Hello Lovely Autumn

The sun may be shining here in Lincolnshire today, but there's no denying that autumn is nipping at our ankles... You can feel it in that little nip in the air (even when it's warm), and in the changing colours on the trees. I know I'm contrary, but every time a new season starts I find myself thinking, "Yes, this one is my favourite"! I think autumn holds a sense of something exciting coming... which I suppose is true, as Christmas is less than 100 days away now!

Things I love about autumn*:

🍂 Curling up on the sofa with a book

🍂 Putting throws out

🍂 Lighting a candle in the evening

🍂 Kicking leaves

🍂 Cuddling the cat

🍂 Enjoying a hot brew

🍂 Moon gazing (it's a supermoon tonight btw!)

🍂 Pumpkin gazing

🍂 Strolls in the forest

🍂 Wearing cosy jumpers

🍂 A cauldron full of stew!

* Just remember, that if you'd done most of these things 300 years ago you'd probably have been burnt as a witch... 😉🧙‍♀️

Hello lovely autumn...

The change of season also means a change on my website too - new colours and new items too! Here's a little glimpse of what you can find when you next visit:

Enjoy the new season!

Sarah :)

BRAND NEW: Personalised Halloween Gifts & Decor

The countdown to Halloween has started - a little bit of fun before the serious business of Christmas kicks in! And to celebrate the season of all things spooky and cosy, I've just added some lovely new Halloween-themed treats to the website for you!

Take a look at the PhotoFairytales website for more details - and if you're on my VIP mailing list look out for an exclusive discount code pinging into your inbox this evening!

Sarah x 

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Free Halloween Printables!

If you've got plans for tomorrow night - whether it's a full blown party, a spot of trick or treating, or just a cosy night in with the poison of your choice - I've got some great ideas for the finishing touches for you!

Firstly, I've created this free A4 Hocus Pocus Halloween Print for you - just click here to get your free download and print it off!*

If you're hosting a party these free printable Halloween wine labels will help everyone keep track of their drinks (the labels are best printed onto heavy paper, such as 160gsm card or gloss photo paper):*

Or if you're feeling a bit ogre-like and don't want to be disturbed by trick or treaters, simply print off this free A4 Halloween door poster for your door:*

If you're looking for even more great free printables, decorations, games and things to do, I've created a special Halloween Pinterest board too - packed full of ideas that are all free!

Have a spookylicious night tomorrow!
Sarah x

* Free for personal use. Not for commercial use or resale. Copyright PhotoFairytales.co.uk

Your Autumn 'To Do' List

I'm on the mailing list for a certain DIY chain that sends out emails telling me the jobs I need to do in my garden that month... and I must admit, I usually cast them to the bin. I mean, I don't really need to be told I should be out raking up leaves or top dressing the grass - especially when I'd much rather be doing pretty much anything else!

So, I thought I'd create my own 'Jobs to do this Autumn' list, but something a bit more fun - full of things we'd all enjoy ticking off!

