Halloween art and accessories available at Virtual Halloween Market on October 1-3.
The Island Octopus gift shop hosts online event to help artists and small businesses this autumn.

St. Louis, Missouri - The Island Octopus gift shop will host a Virtual Halloween Market, an online shopping event featuring a variety of artists and makers, virtual activities, and freebies. Shoppers will find Halloween art, accessories, apparel, and home decor from 6 artists and small online businesses at this unique event. The Virtual Halloween Market runs from October 1-3, 2021. Shoppers can join the Facebook group or The Island Octopus website  to view the event.

​The Island Octopus was founded in 2021 by husband-wife team Matt and Melissa Gindling. The online gift shop offers whimsical critters, beachy art, coloring books, apparel, and handcrafted incense.

The Autumn Equinox is one (of two) moments in the year when day and night are of equal length. It marks the beginning of autumn. In the northern hemisphere the Autumn Equinox usually falls on September 22 or 23, and in 2021, it is September 22. Continue reading for some fun ways to celebrate this time of year! Check out our Pinterest board for other related recipes and tutorials.

Crafts & Activities:

• Make a dried fruit garland
• Make a leaf rubbing
• Write a gratitude list
• Make a corn dolly
• Make or buy an autumn wreath to display
• Go on a nature walk and enjoy the changing leaves
• Burn an autumn-themed incense (find a recipe below!)
• Clean your home and decorate for autumn

Decorations and accents:

• Acorns
• Leaves
• Apples
• Corn
• Autumn flowers (such as marigolds and mums)
• Pine cones
• The colors orange, yellow, red, and gold

Food to make and enjoy:

• Bread
• Grains
• Apples
• Squash
• Pumpkin
• Cider
• Corn
• Pies, especially apple pie
• ​Seeds and nuts

Scents:

• Cinnamon
• Clove
• Apple
• Sage
• Oak leaves
• Yarrow
• Pine
• Rosemary
• Sandalwood
• Fern

Autumn Equinox incense recipe:

Ingredients:

• pinyon pine resin or other sticky pine resin
• fallen sycamore leaves or oak leaves
• cinnamon
• rosemary
• storax or honey

​Directions:
Grind dried leaves, cinnamon and rosemary with a mortar and pestle. Press in pine resin. Add small amount of storax and knead until thoroughly mixed. Roll into small balls if desired. Smolder on top of a hot hookah charcoal.

Our next shop update will be in October for our Virtual Halloween Market! Expect to see new stickers, incense, art, and some bat ornaments.

Follow our journey on Patreon! On our page this month, we will be releasing two animal coloring pages, discussing the upcoming Halloween incense blends, releasing a bird-themed digital download, and sharing behind-the-scenes photos of our current projects! Learn more about Patreon here.