simple girl's diary ♥ november 2022 & my cozy autumn room

A very good morning, dear kindred spirits! 

Today I am sharing an entry in my Simple Girl's Diary as well as a wee peek inside my bedroom with some up-close shots of my autumnal touches and decorations. I invite you to pour yourself a cup of something warming and comforting, curl up with a blanket and settle in for awhile. Join me for a chat and a visit...

outside my window

Leaves. Leaves. And more leaves. And yet still, the trees are hanging onto so many more. Nearly all the color is gone now and it's just a world of various shades of brown wherever you look. The skies are most often somewhat overcast, with sunny days here and there. Honestly, though, I couldn't love it more. Sunny weather is my least favorite; I do so love grey skies, rain and snow, a breezy chill in the air, perhaps what some might call "moody" weather. That's my absolute favorite. Sunny weather, not so much. The earth is saying that it is truly the end of autumn now and winter is indeed on the way. Our temperatures have been very chilly and at night, below freezing. I love how rejuvenating the colder weather is, how alive it makes me feel, how good it is to breathe in. This is my time of year.

musical treasures

I've listened to my favorite soundtracks, as per usual, whilst cooking dinner and puttering about doing this and that. There is also one Ed Sheeran song that is literally on repeat constantly, whether on my computer, or just in my head. It's called Beautiful People and it is seriously the best. So much of the lyrics I just relate to and feel as though they were written for or by me. Plus it's just darn fun to listen to! And yes, I have barely, just barely, begun listening to Christmasy music...the Charlie Brown Christmas soundtrack to be precise. I've got all my favorite CDs out and my mom's pulling out her old records this week and it shall begin officially.

{{my reading corner}}

bookish ramblings

Not much to say here, because I want to, hopefully, share a post dedicated to Christmasy reads next month.

in the world of TV and movies

Oh, dear friends, I returned to an old favorite this week thanks to some very dear blog reader friends who mentioned a specific title to me. "An Old Fashioned Thanksgiving" is a most splendid, heartwarming, just good for the soul movie to watch this week. It did my heart so much good watching it and even still, I feel so gladdened every time I think back to this dear movie. I also rewatched the first season of "Home Fires" again last week, and it was the same feeling. I just loved it so much, even more than the first time I saw it. Seriously, where are the movies and shows like this these days? Ones that remind you of the goodness still left in the world, of the magic to be found in even the tiniest moments and most ordinary of days, of kindred spirits sharing life together and coming alongside one another, even despite differences and such, just to enjoy the things that they do have in common. I do heartily recommend these two titles.

And, over the weekend, we watched both of the Enola Holmes movies on Netflix. My sister had already seen them and enjoyed them so she wanted us to watch them together. They were charming, fast-paced, mysterious, and fun to watch…just like she said. We all agreed that our favorite was the second one…and now we have hopes that there will be more in the future.

{{a girl can never have too many books}}

 a grateful heart

This year, I have so much to be thankful for...my heart literally feels as though it may burst. Though our summer was hard and felt like it was straight from hell, I still feel so grateful for so many things. It's hard to articulate my thoughts into words, but my family, our home, our fur babies, good books, music that makes me feel alive, little glimpses of magic and beauty in my everyday moments, nature's kindness and gentleness in teaching me so many things, kindred spirits I have met through this online corner, finding new hobbies and interests that bring me happiness, laughing so hard I cry or just can't stop laughing, dreaming and dreams in my heart, even things that seem stupidly silly to some. There's just so much.

