november thoughts

I can't believe that it's already November. This year has gone by in a flash. As days are growing shorter and trees are going bare, I've been challenged photography-wise. There just seems to be a lack of enough sunlight in a day to encourage creativity, but concurrently, the early evening light saturates my home, making for many superb golden hours. I think it's the constraints time sets that make me a better photographer. Finding beauty in the ordinary and making the most out of what situation you happen to be in is the toughest in the cold months (at least for me), but it sure does force me into thinking outside of the box.

At the same time, November is also a month where I feel incredibly inspired--around the home, at least. I get a jolt of energy to repaint rooms, create new artwork for the walls, and redecorate. In fact, the living room was finally given a fresh coat of my favourite orange-toned white (I will hopefully do a post on that soon). Sidenote: I always go for an orange-toned white because (one) it doesn't give the space a cool feel--since it's not blue-toned--and it doesn't give the white an antique appearance, like a yellow-toned white would and (two) it pairs with the light wood flooring that continues throughout my house. So in condensed form, it looks fresh and clean, with a peculiar warmth to it. Anyway, preparing to house the Christmas decorations is always a main focus. I can't say that I don't get giddy when I begin putting up lights, utilizing furry blankets, and waking up the dormant fire place.

Despite the frigid air that I complain about so often, I must admit, I love dressing for cold weather. I don't mean wearing layer upon layer is an enjoyable thing, but I fancy wearing sweaters, skirts, tights, boots, and oversized coats. Dressing up always elicits a sense of excitement for the holiday season that I so look forward to. Each year, when it hits November, my mind is automatically drawn to fuzzy (or furry) and sparkly garments. In addition to the usual, I've been attracted to velvet things this time around. I'm currently in search of a velvet skirt, but I've already got a pair of pants and a top.

Ooh, and music. Music plays a huge part in the death of autumn and the beginning of winter. I love to make generally upbeat playlists which help drag me through the impending discomfort of below freezing temperatures. On top of this, there are always so many bands to see live in November and December. And Christmas music. I adore Christmas music, especially the classics. Such a wonderful helping of nostalgia always washes over me and an overall sense of joy sets in.

Finally, my most favourite part of all is finding unique gifts for everyone on my list. I love the sense of community that the holidays remind us all of and shopping for others is, in my opinion, a much more rewarding experience than shopping for myself. The best challenge is trying to exercise your knowledge of your family or friends' experiences and interests to attempt to find something which they will appreciate and treasure. It also gives me an opportunity to throw some hand-made gems into the mix.

about the photo: Wow, this post is already soooo long, but here's a little about my photo anyway. I couldn't help but sit in the sunlight that was flooding my freshly painted living room, so I did and I also made a "you can do it" banner in a burgundy colour to match the upcoming season. All of a sudden, I thought it'd be a good photo to welcome November with and it ended up here. xx