From Martha

Happy fall, my friends! John has been dreading today, because to him, fall simply means that winter is on the way (and he hates winter). I feel much more positively about fall than he does. Regardless, here’s what we’re hoping to pack into the next three months:

— hang something seasonal on the front door
— make one month’s flower arrangement a chrysanthemum for the front step
— complete at least one house project (can be anything, really!)
— take a trip to a corn maze
— make a delicious-sounding fall dish like homemade Twix bars or caramel pears
— finally purchase the perfect pair of brown leather boots (John gave me the gift card for them last Christmas!!)
— go on a weekend hiking + camping trip
— make pumpkin chocolate chip muffins
— catch the goat showmanship competition at the NC State Fair (yes, watching the goats and their child handlers is our very favorite activity at the fair)
— finally take Martha up on all her pumpkin projects and do something crafty with a gourd
— join in the sweet potato harvest at our church
— drink hot apple cider (my favorite)

What’s on your fall to do list?

Before summer’s over I wanted to make sure and post this little note for Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill locals. If you’ve never been to the Back Porch Music concerts at the American Tobacco Campus in Durham, you must go! The music is great (so far we’ve heard bluegrass, blues, old time, and a crazy brass + banjo mash-up), the concerts are FREE, and the American Tobacco Campus is such a neat space. The concerts are generally VERY well attended, so I would recommend arriving at 5:30 or earlier if you want to spread out your blanket on the grass (the music begins at 6pm). We like to order a pizza from nearby Mellow Mushroom, but you’re welcome to bring your own food or purchase from one of the other food stalls (including Locopops!). A few iPhone snaps from the last two years…

The remaining concerts this summer are on September 2, September 9, September 16, and September 30. Check out the full schedule and more details here!

My apologies for two local-based posts in a row, but I wanted to share another neat place we visited this weekend! Market Imports is located at the State Farmer’s Market in Raleigh, and it’s full of treasures. Mostly too-expensive-for-Emily’s-budget treasures, but fun to browse, regardless. Here are some of the items that caught my eye…

I think this metal cabinet would be perfect in a craft room! ($395)

There were so many jars! They kind of looked like these ones from Pottery Barn, and at $26-$44 a pop depending on size, not too bad of a price. I’m sad I didn’t leave with one.

I liked the number tags on these little galvanized pails. ($9.50 each)

This would be the perfect stool for beside a bed or sofa. ($95)

The Coast Guard daughter in me loved this life preserver ring. I don’t have a great feel for what these typically go for, but I thought the price of $45 was pretty reasonable.

This bottle dryer, on the other hand, definitely seemed overpriced at $255, but I liked it anyway.

This guy would be cute next to a sofa, as well, or on a patio. ($265)

This teal lantern was missing a pane of glass and so was marked 40% off from its original price of $59. I was dissuaded from bringing it home, but one of you Carolina gals should go snatch it up!!

Favorite find of the day? These copper lanterns, $89 each.

Do you have a favorite antique shop near you?

Do y’all have somewhere near you that shows outdoor summer movies? We do, and I love them! The Koka Booth Ampitheatre in Cary, NC is such a beautiful space. The grounds are very well kept up, and it’s right by a lake, so there’s a cool breeze on even the hottest nights (a huge relief in the Carolina heat!). They show recently released movies on most Thursdays in the summer for just $3 a ticket! John and I went to see The Social Network on Thursday.

One of my favorite parts? They let you bring in food and coolers, but they also have a neat row of independent vendors selling treats if you don’t feel like packing it in. We brought cobb salad from home, effectively checking off two items on my summer to do list in one go.

Locals, check out the rest of the summer’s movie schedule here!