While it might not be cooling off much here in Florida, fall is in full swing in the Smokey Mountains ~ at least it was a couple weeks ago when Captain Hubby & I took a week to enjoy the leaves and some hiking.

I’ll post a few pics from that trip this week, but for now, I just had to share “BJ Lantz” product sightings in NC ~ no matter how long I do this, I don’t think that will ever get old :-)

This flag (Lowe’s) was hanging outside a BBQ restaurant in Dillsboro where we had lunch one day ~ I must have been starving when we got there, because I didn’t even notice this until we left!

I spotted this flag (Evergreen) hanging outside a gift shop in Maggie Valley….

While strolling through downtown Waynesville, there was one of my rug designs…

Also in Waynesville, a Leanin’ Tree card (the pink one :-)…

Earlier this month, Captain Hubby & I went to NC to enjoy some fall weather, changing leaves, hiking and just plain down-time.  We really enjoyed our time and I came back refreshed and really ready to get back to work.  Fall is my favorite season, I love the colors, the weather, the sense of new beginnings (I know, that should be spring, right?  Nope, always been fall for me).

One thing I sadly don’t get enough time to do in my day-to-day life is paint.  So, while in NC, I painted these…. A good friend has already laid claim to one for Xmas!

After Squam this year, I visited Rockport, MA with my good friend Darlyne.

The cute, the quaint, the flowers, the views.  Here’s just a taste, but if you want to see more, click here.

I’ve never stepped foot in an Ikea store.  Besides the fact that the closest one is nearly 2 hours away, I prefer to look for unique (and much cheaper!) storage solutions.  I love it when I find something in a thrift store or at a garage sale in which I can instantly see organizational potential.  Such is the case with this spice rack.  With all the bottles it was a whopping $2.00.

A couple of coats of my favorite metallic paint and an hour or so of combining & sorting three different jumbled jars of buttons and voilà! ~ organized buttons!

The shelves you see above it holding rubber stamps at the ready is an expandable drawer organizer I picked up for $1.

Thanks for all the great reading suggestions.  I’ve decided everybody gets one!

Something I do before I go to Squam Art Workshops is make bookmarks to give away to friends, old and new.  It gets me in the mood and is just plain fun.  It was really nice to hear from “old” friends that they still used the one from last year and that it was their favorite bookmark.

Here’s how I made this year’s.  I apologize for the color variations in my quick photography.  Stick with me till the end for a giveaway….

First, let’s lay down some color…

….then add a store-bought stamp….

…now let’s add one of my favorite hand-carved stamps…

…then a little paint & gel medium swirls for a little boldness…

…..need another hand-carved stamp!

…and another!  This time in metallic for a little zing…

….add some little black dots around the swirls and some poppin’ red dots and we’re almost there…

……some ribbon & a wavy cut across the bottom finishes the look.

Now for that giveaway ~ I am giving these three away to three winners.  Just tell me what is the best book you’ve read lately. For me, it was “The Help” by Kathyrn Stockett.  Fantastic.  I’ll randomly draw winners first thing Tuesday morning (October 12).