I felt compelled to go outside today and get at least one fall photo before it’s too late.  Fall is a glorious time in Grosse Pointe, because there are so many trees, and such a good variety, which means there’s a million hues of red and orange and yellow.  I took the image above of a tree I’ve been eyeing for days.  I know it’s autumn.  I have proof.  The calendar clearly says October, and it’s nearly the end of the month already, but for whatever crazy reason, I feel like summer is around the corner.  We’ve pretty much been working 7-days a week since May, so as weddings die down for the year and I realize I will be getting my weekends back, it feels like summer vacation to me.  Which means warmth, and sun, and eating dinner outside.  How cruel that our last wedding is in November!

This afternoon I dropped some packages off at FedEx and then made an impromptu stop at Jo Ann Fabrics. They didn’t have the item I was looking for, but I did buy these great tealight candleholders that are very similar to some I planned to get from Crate and Barrel. (See their version here.)

Crate and Barrel version:  $15, holds 5 candles
Jo Ann Fabrics version: $5, holds 3 candles

After washing these to get all the dust and fingerprints from the store off them, I realized 3 is the perfect size – the longer ones you’d never be able to towel dry and they would end up with spots inside and that’s just annoying.

These ended up in the sunroom, on a $40 craigslist dresser I bought for the space.  The sunroom still needs to be finished.  Right now it’s a graveyard of mismatched random furniture that’s been retired from the house.  But I’ll save that for another post.

I am really craving candles right now.  I don’t know if it’s the drop in temperature, or a general need for coziness.  And I’m really wanting sleek, minimalist candleholders that will work well anywhere in the house.  So these all glass ones really fit the bill, and I like the idea of having similar, but different ones all over the house.   I have this idea for the sunroom where I fill the entire space up with candles.  I mean it’s basically windows on three sides and a brick wall on another, with a concrete floor – is there a place more suitable for a dangerous number of candles?  I can’t do that much damage, right?

My idea is to hang a bunch of  whirlies (photo above) from the ceiling and get some wall mountable holders for the brick wall.  (Like these.)  The former owner left random nails all over the brick and hooks all over the ceiling, so I might as well use them.

I am also really liking these too:
Crate & Barrel | Piper, Pixie, Trix.

CB2 | Union

CB2| Lumi

I can see using all of these in different areas of the house, or grouping them together on the patio table when I need more light.  There I go thinking it’s summer again.  In another week or two there will probably be snow on the patio table.  I really need a second home some place warm for when wedding season ends.