Tag: cottagecore

In Our Hobbies Era

On By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn Uncategorized20 Comments

Sometimes I am not great at relaxing. Does that sound weird? Like, if I stop moving and stop working, I feel guilty. I have been trying to change that though, because relaxing is important too. We all need to recharge and do things just for fun, without a purpose other than just that thing, no ulterior motive or need other than just to enjoy. Other than reading I guess lol. And it is way better for my brain than just playing on my phone when I have some downtime.

Some of these may not count as hobbies per se, but…if it is done for recreation or relaxation, I am counting it.

This post does contain Amazon Affiliate Links. If you were to click a link and make a purchase, I would receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.

What I am Doing:

Stitching and embroidery. I had no idea how much I needed to do something with my hands when I am watching tv. And this is so fun to do .. anytime honestly. I like to listen to podcasts and books and sew, and I even took my project with me to my friend Kelly’s house the other night and stitched on it while we hung out in her yard. I turned this corgi needle punch into a stitching project, but I am actually attempting the embroidery stitches in my new cat project. So far I can do satin, straight, and stem! Woohoo! Nothing fancy but I am having a nice time learning. I think I might make a few things for presents this year, and I have a feeling I might just start putting little embroidered touches on clothes. But I might be getting ahead of myself!

Speaking of Kelly’s yard…this is a pastime I share with my little tribe. Birding. Spotting birds, identifying birds, and even just sitting quietly and listening to birds, letting our Merlin App capture the songs and identifying them for us. I love that app, it identifies the bird/birds and makes a little list. Then when the bird sings again, it lights that bird name up so you can start to learn the songs by ear yourself. I love it. I have added more birds to my life list with the app, and it is so peaceful to just sit with a cup of tea or a glass of lemonade and just listen and let the app do its thing. The other night we were all gathered at Kelly’s, drinking our tea and all of us had our Merlin apps recording. Lol.

I was surprised to catch that Baltimore Oriole on there! We were on a picnic at the park, enjoying a nice breezy day under the trees just relaxing, and I left the Merlin running for a bit to see what I could pick up. We love a picnic in our family, and this just added a little extra to it.

I am also coloring. I feel super weird saying that, but it really is quite relaxing. I now color while Wyatt is drawing or coloring and we just sit there next to each other, listening to music, absorbed in what we are doing. I am just hopping around my Cottagecore coloring book, happily coloring, sharing colored pencils with Wyatt. It is so fun, honestly.

Finally, maybe this isn’t a hobby but since I am not doing it for a job or school I am counting it as one. Annotating my books as I read. My books obviously, not the library’s books. But maybe it is a hobby since I bought some special highlighters and pretty sticky tabs for it. And I love doing it, so I guess that counts! What is funny is that if Wyatt is sitting next to me when I am doing it, he likes to watch me highlight. It must be soothing to watch for him as well. Which I guess makes sense, he watches YouTube channels like Cups and Thoughts with me, and just rests his head on my shoulder, taking it in as well.

And not a hobby or pastime or whatever, but I am also having fun tracking my books graphically.

What Billy is doing:

One thing Billy is doing is leatherwork. Not as frequently as some of his other hobbies, because it requires more time and more space, but he will venture to his worktable and sew a little something. He does beautiful work, and has made gorgeous leather nature bags for Mermaid Girl and my friend Kelly’s daughter E. He still has to make one for Wyatt and one for Lisa’s Little Miss (Lisa over at Boondock Ramblings) but that is a time issue rather than anything else. He did whip up a small tiny cat wallet at my request the other day, and I love it. It is perfect for summer when I just want to carry some cash, my license, and my debit card.

However, what he is making the most are his tiny clay terrarium creatures. I have shared these before but this is what he is working on when he feels like making something. They are so cute, and I have asked him to make some cute ghosts in preparation for Halloween. I think he is going to wait a little longer though, something something about rushing summer… lol. This idea was actually born when he found the little tiny cloches online, and randomly ordered them. He asked what he should do and I said, make me a mushroom. So he did! And then from there he was off and creating these cute little critters!

