We have officially entered what we all lovingly deem the “ber” months. In my humble opinion, the absolute best time of the year. As has become a common theme lately in my life, time seems to be moving far too quickly. And with the weather, at least in my neck of the woods, still being a bit warmer than usual, I feel like the number of what could be deemed “peak fall” activity weekends didn't quite meet my expectations. I'm going to blame the weather.
Weather be damned, I still managed to find plenty of things I can't get out of my brain, along with a few places and experiences that genuinely made me happy. With that being said, I present the October list of Stuff We're Into.
One Spidey D Away From Losing It
Some may say, “America runs on Dunkins.” I'll be honest, I definitely do not run on Dunkin. What can I say? I'm a coffee snob, and this place just isn't it for me when it comes to coffee. However, ever since their viral “Spidey D” meme took on a life of its own in 2024, I've become a Dunkin fan for approximately one month a year.
Originally, this was truly just for the memes, but this year, to my own surprise, I found myself thinking, “You know what, I need to try this little doughnut.” And holy moly, not only is it cute and funny to look at, it's actually quite tasty. I'd like to tell you I tried it once, but I'd be lying. I've even asked my husband to pick one up for me today as I'm writing this on the night before they disappear. Gotta get my last taste of the hype until next year!
Dunkin, my sincerest apologies for the judgment. I still won't drink your coffee, but I'll happily eat a doughnut seasonally with you. 🎃
October was also the month I realized that I truly am an elder millennial, succumbing to a few things I wasn't entirely sure I'd ever find myself embracing. On the first and second slide are the felt mice I've purchased from Terrain for my holiday table. Why does this feel like such an old-lady thing to do? I think they're so quirky and charming. My husband looked at me and asked, “What are you buying?” but I informed him these were non-negotiable decorations. I did, however, promise to exercise restraint when it came to some of the Christmas versions.
Terrain, if you're listening, I want the one with the mice hanging the Christmas lights. As I write this, they’re already sold out! I guess I’m not the only elder millennial purchasing these! However, I’ll gladly take these mice as the substitute.
I'm also taking advantage of the fact that it's October over here on the blog to haunt you with three things I lost at auction this month through various auction houses on LiveAuctioneers. First, an incredibly old, hand-painted Parcheesi board. I have absolutely no idea how to play, but the colors and design on this board were incredible. Then there was this hand-carved nautical tramp art frame. WOWZERS. I've never seen anything quite like it, and I immediately saved the photo to my camera roll for future reference. Finally, this shadow-box sailing ship with another tramp art frame. Once again, I wasn't quite prepared to spend thousands of dollars on a single antique piece, so I had to let that one sail away, too. Sigh.
Not pictured, and in much more exciting news, I did finally win a pair of matching wooden corner bobbin chairs! I've been on the hunt for nearly two years for a pair, and I'm happy to report that I'll be driving to Connecticut on Halloween to pick up my very own. Sometimes the auction gods finally come through.
Mochaware. Something about this particular pottery really speaks to me. I was so excited to see that Nicky Kehoe, via Modern Alchemy, had just dropped an entire assortment of it. I'm in love with all of it. The colors are exquisite, and the patterns are unlike anything you see in everyday pottery.
For a little history, mochaware dates back to the late 18th century, with production becoming particularly popular in England and later America throughout the 19th century. It is a form of slip-decorated earthenware, often recognizable by its beautiful, branching, tree-like patterns, known as dendritic decoration. The designs were created by introducing an acidic solution to wet colored clay slip, which caused the pigment to spread into those wonderfully organic, almost fern-like patterns. The name is thought to reference mocha stone, a type of moss agate with similar natural markings. I love that something created centuries ago through a combination of chemistry and craftsmanship still feels so fresh and interesting today. The colors, the patterns, the history. This is exactly the kind of stuff we should all be into.
Lastly, I used to carry a little diary around back in the day that had a particularly clever saying on it. The brand was sold at the store I worked at years ago, and for the life of me, I can't find my old notebook or remember the name of the brand. These little books from Brass Monkey are pretty darn close, though. With titles like “A Tiny Diary for Tiny Thoughts,” “Future Blackmail,” and “People I Plan to Haunt,” they're fun to carry around, leave out for people to see, or give as a gift (including to oneself, naturally). Personally, I'm partial to the blackmail journal, but tis the season, and I think everyone should have received the “People I Plan to Haunt” journal this month.
A detour worth taking:
I'm bringing one of my now very old-millennial-grannie mice along for the next few discoveries. First up, a very old and very hilarious Halloween costume I came across on Instagram. I haven't been to a Halloween party in years, but I would absolutely love to dress up as a box of cigarettes. Non-smoker here, for the record. How cute is this? I would like to wear this and perform a little Radio City Rockette routine. Does anyone want to join my lineup? We have a year to get our choreography together.