Top 12 things to do this Autumn, simple, cheap, fun and cosy

Top 12 fun things to do this Autumn

1. Re-read an old favourite book - got a book that you read many moons ago, that you remember fondly? One that you've read a few times already perhaps? This is the time of year for sticking your nose in a good book, so why not dig out an old book that you know you loved the first time around? I'm planning on revisiting 'Wuthering Heights' again - I loved it when I read it in my teens, so it will be interesting to see if I still do!
2. Get the blankets out - it's all about being cosy at this time of year. It may not be quite cold enough to turn on the heating properly yet, so having a couple of gorgeous throws in the living room that you can snuggle under will be perfect.
3. Candle Power - we had a power cut here at home last weekend, which meant we had to dig out the candles and it was so cosy! It was actually secretly disappointing when the power came back on... maybe we should schedule in a pre-planned power cut every now and then? No telly, the low glow of candles, and a card game with the family, or swapping ghost stories!
4. Leaf kicking - I mean, who doesn't enjoy kicking the leaves about at this time of year?! Fun for all the family!
5. Fall down a Pinterest rabbit hole - figuratively speaking! Anyone who's ever spent so much as 2 minutes on Pinterest will know how easy it is for one click to lead to another. Why not plan an evening or afternoon of pinning and creating a few new boards? Ideas for the garden for the spring, storage ideas, gorgeous bathrooms, a new haircut, creative things to do with toilet rolls, whatever - you'll be inspired! Make a start by visiting my own Autumn inspired board on Pinterest by clicking here.
6. Bake a cake and have some hot chocolate - we've been good, we've spent the summer eating salads and drinking plenty of water, so why not take a day off and do some baking? Coffee & Walnut, Lemon Drizzle, Brownies? Dig out the recipe book or have a Google and get your mouth watering...
7. Start (casually) thinking about Christmas! It might be a bit early for some, but if you have a few hours spare why not grab a notebook and start planning? Get ahead of the game with gift ideas, recipe planning, dates for your diary, and a spot of online shopping!
8. Watch an old movie - something black and white or in glorious technicolour! An old favourite that isn't demanding, doesn't bear any relation to modern life, and will whisk you away to a different world for a couple of hours.
9. Invite friends or family round for Sunday lunch - stick a joint in the oven, get everyone to bring a side dish or dessert (and bottle of wine), and have a relaxing time full of good company and banter.
10. Visit your local park - the trees look amazing at this time of year, full of colour. Go for a stroll or a bike ride and enjoy the colours. Head to your nearest city and have a wonder around the park. Or failing that maybe you have an arboretum or some woods near you, or perhaps a stately home with grounds open to the public?
11. Visit the seaside - I know it sounds weird, but in my opinion the BEST time to visit the seaside is in the autumn and winter! Wrap up warm and go for a bracing walk along the prom. You might be lucky and find a kiosk that's still open and selling freshly made hot doughnuts rolled in sugar...
12. Go stargazing - the earlier nights are perfect for star spotting. You may need to head out into the countryside to get away from the glow of lights, but pick a clear night, bundle up warm and take a flask of something warming - and maybe a slice of that cake you baked in step 6...

Sarah x

Halloween Freebie: 'No Trick or Treaters' Poster & Free Halloween Wine Labels

Happy Halloween! 

Just in case you may need to avoid Trick or Treaters tomorrow night, I've uploaded this free printable 'No Trick or Treaters' Halloween poster for you to display on your door. You may not want people knocking on your door for many different reasons (maybe you've eaten all the sweets already... or is that just us?), but I do think sometimes those constabulary/council type posters can be a bit... well, snooty!

So if this fits the bill for you any better then do please help yourself and print it off. Just click on the link above.

Alternatively, if you're having a party this weekend these free Halloween Wine Labels might be helpful! They look great, and will help everyone to keep track of their wine glass too.

The A4 poster can be printed on any type of paper, but the wine labels are best printed onto a heavier card-type paper so that they hold their shape.

Feel free to share these freebies by clicking the share buttons below.

Enjoy your spooky weekend!
Sarah x

Smashing Pumpkins!

Halloween may well have finished at midnight last night, but rather than turning into a pumpkin I thought I'd share some truly amazing carved pumpkin images with you. Now our efforts at home weren't a patch on these, but I think next year I may be feeling a little more ambitious after seeing these...!

The first two images on the left come from the granddaddies of them all when it comes to pumpkin carving: Villafane Studios in the USA - their work is breathtaking. Yes, breathtaking pumpkins I tell you! (And when you check out the website - which you absolutely and completely have to - take a look at their amazing sand sculptures too...). I could fill this page with their images, but I've got a few others I want to show you too:

The first two images below (cat and mouth) are from another incredible pumpkin carving artist: Scott Cummins at Pumkingutter.com - he has been creating and designing pumpkins, many based on famous faces and characters, for years and you really must take a wander through his gallery of work, you won't be disappointed I promise.

Bottom left is an incredible carving made by the super talented manicapumpkincarvers.com. It's based on Vincent Van Gogh's 'Starry Night' and was gifted to the Museum of Modern Art in New York in 2011. And finally, that lovely witch (bottom right) - this is almost one I can see myself attempting next year! I found this via artsmart4kids.com and I love the idea of turning the pumpkin on its side and using the stalk as part of the design don't you?