As a Family:

Painting!

Our library is having its tiny art show again, just like it did last year. These are our entries this year! I am the sunset, Billy is the snail and the plop, and Wyatt is the green snail on a yellow background. We always have fun painting together.

Future Projects:

In true Billy and Erin fashion, we are already thinking of different things we want to make. I have asked him to learn to crochet this winter since I can’t do it no matter how hard I try, and I want him to make a few things. Lol. First however he is working on a little mini paint and go kit. He made small little canvases, and bought a cute little paint set and he took it with him when he went backpacking on Manitou Island a few weeks ago. He has a few things he wants to add and he wants to make a little bag to keep it in for future camping trips or even picnics. I want to make bracelets out of waxed thread and crystals and bells because at heart I am an elf or goblin or something.

I also have a two month free membership to CreativeBug and as I was browsing different project ideas, I found something I wanted to do with Wyatt! It is less hobby and more school, but it sounded really neat. It is a month of painting based on and inspired by different picture books. I thought it would be fun to do in August, to fill those hot yucky days and also to sort of get him used to a school and learning scenario again since we have taken the summer off for the most part.

What about you all? What hobbies do you have?

BookTubers I Have Been Watching

On By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn Uncategorized12 Comments

I am a big fan of YouTube. I usually like to relax for half an hour in the evening to a video, and what I like to watch differs from night to night. As for book content, I have certain favorites that I watch all the time – Alexandra Roselyn is one booktuber I watch a lot, The Cottage Fairy, and Darling Desi although they are not exactly booktubers, more like youtubers who talk about books. The Cottage Fairy is also pregnant and just announced she is taking some time off to be a mom, so congrats to her!

So, I have been on the hunt for new to me booktubers! I actually watch them with Wyatt, who gives his opinion on as well, and I throw in some booktubers who read and review middle grade for him. It is kind of a fun relaxing way to wind down at night together. Anyway, these are the booktubers we have been watching lately.

First up is Liv’s Library. She reads a lot of the same books that I like – fantasy, some magical realism, thrillers, contemporary, just a whole mix of things. And she is totally into the cozy way of life, and she has a very gentle way of speaking. So books and coziness and trips to Target..so far her channel is perfect.

I have also been watching a lot Ahya’s Cottage. She also reads books that I usually enjoy, such as middle grade, romantasy, cottagecore cozy type reads. She also throws some fashion in there too, which is cottagecore inspired and so cute. Her channel is also a very easy watch, gentle and calming, plus lots of good book recommendations!

Morgan Long is another YouTuber I have been watching. She loves tea and books and I just find her channel very positive. I think she speaks honestly about a lot of things, such as feeling lonely, or needing to build her confidence. I just find her very real. She also loves to read and shop for books, bake, and her channel just has a good happy feel to it.

And finally, Leora Aileen. She is another cozy vlogger, who vlogs all about books and life and tea and coffee and just things that make me happy. She is Dutch, living in Amersterdam, which adds another layer of interesting to her videos. I haven’t watched too many of her videos yet but I have watched enough to know I will be watching more.

And that is it from me today! I would love to hear any booktuber recommendations you might have!

Jane Austen January: Movie Thoughts: Pride and Prejudice (2005)

On By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn jane austen january, Uncategorized15 Comments

Happy Jane Austen January! Lisa from Boondock Ramblings and I are hosting a month long blog event that centers around Jane Austen. Together, we are focusing on four movies, and we will be posting non-movie related content independently as the month goes on. We would love it if you participated as well! Book reviews, movie reviews, or as Joy has already posted, a post about the places that you can visit from Pride and Prejudice! You can find Lisa’s thoughts on Pride and Prejudice here.

