Fall Comes in More Than One Flavor
It's summertime still, but I wasn't sad when I saw the pumpkin figurines as I walked into my local Target this week. My heart sings whenever I see fall decorations or autumn scenes in art. If I could live in a place where it was autumn all year, I'd move there in a heartbeat.
For me, autumn isn't just one feeling or one texture or one color scheme. It's the hint of crisp coolness in the air, then the deeper chill of sweater weather, then the cold of coming winter. It's the rainbow of blooms as summer ends, followed by the reds & oranges & golds, and then the browns & faded yellows of November before the snow stays. It's "bouquets of sharpened pencils," then the shrieking and laughter of trick-or-treaters, then the warmth of food and family and gratitude.
So many flavors of fall, the typical fall palette bookended by bright at one end as it leaves summer, darker at the other end as it slips into winter. Which do you fancy — rainbows or woodland or something a bit moodier?
Rainbows are more often associated with spring, or even summer thunderstorms, but they capture the delight fall brings me. That happy, back-to-school, fresh-beginning energy. An explosion of color in new notebooks, patterned sweaters & jackets, and harvest festivals. Autumn Rainbows is playful and colorful and joyful. Striped rainbows. Acorns and leaves with a bit of personality. Pumpkins lined up in rows like a pumpkin patch. Houndstooth stretching from one end of the spectrum to the other. It's for fall sewing projects and home decor that want something more than traditional red, orange, and yellow. Read more about Autumn Rainbows on the blog, or take a closer look at the prints and colorways on Spoonflower.
When I'm really wanting to sink into fall, I need two things. First, pumpkins — sitting on my porch, tucked along my shelves, folded in baked goods. Second, leaves turning color. I love a family drive when the color shifts. Stepping out of the car and zipping up my jacket against the breeze. The smell of recent rainfall and wet undergrowth. The slight crunch of fallen leaves underfoot as we hike through the trees. That's what Snails & Mushrooms is meant to capture, with some cute mushrooms and snails and pumpkin scenes. It's the woodland, outdoorsy part of fall. When the sunlight is less intense. When the breeze is blustery. When you want to wear plaid. It's earthy and cozy. Plus, this one slides right into Halloween, with variations of some prints that include bats and spiders and webs. Because autumn isn't complete without a little spooky fun. This one's for fall projects that want to lean into woodsy, traditional fall colors — or that need a subtle Halloween nod. Read more about Snails & Mushrooms: Autumn & Halloween on the blog, or take a closer look at the prints and colorways on Spoonflower.
Fall has a richness — not just in color, but in mood & energy. It's an invitation to go deeper. To contemplate and consider and wonder. To connect through food and conversation. That's what I wanted to capture in Gilded Autumn's dark brown and jewel tones. All that dark offset by gold linework — those bright linings of fall, whether they're new thoughts or time with loved ones or just a beautiful sunset. So much of the autumn season feels grounding to me — small acorns and the oaks they drop from, pumpkins fresh off the vine, leaves of all shapes and sizes scattered across the landscape. So I pause. I notice. I observe. This one's great for a Thanksgiving tablescape, or a quilt to snuggle into all the way through November. Read more about Gilded Autumn on the blog, or take a closer look at the prints and colorways on Spoonflower.
I couldn't choose just one flavor. I love a prismatic rainbow, so I might first reach for Autumn Rainbows. But sometimes I want a walk in the woods, so then I'd want to join the snails in Snails & Mushrooms. And when Thanksgiving rolls around, I'd want to spend some time with Gilded Autumn.
Which fall flavor calls to you?
