A picture is worth...

a thousand words. My sis, reminded me that I never did post this picture of her van. I took it in MN, right before we left for the airport. It took several attempts and lots of creative packing to fit everything in. It's a good thing that we only had four days to shop, because we couldn't have squeezed another thing in there. Everything arrived here in AZ in great shape, so a BIG thanks to the driver! Now all I can say about the trip is "the end".

Everyone who has tasted...

these macaroons will agree that they are delicious. I was lucky enough to get the recipe from Yolande, our wonderful neighbor. Very simple to make, but one batch only yields a dozen cookies, and they go fast. I have been feeling blog challenged of late, and at a loss for "blog fodder". My friend and fellow blogger offered ideas and encouragement, so a big thank you to her. This one's for you...

The queen is leaving...

her tiny principality for a much larger room to rule. After visiting my niece in MN this month, I have become obsessed. She has the coolest craft room, a WHOLE room to herself, and I must have one as well. Long before my plane even landed, I was mentally preparing my speech to dh and gathering up my bargaining chips for our guest bedroom conversion. As it turned out, I didn't get much resistance. He knows how important this is to me. But, here's the deal, I just redecorated the spare bedroom last year. A lot of time and effort, not to mention money went into it. Since we are not planning to move, nor add on another room, do we use the room as it is for the few weeks out of the year that we have visitors, or do I use it everyday? Sorry future guests, this craft queen needs more space. I have been going through stuff and organizing for two days. My OCD is in high gear. On Saturday, we are going to Ikea for a desk or work table. I'll be posting the new room in all it's glory when it's complete. Did I mention that dh will be leaving the garage for the laundry room? Yes, he is giving up his cave. We might actually be able to park inside once again. It also means incoming pheasants...

Abandoned Barns...

make me sad and curious at the same time. I wonder what they looked like in their better days. I also wonder what animals might have taken shelter in them. Was there a barn cat that chased away the field mice? For me, barns represent the Midwest. Having lived on a small farm in my youth, I can remember swinging from a rope that hung from the rafters, and climbing on the bales of hay. To this day, the smell of hay makes me nostalgic. My DH has told me that I would make a good farm wife, but I'm not so sure. While there would be certain aspects of living on a farm that would appeal to me, some of the harsh realities certainly would not. I could never raise livestock, and then send them off to market. I can't even look at a livestock truck. Once on a trip back to Iowa, DH noticed that I turned my head every time we passed one. When questioned why I did that, I confessed that I can't make eye contact with animals that are off to the meat packing plant. It makes me too sad. Having admitted that, I have a great deal of respect for farmers and their families, they are truly the salt of the earth. I am proud of my country roots, and of the fact that I am a descendant of such hard working folks.

Bittersweet...

beautiful, fragile, and so wonderful in decorating for Autumn. There is one booth at Little Falls that sells them in bunches. We headed there early, because once it's gone, it's gone. They were doing a brisk business when we arrived, but we all managed to get the bunch we wanted. We, of course, picked up each and every one before choosing. You can see by the photo that we were happy crafters, proudly showing off ours.

Day Three...Little Falls

It was a nippy 44 degrees when we hit the road around 6:00am. We were off to the Little Falls craft and antique show. In little more than an hour we would be in craft heaven! It was funny to see all the cars filled with women only, all jockeying to get there first. I think the men purposely stayed off the highway that day. We arrived in plenty of time to get one of the coveted close parking spots. There is so much to see, and so many ways to get distracted, you kind of need a foot plan to get started. Kelly and I hit the ground running, we wanted to get to the antiques first. Most craft booths have more than one of the same thing for sale, but you need to get there early for the antiques. We weren't disappointed, but we were limited to what we could fit in the van that was already carrying six people. I wore my usual flip flops for comfort, but as it was a wee bit chilly early on, I also wore my red leather gloves. The gloves were still in the pockets of my raincoat from our trip to the British Isles three years ago. A comment or two was over heard about my unusual attire. Hey, I was cold, and I can't remember the last time I saw 40 something degrees. A few of my purchases included several original watercolors by Tom Soucek. I discovered him there two years ago, and I was very pleased to see him again. I particularly enjoy meeting the artists, it makes the art work that much more personal to me.

These are a few of my favorite finds...

I promised myself that I wouldn't buy another salt glazed crock. But, who could resist it at $45.00? Maybe someone with more willpower than I! It pays to hike back in the rain for a deal, doesn't it, Kelly? It looks just peachy with the others that I have collected, especially displaying the bittersweet. Now there is another story...the bittersweet, but I'll save that for another post. The butter mold was a real treasure to find as it has carved birds. Love those birdies. The cabinet with drawers isn't old, but it is the perfect piece to hold my cross stitch silks. Lastly, the wire dish rack works great for holding my magazines, and other stuff in the basket.

Photos from day two...

Girls just wanna have fun...

was certainly our motto for the trip to MN. From the minute we were picked up at the airport, it was giggles and four women enjoying being together. Our first stop was Stitchville USA in Minnetonka. It is a beautiful and well layed out shop with tons to look at. In no time at all, we had our arms full of goodies. Debbie, the owner, was an absolute delight. We then had lunch in a tea room which adjourned a general store. We feasted on a delicious creamed cabbage and ham soup, all the while trying to create the recipe so we could make it ourselves. My immediate goal is to duplicate that soup!

The next day was also spent strolling in and out of antique and specialty shops. We simply do not have the selection of antiques here in AZ. that you can find in the Midwest. Next trip I'm renting a trailer or a semi even to bring back my haul. Watch for some of my "finds" in upcoming posts. Once again we lunched at a tea room which was housed in a wonderful old brick building. We all chose a hat, and enjoyed lunch which included croissant sandwiches, fruit, and scones with clotted cream. The tea of the day was none other than rhubarb cream. I was in heaven. Anyone who knows me, knows of my love of all things rhubarb.

It was very inspiring to be with like minded gals. We share a common passion for old things, stitching, paper crafts, and nature. The ideas were starting to pool in my head, and it was only day two.

I'm going to shop till I drop...

My pal, Patti and I are off to Minnesota in the morning for a weekend of shopping, shopping, and more shopping. In between spending money, we will be visiting with relatives. The highlight of the weekend trip will be the annual Little Falls craft show. I have attended it before, and it is unlike anything I have ever seen. The whole town turns into a giant craft and antique show. Street after street is filled with the most wonderful old and handmade treasures. We will be armed with plenty of ca$h and wearing our comfy shoes. I am looking forward to a respite from our Arizona heat. It can be chilly and rainy, just not on Saturday, please!