CINDERELLA, CINDERELLA I have this nagging feeling I’m late for something. Oh wait…is it fall already? Like Cinderella losing her slipper on the steps of the ball, my chariot’s arrived in the form of a pumpkin and I’M. NOT. READY.

While I do have a section of my still-very-messy basement that is devoted to my fall décor, it’s in that dark, sort of damp and well…spooky corner. Besides that, I can’t help but feel that the stuff I have brings new meaning to the phrase “OLD standby’s.” How is it that my neighbors’ yards already look creatively creepy with goblins, ghouls, and ghosts of all shapes and sizes? And that friends of mine fill cornucopias with candy corn and somehow they don’t look cheesy? How do I get spider webs that scream spooktacular, not “I’m Mrs. Havisham and haven’t dusted in 20 years”?

So after I took a deep breath and realized that I do in fact have an “old friend” I can always count on in sticky situations like this, I decided to Keep Calm and Nona Jo’s On!

It’s so nice to step inside your favorite boutique and feel like you’ve just walked into your best friend’s house; cozy and homey, yet fun and fabulous. And at Nona Jo’s, as far as the eye can see, every nook and cranny, every corner and every crevice, is decked out in curiosities, trinkets, mementos and more. Nona Jo’s has always been my go-to for gifts, jewelry…or even that must-have scarf to keep the autumn chill at bay, but this trip was all about fanciful fall frill!

I simply love that there are little niches everywhere throughout the shop – to get ideas, garner inspiration or just sit a spell and delight in the design (it’s quite obvious they have more than a few talented designers on staff). Speaking of the staff…they are an uber-friendly and helpful bunch, who aren’t clingy (this is getting to be a theme – ahem hello… best friend material!). So after taking a couple laps around the shop in order to absorb it all, I decided on some darling décor that helped me create a spectacularly spooky “barscape” in my kitchen. I really love that no matter my mood, they have items that span the spectrum. So whether I’m feeling whimsical or classic, fun or fantastic, sparkly or spooky…Nona Jo’s has it!

Witches and pumpkins and candy corn, oh my! The skulls and candles and ghosts caught my eye. The signs are hand painted and the fall florals made me elated….oh Nona Jo’s I can’t wait to come back and get Christmas décor acquainted!

OVERVIEW Nona Jo’s is a family-run, fun-filled shop that offers exceptional service and an ever-changing mix of unique home accessories and fabulous gift-giving pieces. It was voted a 2015 Readers' Choice Excellence Award winner by Glancer readers and is located at 410 W. Fifth Ave., Naperville, www.nonajos.com, (630) 355-4488.

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