The 100 Project (Part 2)

Plants.
Sun.
Sky.
Film hiccups, not my finger I promise.

DIY Jack O' Lantern String Lights

Getting my house decorated properly for Halloween means cutting out little pumpkins and putting them on string lights. Just a simple DIY project, just in time for Halloween. Although, I do love eerie and dark Halloween decorations I've seen out there... this year, I'm more inclined to sweet and simple. I'm hanging these above my desk, which is against the window so it casts neat little pumpkin shadows to those looking from the outside. Not to be creeping I hope. 

Sort-of instructions:
Doodle a mini pumpkin on card stock as your template // trace on orange paper or cardstock // hole punch the eyes // poke the light bulbs through carefully // light and be merry.

The 100 Project (Part 1)

Have you heard about The 100 Project? Last month, I came across it on Jennifer's blog, I ART U, and decided to take part. I finally got around to getting the film developed this past weekend! So here is my first installment of photos that I took on my disposable camera from October 1-7. 

Read more about the project here. 

Being so close to the seaside is definitely my favorite part of living in St. Petersburg. Most days, I run out of the door with my flip flops and shorts to head out to the beach or my new favorite dock. It is the best place to go to put me at ease and help me forget the troubles of that day. 

What is your favorite part about your city?

Also, I am praying for all those in the Northeast having to deal with Frankenstorm. Stay safe and let's hope for a fast recovery! 

002 // Sunday Breakfast

Sunday mornings, as you know, has become my favorite time of the week. Waking up just as the sun peaks and making myself breakfast is something I look forward to. I don’t really plan what to make ahead of time, but sometimes things just find their way to you. Like on Saturday, I happened to come across a waffle maker I didn’t know I had. So then, waffles on the Sunday breakfast menu it is. 

Easy Waffle Recipe with Almond Milk

2 cups of flour

2 tablespoons of sugar

1 tablespoon of baking powder

1 teaspoon of salt

1 ¾ cup of almond milk

1/3 cup of vegetable oil

2 eggs

A pinch of cinnamon, if you like.

1. Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a mixing bowl.

2. Whisk together milk, oil and eggs together in a separate bowl.

3. Pour the milk mixture into the dry mixture gradually and stir until it is all blended. There should be a few lumps in the mix.

4. Pour about 1/3 cup of the batter on to your waffle maker according to its instructions. For me, it was about 4-6 minutes until the waffle maker stopped steaming.

** Optional: If you want blueberry waffles, you can sprinkle on some fresh blueberries on top of the batter in the waffle maker and close the lid. 

City Tour: Haslam's Book Store

Books are such a wonderful escape to a new land full of mystery, suspense, fantasy and tear-jerking moments. When I was younger I used to spend hours at a bookstore, I still can actually, just walking from aisle to aisle and leafing through a few novels here and there. One of my favorite places to go in St. Petersburg is Haslam's Book Store.  

It's been in business for over 60 years and has become Florida's largest bookstore. It has a lovely collection of new and used books, beautiful leather bound classics, gifts, and glass cases full of first editions and signed copies. So much history. My favorite part about this bookstore is probably the kitties that roam around freely. :)

I love supporting local businesses and left with a copy of The Sound and the Fury by William Faulkner, one of my favorite authors. Snuggled up in bed with this book is where I'll be this weekend!

What are your weekend plans?

See more places in St. Petersburg here

{Photo credit: first photo / the rest were taken by me}

Ghetto Pumpkin Carving

After a long trip to a small pumpkin patch not so near my home, my niece and I came home to carve our little pumpkins. We didn't have a clue what we were going to carve. Somehow I came up with a shark. Before it was a whale, you know how I love whales, but it didn't seem scary enough for halloween. So I decided on a shark, and my niece chose to carve hearts. Unfortunately, we were not equipped with pumpkin carving tools. So all we had to use were some kitchen utensils: a soup spoon, a mixing spoon, a knife and a toothpick. 

Ghetto pumpkin carving at its finest. 

My shark doodle.

Slow and tedious process of carving along the lines formed by tracing my shark doodle with a toothpick.

Pumpkin Patch

My niece and I got to spend a lot of time together this weekend. We took a trip to a pumpkin patch, which crosses off one thing from my fall bucket list. It was really just an hour away, but it turned out to be the smallest pumpkin patch I've ever seen, even smaller than the one I went to last year with Joshua. But she never went to one before and I wasn't about to waste a trip all the way there without bringing home some pumpkins! The owners there were the sweetest people you'd ever meet and were so patient with us while we walked around and around again looking for the perfect pumpkin.   

Have you gone to a pumpkin patch yet or carved a pumpkin? 

Stay tuned to see my pumpkin carving. Did you catch my sneak peek on Twitter? ;)

Houndstooth Things

Houndstooth dress / Houndstooth scarf / Houndstooth iPhone case / Houndstooth wool iPad case / Houndstooth duct tape / Houndstooth Rucksack

Houndstooth is on my list of graphic patterns I love, including stripes, polka dots and chevron. Something about the old-fashioned and sophisticated feel of its bold pattern just attracts me to it. 

Sunday Breakfast

I woke up early on Sunday, just as the sun hit my blinds. With a cup of coffee and breakfast in hand, I sat by the window and dove into many lovely stories in the Kinfolk Magazine. There's just something about Sunday breakfast that I love, and of course the whole "easy Sunday morning" aspect of it all.

Other things I loved about that morning:
The speckled morning sunlight that fought through the shadows of our mango tree dancing across my table.
The slight chill in the air that brushed against my warm skin.
A stray cat that jumped on the window sill.
Silence.
A few signs that fall is finally starting to find its way down to Florida, including that chilly breeze.

Sunday mornings are beginning to be my favorite time of the week. When is your favorite?

Tidbits

Cactus and a pretty sunset from when I went here

Gold baggu bag that I finally got my hands on from this roundup

Whale illustration I made hanging in my office

Some sweets at my desk, only a handful because I would probably end up eating it all.

Happy Friday!

So glad it's the weekend, I'll finally be able to get caught up on some things I've been slacking on all week: chores, reading (I finally got the new issue of Kinfolk in the mail), anniversary planning and of course, sleep. I just started going to the gym again and it's given me so much more energy, I'm finding it a bit difficult to rest.

Later tonight, I'm doing something a bit out of my element... that is, going to a drag show. I've heard raving reviews about it but if not for some friends, I don't think I would've tried going otherwise. There's a first time for everything, and I'm excited! It's always fun to go out and do something new from time to time. Have you ever gone to one?

I hope you have a wonderful weekend!

Photos from my Instagram feed. Follow me @meowlynn

Fall Bucket List

I'm a bit late in sharing some things I'd like to do this fall, unlike my summer to do list that I shared at the beginning of the season. But better late than never! I still haven't done any of these things yet, so hopefully I can before!

Do you have a fall bucket list? If you do, share!

{images via  1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6}