So for this week, our movie was Pride and Prejudice, the 2005 version. When Lisa and I were discussing our movie choices back in December, we had a hard time deciding which version to choose. Our hearts wanted the mini series and Colin Firth, but when we looked at the other factors, mainly the length, we decided to go with the 2005 Keira Knightley and Matthew McFayden version instead.

I have to admit, at first I was a little bummed. I had watched the 2005 version before, but only the one time, and I couldn’t recall it too well. And I thought I remembered not being super excited about Matthew McFayden as Darcy. (Sorry Matthew) But as we lie there watching it (because I always watch these movies all snuggled up in bed, plus it was arctic cold out) I came to the realization, that I did in fact, like it very much. Just because it wasn’t my “favorite” version, doesn’t mean that it was terrible. Such growth.

For one thing, this movie is fantastically beautiful in my opinion. The shots and cinematography to me are just gorgeous. There are two scenes that stand out in my mind. The first Joy actually mentions in her post too, and thanks to her post, I have a name for where this shot was filmed! Stanage Edge, Peak District. It’s the shot where Lizzie is standing on the cliffs, and her dress is just billowing around her, and it is just so vast and unbelievable, that it is a real place. I mean my goodness. It’s so dramatic and otherworldy.

The next scene is the one where Lizzie and Darcy are dancing at the Netherfield Ball. It’s a long scene, and the particular shot I am going to refer to is about halfway in at 5 minutes, but the two pause to banter, and you see all the other dancers continue dancing around them. Time has stopped for them, in that moment it seems – and then the whole room falls away. They pick up the dance and … the shot is just them, there are no other dancers because to them, they are all that matter, even though in this scene they do not seem to like each other very much at all. They dance, the dance concludes, and everyone is back, the moment is passed. I just loved it.

I think I like Sense and Sensibility better because Lizzie and Darcy are sort of bratty. Both of them, in their own way. I mean, Pride and Prejudice, right? I did really like Charlotte; she has a good little head on her shoulders and looks at life realistically. I loved her scene where Lizzie scoffed and was mean to her about marrying Collins, but Charlotte kind of straight talked her in a scolding fashion, and it was perfect. Lizzie really needed to hear it. I think the scene sort of shows just how immature in many ways Lizzie is, as she swings about and Charlotte schools her on reality.

I also love this actress, Claudie Blackley. She plays a main character, with just as much conviction and common sense, in the show Lark Rise to Candleford.

Things happen, I won’t go into them all because, spoilers, but I think we all know how these movies end. This is the perfect Enemies to Lovers trope by the way, if you are into that. I did really love the Sixteen Candles style ending – and that iconic line, about being completely, perfectly, incandescently happy.

I am so glad that we chose to watch this one after all. I loved it far much more than I remember, and Matthew McFayden isn’t a terrible Darcy at all – and his voice, so swoony! Oh and the scene where he walks out of the mist over the meadow… that was also so swoony…

This was a great movie to watch and I felt super cozy and happy afterward. Maybe not completely, perfectly, incandescently happy, but you know, like a normal level of happy.

Next up – Emma (1996) starring Kate Beckinsale

We would love to have you link up with us with any Jane Austen-ish post you would like! You can always find my linky at the top, but here it is again.

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Jane Austen Gift Guide

On By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn holiday gift guide, jane austen january8 Comments

Much like my literary Christmas gift guide, this one made me slightly giggle at what Jane Austen would think of her writing, life, etc being all over tea towels and mugs and even lip balm! I have to admit, I have been saving Jane Austen themed items to favorites lists for years – and I have Jane Austen themed items, sitting on shelves, tucked away on tables and nooks. If you like Jane, you just can’t help it.

Here are some fun things that I found. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.

Please note: This post does contain affiliate links from Amazon and Etsy. I would make a small commission if you were to purchase something through the link, at no extra cost to you.