Speaking of Instagram, I really do love when the algorithm occasionally serves up something worth exploring in my new state. I can't remember how or why I came across this hot dog place, The Very Best in Pottstown, but bless the person who posted it and prompted me to save it to my maps.
Last weekend, we were driving to visit another destination on my Pennsylvania bucket list, Historic Trappe, which I want to share more about another time. To my surprise, we were very close to Pottstown, and this little pit stop quickly became a must. Not only was the food absolutely delicious, but every single detail of the place was so perfect and nostalgic. The order ticket looked straight out of the '80s or '90s, the decor felt wonderfully untouched, and there was even an arcade in the back filled with games that are forever etched into my childhood memories.
All in all, it was a truly lovely little time capsule. We'll absolutely be back, and I'd encourage anyone passing through the area who has a fondness for revisiting their own childhood to stop in. Sometimes the best discoveries are the ones you never knew you were looking for.
In the vein of childhood nostalgia, I stumbled upon the brand Les Néréides Paris this month. Their jewelry reminds me of childhood in the best possible way. There are elements of their designs that bring back memories of my own childhood, while other pieces look as though they could have belonged to your grandmother or great-grandmother. The hand-painted details and beautiful enamel work add so much charm and character, which I think is something a lot of jewelry today is missing.
After diving a little deeper into their website, it's nearly impossible to choose a favorite. Each piece feels so individual and has its own little storytelling element. I'd suggest taking a look at their collections and finding something that represents a story, a memory, or something someone loves. These are the kinds of pieces that feel worth keeping and eventually passing down.
A Little Inspiration, A Little Aspiration:
Lastly, there will never be a month when something in fashion doesn't stop me in my tracks. This month, the standout was the women's Polo Ralph Lauren show in Paris. There was so much from this collection that was absolutely incredible, and if you haven't seen the show, please do yourself a favor and take a look. The styling, the attention to detail, and the beautiful craftsmanship throughout deserve a closer look.
But the one look that really got me was this particular combination. The borrowed-from-the-boys trousers, cinched with a vintage-inspired belt, are INSANE. I can't tell you how many times I've tried to recreate this sort of look and failed. Then there's the glove, the jewelry, and that crochet cardigan. Be still my grannie-style, preppy, collegiate heart. This is one of those looks that will be permanently engrained in my brain, and I will absolutely be referencing it when I get dressed this fall.
At the end of last month, I shared the bounty of pumpkins we brought home to decorate our front steps, and voila! Here's the finished product on a particularly foggy, very fall-like day. Our house sits a little farther back from the road, but our entry brings me plenty of joy, and hopefully a tiny bit of joy to anyone else who happens to catch a glimpse of it.
On the home front, I finally purchased curtains for our living room from Anthropologie. The room has been taking much longer to finish than originally planned, thanks in large part to the month-plus wait for our wallpaper to arrive. We eventually realized it was shipping from Spain in August, when it seemed the entire country had collectively gone on holiday. Understandable, but not exactly helpful for my timeline! Once the room is complete and everything is in place, I'll be sharing the finished space here. I've given you a few little hints of the progress along the way, so I'm excited to finally bring it all together.
While browsing the site and searching for the right curtains, I also came across this rather large rattan duck. The ongoing joke in our house is that my husband knows if there's something made of rattan, there's a pretty good chance I'll like it. Normally, he's right. I don't think I've quite convinced him that this particular duck is a necessary addition to our home, but I may still try.
While I have two more creative projects on my list that I'd like to finish before the year is over, sewing a shirt and completing two miniature furniture pieces for my dollhouse, I've already found something to potentially add to my 2027 creative project list.
Enter the needlepoint house purse.
Taking two things I love and combining them into one project seems like a perfect marriage: interior design and needlepoint. The site Friend of Mine has a particularly lovely kit that, once completed, becomes this little house-shaped purse. And how cute would it be to give the inside a really fun fabric lining? I'm still working my way through finishing my needlepoint projects for this year, so I'm trying not to get ahead of myself, but this one has certainly caught my attention.
Needlepoint has become a completely new hobby for me, and what a fascinating (and expensive!) little world it is. I'm always so in awe of what people create, and I love discovering the different ways people turn a simple canvas into something entirely their own.
Wishing everyone a fun and spooky Halloween weekend. Although, not too spooky, please. Spooky things still freak me out.
I'll be grabbing my dream chairs, seeing if I can convince my husband to make one last Spidey D doughnut run, and enjoying what's left of the month.
See you next month.
XO,
B
