A Road Trip With Friends

Hello friends! I can't sleep, so while I have a quiet house (before construction resumes in the morning), I thought I would take a moment a share a bit about my trip to the Amana Colonies on Tuesday. My dear friends (Kimber and Merry) both share a birthday at the end of August, so we had planned a little celebratory road trip. Kimber chose the destination and I was the chauffeur...we headed out at 8 AM...we definitely wanted to get an early start, as it was approximately 2 hours to our destination - and even the drive was fun, as we had a chance to catch-up on life and do our usual laughing!

Our first stop was at The Woolen Needle in Williamsburg, Iowa - we all just love this shop - beautiful hand-dyed wool fabrics, gorgeous quilting cottons and kits, yarns, lots of models - a heavenly shop! I picked up some unique plaid wools (I just love the color combination of pink and black, so that was a "must buy"...I also picked up a jar of vintage buttons (upper right photo) and a hand embroidery pattern.

We then traveled into the Amana Colonies...and needing a little boost, we stopped at the Java Junction Coffee shop for beverages - then enjoyed the sunshine as we sipped our drinks outside. We then made our way to Heritage Designs Quilting and Needlework...this is a lovely shop - and although over the years, the selection of cross stitch/needlework has become less and less substantial, they still carry many specialty threads, fabric, charts, and books. I found a nice little selection of quilting fabrics - including the some from the line "My Favorite Things" (seen right in the photo below) by Anni Downs of Hatched and Patched for Henry Glass & Co. (I am a big fan of Anni's, so this was a fun find!)...

Our next stop - Grapevine Antiques - it was the first time any of us has visited this antique shop and we all agreed it was well worth the visit! We all three found a selection of purchases...in fact, we worked up an appetite with all the shopping, so we made our way to the Ox Yoke Inn (my favorite) for lunch - yummy! We enjoyed delicious sandwiches and sweet potato fries (refueled for the afternoon)...and then Merry and Kimber opened their birthday gifts (Kimber even brought me a little goodie bag for driving!)...and then we were off to our next destination: Smokehouse Square Antiques. This large antique shop seemed endless as we perused each room for special buys...and we all three found a few things...Kimber even found a gorgeous antique quilt! I saw a couple antique needlework samplers, but they were definitely out of my price range (I tried to get a couple good photos, but the glare from the glass cases and framing made them unusable). Between the two antique shops I managed to find some great vintage cards of buttons, two perfect condition vintage feedsacks, three vintage handkerchiefs, and a unique vintage trim - not bad - and I didn't spend very much money!

We made one last stop before heading back to Des Moines - a quick visit to Fern Hill Gifts and Quilts. We arrived just before closing, so didn't stay too long...but I did pick up a couple great fabrics (seen in the top photo above - left side). When shopping for fabrics, as a true quilter I always have several themes I am collecting - I just adore fabric with trees, owls, birds, or fruits - so I was ecstatic to find a unique autumn tree fabric and a nice cheerful yellow fabric featuring various fruits.

All in all, it was a fabulous day - I am very blessed to have such wonderful, creative, and patient friends - getting together with them is truly a blessing and lifts my spirits beyond measure!

A Touch of Spring

What a beautiful few days we have had here in Iowa...the sun has been shining, temperatures are unseasonably warm, and most of the snow and ice has melted away....and although we have not seen the end of the cold and snow, this vacation from winter weather has been welcomed with open arms! I am itching for spring to arrive...and little signs are popping up - I heard birds singing outside my bedroom window this morning, kids are outside playing basketball this afternoon, and it seems everyone is outside walking their dog. It is fun to see fresh patterns and fabrics arriving in shops...and summer clothing is already on store racks. This is the time of year I am itching to spring clean my home and start fresh for the year ahead. I was telling my girlfriends - I just want a few days off to wash and scrub everything - a deep cleaning - get rid of the winter blahs.

Yesterday, I received the cutest package in the mail...and it definitely put me in the mood for spring! My dear friend Lorrie send me the sweetest birthday card...along with a gorgeous pale pink wall-mount bud vase and beautiful rose handkerchief. This was one of those super surprise packages that was completely unexpected and immediately made me smile. I have not seen a bud vase quite like this one before...it is cone-shaped with a flat back and a hole at the top for hanging - isn't it wonderful?! It is the perfect touch of spring for my home. I was also giddy with the handkerchief - it has a stunning rose pattern - and handkerchiefs are really making a comeback...there are numerous new books and articles featuring them and their uses in sewing and craft projects. I was tickled to receive such a thoughtful gift for my special day. Like I said yesterday - friendships are definitely good for the soul - I am so extremely blessed!