Every year it seems like autumn sneaks up on me and I spend too little time appreciating the colorful leaves, apple cider and golden afternoons. It's only 2 weeks away until Halloween and after that the mad rush of the winter holidays. Thankfully instagram has helped me to slow down and appreciate the transitional season more-- while I've only been using the iphone camera app since May, it's now become a part of my daily routine to take at least one photo. While the quality of photograph is not on par with my dSLR, instagram is my version of a photo sketch book and captures moments and daily outfits that I wouldn't catch otherwise.

I'm sharing a few instagram photos today that I think best demonstrates what I've been up to lately in my beloved city of Chicago. If you're on instagram too leave your username in the comments so I can follow you, my handle is @thriftaholic (of course!).Iced squirrel cookies too adorable to eat spotted at Sweet Cakes Bakery in Ukrainian Village.I snagged this 1970s owl thread art for $1 at a neighborhood rummage sale.We celebrated my friend India's birthday party with a pinata in her backyard.Kyla, me and Sarah at India's party. Photo courtesy @sazzouAbout to dig into a delicious pumpkin cupcake with cream cheese frosting from Alliance Bakery in Wicker Park.Twirling in a 1970s disco dress at Sarah & Kyla's vintage pop up sale outside Antique Taco in Wicker Park.Details of my 1970s outfit, I tend to favor 1970s dresses, boots and berets in the autumn.Elaborately decorated Halloween cookies at Alliance Bakery-- the bears are dressed as a mummy, skeleton and Frankenstein (or a zombie?).Faux spiderwebs adorning the trees in my neighborhood.Jack-o-lantern featuring cut outs of autumn leaves.A giant spider adorning the exterior of the Driehaus Museum in the Gold Coast neighborhood. It looked to be 10 feet wide.Wearing a Mod Hawaiian (1960s) outfit for drinks night at the Hala Kahiki tiki lounge.Sarah, Kyla and I are not afraid to wear loud floral prints especially if it suits our surroundings!We had to try the famous Gene's & Jude's hot dog stand next door to Hala Kihiki before heading home.Snagged this rad vintage bicycle pin from a weird little estate sale. It's mechanical so the big wheel moves.I went to visit friends at the Vintage Heaven sale in Wicker Park and found this amazing "black sheep" sweater. The wooden structure is an art installation by Jeff Prokash.Crunching through wet autumn leaves while wearing a 1950s dress.There were so many pumpkins to choose from at the Gesthesmane garden center in Andersonville.Sarah, Kyla & I chose mini pumpkins to paint for Halloween.Sarah's kitty Finn approves of my Halloween "scaredy cat" painted mini pumpkin.I enjoyed seeing how different Kyla, Sarah & I's pumpkins turned out-- Kyla's are the 3 on the left, Sarah's are the middle 3 and mine are the 2 on the far right. Photo courtesy @sazzouIt's much more difficult to draw on a pumpkin (rounded surface!) than you'd expect. I'm happy with how my sleeping fox came out though, I framed him with painted gold leaves.

Be sure to visit Kyla (@lostandfind) and Sarah (@sazzou) at their blogs and instagrams too to see more of our adventures.