These breezy and rainy days in Fort Myers are feeling a bit like autumn! Here's our autumn bucket list for Southwest Florida. How many will you complete?

• Attend a local Oktoberfest! Millennial Brewing Co. will be hosting an Oktoberfest from September 29 - October 1, 2023.
• Enjoy an autumn-scented candle from a local maker. Check out Spirit Glow Soy Candles and Hooties Candles & Things for a great selection.
• Pick out a pumpkin to carve or paint.
• Go stargazing on a clear evening.
• Try the pumpkin ice cream from Peter's German Ice Cream (Fort Myers) or from Publix.
• Attend a Fall Festival, such as the Edison Ford Winter Estates Fall Festival. Learn more on our events page.
• Decorate your house for fall! We love pumpkins, fresh flowers, and Halloween trinkets. Check out our friends Wild at Heart, who just opened a new flower shop in downtown Fort Myers!
• Curl up with a good book from your local library.
• Start your holiday shopping. See below for a selection of fun art & craft events in the area!
• Make a pumpkin treat, such as cookies, a smoothie, bread, or soup.
• Watch your favorite Halloween movie, or try something new. 
• Make an autumn craft. Join us at the Sanibel Library on October 14th for a candy corn craft project! Learn more on our events page.
• Go orange-picking at a local farm.
• Complete the Drawtober art challenge on Instagram! The photo above is a sneak peek into our "Haunted Home" illustration which will be completed during the month of October.

Greetings from Fort Myers Florida! 

The past couple of weeks have been insane here, to put it lightly. We were fortunate enough to have survived hurricane Ian with very little damage to our personal property and business inventory, but this disaster has hit extremely close to home. Most of our work has been inspired by the beauty and nature on Sanibel Island and the fun vibe of Fort Myers Beach. These past days we have went back and forth with how to move forward. Though it is going to be difficult, we have been inspired by the support of our friends here and the overall optimism of the local businesses and government. More debris is being removed everyday, and rebuilding is already taking place. 

First order of business, you can find Melissa's new Halloween designs here! We've also added some new Sanibel Island and Fort Myers Beach designs. A portion of all purchases from these categories will be donated. We are currently investigating where the donations will be directed.

A lot of the events and markets we were planning the next few months have been cancelled, for obvious reasons. However, you can still find some Halloween goodies at our Virtual Halloween Market, Estero Farmers Market, Oktoberfest, and Fall Festival at Edison Ford Winter Estates. Learn more on our local event page.

This month we are focussing on surviving, participating in the Drawtober art challenge on Instagram, and printing some cards for the upcoming holiday season. Follow our journey on Patreon! This month we are preparing some interesting incenses and ingredients for the Gum Limbo tier, sharing a photo tour of Six Mile Cypress Preserve, creating a Halloween-themed coloring page, and catching up with a few posts from last month due to the storm. 

Thank you so much to those of you who have supported us during this difficult time! Your kind comments and purchases mean a lot.

New arrivals in the shop this month include: Halloween art, incense, and stickers!

Join us for two events this month:

1. ShopColumbia, at Columbia College Chicago (Melissa's alma mater), is hosting Dark Market, a spooky collection of works by Columbia artists with an emphasis on the macabre. Find a handful of Melissa's creations at this event. The Dark Market will feature all things spooky and magical with mediums including art prints, zines, books, stickers, enamel, patches, soft sculpture and more! The Dark Market should delight anyone who loves Halloween or hand made, one of a kind artwork. Enjoy a sampling of spooky items on display now in store through November 5, 2021. Shop online or in store.
2. Join us Saturday October 16th for a Cat Art Fair at Mauhaus! Melissa, along with other local artists will be outside the cafe with all sorts of cat-themed goodies! Event runs from 10am-6pm, and the address is 3101 Sutton Blvd., Maplewood, MO 63143.

Follow our journey on Patreon! On our page this month, we will be releasing Halloween coloring pages, discussing a recent trip, and sharing behind-the-scenes photos of our current projects! Learn more about Patreon here.

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.