Jane Austen’s Bad Boys Mug || Obstinate Headstrong Girl Sweatshirt || Pride and Purrijudice Mug

I love these two mugs – it’s hard for me to pick a favorite of the two. They are so different though, that why would I? I have a penchant for mugs; I love them and have so many that I need to cycle through them and put some away, put new ones out, over and over again (except for those few favorites that are always out)

And this sweatshirt! It looks so cozy and I love the embroidered quote just so subtly placed. Perfection!

Cottage Tee || Jane Austen Printable Calendar || Cross Stitch Pattern

So. I need this tee. I too, am excessively fond of a cottage. Plus, it is super adorable, flowers and a cute little cottage and an open book – I just love it.

The Printable calendar is also adorable. I have a calendar that is similar to this of Gwen Frostic’s art and even though it no longer matches up with the year, I have it on display just because I love to look at the art so much. I may need this one as well, and switch them out periodically.

One of my goals this year is to do more hand stitching, even though I am abysmal at it. I would never be praised for my needlework skills were I to go back in time and live. However I do enjoy it and find it a calm and relaxing activity. I haven’t cross stitched in a billion years, since I was a kid and my mom was teaching me, and this seems very involved, but… I just might try it.

The World of Jane Austen Puzzle || Jane Austen Lip Balm || Pride and Puzzlement Puzzle

Yes, two puzzles. I couldn’t choose between the two. I wish I had the patience to put together a puzzle; I often think about it. Like, where would I put it? We only have the one table really, so I would have to get a puzzle board that would slide under the couch or bed. Hmm. Now that I am thinking about this again, maybe I will try it. And now I feel like that meme of Bilbo…Why Shouldn’t I? Just my favorite meme ever really.

Ok moving on from my tangent these puzzles are both really cool. If I had to choose, like committed to putting together a puzzle, I would choose The World of Jane Austen because maybe it is easier looking? I could be completely wrong. But there are more colors and it is brighter so it seems like a better choice for a puzzle beginner.

And I promised you lip balm! I love the little tagline, it cracks me up.

And I would be completely remiss if I did not share books when talking of Jane Austen!

Jane Austen Arcturus Collection || The Jane Austen Escape Room || Jane Austen’s England || Tea with Jane Austen

I hope you enjoyed this as much as I enjoyed putting it together! It made this gray January that Michigan is experiencing seem a bit brighter!

Hello July!

On By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn hygge11 Comments

“Summer was our best season: it was sleeping on the back screened porch in cots, or trying to sleep in the tree house; summer was everything good to eat; it was a thousand colors in a parched landscape…”
― Harper Lee

Summer should be whimsy. Summer should be about these small things that stick with you forever, and feel like those endless lazy days, filled with what you love, surrounded by all the life and color that summer brings. Listening to the songs of crickets on hot nights, watching the fireflies perform their flickering dance in the twilight, the sweetness of a strawberry straight from the garden… these are summertime thoughts. I was watching the YouTuber Desi last night, and she talked about how we all have glimmers, which are small little things that make us happy, that give us joys, that glimmer in our soul. The sound of a storm rolling in with the distant thunder booming, picnics in the park with my family spread out on our blankets with books in the shade of the trees, butterflies flitting here and there in my yard, landing on the flowers I have planted for them. The scent of my lavender, the buzzing of the bees, watermelon, walking barefoot, taking Wyatt on his bike rides. Summer road trips and northern Michigan. Planting sunflower seeds and watching how tall they grow. Iced cold tea, that has been brewed by the sun.

I try to make sure that Wyatt has all these experiences that will become his glimmers. I try to expose him to the world, to nature, to different places and people and things and sights. I know some things that he loves, like seeing and hearing a blue jay call outside, riding his bike, drawing with sidewalk chalk, playing in his little play house while I garden around him, picking peaches, going to the library, spotting the moon, playing with his cousin Mermaid Girl around a backyard fire, swimming in his grandma’s pool.

