Apple Picking Season

One of my favorite fall pursuits is walking through an apple orchard on a grey day when the golden dry grass underfoot is wet with the early morning's gentle rain, inhaling this sweet hay scent mixed with the slightly fermented, sharp cider smell of fallen apples. This lovely photo by Jude McConkey captures it so perfectly!

You can browse more of McConkey's amazing pieces here.

Love List

Just thought I'd write about a few of the things I'm loving this fall! Have I mentioned my obsession with plaids yet? I blame my Scottish heritage for me loving every single piece of tartan I see. Oddly enough, I only own a few plaid things - I think I like too many kinds and colors to make up my mind which one to purchase! This shawl is from MadMakCloset on Etsy.

I know it comes from a bag and is extremely fake, but I can eat an entire bag of CrackerJacks on my own. (I'm actually a little ashamed to admit that out loud...) The combination of sweet and salty is just too good, and I love the crunch of popcorn! With this salted caramel corn recipe from Cookies and Cups, I can at least make a less-processed version on my own. We already make our own kettle corn in our popper (I'll have to post that recipe some day), but this kind looks even better!

Isabelle Arsenault's illustrations in "Once Upon a Northern Night" are so magical. They really evoke the quiet stillness and hushed sounds of a wintry, snowy night.

When summer nights fade and there's a chill in the air, I like to bring back Sunday afternoon tea time with the husband. We curl up with something sweet and steaming mugs of tea, coffee, or hot cocoa and just enjoy each other's company. It's one of my favorite traditions! I'm thinking of making this Earl Grey Tea Loaf from Vanillyn next weekend. I'm not really a  fan of white chocolate, so I think I'd switch the icing to a lemon or orange glaze instead.

Another one of my obsessions, other than plaids? Foxes. I don't know why, I'm just fascinated by them. This gold and black fox screen print from WetPaint is fancy enough to not look out of place in a sleek, modern dining room or living room but is playful enough for a kid's or baby's room as well.

What are YOU loving this fall? Share your finds in the comments please!

Bird Paintings by Betsy McLellan Studio

I stumbled across these colorful bird paintings by Betsy McLellan on Etsy earlier today. The vivid colors and bold brushstrokes are a great way to make the walls of often-neutral living rooms and bedrooms catch your eye. I think this cardinal one is my favorite - I love seeing their bright feathers contrast with newly-fallen snow in the winter.

She also paints chickadees, like this adorable little black-capped pair on a branch of bright red berries.

Have you ever seen a titmouse like this one here? They look a lot like cardinals, just with different colors. They're one of my favorite species to watch out for at the bird feeder.

There used to be a cat in our backyard when I was younger that was always after the blue jays. I remember one summer I kept finding bright blue and black striped feathers one or two at a time for weeks. Luckily, I think the blue jays we had (like this one painted here) always got away unscathed otherwise.

Here's another lovely chickadee print, this time with a lovely blue background to complement their black and white faces.

Betsy McLellan has a lot more paintings and prints available featuring more birds, other animals, and landscapes. See more of her work here.

Dreamy Flower Photos by Grain and Silk

These dreamy flower lomography photos from Grain and Silk remind me of photos you see in magazines, with their soft colors and hazy light.

They'd be great hung singly in a pale blue bathroom, or together as a pair on a neutral-colored wall. The soft pinks in the roses at the beginning of this post and in the mountain laurel blossoms shown above complement each other perfectly. They're called Ophelia's Flowers II and Ophelia's Flowers I.

As much as I love the two blooms above, I think this photo - titled House of Green VII - is my favorite. I love how the very geometric lines of the greenhouse contrast with the rounded, irregular leaves and foliage. The greens really pop against the pale sky. I want a greenhouse of my own someday, even if it's just a tiny one in the backyard, so in the meantime I'd settle for a beautiful pic of one like this!

See more photos from Grain and Silk here.

Just a quick note on posting - I know posts have been a bit sparse this month, but we're moving! I should be able to post more frequently in another week or two, depending on when we get internet set up again. I've also been really busy adding prints to the shop in time for fall and winter. Check them out here if you'd like!

Moon and Stars Finds

I've always been a bit fascinated with the moon and stars, but I think the full moon this past week has really kicked it into high gear lately! This moon sticker from i3Lab would look great in a bedroom, high on a wall, or over a desk in a study.

These delicate pave diamond moon and stars necklaces by JayAndRenae are the perfect little bit of shimmer and shine. I like how the metal has an aged patina to it. It seems suitable, when you consider just how old the moon and stars really are!

