Celebrating the end of October with another entry in monthly Handmade Chain Challenge! This time with a handbuilt soda-fired hexagon chain that now lives on the side of a patio deck… draped, swagged & interacting with the plants. Can’t wait to see it drifted with snow… sadly, these plants aren’t going to last much longer!!

#2021chainchallenge – #handmadechain – #chainlinks2021

Some more Halloween decorations… here’s Nancy’s assortment of The Ghouls Collection!!! Along with one imposter on the far right made by her daughter Lydia! Looks like I might have an apprentice in the making?!

A fun day for candy overload & spooky Fall decorations! Like this creepy skeleton with one of my totem poles all draped in spider webs!!! Thanks for the photo Chris!

And let me just say one more time… MAURIE’S SUGAR SHOPPE in Eureka, Illinois has the best handmade caramel apples ever!!! If you’re anywhere nearby in Central Illinois be sure to stop by… but do it quick… caramel apple season is coming to an end soon!

After a fun day at MAURIE’S SUGAR SHOPPE last Wednesday, I came home with a bunch of “sweet” snacks for myself & to share… caramel apples, chocolate fudge, caramel bites, FrankenPops, and more! Although some of them didn’t even make it halfway home!

I mean, homemade candy from Maurie’s makes for a great late-night road trip snack… burp!!!

Special shout-out to Katelyn who did the wonderful window display at MAURIE’S SUGAR SHOPPE. So cute, so festive, so creative! She made all of the “candy” out of actual pumpkins! Candy apples, popcorn balls, candy corn o’lantern, wrapped mints & even bubble gum!!! Such a great way to set the Halloween tone… and show off some of the goodies to be found inside!

While hanging out at MAURIE’S SUGAR SHOPPE all day Wednesday, we sold candy, caramel apples & pottery…. but still found time to make some fun Halloween treats in their candy kitchen!!! We had a great time making green FrankenPops, orange Pumpkin Pops, Zombie Krispy Treats, and even a Werewolf Pop!!!… and “maybe” doing some quality control testing along the way!

Huge thanks to my friends Keith & Julie for hosting my latest Pottery Pop-Up at MAURIE’S SUGAR SHOPPE this week. It was so much fun hanging out in a candy store all day, meeting some new customers, selling some pottery… and just “maybe” eating some candy along the way! Thanks to everyone who stopped by last Wednesday at MAURIE’S in Eureka… we had a very “sweet” time!!!

The last of the coleus on my back porch in the morning sun. Long flower spikes enjoying the sunshine. Yet with freezing temps coming soon in the forecast, I think today is the day to cut them back, start more cuttings & move them down to the basement to see if I can remember to keep them alive all Winter??? I doubt it… but that’s why we take cuttings, right?!

No TRICKS, just TREATS this morning along the lakefront!
Finally, a dry morning after a long week of rain. So nice to get back out on my bike to enjoy the sunrise, and what a sunrise it was!!! A beautiful, crisp Halloween morning!