October in Instagrams || Personal

October treated me well; with lots of road trips, adventures and cider. November is here now [one of my favorite months!! :)] Is it appropriate to start listening to Christmas music yet?!

1. My dear friend Masha has been in the hospital and her faith journey has started a movement. Read about it here. 2. Kari Jobe & All Sons & Daughters in one night. Such a cool time spent with friends. 3. My new home :) So excited to move to the city next year! 4. Just one of the many photos from my time up north this month. 5. Sunsets in the wilderness...nothing like it. 6. It's boot season and I couldn't be more happy about that. 7. Last night in the woods : pumpkin tea, pumpkin bread and Ephesians, fireside. 8. Walks by the lake. 9. God is the best artist. I love rainbows. 10. I voted today! Have you voted yet? 11. Lunch breaks on the path are my favorite. 12. Who says that sunsets in Illinois aren't any good?! I literally gasped at this one.

So that's my October. How was yours?! Are you ready for November?

Alison

Week 44 || Project 52

"I love Your voice,

singing over me every morning.

I love Your voice,

calling out my name every morning."

-Your Voice || The Royal Royal

There's something about waking up before the sun even rises to spend some time with the Lord. Nothing like it. I woke up at 4:30AM this morning. Thankful for a pot of coffee, deer sightings in the suburbs, a warm home, another day. It's so easy to get stuck in the daily grind and take life for granted. But when you think that we are not even worthy of one day, it puts everything back in perspective. Whether the world seems quite and still or loud and busy, the Lord is always there.

Into the Wilderness Again || Personal

Fall is definitely one of my favorite seasons. Crunchy leaves, apple cider, pumpkins, apple picking, jackets, scarves, and Trader Joe's having everything pumpkin flavored (I'm kind of addicted to their pumpkin ice cream!) There's no better place to experience fall than in the north woods; the leaves are prettier, the wind is fiercer and the distractions are few. 

On Friday morning my good friend Sarah and I bundled up and made the road trip up to my lake house. Some good mix CDs and coffee to accompany us, there was not a moment of silence. I can talk for hours with that girl about Jesus, future and our love of pumpkin. The best part about our arrival...we got there just as the golden hour was starting! Perfection. It was a great weekend of small town, serenity, heart-to-heart, late night chatting, midnight baking, Jesus goodness.

We made pumpkin pancakes every morning and explored the small town before it got dark around 4 in the afternoon. Homemade pizzas and plenty of baking every evening. We sipped on pumpkin tea and cider throughout our hours and hours of challenging and inspiring chatter. Weekends in the wilderness always do my heart well.

Week 40-42 || Project 52

Sometimes life gets a little busy. Sticking to a blogging schedule can get a little crazy and life is just better with a little less screen time. From concerts to city adventures to weekends in the woods...I am blessed.

And today...a little project 52 catch-up.

WEEK 40

Phil Wickham is one talented man. Such a sweet night of worship. Feel free to watch the video below from the concert:

 Nights spent in the city are my favorite...my soon-to-be home. Went to this nice, little italian restaurant with a few of my lovely friends.

WEEK 41

 Kari Jobe and All Sons & Daughters are two of my favorite artists. They are so talented and so blessed. I would be thrilled if Kari Jobe would be my mentor. 

WEEK 42

Let's just say this week was phenomenal. I packed my bags and headed into the woods for a little fall retreat with a sweet friend of mine. There is no better place to be than in the woods during the fall. The leaves were crunchy and the fish fry was great. Here is a highlight from the weekend...but stay tuned! A post on the adventure will be here soon :)

September in Instagrams || Personal

Yes it is already October 9...shame on me for being so late on this post! October has surely been a whirlwind of busy-ness so far. September was full of serenity, sunflowers, blessings, and tea.

