Writing with:
Annastasia: I have many lovely pens but I was grateful for a cheap promotional pen! Out and about, I needed to make notes and my phone was almost out of battery. This pen and the back of a flyer did the job. Time to start carrying a pen and mini notebook even if I’m just popping out.
Carla: I had a massive sort out of all my pens in September, so I’m revelling in having a mug of pens that work, write nicely and fit my colour-coding scheme in every room of the house, my car, my handbag and my studio. It’s bliss – and still novel enough that I’m not choosing just one!
Current planner:
Annastasia: Confession time – while I love my Passion Planner I did have a peek at the offerings from Moleskine and Crafty Fox (which include stickers!). I’m still undecided as to what to get for 2023.
Carla: I have found myself with two gorgeous bright blue Moleskine planners – one day per page, one week per page with notes on the other side. One has become my daily list book, and the weekly one is rapidly becoming my marketing & content planner. This doesn’t, of course, negate my Filofaxes (including a new pocket one, squee) or the other stack – but it does make me look much more colour-coordinated!
This month’s beverage of choice:
Annastasia: I found a random box of coconut chai at the back of the cupboard and have been enjoying a pot each day. It seems a perfect blend for the time of year.
Carla: Hot chocolate – one of my favourite parts of this time of year is actually wanting to drink hot drinks again!
Recent read:
Annastasia: Andrew Wilson has written a series of novels featuring Agatha Christie as an undercover agent! They are all extremely readable and I love spotting the references to her works that frequently appear.
Carla: The one that stuck with me from my recent reads was I Wish It Could Be Christmas Every Day by Milly Johnson (I know, I start the Christmas fiction reading pile early!). It’s funny, sweet and magical – with a mystery and a poignancy too. Not at all what I expected when I picked it up, but definitely one that will be re-read many times.
Can’t stop thinking about:
Annastasia: Theatre tickets. I finally got around to spending some theatre tokens I received as a birthday gift. In September, I saw the highly amusing Friendsical (A Friends-inspired musical) and I have a couple of things booked for October.
Carla: All the gorgeously spooky goodies I am collecting from various shops – this time of year is my favourite for adding to my year-round magical, witchy and enchanted-woodland home and studio decor.
Current goals:
Annastasia: Menu plan! I’m great at planning but tend to forget to update my menu plan on Trello. The result is a stuffed cupboard and lots of automated lists without any entries. Autumn is my favourite time for cooking so I hope this will inspire me.
Carla: Sleep and morning pages are my October goals – to sleep plentifully (and catch up if I have some short nights due to events and the general craziness of this time of year), and to write every day even if I can’t in the morning. Writing is how my brain sorts out all the stuff, and I have been noticeably calmer since picking it up again after my summer decluttering adventures.
Autumnal thoughts:
Annastasia: It’s the ideal time of the year to wear hats! I have loads of them and can’t wait to add a splash of colour to whatever I’m wearing.
Carla: I wonder if the wheel of the year opposite of a spring clean is an autumn snuggle? I’m still finishing the big house clearout & tidy-up that I had over the summer, but as the weather has turned, it has a more homemaking, snuggly vibe. Which is probably more soothing for my neighbours than me crying and hurling stuff into the skip at 4 am. I’m also Very Excited to have a chance to wear my new stripy tights!