Autumn Surprises

This is my favorite time of year.  I believe the holiday season has the potential to bring out the best in everyone.  And while it is fun to receive gifts, it can be so much more fun to give them.  I love the challenge of gift hunting.  Even finding that item in the corner of the shop, the shaft of light from heaven pointing you towards it...a chorus of angels singing "This, this is the perfect gift to give so and so!" as you pick it up and hold it in your hands.  And if most people feel the same as I do, it's not even the gift that's important.  Just the fact that they took the time to think of you makes me so happy.
Case in point, I just received an unexpected package from an old friend of mine...

 First I love all the little personal details.

And a little note, just for me.

 Even the tea in the cup is arranged grey, purple, grey, purple, grey.

And homemade biscotti! So yummy.

A pumpkin for a bit of fall spirit.

This just happens to be a quote from one of my favorite men:

And in the box...a cosy hat for the cooler weather!  Handmade of course. 

I love you, Jessica!

Plant Babies

I have recently become quite taken with gardening.  I can't do much since I live in a second story apartment, but that's probably for the best.  Admittedly, I don't have the greenest thumb in the world.  Here are some of my most recent creations/acquisitions.  

These two are air plants and really have no root system.  I have a third but didn't take a picture of it for some reason.  So neat!  

These are little succulent gardens that I put together.  A new hobby that is surprisingly fun.

Masquerade Ball

My sister-in-law has a themed birthday party every year in December.  This year's theme is Animal Masquerade.  Seems like an easy thing to find....unless you have standards but don't want to pay over 50 bucks.  Here are some neat ones that do meet my standards, but not my price range:

Simple Pleasures

Surely I'm not the only person who really loves something that is packaged just right!  This tea I bought in Ashland, OR for example:

 Lovely presentation!

 Even the way it's wrapped up just right

 And throw in some sucre as well