Lastly, these full moon earrings by BeautySpot aren't your average studs. I always have a hard time finding wearable stud earrings that aren't fancy gemstones or slightly-boring balls, so these are perfect. They're interesting but wouldn't stand out too much from a distance and are in neutral gray and black. Very versatile!

Happy Fourth of July!

Here's wishing a Happy Fourth of July to all of you in America! I hope you have a day/weekend filled with red white and blue, fireworks, barbecues, rocket popsicles, and parades.

I'll confess: I don't really decorate for Independence Day. It's one of my favorite holidays, but I always want to do something different than little flags and bunting everywhere. I love both of those things, but I'm always looking for something that's more classic Americana and that could be displayed year-round.

Some of these items might just do the trick! I like the vintage charm and classic look of these wooden pallet star signs by RusticDesigns1. They'd look great on top of a mantel, over a couch, or even hanging on a porch by the door. I just can't decide if I'd want one color, or all three. Tough decision! You could easily DIY your own version as well. Just take a square or rectangle piece of wood (or strips of wood nailed together), varnish or stain it with your choice of color, then stencil a star in the middle with red, blue, or white acrylic paint. Let dry, and hang!

I've been obsessed with barn stars like these vintage iron ones by Becaruns for ages. If you walk around the older parts of Boston, you can see original ones from the colonial days still attached to the sides of old brick buildings in the city. They remind me of our patriotic and historic past.

July 4th wouldn't be complete without some stars and stripes! This flag by PassedBy is a vintage one, featuring only 48 stars (from before Alaska and Hawaii joined the union). It's discolored a bit with age, but I think that only adds to its loveliness.

I'd like to take a minute to thank all those who have served in the military, risking their lives to protect our country, and to remember family members and ancestors who have served but who are no longer with us.

Again, I hope you all have a wonderful holiday! 

Paper Collage Flower and Fruit Prints by Deborah Alysoun Art

I stumbled across these paper collage prints of flowers and fruits by Deborah Alysoun Art the other day, and immediately fell in love with them. I love the bright colors, subtle changes in tones and hues, and textures in these prints. 

This first one features a juicy ripe peach still on the branch. The fuzzy skin goes from yellow to orange to pink. It looks like the real thing!

She also has a cherry version. They're one of my favorite summer fruits. I think everyone has a childhood memory of staining their fingers (and their shirts) with juicy cherries on a hot July day.

This bluebell print really captures the flower's delicate petals and color variations. We always had these growing wild in the garden, and you'd see blue and purple versions on the same stalk. They looked like they'd been painted with watercolors, just like in this print!

Trilliums are little-known flowers that seem to be very popular in the flower catalogs this year. They'll grow in full shade, and they go from snowy white when they first bloom to pink tones like you see here once they've been flowering for awhile. I always love watching for the color change in them in my mother's garden.

Pansies are definitely one of the most popular spring flowers. You see these in almost every front yard, in all colors and sizes. Deborah really captured the little details of their "faces" and "beards" with her careful little cuts.

See more of Deborah Alysoun Art's beautiful prints and other pieces here!

Early Summer Favorites

Here are some of my early summer Etsy favorites, inspired by starry summer nights and the smell of saltwater waves at the beach!

This whale hanging etched with a ship image from Edies Lab reminds me of old scrimshaw carvings. It'd be perfect over a mantel or sofa.

This linocut by Mag Print depicts West Mabou Beach on Cape Breton in Nova Scotia. I've never been to Nova Scotia (although I plan on going some day!), so I'll have to live vicariously through this lovely, beachy scene instead.

This is one of my all-time favorite books! You can't go wrong with anything by Robert McCloskey, even if you don't have Maine roots like I do. He's equally well-known for his books Blueberries for Sal and Make Way for Ducklings (the former is another favorite of mine!). This book is filled with amazing sketches depicting the wildlife around the sea in Maine, and the lives of these two little girls shown here. You can find it used from BookBW here, or new from any bookseller.

Here's another lovely linocut, called "Evening Trees", by Perla Anne. It reminds me of being a little kid in the summertime, laying on my back in the grass and staring up at the stars in the night sky through the branches of the maple trees around our yard. Simple yet magical!

Finally, some handmade Maine wild blueberry goat milk soap from Meadowfly Farm! You can read their story on their website, and I think you'll really be touched by how they raise their goats. This isn't a mass-farming operation, it's small and personal!

What are you liking from Etsy and beyond these days for summer?

Marshmallow and Hot Dog Roasting Sticks from Curly Dog Roasters

One of my favorite things to do in early summer is sit around a bonfire on a chilly night, watching the stars come out and roasting hot dogs and marshmallows.

Luckily, these ingenious roasting sticks from Curly Dog Roasters make it much easier than trying to get a regular straight skewer down the exact middle of a hot dog. That part never quite works out, does it?

