My husband and I spent the last couple week-ends moving our kids into an apartment about an hour away from home, so they could start college classes.  My daughter is a junior, but this is her first time living off campus.  My son (My baby! How did this happen?) is a freshman and this is his first time away from home.  It’s fun and exciting and scary all wrapped into one.  And I guess it’s official . . . I am an empty-nester.  (Well, except for the four cats and four dogs that still live with me and thank goodness they still need me for a few things.  *sniffle*)

I haven’t decided how I officially feel about it quite yet.  I am vacillating between being slightly giddy to have my entire house and all my time back, to feeling like a huge part of my life–and a very good part . . . maybe the best part of my life ever–is over.  I know they will be home some week-ends, and we will have holidays and I probably will even get one or both of them back home for the next few summers, but a part of me wants to collapse on the floor, kick its feet and wail “Tooooooo soooooooon.  I demand a do over” and cry for a solid week.

So welcome to my Fall Funk. In order to try to alleviate some of the “woe is me” that threatens to consume me, if I am not careful, I am sharing a fall-themed freebie I’ve been working on for awhile now.  (Making scrap stuff is so much better than fretting and obsessing about eminent life changes.  A little “Pixel Therapy” if you will.)  It all started with a visit to Brandi Girl Blog.  If you haven’t been, and you like color palettes . . . prepare to spend a few hours (or days) and prepare to swoon with happiness over and over.  So many inspiring, gorgeous palettes.  Oh, you might also plan to have a sore “right click-save” finger before you are done, too.  I sure did.

Here is the palette I fell in love with . . .

Thank you, Brandi. I am calling it “Autumn Afternoon” for my kit.

(Although in retrospect, “Fall Funk” would have perhaps been more appropriate.  *sigh*)

Continue reading →