Autumn is such a beautiful time of year - especially in October, when the seasons are just beginning to shift and the leaves begin to change color. It never fails to amaze me how perfectly the colors of autumn go together. I could try a thousand times to re-create the same vibrant colors in a photograph, but it'll never compare to simply stepping outside and snapping a photo of a tree or spending a fall afternoon in the park. I've always felt that pictures of my life convey so much more meaning than my words can even begin to describe. I could ramble on and on about how beautiful a leaf is or how adorable my cat is - but writing an entire paragraph might never convey a moment's meaning quite as clearly as a single photo can. So, here is my month of October - in photos. Enjoy!
Last Minute Halloween Costumes!
Unfortunately, I'm not one of those people who looks forward to Halloween and plans my elaborate costume for months on end - although I wish I was! In reality, I'm that person frantically googling super duper easy costume ideas on the night of October 30th and scrambling to put together a costume with whatever knick knacks I have lying around the apartment.
To help my fellow lazy friends out there, I've pulled together some of my favorite last minute Halloween costumes from all over the DIY/blogger interwebs! Even if I'm not feeling too creative in the moment, I know I can always turn to the Internet for some of the most creative, fun, and hilarious ideas.
1. Pigs in a Blanket: David and I went as Pigs in a Blanket for Halloween a couple of years ago and it has since been one of my all time favorite Halloween costumes! This blog post is even a little bit more complicated of a costume than what we created! We used dixie cups covered in pink paper for the noses, taped pink cardstock onto headbands for the ears, and then wrapped up in a cozy pink snuggie for the entire night. Bonus points for being the coziest costume ever!
2. Bachelor Contestants: This one's on my future Halloween costume list because it's just so darn hilarious and extremely easy to boot! Just throw on a cocktail dress, grab some friends, pass out a bouquet of roses and you're set! I am a complete and total bachelor-addict so this costume is just too funny to pass up!
3. Raining Cats & Dogs: This one is adorable! If you've already got a rain coat, rain boots, an umbrella, and stuffed animals, you're good to go! Finally, a use for the 1,000 childhood stuffed animals sitting in my closet :)
4. Smartie Pants: What I love about all of these costumes is that you don't have to spend too much extra money because you can create them with things that are already around the house. If you have a pair of glasses, a tie (or even better, a bowtie!), and some high-waisted pants you're already halfway there! Plus, if you love smarties like I do, this costume is an awesome excuse to buy an entire bag of them just so you can munch on them throughout the night :)
What are your plans for Halloween? Whatever they might be - stay safe and stay warm out there!
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Why I Chose the Day Designer (Again)
I have been a planner addict for as long as I've had homework to do, so I've tried my share of different planners, calendars, and agendas! To date, I don't think I've ever re-bought a single brand of planner because I always prefer to try a new planner style or set-up! While I love pretty much all planners, there's been nothing so far that has fit my lifestyle quite as well as the Day Designer has. I swear this post isn't sponsored - I'm just a planner loving girl with a particularly strong love of the Day Designer, so I thought I'd share a bit on why I've chosen the Day Designer again for year 2017!
Just a Planner vs a Life Planner
For me, my planner is much more than just a to-do list - it's what I live and breathe out of! Everything from to-do lists to wish lists to random daydreaming to writing down my events for the day. Without it, I'm utterly lost! The Day Designer is perfect for people who live out of their planners. It has a spot for everything you can imagine - your to-do list, your daily calendar, what you're grateful for etc. It's truly designed as not just a planner, but a fully comprehensive guide for living life in a well-organized, purposeful manner.
Daily Schedule
One of my biggest issues with past planners was running out of space! I write down nearly everything, because if I don't write it down, it simply won't get done! The Day Designer solves this issue for me because I have an entire page dedicated to each day and can write down each to-do without running out of space. It also includes a daily 5 am to 9 pm schedule, which is pretty in line with the hours I'm awake! So if you're an early bird, Type A, plan-every-single-thing-you-do type of person like me, you might like the Day Designer, too. :P
Gratitude + Inspiration
I love reading about positive psychology research and one finding shows that if you keep a gratitude journal by writing down one thing you are grateful for each night, it increases your happiness! The Day Designer has a gratitude box for each day that gives you enough space to jot down one small thing each day. I've been wanting to maintain a gratitude practice for quite some time and this daily reminder has helped me kick start that habit. On top of each page, there's also a little motivational quote, which I find comforting to read if I'm having a particularly difficult day or just need a little motivation for the day.
Realistic Goal Setting
When it comes to setting goals for myself, I always have too many things to do and not enough time! The Day Designer tries to be more than just a planner and includes goal setting worksheets that help you create and set realistic goals for yourself. For me, this has been a huge help because it forces me to break down my goals into smaller, achievable mini-goals.
Beautiful Design
The most obvious - the Day Designer has a collection of very beautiful designs to choose from. There are so many different colors and patterns, it's almost like choosing an outfit or piece of jewelry! I love that it adds a little bit of color and fun to my desk.
The Cons
Of course, no planner can be absolutely perfect - although this planner does come preeetty close. The main con I have experienced with the day designer is that it's heavy! Luckily, since I am currently out of school, I don't have to haul around too many random books or devices, however, it can still be a little bit of a hassle to lug a big book around. If you're like me and you commute to work, lay your planner on your desk, and then commute home to lay your planner on a kitchen table, then the standard Day Designer weight isn't too much of a problem, however, if you are a student or constantly up and about during the day, it may be worth considering a lighter planner option. The weight of the standard Day Designer is actually what made me consider the mini Day Designer for 2017. The mini Day Designer is a tad smaller but otherwise, has almost all the same page setups as the standard Day Designer.
Another con is that the Day Designer is a little bit on the pricier side when it comes to planners. The standard size Day Designer will set you back $59 and the mini will set you back $49. Since you can pick up any old planner at Target for closer to $20, a $50-$60 planner is definitely a much tougher decision! That being said, for me, the Day Designer is well worth the price I paid. It brings more order and enjoyment to my life and is a planner that complements my lifestyle much better than standard planners have in the past.
As for 2018 - I still love to try new things, especially when it comes to planners, so maybe I'll be trying a different planner when this time rolls around next year - who knows! But even then, I know that the Day Designer will still be a solid choice no matter what the situation! It's a planner that fits all of my early bird, type A, write-down-everything needs and I know that it's a product that will continue to develop and improve. I am always looking to improve as a person and I love the idea of a planner that continuously improves as well.
What are your favorite planners? Do you love the Day Designer or have another planner that you think I should try? I'd love to hear your thoughts!
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