They also sell these marshmallow sticks. It's really clever how they curve around - you can hold them close enough to the fire to get a nice golden brown exterior without worrying that they'll fall off and cause a large flame that smells just like burnt caramel. Not that that's ever happened to me...multiple times in one night...

Check out Curly Dog Roasters' Etsy shop here!

Spring Etsy Finds

I just thought I'd share some of the spring Etsy finds I've been loving lately! 

I've become a little obsessed with Marimo moss. The balls are bright green and velvety! The moss is actually an algae that likes to live in water and is easy to grow. You can buy this premade Japanese Marimo moss ball terrarium by Pink Serissa for instant greenery and detail in your home, or you could purchase a moss ball and some pebbles and make your own.

Spring seems to call for simple jewelry to match with flowing, colorful dresses, and these sterling silver teardrop dangle earrings by Popsicle Drum are the perfect accent. The hammered surface adds subtle detail, and the size is just right. I also like that they're dangly, so they'll move with you or in the breeze like a tiny windchime.

This beach limpet shell pendant necklace by Rock Rose Jewellery is another great simple piece. Limpets are one of my favorite shells to collect, so this lovely silver pendant also reminds me of happy childhood summer days at the beach!

To go along with the simple jewelry theme, here's a delicate gold bar nameplate necklace by Momentus NY. I like the classic look - it's not something that will go out of style. The nameplate bar is also different than the usual round or oval name pendants that you see.

I've always been fascinated by cuckoo clocks, but I've never seen them given a modern twist before! These neon pink and gold cuckoo clocks by Gallivanting Girls are classic cuckoo clocks from Germany that have been painted in hot pink, gold, and white. I think they'd be perfect in a modern white living room or hallway. I wonder if the bird inside has been painted, too!

What Etsy finds are you loving so far this spring?

Under This Moon Necklace

Gemagenta's "Under This Moon" pendant is definitely one of the most original ideas I've seen on Etsy lately.

When you give her your birthday, she looks up what phase the moon was in and then recreates it in pendant form. She even etches in the little craters and blackens in the part in shadow (for anyone not born under a full moon). I love the presentation and packaging as well. It makes it extra-special and shows how much care she's put into the piece. I know what's on my Christmas list!...(*cough* husband take note *cough*).

Mason Bee Houses from WudwerxUSA

A mason bee house is a great tool for pollinating the flowers and vegetables in your summer garden! This type of structure is favored by non-aggressive mason and leafcutter bees and also provides a home for helpful insects over the winter.

This version is handmade by WudwerxUSA. See more of their creations here!

Fresh=Picked Mistletoe

Just in time for the holidays, fresh-picked mistletoe! Dilly Brand's store sells mistletoe harvested only hours before. I've actually never seen sprigs of this with the berries still on - they're so pearly and lovely.

If you have small children or animals, however, I'd advise removing them as they're poisonous. You can wire on faux pearls, white poms poms, or tiny silver ornaments instead to replace them.

See more from Dilly Brand's shop here.

Tees for Tots by Verkligheten

These t-shirts from Karin Soderquist's Verkligheten store on Etsy are so colorful and cute! The zebra, lemur, and magpie illustrations are simple, yet full of personality and playfulness. They make me wish they came in adult sizes, too!

See more of Karin's illustrations - including her adorable unicycling bear ornaments - here.

Fall Clutches

When fall rolls around, you can often find me wandering the back lanes with a camera in my hand, photographing every bright blaze of autumn branches. I can never get enough of the flaming orange, red, and golden colors on the trees!

I like a classic, old-fashioned film camera for these shots, but lugging around a heavy camera and lenses as well as a heavy purse can strain my shoulders. Clutches are the perfect solution - you can use the strap (if they have one) or easily add your own, or you can just tuck it into a pocket while you're shooting.

Here are some of my favorite clutches from Etsy, found in the shops of Davie and Chiyo, Babbs Boutique, SolaWu, and Ao3Designs.

What's your favorite type of purse for autumn? Do you like to switch to tweed and houndstooth, or darker colors? I'd love to know!

Tea Towels and Aprons from JiltyDrawings

I miss living in London every day, so these playful and fun tea towels and aprons from Jilty Drawings would definitely make me feel like I was back in the UK!

They're based on popular British cakes and "biscuits" (that's cookies, if you're American), as well as English nursery rhymes. Have you ever heard, "Oranges and lemons ring the bells of St. Clemen's"? The end of the rhyme is a bit, well, gruesome to say the least but the other stanzas charmingly describe the different sounds of the church bells around London.

See more from Jilty Drawings' Etsy shop here!