Early Autumn Appreciation & Favourites

Those who tend to get puritanical about the seasons might be yelling at me that it's not autumn for another week yet, but I've officially started wearing scarves (and on one particularly cold morning thick tights!) so as far as I'm concerned autumn has started early for me this year. I started a new job last week which has resulted in my having to leave the house earlier in the mornings and truth be told it's worn me out more than I expected. While I'm in the process of getting used to the earlier start to my day, I've found myself even more excited about coming home to my happy place and getting cosy, as a result of this I wanted to share a few of the things that have been making me happy during this transition.

• The Little Book of Hygge could be mistaken for the kind of coffee table book that's all style and no substance: in actual fact it's been a really pleasant read that has certainly encouraged my anticipation for autumn. Hygge is a Danish word that doesn't quite translate to English but it's about finding comfort, warmth and happiness in the little things in life and around the home. It's a really pleasant read that has given me ideas about how to make my home that bit more hyggelig.
• I'm ashamed to say that when I bought a Chocolate Truffle Lily Flame Candle as a birthday gift for a friend back in April I could not resist picking one up for myself too. This makes the entire room smell like chocolate - it's irresistible.
• Wilko are killing it with all their copper homeware at the moment and I couldn't resist this star candle holder. In the evenings we tend to light the room with candles rather than using the main lights and this looks absolutely amazing with a lit tealight inside.
• When you have an abundance of something you use regularly it's easy not to notice that it might be strange to others - it recently occurred to me that we love Pukka tea so much we actually have a giant Kilner jar full of it in our kitchen and never gave a thought that it might be excessive! I could literally write a series about my love of tea but in the meantime the Three Cinnamon variety from Pukka is a new discovery of mine: it's perfect for this time of year and became an immediate favourite. I also recently picked up this New Look mug - it's the perfect shape and size for a much-needed early morning brew.
• DW is a brand that's escaped my radar until recently but I can't get over the potency and wonderful fragrance of this Apple Cider candle. The scent fills the entire downstairs when it's lit - deliciously autumnal!
• In my day job I manage a charity shop and I wash my hands, oh, about a million times a day. As a result they get pretty dry and I need something intensely nourishing and restorative for them: the fact that this Hemp Hand Butter from the Body Shop is so old that it now appears to be discontinued is a testament to the power of this product that a tub has lasted me for so long despite how much of it I have to use. Now to find a suitable replacement! As a side note, I'm incredibly pleased about the recent news that The Body Shop is no longer owned by L'Oreal, instead they're, so I'll be supporting them even more from now on (in fact, I'm currently eyeing up their new Pumpkin Vanilla range which I'm 90% sure I won't be able to resist trying something from...)
• I am pleased to announce a new arrival in our home: our new plant baby and the only carnivorous creature in our current household, a Venus Fly Trap. This guy wasn't looking too healthy when I brought him home from the garden centre but I'm hoping to nurse him back to health with plenty of light, filtered water, and proximity to our fruit bowl...

Between cosy evenings with candles and our first opportunity to try out our log burner (it was too warm by the time we moved in at the end of March) these little things have played a big part in making me feel rejuvenated and happy. I'd love to see your links to your own favourites posts - are you looking forward to the change in seasons?

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