{{i love decorating my shelves a bit, too}}

from my kitchen

Soup and crusty bread have been a favorite at least once a week here lately. We find that one loaf of bread lasts us at least two meals, so we just plan two different soups to enjoy that week. Also chili and crackers, and the most amazing loaded nachos with taco seasoned rice, refried beans, sauteed mushrooms, lettuce, salsa, cheese, homemade guacamole and a delicious homemade taco ranch dressing drizzled over the top, served over tortilla chips. It's so yummy and lots of fun to make too!

in my mug

Lots of herbal tea, particularly a lovely honey lavender chamomile blend that is so peaceful and relaxing to sip on in the late evenings. And I've decided to indulge a bit and enjoy a peppermint hot chocolate on the weekends. It's a special little treat with mini marshmallows on top and makes either Friday or Saturday night extra fun and cozy. Of course, I have to have all these warming drinks in pretty mugs, too. I'm convinced they make the drinks taste even better and surely make the experience more magical! {{smiles}}

{{over the last few years, i've enjoyed gathering a collection of art prints and adding to it every so often. i've been fortunate to find some artists whom i dearly love and their work makes me so happy every time i look at it.}}

fashionable fun

Black leggings and a black and grey floral dress, with woolen socks and ankle boots. And a grey headband with a bow to complete my outfit. Lots of cozy outfits like this these days and I love it. Cozy clothes are the best clothes!

home and hearth

In this post, I'm sharing lots of photos from my room. The first handful of photos are an overview of different corners of my room and this last handful are up-close shots of some autumnal touches and decorations I've added for the season. They will soon be packed away for the year and my Christmasy things will take their place. I do not fit into any one aesthetic when it comes to decorating...or clothing, or anything else in my life, really. But the only thing that comes to mind when I want to describe my style is cozy, comforting, warm, and homey. Basically, I want it to bring to life this quote from The Hobbit movie, which says, "good food, a warm hearth, and all the comforts of home". That's what I want our home to evoke and how I want my bedroom to feel when I'm in there. I love collecting things and adding bits here and there that make me feel all warm and cozy inside. And I hope you enjoy this little peek into my space.

{{along with finding little touches to add to my room at different shops, i also have fun adding some handmade touches here and there, too.}}

a few of my favorite things

♥ peppermint hot chocolate with vanilla almond milk and mini marshmallows on top. It's like Christmas in a mug. 

♥ watching favorite YouTube videos...mostly bookish content along with cozy homey things, too

♥ and finally, I'm loving the new season of Blue Bloods. This show has been going for over a decade and it's still awesome.

for the love of words

There is stardust in our veins. We are literally, ultimately, children of the stars.

(J.B. Burnell)

crafting and creating

Christmasy things are on my mind, so I've been working on some really simple, but incredibly cute (at least I think so) craft projects for the holiday season. My mom, sister and I found some awesome pieces at the Dollar Tree (they have amazing craft supplies!) and we picked up quite a few things. I've already completed several, with lots more to do. Let's just say I find myself covered in lots of glitter as I work on these projects. Perhaps it's magical pixie dust from sugar plum fairies visiting as we prepare to deck our halls. {{smiles}} And I've pulled my knitting bag out so I can start picking up where I last left off on a scarf project in the spring. I'm in love with the yarn I found for this infinity scarf and can't wait to see it once it's completed! Oh, and I almost forgot! Late in September, I discovered a new interest and enjoyment in a sort of "junk" journaling or glue-book journaling. I'm not sure what to call it exactly, but it sure is fun. I love creating pages for the seasons and holidays and have lots of different ideas for other designs and things I want to try, too.

{{twinkly fairy lights and lamplight are my two favorite ways to light my room in the evenings, along with a candle or two, every once in a while. it's so much cozier than bright overhead lighting, in my opinion.}}

What if, today, we were grateful for everything?

~ Charlie Brown ~

{{my bedroom at night with twinkly fairy lights glowing in the dark}}

Dear friends, thank you for joining me here today. 

May your Thanksgiving be filled with lots of happy moments, plenty of good food, and lots of laughter. May you be filled with gratefulness and surrounded by the ones you love and hold dear. And may your day be cozy and magical!

♥

just some late autumn ramblings...

Good morning, dearest reader friends!

And a much belated Happy November to you as well! The month is literally half over, and I'm finally getting a few moments to sit down and write a post to share. 

