.

7: Turn off all artificial lights in the room and set your camera to Auto white balance.

8: Use a sheet of white card to reflect light from the opposite side of the light source to make your shot "come alive".

9: Clean the lens.

10: Just shoot, experiment and have fun with it....your skills will get better with practice. 

I'm sure you'll all agree, this is sound advice from someone who is renowned for creating beautiful commercial photography.

Lindsay James runs styling and photography e-courses for bloggers and people who make and sell lovely things....and I may treat myself to one very soon (as, I'm not afraid to say: this is one of the skills I know I really need to work on)...or put it on my Christmas wishlist!

(OMG...I said the C-word....)

Anyway...short and sweet today...I'll be back with a post about my essential Autumn life updates later this week...and finally next week, I 'll be reporting fro Design Junction!