She Blooms in Autumn

Enjoying the first bits of Autumn in her hand made pretties.

It is often joked that our part of East Texas has only two seasons. The Dry Season is when everything withers and dies from the unrelenting heat. Then, there is the Wet Season. This is the mixture of Autumn and Winter. Our days are cold and wet. No snow. Just a wind and rain that chills you to the bone. And these two seasons can be witnessed in the span of 24 hours!

Regardless of our bipolar weather, East Texans still like to make a big deal about the coming of Autumn. We love our Pumpkin Spice EVERYTHING, spicy chilly cook-offs, and cozy Fall outfits!

This post is going to feature a stanza from Autumn by Alexander Pushkin. Why? Because it flawlessly collides with my feelings towards this time of year. The vibe from our latest photo session with Sofia is also in sync. And, because I'm Russian and genuinely miss the Russian season changes.

VII

Oh, mournful season that delights the eyes,

Your farewell beauty captivates my spirit.

I love the pomp of Nature’s fading dyes,

The forests, garmented in gold and purple,

The rush of noisy wind, and the pale skies

Half-hidden by the clouds in darkling billows,

And the rare sun-ray and the early frost,

And threats of grizzled Winter, heard and lost.

VIII

Each time that Autumn comes I bloom afresh;

For me, I find, the Russian cold is good;

Sofia adorned in the handy work of her Nanny, Linda & Ellie, and Love & Lilah. I cannot believe how gorgeous all of these pieces are individually and as a full outfit.

The green dress was made by Sofia's grandmother. It features a peter pan collar...which I am obsessed with!

I am also completely in love with this golden pinafore from Linda & Ellie. The quality of this piece is amazing and I love that it is functional during both Dry and Wet seasons. bahahah I will post links to her shop and info below.

Love & Lilah always provides the best hair goodies. This one is my new fave! I mean.....animal prints!!! Her shop info will be listed below as well!

Linda & Ellie:

IG: https://www.instagram.com/lindaandellie_kids/

ETSY: https://www.etsy.com/shop/LindaAndEllie?social_invites=1&si_uuid=956e1eaa-dcb1-4626-8dd6-f2feee50d45a&user_id=103238998&si_time=1570373599&si_page=shop_home&si_trigger=ss&si_object_id=ui.core.CoreActivity&platform=android

Love & Lilah:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/389394778268843/

Transitions in Texas-Shop Genesis Fashion

Oh, my Twirly!!! Sofia and I love love all of her dresses from Shop Genesis Fashion. This newest one has to be a favorite. It is the perfect dress to take us from summer to fall! The hints of pink are also a nice touch!

This dress is light weight and extra twirly. I love that it is comfortable enough for her to run and play in. However, it is certainly nice enough to go to school! I love that the floral print is playful but still not "baby-ish".... You know that is a thing now that she is six. Things have to be approved for a BIG GIRL!

We found this amazing hill behind the school parking lot and took advantage of it for our photos. Also, she loves to climb!

Weather transitions really slowly in East Texas. It is October and people are still posting "by the pool" photos on facebook. But, in just a few days the temps will drop. I will add a cute lil fall blazer and some riding boots and this dress will take us into AUTUMN. I'm pretty certain we'll be wearing this one year round!

Hawthorne Headband Test

The bond these two have is beyond precious! I'm so glad that we got some photos for them to keep! Mommy take that picture with your little one!!!

Jazzy from https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/sources/jzkc has to be one of my favorite designers to test for! Her patterns are so fun! Her patterns have helped me to really practice my cable work.

I was terrified of cables for so long. I am thankful that this has become one of my most cherished knitting techniques. Cables add so much texture to a design. And, I adore the throwback to a more simple and traditional time in history.

This mommy/daughter duo were the perfect models for Jazzy's newest headband pattern! The Hawthorne Headband is just BEAUTIFUL!

Here is the link to the pattern: https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/the-hawthorne-headband

Discount code: SashaSofia will save you a $1 on the price so be sure to take advantage of that.

Some things that I love about this test knit:

1. The headband is such a quick knit. Once you get through the first few rows of the design...it is easy to keep going without having to check back every few minutes. I call that a mindless knit. Great for your next Netflix marathon.

2. It doesn't take a bunch of yarn. So it is perfect for stash busting. Especially, with Christmas coming up. What a great way to work through all your unused yarns!!!

3. The final piece looks intricate and complicated. It has a gorgeous vintage vibe to it. I love patterns that look like they took a lot of time and effort. Hahaha

Yarn: I used Yarn Bee's Rustic Romantic in the Red Roads colorway. ABSOLUTE gorgeous fiber to work with. I love the bits of tweed that are infused through each strand. Gives this quality acrylic more depth and texture! If you know me...I'm all about textured fibers and finished projects. I'm always drawn to earthy tones and this gorgeous shade of burnt red did not disappoint.

Get cracking on your Christmas knits with the lovely HAWTHORNE!