One summer when I was a little kid, my mom and dad set up a giant tent one year in our yard. I loved taking my books and notebooks and pencils out there and just spending hours in there reading and writing and drawing, like my own little hideaway. I am actually going to have Billy put one up today in our yard, so that Wyatt and I can hang out in there reading and playing games and drawing, building new memories for Wyatt while I live out old ones.

I often wonder about what will stick with Wyatt as he grows older, become a core memory, those memories that are forever memories; will it be our moon parties we have with his cousin? Those nights around the fire? Watching our butterflies emerge from chrysalis and the tadpoles turn to frogs? Ice cream dinners or movie nights at home with popcorn his dad made?

Desi also made something I thought was sort of cool – a summertime mood board, filled with these glimmers. So I made mine. It is sort of neat and wild to think about how these small things that fill people up, these little shimmery glimmers, will be different for everyone. As soon as I post this, I am off to the other room where my husband is drinking his coffee and Wyatt is watching cartoons, to ask Billy what are his small things of summer that make him smile.

What about you? Any you want to share?

(And If you make a mood board and want to share, let me know! I am so curious and intrigued!)

My Sunday-Monday Post

On By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn Uncategorized29 Comments

My Sunday Post is hosted by Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer
Sunday Salon is hosted by Deb at Readerbuzz
It’s Monday! What Are You Reading? is hosted by Kathryn at Book Date

Hey all! Last week was very thankfully a slow week! We had one outing and the rest of the time we focused on things at home. We are also all on babywatch over here- my SIL is due any moment now and I can’t wait to meet my new niece!! She will be the fourth kiddo in our family with a March birthday!

UPDATE: Baby girl is here! Mom and baby are doing well!! Welcome to the world baby E!

Read Last Week:

I am still in the midst of Middle Grade March and finished two fun little books last week! The Grace of Wild Things was a fun, Anne of Green Gables inspired read. I hope to review it this week! And The Tea Dragon Society is so darn cute!! I want a tiny adorable tea dragon!! It is a graphic novel and the artwork is very Ghibli-esque.

Reading This Week:

Speaking of Ghibli, this book has big Ghibli vibes, specifically Kiki’s Delivery Service. It looks like it will be another fun little read for Middle Grade March.

Posted Last Week:

Homeschool Journey: Easing Back Into Our Routine

Tuesday Morning Coffee Catch Up

Made in Ireland: A Few Irish Etsy Artists

Watching and Listening:

Billy and I have been watching a weird range of shows this week. Ted Lasso, Beyond Paradise (a Death in Paradise spin off), and Ghosts. Then Friday night we watched Wolfwalkers, which is part of an “Irish Folklore Trilogy”. I used to watch Song of the Sea with Wyatt when he was a baby all the time, and I still love it. This one was amazing as well, but I don’t really think it is for kids. Maybe older kids, like high school? The description:

Wolfwalkers follows the story of Robyn Goodfellowe, a young apprentice hunter who arrives in Ireland with her father during a time of superstition and magic to wipe out the last wolf pack. While exploring the forbidden lands outside the city walls, Robyn befriends a free-spirited girl, Mebh, a member of a mysterious tribe rumored to have the ability to turn into wolves by night. As they search for Mebh’s missing mother, Robyn uncovers a secret that draws her further into the enchanted world of the Wolfwalkers and risks turning into the very thing her father is tasked to destroy.

It was pretty intense actually, but also perfect for St. Patricks day. We still need to watch the first in the trilogy, The Secret of the Kells, but if it is as good as Song of the Sea and Wolfwalkers I know I will love it.

As for listening, on Friday we listened to a lot Van Morrison, The Pogues, and The Irish Rovers. Naturally. Lol. I also started listening to a long form podcast (True Crime) called Black Hands about the Bain Family murders.

And that is about it from my corner of the internet! How are you all doing? What is happening in your neighborhood?