1. Sunsets at the lake house...on the dock. What else is better? 2. City-bound. Pretty much cannot wait to live in the city. 3. Pumpkin spice cupcakes in the wee-hours of the night. 4. Delicious coffee. 5. Venti pumpkin-spice lattes for free. Fall is here! 6. Sweet friend's birthday. Fuzzy socks and heart-shaped chocolate chip cheesecake for you! 7. Hours upon hours of editing=cusp upon cups of coffee. 8. Random sickness...no fun. 9. The Great Creator never rests. Continually amazed by His beauty. 10. Homemade pies. 11. Ahhh my heart is so happy! 12. Infinity scarves and apple cider. Reunited. 13. So much beauty. Sometimes the Lord really outdoes Himself. 14. Phil Wickham, The Royal Royal & Travis Ryan. One night of sweet worship. 15. Sunflowers. Oh so happy.

I love October. I've already gotten in a couple road trips, fall walks and way too many pumpkin things. I hope October is treating you well so far :) 

Friday Favorites || October

Fall crept up on us and October is already here. I absolutely LOVE October and can't believe September has come to an end. October means pumpkin patches, apple picking, sweater and beautiful leaves. Here are five of my favorite October things:

1. Pretty stinkin' pumped to see Kari Jobe & All Sons & Daughters this coming Sunday...it may be a bit of a road trip but it will be worth every second. I have seen All Sons & Daughters many times before and I can hardly wait to see Kari Jobe for the first time. Their music has blessed me in SO many ways! 2. Eeek sweaters! I've been eyeing this sweater for far too long...I think it's time to buy it ;) 3. The leaves have started changing color and there is nothing more beautiful. Driving through crunchy leaves...nothing like it :) 4. PUMPKIN EVERYTHING! Last time I went to Trader Joe's I kinda freaked out :: pumpkin cream cheese, pumpkin bread, pumpkin ice cream, pumpkin yougurt, pumpkin cereal bars, pumpkin pancake mix. Ahh! 5. Oh my word, All Sons & Daughters new EP "The Longing" is brilliant. I highly recommend buying it and being so blessed by it. This duo is so ridiculously talented. My favorite from their latest EP is "Called Me Higher."

What are you looking forward to this month?!

Week 39 || Project 52

Having class five days a week is definitely not ideal...not a fan. BUT Tuesday's and Thursday's are highlights this semester. I'm taking an alternative processes class and I get three and a half hours twice a week to get all my creativity and craftiness out :) Last week I spent my time working on cyanotypes.

The cyanotype process was popular in the 20th century. The process involves using equal parts of Ammonium iron citrate and potassium ferricyanide and applying to paper or cloth and then exposing to a source of ultraviolet light with a negative or object. 

I toned the image above with tannic acid. Does this image look familiar to you? I made some negatives from a few weeks ago... Hope you are having a lovely, fall-filled week :)

Week 38 || Project 52

There's a lot of things on Pinterest that make me "ooh" and "ahh" but I'll never actually do them. Let's face it, no one has that much time on their hands. I pin a lot of DIYs and a lot of recipes and every once in awhile I'll come across a few that I'll actually do.

Last week was one of my lovely friends birthdays. Nothing says happy birthday like a chocolate chip cheesecake shaped like a heart and a pair of cozy socks!

Chocolate Chip Cheesecake

Serves: 15

Cooking Time: 45 Minutes

You'll Need:

3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened

3 eggs

3/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 (16.5 ounce) rolls refrigerator chocolate chip cookie dough

What To Do:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. In a large bowl, beat together cream cheese, eggs, sugar and vanilla extract until well mixed; set aside.

3. Slice cookie dough rolls into 1/4 inches slices. Arrange 1/2 of one roll on bottom of spring-form pan. Do this with another spring-form pan or a pie tin of your choice. Press together cookie dough so there are no holes on the bottom. Spoon cream cheese mixture evenly over dough; top with remaining cookie dough.

4. Bake 45 to 50 minutes, or until golden and center is slightly firm.

5. Remove from over, let cool, then refrigerate. Cut into slices when well chilled.

Options:

If you're serving lots of people and want to make finger food, just use a cookie cutter and cut your cheesecake into bite-size portions.

So yummy! Affordable, easy and delicious. Hope you have some baking time this week and get some of those Pinterest projects done!