Sunshine through my bedroom window this morning, although there was a distinct chill in the air first thing it's definitely warming up and it's quite easy to mistake the middle of the day for July rather than October for sure.

For me October has so many meanings, it's the month of leaf kicking, glove buying (we covered that yesterday didn't we?), boot wearing, blanket snuggling, hot chocolate drinking and in just a few weeks it'll be Christmas movie unboxing, yes October is one of my favourite months and if it didn't lead into winter I think I could quite easily christen it my favourite month.

I noticed yesterday when I was out for a walk with Holly that all of a sudden the trees seemed to be starting to switch to their bright scarlet clothing, those autumnal outfits they wear for just a few weeks before undressing to cold dark spines whilst they settle into their winter slumber.

It's no surprise that October is one of the busiest months of the year for family and kids portraits all over the north east, if you are going to have bright happy photographs on your wall there's no better month to do it than October, it's not just about the Christmas gifts though, it's about the colours, the cute hats and jumpers, if you get good weather it's about the golden hues of warm autumnal sunshine. Take a moment to consider an after school/work session during the week, if you look at the light at around 5.30 today you'll know why I'm suggesting that, to book a session with  me, a Newcastle photographer right now!

Usually around this time of year I start to hoard Yankee Candles and consider starting my Christmas shopping, well dear reader I've not ventured out shopping for candles just yet but I did purchase my fist Christmas gift yesterday, I'm going to say this out loud and if you see me over the next couple of months can you repeat it to me "Wrap up the Christmas presents as they arrive!"

55 days until I go to Europe on my Norwegian Epic cruise, I have a feeling it's why I haven't yet purchased a single Yankee candle, I still feel like I'm waiting for that build up to my holidays and of course holidays aren't in Autumn they're in summer aren't they?

Looby has already informed me of this years Halloween costume of course, I shan't spoil the surprise but speaking of Halloween and Yankee candles, there's loads of goodies I think I might need to hoard over the coming weeks including this cute Halloween Yankee candle holder, it's cute, halloween themed and not too tacky!!

Welcome to October

Welcome to October dear reader, October is the month which promises leaf kicking, hot chocolate, Yankee candles, snuggling, Halloween and the start of period in my house when you are officially allowed to watch Christmas movies, yep that's right, it's always been the same, as soon as it gets to half term you can watch Christmas movies right through until January, it's definitely one of my favourite months of the year.

October is also one of my busiest months of the year with families rushing to get out and make autumnal memories, I think the photos you create in Autumn are the ones you keep on your walls all year, partially because they're the ones you tend to give as Christmas presents but also because Autumnal photographs tend to be the most beautiful photographs of all.

I just want to share a photograph I took yesterday in Jesmond Dene, it was a celebration of the first year of the life of this little lady, what a poppet and I am so privileged that I got to photograph her because I've been photographing her mummy and daddy since before they got married, being a photographer has brought me so many wonderful clients who I'm so happy to also call friends and I'm so thankful that I get to watch tiny babies grow up into the most amazing children.

It is the best thing about the career I chose and long may it continue!  If you want to make some memories with your family this Autumn you can book a photo shoot with me for only £40 or if you can make a weekday session in Jesmond Dene you can book a photo shoot with me for only £25 and that offer extends to half term week but do be quick, all dates are filling fast and I'm now pretty full until Mid November at weekends, do get in touch though and I will see if I can squeeze you in if at all possible.

Working less at weekends has meant a lot more family time although you can't please everyone, Abigail remarked that "you should work more, money is much better than time together"  You've got to hope that as she gets older she'll realise that's not the case, I think she secretly knows it although I did tell her that we would all be getting together for an autumnal family day out on Sunday to Fountains Abbey, one of my favourite National Trust Properties, it's glorious in Autumn and I love to spot the deer, it's always been a special place for us as a family and I can't wait to visit again on Sunday.

Speaking of the National Trust, today I am going for a walk around the Wallington Estate with a friend for an Autumnal stomp, I'd say with hot chocolate at the end of it but it really is rather unseasonably warm out there at the moment, I am actually loving a warm autumn, I can only hope it leads to a mild winter as it's a lot easier to do photography outside in winter when the weather isn't so awful.

Today dear reader go and leaf kick, the leaves are perfect, dry and crunchy, feel them under your feet or submerge your wellies in them, hop in them, kick in them, fall in them if they're deep enough or collect the leaves and take them home to make a collage (especially if you are under the age of 12), whatever you do today though celebrate the glory of October it really is one of the best months of the year.