Smell the air- it is here! Today marks the first official day of fall. I love so many things about fall that I shouldn’t try to list them all because this post would never end. To keep it short and sweet, I love the smell of fall, the crisp weather, all the fun activities and the cozy apparel. I am happiest when I throw on a pair of boots, jeans and a jacket and rush out into an autumn world. The corn and beans have already turned golden brown, and the trees are starting to turn as well.

While all of these things make fall an extra-special time of year, there are a few things that come to my mind when I think about fall in the Midwest. I love to support local small businesses and I try to shop local as much as possible. The heartland is full of talented creative people who work in many different fields. Some of these people bake, others craft products with their skillful hands, and many spend extra time doing things they love during the fall months.

An autumn-scented candle can instantly trigger happy fall thoughts and create the perfect ambiance for your room. My favorite fall candles are hand-poured in Lincoln, Nebraska by Wax Buffalo. If you have one of these little gems, you know what I’m talking about. If you don’t have your own little slice of heaven in a amber-glass jar, don’t walk- RUN to your nearest local vendor and get yourself a Wax Buffalo candle. Their current fall collection features the best smells ever: Autumn, Classic Pumpkin, and the Orchard. I have the Classic Pumpkin burning in my living room right now! I love all of the scents because you can’t go wrong with any of them.

Another great smell comes from warm fall beverages. My go-to fall drink is a hot cup of Artemis Teas. The huntress flavor is specifically my favorite because of the name, the flavor and the aroma. This tea has hints of cinnamon and lavender in it. (So good!) Not only does it taste great, but it is actually good for you too! This drink promotes increased vitality, stamina and creativity. We all know that I need more creativity- right!? I love being creative and this tea is just the icing on the cake! Besides being an all-around great tea, it has epic packaging too. Brew yourself some this evening and take it easy knowing that all of the teas from Artemis are mindfully-crafted by a clinical herbalist in Omaha, Nebraska.

I may be biased, but I wear my #Heartlander tee almost too much. To me, a “Heartlander” is a person loves what they do, and loves the location they are in. This shirt is made of ultra soft tri-blend fabric that is screen printed by hand. The image was hand drawn by Joe Horacek at the Little Mountain Print Shoppe and our goal was to capture the heart of the Midwest. The 'military green' is an earthy color that looks great on all skin tones! This will be your favorite shirt. No doubt. You can find the link to purchase the #Heartlander t-shirt here, or you can head over to the “SHOP” tab at the top of this website.

Photo courtesy of the Little Mountain Print Shoppe.

As I mentioned earlier, fall apparel is second to none. Throughout the fall, I can be found wearing a sweatshirt probably 90% of the time. A good cozy sweatshirt is the most reliable thing one can have in their closet. As the temperature drops it is wise to wear layers. My dad always said that you can take layers off, but you can never add them if you don’t bring them. With this wisdom, I’m either always wearing a sweatshirt or bringing one along with me just in case. Last year I bought my very first sweatshirt from the Little Mountain Print Shoppe in Lincoln, Nebraska and my life has been forever changed.

I consider myself somewhat of a sweatshirt connoisseur and I’ve collected quite a few sweatshirts over the years. The Little Mountain Print Shoppe’s sweatshirts not only feature hand-drawn graphics, but they’re also the softest article of clothing you will ever wear. These quality sweatshirts come in a variety of sizes and colors too. I went into the Little Mountain Print Shoppe to get my husband a gift, and walked out with his gift plus a sweatshirt for myself. This is the best present I’ve ever given myself. In the photo to the left, I’m wearing my favorite sweatshirt from the Little Mountain Print Shoppe. You can find it here. If you love yourself, put one of these sweatshirts in your closet and thank me later. You won’t regret it.

If you are anything like me, I am always cold. Since I tend to wear layers, I strive to keep my head and neck warm as well. Last year I met Katie from Nature Nurture and I fell in love with her hand-knit products. She creates tons of different scarves, hats, ear muffs and more. She knits hats and scarves in many different colors, patterns and yarn weights. This enables you to wear a Nature Nurture piece with practically any outfit and in any season. Not only does she sell her products via her website and etsy shop, she also attends many local events and sets up a booth to sell her cozy products. You can find her at the annual Love the Locals events, Bench Made, and Handmade Omaha events. You can find me wearing my favorite knit hat from her when it gets too cold outside for my ears.

Then there are the foods of fall. S’mores are probably one of the greatest outdoor friendly desserts ever invented. I was recently asked what my favorite dessert was during a group ice-breaker and my knee-jerk response was, “anything chocolate and s’mores.” I find s’mores to be one of life’s simple pleasures. If you don’t find yourself near a bonfire, there are many other ways to have a s’more or bring some with you to an event. My friend at Tasty Good Toffee in Lincoln, Nebraska has perfected the s’mores flavored toffee. She actually used real chocolate flakes, graham crumbs and somehow drizzles an ooey-gooey marshmallow on top of each toffee piece. I love bringing this sweet treat to a fall get-together or having in a bowl during a movie night at home. If you like s’mores and want to take them anywhere you go, Tastey Good Toffee is the perfect solution for you! These tasty treats can be found at all Russ’s Markets and Super Savers in Lincoln, Nebraska. They are also found in boutique shops in Seward, York, Hastings, Kearney and Omaha. See the full list of vendors here.

If you are ready to take things up a notch, you can make yourself a real bonfire. I have fond memories of helping my dad chop up a fallen trees for bonfire wood. We would start with a chainsaw to cut the trunk up into more manageable pieces, and then we could use an axe or a log splitter to cut the chunks into firewood. While I do not personally own a colorful axe from the Anchor Axe Co, I sure do admire their colorful axes. These guys grew up as carpenters in the midwest and developed Anchor Axe Co to create axes that can be used and handed down for generations. I love that they take the time to decorate each axe handle with a pop of colorful paint. I think it adds a unique personal quality to each piece and I would love to give one as a gift to my dad someday. As you may know from a few of my Instagram posts, I am also fan of the Des Moines based Fontenelle Supply Co. I own some of their shirts and love their general aesthetic. My favorite thing about the Fontenelle Supply Co is their commitment to creating local access quality clothing and accessories. When it comes to bonfires, I am particularly fond of the waterproof storm matches that they sell. These matches will stay lit for twelve seconds, even after they have been submerged in water. That is reliable!

Photo courtesy of Method to the Madness Instagram account.

I could not summarize all of the things I love about fall without being able to keep it all in order. If you know me, you know that I live by my planner. I don’t live by my phone planner or my computer calendar. Instead, I have always functioned solely thanks to a trusty paper planner. I used to utilize leather planners from Barnes and Noble, but then a Nebraska native developed and made the ultimate paper planner. Jocelyn Schade designed, developed and delivered the Madness Planner with her brand “Method to the Madness.” These quality planners help you not only schedule your life, but identify and achieve your own personal goals. This planner even allows you space to draw, doodle, take notes and so much more. It is structured to help guide you based on what is most important to you. Jocelyn created it this way so that we don’t get lost in the chaos, and that we quite literally develop a method to our own madness. I love the concept and I love her planners! Just recently Jocelyn revealed that she will be taking her new planner to KICKSTARTER this November! This new planner has been revised based on her customer’s feedback and many months of tweaking. I can’t wait to see the new planner and see where this awesome local business goes. I see big things in the future! Do you? :) I hope you all have a fantastic fall and I can’t wait to see what you are working on and how you are living in the Heartland.