This autumn has been absolutely spectacular in my little corner of the world. The leaves were putting on the most beautiful display of colors for about three weeks, and then they all suddenly began to fall. There were shades of red and golden yellow, and little surprises of orange here and there. We find that orange leaves are definitely the least common, at least where we live. There is a house in our neighborhood that my mom and I pass on our (almost) daily walks and there in the front garden is the most gorgeous tree that boasts of bright, rich, crimson red leaves every October. We picked up a handful of the most prefect ones we could find for my sister to press inside books until they become nice and flat.

 And now, as November gently rolls on, the grass wherever you look is now a carpet of leaves, mostly brown. For so many years, I thought the brown leaves were ugly and I just hated the look of such a dull color on the ground. Then, thanks to a favorite novel of mine, I began to see them as "a cobbler crust of brown sugar and cinnamon", which is exactly how the author so brilliantly described the look of wet, brown leaves on the ground at this time of year. Now, I think it's one of the most beautiful sights I ever laid eyes on. And something I look forward to every autumn.

Our home has become a cozy haven once again, as we have brought out all our warmest blankets and pulled out fuzzy socks and slippers from the drawers. Our coziest and comfiest pajamas have made their yearly return and the weather has actually been cold enough several nights to actually wear them...a real bonus where I live. And on one of our recent outings, I was able to find several cute and cozy sweaters at the thrift shop for a great price. Oh, and I've been wearing boots again...these little things make me so happy! {{smiles}}

My mom, sister and I have been working around the house, making adjustments and changes here and there to make our home suitable for just us three girls now. With my dad gone, there were certain things about our home that were "him". And it felt weird and strange with them staying as they were, as though we were just waiting for him to come home from work or something. So, we've made some changes that work for us, and it's helped things feel normal again...but definitely a new normal. We are also starting to work in the garden, raking leaves for the season, and such. With as many leaves as we get, it's a chore that must be done regularly all the way through early spring. And we were able to figure out how to work our new lawn mower all by ourselves, too, and we got the first go-round with it under our belts. I must say, it does feel quite wonderful to work outside in the fine, brisk, crisp air. Nothing beats Mother Nature!

Our Halloween feast was a grand success...and oh so scrumptious, too! We all worked together in the kitchen and made a huge pot of simmering vegetable soup with crusty bread. And for dessert, we enjoyed a pumpkin spice cake with maple cream cheese frosting along with a small batch of pumpkin chocolate chip cookies. We enjoyed munching on those treats for several days afterwards, too. And my mom picked up a small pumpkin for us to carve and I did something I've wanted to for a long time...make a little pumpkin house for our gnomes. Oh, it was the most darling thing! We spent Halloween night watching the last two episodes of a new favorite Korean drama that was just perfect for a spooky night's celebrations. Cozy, casual, and comfy...just our style!

My mind is slowly turning towards Christmasy things and I've just placed an order for a few festive books that I want to read this Christmas and winter season. Fortunately for me, I learned that the author of my most favorite Christmas novel from last year had written another book this year, so of course, I had to buy it! It should be arriving tomorrow in the post...and you know I'll be checking out the window for it's arrival. {{smiles}} I've already watched a few Christmas movies as well, and have fallen in love with one, in particular. With all that said, we are still very much in autumn mode in our house. I've just barely tip-toed into Christmas territory on a few occasions. It will be here before we know it!

Well, my cozy, warm bed is calling to me...it's quite late at the time of my writing this post. With autumn's arrival, came the return of twinkly fairy lights in my room. And oh, how inviting they make my room come bedtime. I just love the magical touch they add...cozy season is just my favorite. Would you perhaps like to see a bit more of my room as I have it simply decorated for autumn? Then, perhaps a wee tour of it with Christmasy decorations? Do let me know if you'd like that!

Dear friends, I do hope you all are keeping well and warm...

until my next post, may your days be cozy and magical.

♥