A Little Window Shopping Serotonin Boost – Garden Edition

On By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn garden11 Comments

It’s been a week all, with Wyatt’s surgery and recovery, an ice storm, a massive power outage, and I needed a bit of a serotonin boost. And rather than adopt a new reptile, go on a Target shopping spree, or make a dreadful error by cutting my own bangs, I opted to browse garden stuff on Etsy. Happy, joyful, hopeful, green, springtime garden things. So I guess this isn’t really a gift guide, but more of a brain dump of all the treasures I found and added to a wish list which is better than adding all to cart, right?

Gloves are pretty much mandatory for gardening in my world. I love those bee gloves, they are so adorable! I wonder how practical they are though? Maybe if I was do some light gardening or something they would work. The other gloves however look like absolute workhorses! I love them – I am forever scratching up my arms when gardening somehow, and these gloves with arm savers would be beneficial.

I ALWAYS wear a hat in the sun. I burn so easily and I have had family members with skin cancer so I try to go all in with sunscreen and hats. This hat is so cute, and I could see wearing it more places than just digging in the yard.

This shirt is also so perfect. I am all about this color right now, and I love the sentiment as well as the pun.

I have always said I wanted to add decorations to our garden. I don’t think I could choose between my beloved foxes and rabbits though. It would just be so fun to have a family of foxes or serious rabbit poking about.

So, I designed and uploaded this garden planner book to Amazon because it was what I wanted. Lol. However it is available for anyone to purchase.

If there is one thing I absolutely will buy off of this list eventually, it is this harvest apron. I have long huge baskets but they are not super practical for me. I just don’t know where to store them when I am not using them! This harvest apron would be perfect!

And these wind chimes are just so pretty and whimsical and happy. I find gentle wind chimes so peaceful.

And then these two just for fun, because they made me smile…

Is there anyone who wouldn’t want a hobbit hole in their yard? I mean it is cool for kids and all that, but I could totally read in there. And the little mushroom table and chairs…adorbs.

Well, I hope you enjoyed this burst of sunshine as much as I did. And thanks for helping keep me distracted!

A Cute Little Cottagecore Autumn Halloween

On By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn artist review, autumn15 Comments

I love all of these new aesthetics -cottagecore, dark academia, green academia – to name a few of my favorites. I have to admit I feel like I was into the dark academia vibe before it was a thing, all the way back in the early 90s. All those books that fit that genre are books I loved as a youth. But, this is a cottagecore post – an aesthetic I really associate more with spring and summer – its all rural and pastoral and quaint and cute. However, it lends itself to Halloween and fall better than you might expect! I was browsing Etsy, as I am known to do, especially while Wyatt is in therapy and I am just sitting in the waiting room, well, waiting for him, and I found the cutest things! It is just so fun and happy to look at!

(links do contain Etsy affiliate links) UPDATED: Some of these links are no longer valid a year later. I am planning on a whole new post like this for this year, but it won’t be up for another week or two. Are you all as excited for fall as I am? I did start a collection on Etsy though if you want to get a sneak peek! You can find it here!

L-R: Orange Ghost and Flowers || Ghost and Roses || Collage of Cute Halloween Things That Make me Think of Doodling in my Notebooks

These mugs are so adorable! Those sweet little ghosts! I couldn’t pick a favorite if I tried. Well, ok maybe. That middle one is calling my name. And we all know a good mug is absolutely essential to a proper fall for drinking all the tea and cocoa.

L-R : Fox Beret || Ghost sweatshirt || Black Cat Knitted Tea Cozy

I mentioned the other day I was considering a beret. I don’t think I could wear this everyday but maybe on Halloween, taking Wyatt trick or treating I could! Or if I chicken out, that sweatshirt is cute and appropriate for the season – and me! And that tea cozy is perfect for a Halloween poetry tea time, which I do with Wyatt every year.

