HAPPY HALLOWEEN (AND WEEKEND)!



Hope you have a wonderful weekend and Halloween! I meant to include the DIY project above—colorful Halloween candy garlands by The House That Lars Built—in the roundup on Wednesday but forgot. Making up for it here!

I have been accumulating lots of fun reading material for you and, on the off chance you are like me and planning to hibernate over the next several days, thought it would be fun to list it all below. Enjoy!





A Young Man's Follies. A touching glimpse into a stranger's life (and beautifully laid out, too!).

Made me smile: #notonappstore.


A fact every minute. Perfect to stock up on dinner party conversation starters.


Finally, for those in the New York area, some excellent shows closing after this weekend:









*apparently I like artists named Robert?!




A CRAFTY HALLOWEEN: DIY IDEAS



My family have never been particularly big on Halloween, especially the spooky-scary side of things. But the amount of clever, chic and downright fun DIY Halloween projects that are making the blog rounds this year may have me singing a different tune. Full of bright colors and googly eyes, it seems that these projects are pushing for a sillier version of All Hallows Eve than previously possible. Count me a fan!Here are a few of my favorite projects to help you have the most happy-goofy holiday yet.ONE | funny felt eyes from oh joyTWO | monster candy buckets from tell love and partyTHREE | pastel pun-kins from studio diyFOUR | polka pumpkins from design love festFIVE | fluffer nutter cookie pops from bakers royaleSIX | spooky spiked shirley cocktails from almost makes perfectSEVEN | a googly eyes party from oh happy dayEIGHT | ghost emoji balloons from aww, sam
Any projects I missed? Let me know in the comments! And Happy Halloween!


AND THE WINNER IS . . . .


































I am happy to report that the winner of the $125 Uncommon Goods gift certificate is Alaine! Alaine, I will be sending you an email shortly about how to collect your winnings. Thanks to all who entered! More fun posts, features and giveaways will be coming your way in the near future.





RIFLE AND PAPERLESS POST: A DYNAMIC DUO

























Have you seen the new line of cards, invites and announcements by Rifle Paper for Paperless Post? I got an email about their launch recently and immediately burst into a huge smile; I have been a fan of both companies for years and always delighted to see two quality brands team up (like these, for example).

The line features everything related to baby, wedding, moving, parties, graduations, stationery—you name it and you can find it at Paperless Post in all the signature hand-illustrated style of founder Anna Bond. Here are a couple of my favorites:








I also love Rifle designed options that incorporate photos as well, as they really make many of the wedding invites and birth notices seem extra special. And, like nearly all Paperless Post products, you can get them as e-cards or physical paper cards, a nice option if you have some non-tech savvy recipients (snail mail) or last minute invitees (e-vites). Which design is your favorite?Also, don't forget to enter the Uncommon Goods giveaway! One winner will be announced on Monday, so don't delay!  

BACK IN ACTION! PLUS AN UNCOMMON GOODS GIVEAWAY!





















So I am somewhat ashamed to see that it has been weeks since I promised to get back into regular posting, all without much word from me. Whoops! My apologies. Turns out that there was a bit of a dip in energy after finishing the dissertation (shocking, I know) and that combined with re-adjusting to  working full time again (when do 9 to 5 people do errands again?) has meant that I am a little behind on my O. I. plans.

But, but, but! I am making up for it today with a super awesome post. Not even just a post, a giveaway! From none other than the super impressive company Uncommon Goods. Have you heard of Uncommon Goods? I just got on their trail last year when my Dad hooked me up with some awesome gifts at Christmas (Thanks, Dad!). Uncommon Goods is an online shop, headquartered in Brooklyn, that focuses on connecting shoppers with new, exciting craftsman who create decorative, practical and personality-filled products. Given my personal mantra—why buy boring when you can buy beautiful?—I thought a little giveaway from them would be right up our alley.

So one lucky reader will be getting a generous $125 gift certificate from Uncommon Goods to buy what they like—holiday gifts, thanksgiving decor or just a little treat or two for yourself.

Since there are about a million things to catch your eye in their shop, I thought I would narrow down some of my favorites for you to get your gears turning, specifically pointing you to top picks in my major categories of expertise: art and home goods. Read on to find out how you can use that dinero towards one of these (or many other) sweet items.













































Not surprisingly, the shop already carries many artists and objects already featured on the blog in the past (or works that resemble them). Here are just a couple of highlights:

ONE | "All the Surfboards in CA" by James Gulliver Hancock (reminds me of Jason Polan!)

TWO | "A Grand Treasury of Shakespearean Insults" by Tim and Aurelia Saunders

THREE | "State by State Seasonal Food Guide" by Jessica Haas (chart art, my favorite!)

FOUR | "City Prints" by Carolyn Gavin (maps and vintage illustration, what's not to love?!)












































Of course you can never have too many fun-cum-functional decor items in your home either. Here are some surefire conversation starters that would look great in any house (or gift box):

ONE | eye clock (perfect for a Halloween display!)

TWO | custom state pillows

THREE | suspension bridge shelf (what a cool idea)

FOUR | cork globe (great idea for a minimal study)

FIVE | giraffe family bookends (would be super cute in a baby's room)

SIX | handmade herringbone knitting basket (so pretty!)

SEVEN | caterpillar bud vase 

EIGHT | hand-embroidered central park pillow (a new take on a classic style, #wishlisted)


So by now you are probably itching to get in on the giveaway action, right? You can do so through any of the following manners (each method will get you one entry; multiple your chances of winning by entering in various ways!):

ONE | Like Uncommon Goods on Facebook

TWO | Like the obsessive imagist on Facebook

THREE | Sign up for the Uncommon Goods mailing list

FOUR | Follow the obsessive imagist on instagram

FIVE | Follow the obsessive imagist on twitter


Enter in one (or all!) of these ways and leave a note about your entry method in the comments section below. One winner will be granted a $125 gift certificate next Monday morning (October 26th). Good luck!



(top photo of little miss sunshine from here)