So, are you feeling fired up and inspired for next Halloween too?!

Sarah :)

Halloween Freebie!

Free Printable Halloween Wine Labels

Boo! If you're planning a spooky party for Halloween this year, you might like a copy of my free printable wine labels! They look great, and help everyone keep track of their glass too - to download, just click here.

The labels are best printed onto heavy paper, such as 160gsm card or gloss photo paper.

Feel free to share this post on Facebook or Twitter, etc - just click the share buttons below!

Sarah x

Things to love about Autumn...

There's no denying there's a nip in the air now and Autumn is well and truly here - yes, it is chilly but let's celebrate all the great stuff about this season:

1: Hot Chocolate - this is definitely the time of year when a mug of steaming hot chocolate comes into its own (with a choccy biscuit to dunk of course - or if you're feeling really decadent, a Cadbury's Flake!)

2: Halloween and Bonfire Night - two events that literally demand you stay up late and eat sweets and/or hot dogs!

3: Beautiful misty mornings - when you open the curtains and see the mist, or frosty white grass...

4: The Clothes - dressing for warmth and cosiness, and being able to hide under a coat when you need to nip out on the school run!

5: The Colours - spotting awesome autumnal trees with red and orange leaves.

What do you love about Autumn?

Sarah x

Halloween - I need some help!

On the 31st October 2009 I made a very rash promise: to throw a Halloween Party for Amy. It was designed to be a bit of a pay-off. You see, she wanted to go Trick or Treating and I (being a tad over protective maybe?) didn't want her to. I felt like a total party pooper, so found myself suggesting that next year we would have a party instead....

So, in just over a month I guess we'll be having a party then....now, how on earth do I entertain a group of 6/7/8 year olds with the right level of scariness? What games could they play I wonder? (I've thought of apple bobbing, but got a bit stuck after that!). Are they old enough for a torchlit scary story session or will they just end up too scared to sleep that night?!

I've got some great ideas for designing a Halloween Party invitation, I know I can do some fun food and decorations but it seems getting the pitch right for the entertainment part is going to be trickier than I thought! Any ideas would be gratefully appreciated, so do please leave a comment for me...

Sarah x

Where on earth do I start...!!!!

Wow, it's been AN AGE since I was last here - just look at those cobwebs! I'm now left with the dilemma that I simply have too much to tell you about - seriously, I have SO MUCH to tell you. I'm going to have to ration myself to one or two a day or this could end up being the longest post in blogging history!

Mother & Baby Mega Giveaway! So, first up, let me tell you about this fantastic giveaway being offered by Monica at My Funny Bunny. This is an awesome freebie, you need to read this! The Giveaway contains over 20 great gifts from contributors such as KnitWits, The Pink Fairy Cake, Rainbow Totz, Peggy's Knits, Baby Not Included, Be-Fabulous, Julie's Booties, Lactivist, Icklebabe - oh, and of course, PhotoFairytales! Find out more by visiting Monica's blog.

Loads of New Stuff at PhotoFairytales! The reason why I've not been here for so long (apart from the summer holidays, of course) is because I've been working like a mad thing getting tons of new things onto the website. There are loads of new designs, including some great ones for Autumn & Halloween, plus an entire page devoted to Christmas. I also now have some lovely Gift Vouchers available, and I now sell really high quality personalised greeting cards so you can turn your finished image into a unique card - take a look! I've also started selling some truly amazing and crazy gift balloons in a box - you've got to see them! Oh, and if you're interested in selling any of my products on your own website, take a look at the brand new Trade Page too. I can supply you on an easy dropship basis, and offer you a trade price.

So, sadly, no I haven't been sunning myself and relaxing. I've actually rubbed just about all the remaining letters clean off my keyboard now - the only ones left are the "z" and the numbers! Still, on the upside, it means at 6 years old Amy can now all but touch type (and as an added bonus I have the fun of watching my husband's look of utter confusion when he borrows my computer - well, he's got his own, so hand's off!).

Love to all,

Sarah x