L-R: Pumpkin Stickers || Glow in the Dark Mushrooms || Gloomy Bookshop Print

I think these pumpkin stickers are practically perfect in every way. We always get more pumpkins then we want to actually carve and these would be great to use instead of carving but still making them festive. And these glow in the dark ghost mushrooms!! Why oh why must they be so cute? I am also in love with the gloomy bookshop print – it would be so cute in an office or library or really anywhere.

But this – this is the big daddy of cute.

It is seriously the sweetest, most joyful ghost I have ever seen. I think Wyatt needs it. Or I do. One of us does.

Boo!

For the Love of Mushrooms

On By Erin @ Cracker Crumb LifeIn artist review6 Comments

Fall is in the air my friends! And now that summer is starting to taper off into much cooler evenings, I am leaning in hard to autumn and all that comes with it. Including all things mushrooms (except the er, medicinal use sort) Then I learned yesterday that September is National Mushroom Month! Who knew mushrooms had a whole month of recognition? I didn’t, until my Alexa informed me yesterday. And seriously, mushrooms totally deserve recognition, let’s face it. I love mushrooms! They are so adorable, and I get so excited when I spot one in the wild. And they are so versatile, with a whole vintage and earth mother vibe, but also can get funky too, with the psychedelics and that woo-woo Alice in Wonderland stuff. And they are tasty in soup and on pizza.

I’ve always been a fan but I am happy to see them getting some recognition. Lately, I feel like their is a resurgence in mushroom decor that hasn’t been seen since the 1970s – and I’m not complaining! I went on Etsy the other day looking for some throw pillows for our bedroom, and found a bunch of neat things.

(Etsy product links are affiliate links)

First, those pillows that led me down the rabbit hole. Aren’t they adorable? We are doing our room with nature accents and I love all three! I don’t think our bed needs all three, but they are super cute. I could not tell you which is my favorite either, because I love snails, mushrooms, and moths. And then I stumbled into some t-shirts. I love the simplicity of the “be down to earth” embroidered t-shirt, as well as the message, but then the “Morels Are Calling” shirt is also really cool. Morel hunting in Michigan is on my bucket list too, so there is some truth to this shirt. I have heard that people literally fight over them in the woods though! I would probably go out with a guide and a group, as I know Northern Michigan has some guided hunts in the spring, I believe.

That toothbrush holder just makes me smile, which might be a good thing in the morning when I need a bit of a smile, as I am not a morning person. (unlike my child) Mushrooms are all cute, but the Amanita is the cutest. I have only spotted two while hiking before and I totally nerded out when I did. I also love the moody autumnal feel of the black and gold mug, while the mushroom tea cup is perfect for a cuppa while reading. I saw that they make mushroom coffee. Anyone ever try that? I would love to hear what you think of it if you did!

I also spotted these masks that are not only mushroom themed, but also bugs! Be still my little nature loving heart. I ordered Wyatt some science and nature themed masks from Piccolina and was so bummed they were sold out of the adult sizes, and when I saw these on Etsy I decided I will have to order them. They are just too cool. The pet tag caught my eye as well – first because I have a gecko named Luna ( who does not wear a collar of course) but I do have three cats. Hmm. But which cat to wear it?

  • Processed with MOLDIV

I feel that I would be remiss to not mention some other mushroom favorites while I am at it! If you like podcasts, definitely listen to Alie Ward’s Mycology with Dr. Tom Volk pod on Ologies. And don’t miss Fantastic Fungi on Prime Video. I think it might also be on Netflix. It was sort of mind blowing and all the cinematography is amazing. And finally, one of my very favorite autumn soup, this Wild Rice and Mushroom soup from Gimme Some Oven. It is absolutely delicious, smells amazing when it is cooking, and is perfect for those chill fall evenings, especially if you have been outside all day. (or even an hour!)

So what about you? Mushrooms are so polarizing. People love them or hate them. Yay or nay?